• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.18 no.5
• /
• pp.371-376
• /
• 2014

Amino-acid neurotransmitter system dysfunction plays a major role in the pathophysiology of depression. Several studies have demonstrated the potential of amino acids as a source of neuro-specific biomarkers could be used in future diagnosis of depression. Only partial amino acids such as glycine and asparagine were determined from certain parts of rats' brain included hippocampi and cerebral cortex in previous studies. However, according to systematic biology, amino acids in different area of brain are interacted and interrelated. Hence, the determination of 34 amino acids through entire rats' brain was conducted in this study in order to demonstrate more possibilities for biomarkers of depression by discovering other potential amino acids in more areas of rats' brain. As a result, 4 amino acids (L-aspartic acid, L-glutamine, taurine and ${\gamma}$-amino-n-butyric acid) among 34 were typically identified as potentially primary biomarkers of depression by data statistics. Meanwhile, an antidepressant called Fluoxetine was employed to verify other potential amino acids which were not identified by data statistics. Eventually, we found L-${\alpha}$-amino-adipic acid could also become a new potentially secondary biomarker of depression after drug validation. In conclusion, we suggested that L-aspartic acid, L-glutamine, taurine, ${\gamma}$-amino-n-butyric acid and L-${\alpha}$-amino-adipic acid might become potential biomarkers for future diagnosis of depression and development of antidepressant.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.79-86
• /
• 2011

The contents of free amino acid in cabbage cultivars originated from China and Korea were measured to determine the quality for taste and nutrition. The experimental variables were season (spring-sowing and fall-sowing), leaf position (inside and outside), and the cabbage color (green and red). Eighteen free amino acids were detected at the range of 0-38 mg/g dry weight. The most abundant amino acid was serine(0-128 mg/g). Alanine, aspartate, glutamate, asparagine, histidine, and proline were relatively rich at 2-12 mg/g dry weight. Glycine were significantly increased in spring-sowing cabbages by 2-fold but proline was reversely decreased by 7-fold. The inside parts of cabbages contained significantly more alanine, glutamate, glycine, isoleucine, serine, and valine than the outside ones. The higher contents of isolecuine, leucine, proline, and valine were observed in the red cabbages than the green ones. The significant cross effects of season-color and position-color were also observed, indicating the red and the green cabbages were differently affected by season and tissue position.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.213-219
• /
• 2016

Analysis of nutritional compositions of soybean sprouts cultivated with bamboo ash was carried out. Bamboo ash was utilized as sprouting water of soybeans and adjusted to 0.2, 0.6, 1.0, 1.4, 2.0, 6.0 and 10.0 g/L. Stem length and contents of isoflavone (daidzin, glycitin, genestin, daidzein, glycitein, and genestein) and vitamin C in soybean sprouts cultivated with 0.2 g/L were higher than those in soybean sprouts cultivated with only water. Potassium, magnesium, and calcium of all cultivation methods were detected in higher contents than others. In particular, potassium showed a high absorption rate in the soybean sprouts. The major amino acid was asparagine (616.05~849.15 mg/100 g, soybean eq.), and contents of lysine, leucine, and ornithine in soybean sprouts cultivated at 0.2 g/L were higher than those of methods by only water and addition of 6-benzylaminopurine. According to the results, soybean sprouts cultivated with 0.2 g/L of bamboo ash were effective for increasing nutritional compositions.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
• /
• v.9 no.1
• /
• pp.51-60
• /
• 2001

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of adding phytase on nutrient digestibility in growing pigs. Three barrow pigs averaging 28.5$\pm$3.1kg of body weight were allotted to three treatments by 3$\times$3 latin square. Treatments included 1) com-soybean meal based-control diet and 2) and 3) control diet with phytase 500 and 1,000 unit. There were no effects of treatments on dry matter and nitrogen digestibility (P〉0.05). Ash, Ca and P digestibility in pigs fed diet with phytase were greater than those in pigs fed control diet(P〈0.05). An increased phosphorus intake was observed from pigs fed diet with treatments compared to that from pigs fed control diet. Pigs fed diet with adding phytase had improved P absorption compared to pigs fed control diet(P〈0.05). There was no significantly effect on fecal and urine excretion(P〈0.05). Ca intake was increased for pigs fed adding phytase compared to pigs fed control diet. No evident effect was observed on Ca fecal excretion among dietary treatments, however, urine excretion of pigs fed diet with treatments was decreased compared to pigs fed control diet. Cystine, isoleucine, tyrosine and phenylalanine digestibility of amino acid were greater for pigs fed diet with treatments than those for pigs fed control diet(P〈0.05). Asparagine, threonine, serine, methionine and leucine digestibility were improved for pigs fed with phytase 500 unit compared to pigs fed control diet. Lysine, histidine, arginine and other animo acids digestibility were higher for pigs fed diet with phytase than control diet, but there were no significant effects by the treatments(P〉0.05). In conclusion, the results of the experiments suggest that phytase supplementation in the diets could be a very beneficial strategy in environmental aspects.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.439-448
• /
• 2003

The VP2 gene of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) Chinju which was previously detected in Chinju, Korea was cloned and sequenced to establish the information for the development of genetically engineered vaccines and diagnostic reagents against IBDV. The nucleotide sequence of the entire Chinju VP2 gene consisted of 1,356 bases long encoding 452 amino acids in a single open reading frame (ORF). It consisted of 368 adenine (27.1%), 363 cytosine (26.8%), 339 guanine (25.0%) and 286 thymine (21.1%) residues. The predicted $M_r$ of the Chinju VP2 protein was 48 kDa, and the protein contained 13 phosphorylation sites by protein kinase C, casein kinase II or tyrosine kinase, whereas 3 asparagine-linked glycosylation sites were recognized. The nucleotide sequence of Chinju VP2 ORF had a very close phylogenetic relationship with 98-99% homology to that of the very virulent IBDVs (vvIBDVs) HK46, OKYM, D6948, UK661, UPM97/61 and BD3/99. Also, the Chinju VP2 protein revealed a very close phylogenetic relationship with 99-100% homology to that of these vvIBDVs. The Chinju VP2 protein had 100% amino acid identity in the variable region of residues 206-360 with that of the D6948, HK46, OKYM and UK661, as well as 100% identity in two hypervariable regions of residues 212-224 and 314-324 with those of the D6948, HK46, OKYM, UK661, UPM97/61 and BD3/99. The amino acid sequence of the chinju VP2 protein contained a serine-rich heptapeptide of SWSASGS as in these vvIBDVs.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.85-95
• /
• 2007

Manganese dependent peroxidase (MnP) is the most ubiquitous enzyme produced by white-rot fungi, MnP is known to be involved in lignin degradation, biobleaching and oxidation of hazardous organopollutants. Bjerkandera fumosa is a nitrogen-unregulated white-rot fungus, which produces high amounts of MnP in the excess of N-nutrients due to increased biomass yield. The objective of this study was to optimize the MnP production in N-sufficient cultures by varying different physiological factors such as Mn concentration, culture pH, and incubation temperature. The growth of fungus was optimal in pH 4.5 at $30^{\circ}C$, $N_2$-unregulated white-rot fungus produces high amounts of MnP in the excess N-nutrients. The fungus produced the highest level of MnP (up to $1000U/{\ell}$) with $0.25g/{\ell}$ asparagine and $1g/{\ell}$ $NH_4Cl$ as N source at 1.5 mM $MnCl_2$ concentration, pH value of 4.5 at $30^{\circ}C$. Purification of MnP revealed the existence of two isoforms: MnPl and MnP2. The molecular masses of the purified MnPl and MnP2 were in the same range of 42~45 kDa. These isoforms of B. fumosa strictly require Mn to oxidize phenolic substrates. Concerned to kinetic constants of B. fumosa MnPs, B. fumosa has similar Km value and Vmax compared to the other white-rot fungi.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.31 no.1
• /
• pp.36-41
• /
• 2003

Influence of physiological and environmental factors on an antagonistic strain of Trichoderma viride RSR7 were studied optimize its biocontrol potential. The growth and sporulation of T. viride was greatly influenced by various carbon and nitrogen sources, and the environmental factors such as pH and temperature. The best growth and sporulation of T. viride was observed when sucrose, peptone and trehalose were supplemented in the medium as sole carbon sources. Rhamnose, pyruvic acid and sorbitol also supported a good growth. However, with these carbon sources the sporulation was poor. Growth and sporulation was also affected by various nitrogen sources. Growth and sporulation both were favoured by ammonium forms of nitrogen compared to nitrite or nitrate forms. Urea did not support either growth or sporulation. Among amino acids, glutamic acid, asparagine, leucine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid and alanine supported good growth as well as sporulation. T. viride was able to utilize large number of amino acids as sole nitrogen source. Proline was good for growth, but not for sporulation. Maximum growth and sporulation of T. viride was between pH 4.5 to 5.5. Temperatures between $20^{\circ}C\;and\;37^{\circ}C$ were good for both growth and sporulation of T. viride. At lower temperatures(i.e. below $20^{\circ}C$) growth and sporulation were inhibited. Based on the present study it may be concluded that T. viride RSR7 is capable of growing and sporulating with varied nutritional and environmental conditions and, therefore, this strain of T. viride may be useful as a biocontrol agent under diverse physiological and environmental conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.124-134
• /
• 2010

This study was performed to evaluate the efficiency of using softwood as the sawdust medium for Lentinula edodes cultivation, effect of nutrient on the mycelial growth, spawning, the mushroom yield, and quality. The nitrogen nutrition significantly enhanced the mycelial growth of L. edodes. The glutamic acid in the L. leptolepis and P. koraiensis, and asparagine in the P. densiflora were appeared to slight increase in the mycelial growth. The vegetable oil showed very effective on the mycelial growth in the P. koraiensis sawdust medium. Carbon/nitrogen ratio of all the test was reduced after mycelial growth. The mycelial growth was exclusively dependent on reduction of carbon. The mushroom yield (32.7%) of the P. densiflora sawdust medium (carbon source: 3% active carbon, nitrogen source: 0.4% asparagines) was the best in mushroom production of L. edodes, followed by the Q. variabilis sawdust (35.4%) of the control medium. The diameter of mushroom cap was obtained from the P. densiflora sawdust (carbon source: 3% sucrose, nitrogen source: 0.4% potassium nitrate) and P. koraiensis sawdust (carbon source: 3% sucrose, nitrogen source: 0.4% potassium nitrate), and the P. koraiensis sawdust (carbon source: 3% xylose, nitrogen source: 0.4% glutamic acid, supplement: 0.05% amino acid), with values 71.5 mm, 71.5 mm and 72.1 mm, respectively. In the polypropylene bag cultivation, the weight losses of the block medium gradually increased for 80 days in the dark (13.8~16.8%) and then became stable in the range of 20.7~25.8%.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.150-155
• /
• 2001

The mosquito-larvicidal Cry4B protein from Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensds was expressed in Escherichia coli. Upon activation by trypsin, the 130-kDa protoxin was processed into the 65-kDa active toxin containing two polypeptide fragments of ca. 47 and ca. 20 kDa. These two polypeptides are products of internal cleavages on the exposed loop connecting helices 5 and 6 in the seven-helical bundle domain. PCR-based mutagenesis was employed to introduce an additional cleavage site into the loop connecting helices 3 and 4. A series of amino acid changes were introduced into the targeted loop, resulting in seven mutant protoxins. Upon digestion with trypsin, a group of mutants with arginine introduced into the loop (EPRNQ, EPNRNQ, EPRNP, ESRNP and SSRNP) produced polypeptide products similar to those of the wild type (EPNNQ). When the loop, SSRNP, was expanded by an insertion of either asparagine (NSSRNP) or valine (VSSRNP), an additional cleavage was detected with proteolytic products of 47,12 and 6 kDa. This cleavage was confirmed to be at the introduced arginine residue by N-terminal sequencing. The mosquito larvicidal assay against Aedes aegypti demonstrated a relatively unchanged toxicity for the mutants without cleavage and reduced toxicity for those with an additional cleavage.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.160-166
• /
• 2004

The optimal conditions for production of Monascus sp. KM100l cell mass on submerged culture and production of monacolin K on rice solid culture were investigated. An overproducing mutant of Monascus pigments, KM 1001 mutant, from Monascus purpureus KCCM60016 was selected by NTG treatment. The optimal medium for the production of KM100l mutant cell mass is instructed to be composed of 3% glucose, 2% yeast extract, 0.1 % KH$_2$PO$_4$, 0.05% The optimal conditions for production of Monascus sp. KM100l cell mass on submerged culture and production of monacolin K on rice solid culture were investigated. An overproducing mutant of Monascus pigments, KM 1001 mutant, from Monascus purpureus KCCM60016 was selected by NTG treatment. The optimal medium for the production of KM100l mutant cell mass is instructed to be composed of 3% glucose, 2% yeast extract, 0.1 % KH$_2$The optimal conditions for production of Monascus sp. KM100l cell mass on submerged culture and production of monacolin K on rice solid culture were investigated. An overproducing mutant of Monascus pigments, KM 1001 mutant, from Monascus purpureus KCCM60016 was selected by NTG treatment. The optimal medium for the production of KM100l mutant cell mass is instructed to be composed of 3% glucose, 2% yeast extract, 0.1 % $(KH_2PO_4$, 0.05% $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, 0.2% L-asparagine, pH 4.5, and the optimal inoculum size and shaking speed were $1.5{\times}10^6$ spores/50 m1 medium and 150 rpm, respectively. On optimal conditions, 4.1 g/l of the cell mass was obtained at 28$^{\circ}C$ for 3 days. The mycelium were inoculated on 500 g of steamed rice using vinyl bag ($30.6{\times}44$ cm) and incubated at $30^{\circ}C$, 85% humidity for 21 days. Lactone form monacolin K was rapidly increased for 2 days and reached highest concentration of monacolin K (2,930 mg/kg) for 15 days, and monacolin K was decreased after 15 days.