• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.319-328
• /
• 2023

Malassezia and Staphylococcus are the most dominant genera in human skin microbiome. To explore the inter-kingdom interactions between the two genera, we examined the transcriptional changes in Malassezia and Staphylococcus species induced upon co-culturing. RNA-seq analyses revealed that genes encoding ribosomal proteins were upregulated, while those encoding aspartyl proteases were downregulated in M. restricta after co-culturing with Staphylococcus species. We identified MRET_3770 as a major secretory aspartyl protease coding gene in M. restricta through pepstatin-A affinity chromatography followed by mass spectrometry and found that the expression of MRET_3770 was significantly repressed upon co-culturing with Staphylococcus species or by incubation in media with reduced pH. Moreover, biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus was inhibited in the spent medium of M. restricta, suggesting that biomolecules secreted by M. restricta such as secretory aspartyl proteases may degrade the biofilm structure. We also examined the transcriptional changes in S. aureus co-cultured with M. restricta and found co-cultured S. aureus showed increased expression of genes encoding ribosomal proteins and downregulation of those involved in riboflavin metabolism. These transcriptome data of co-cultured fungal and bacterial species demonstrate a dynamic interplay between the two co-existing genera.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.23 no.1
• /
• pp.27-28
• /
• 2002

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.33 no.7
• /
• pp.2213-2218
• /
• 2012

Efficient synthetic routes were developed to prepare a sizable amount (4-15 grams) of the chiral epoxides 4-6 as versatile intermediates for the synthesis of aspartyl protease inhibitors of therapeutic interest such as HIV protease and ${\beta}$-secretase. Oxidative cleavage of the C(2)-C(3) double bond of L-ascorbic acid followed by functional group manipulation led to the preparation of the epoxide 10, which was opened with an azide to yield a common aziridine intermediate 12. Through opening of the aziridine ring of 12 with either a carbon or a sulfur nucleophile, chiral epoxide precursors 4-6 could be prepared for various HIV protease inhibitors. Except for the final low melting epoxides 5 and 6, all intermediates were obtained as crystalline solids, thus the synthetic pathway can be easily applied to a large-scale synthesis of the chiral epoxides.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.209-213
• /
• 2003

Aspergillus flavus K-03 isolated from poultry forming soil in Korea was studied for its ability to produce extracellular proteases on basal medium containing 2%(w/v) chicken feathers. The fungus was observed to be a potent producer of such enzymes. Keratinolytic enzyme secretion was the best at 15 days of incubation period at pH 9 and temperature $40^{\circ}C$. No relationship existed between the enzyme yield and increase of biomass. Enzyme production was suppressed by exogenous sugars in descending order arabinose>maltose>mannose>fructose. But glucose did not influence the enzyme activity. The keratinolytic enzyme released by the fungus demonstrated the ability to decompose keratin substrates as chicken feather when exogenous glucose was present. The keratinolytic activity was inhibited by $HgCl_2$ and serine-protease inhibitors such as phenymethylsulfonyl fluoride(100%), chymostain(88%), crystalline soybean trypsin inhibtor(80%), antipain(45%) and aprotinin(40%), and was not by cystein-protease and aspartyl-protease inhibitors. The enzyme activity is only partially inhibited by metallo-protease inhibitor. Thus, the enzyme secreted by A. flavus K-03 belongs to the alkaline serine-type protease.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.382-388
• /
• 2022

White mold (or Sclerotinia stem rot), caused by Sclerotinia species, is a major air, soil, or seed-transmitted disease affecting numerous crops and wild plants. Microscopic or culture-based methods currently available for their detection and identification are time-consuming, laborious, and often erroneous. Therefore, we developed a multiplex quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay for the discrimination, detection, and quantification of DNA collected from each of the three economically relevant Sclerotinia species, namely, S. sclerotiorum, S. minor, and S. nivalis. TaqMan primer/probe combinations specific for each Sclerotinia species were designed based on the gene sequences encoding aspartyl protease. High specificity and sensitivity of each probe were confirmed for sclerotium and soil samples, as well as pure cultures, using simplex and multiplex qPCRs. This multiplex assay could be helpful in detecting and quantifying specific species of Sclerotinia, and therefore, may be valuable for disease diagnosis, forecasting, and management.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 1999.07a
• /
• pp.51-56
• /
• 1999

Plastids, which are organelles unique to plant cells, bear their own genome that is organized into DNA-protein complexes (nucleoids). Regulation of gene expression in the plastid has been extensively investigated because this organelle plays an important role in photosynthesis. Few attempts, however, have been made to characterize the regulation of plastid gene expression at the chromosomal structure, using plastid nucleoids. In this report, we summarize the recent progress in the characterization of DNA-binding proteins in plastids, with special emphasis on CND41, a DNA binding protein, which we recently identified in the choloroplast nucleoids from photomixotrophically cultured tobacco cells. CND41 is a protein of 502 amino acids which consisted of a transit peptide of 120 amino acids and a mature protein of 382 amino acids. The N-terminal of the 'mature' protein has lysine-rich region which is essential for DNA-binding. CNA41 also showed significant identities to some aspartyl proteases. Protease activity of purified CND41 has been recently confirmed and characterized. On the other hand, characterization of accumulation of CND41 both in wild type and transgenic tobacco with reduced amount of CND41 suggests that CND41 is a negative regulator in chloroplast gene expression. Further investigation indicated that gene expression of CND41 is cell-specifically and developmentally regulated as well as sugar-induced expression. The reduction of CND41 expression in transgenic tobacco also brought the stunted plant growth due to the reduced cell length in stem. GA3 treatment on apical meristem reversed the dwarf phenotype in the transformants. Effects of CND41 expression on GA biosynthesis will be discussed.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 1985.08b
• /
• pp.35-48
• /
• 1985

Plastids, which are organelles unique to plant cells, bear their own genome that is organized into DNA-protein complexes (nucleoids). Regulation of gene expression in the plastid has been extensively investigated because this organelle plays an important role in photosynthesis. Few attempts, however, have been made to characterize the regulation of plastid gene expression at the chromosomal structure, using plastid nucleoids. In this report, we summarize the recent progress in the characterization of DNA-binding proteins in plastids, with special emphasis on CND41, a DNA binding protein, which we recently identified in the choloroplast nucleoids from photomixotrophically cultured tobacco cells. CND41 is a protein of 502 amino acids which consisted of a transit peptide of 120 amino acids and a mature protein of 382 amino acids. The N-terminal of the 'mature' protein has lysine-rich region which is essential for DNA-binding. CNA41 also showed significant identities to some aspartyl proteases. Protease activity of purified CND41 has been recently confirmed and characterized. On the other hand, characterization of accumulation of CND41 both in wild type and transgenic tobacco with reduced amount of CND41 suggests that CND41 is a negative regulator in chloroplast gene expression. Further investigation indicated that gene expression of CND41 is cell-specifically and developmentally regulated as well as sugar-induced expression. The reduction of CND41 expression in transgenic tobacco also brought the stunted plant growth due to the reduced cell length in stem. GA3 treatment on apical meristem reversed the dwarf phenotype in the transformants. Effects of CND41 expression on GA biosynthesis will be discussed

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.55 no.1
• /
• pp.15-20
• /
• 2017

The aim of this study was to identify antigens for a vaccine or drug target to control rabbit coccidiosis. A combination of 2-dimensional electrophoresis, immunoblotting, and mass spectrometric analysis were used to identify novel antigens from the sporozoites of Eimeria stiedae. Protein spots were recognized by the sera of New Zealand rabbits infected artificially with E. stiedae. The proteins were characterized by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF-MS) analysis in combination with bioinformatics. Approximately 868 protein spots were detected by silver-staining, and a total of 41 immunoreactive protein spots were recognized by anti-E. stiedae sera. Finally, 23 protein spots were successfully identified. The proteins such as heat shock protein 70 and aspartyl protease may have potential as immunodiagnostic or vaccine antigens. The immunoreactive proteins were found to possess a wide range of biological functions. This study is the first to report the proteins recognized by sera of infected rabbits with E. stiedae, which might be helpful in identifying potential targets for vaccine development to control rabbit coccidiosis.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.155-161
• /
• 2013

Cathepsins are lysosomal/cysteine proteases belong to papain family (C1 family) that is involved in intracellular protein degradation, antigen processing, hormone maturation, and immune responses. In this study, member of cathepsin family was identified from Manila clam (Mc-Cathepsin D) and investigated the immune response against brown ring disease (BRD) causing Vibrio tapetis challenge. The identified Mc-Cathepsin D gene encodes characteristic features typical for the cathepsin family including eukaryotic and viral aspartyl protease signature domain and two highly conserved active sites ($^{84}VVFDTGSSNLWV^{95}$ and $^{270}IADTGTSLLAG^{281}$). Moreover, MC-Cathepsin D shows higher identity values (-50-70%) and conserved amino acids with known cathepsin D members. Transcriptional results (by quantitative real-time RT-PCR) showed that Mc-Cathepsin D was expressed at higher levels in gills and hemocytes than mantle, adductor muscle, foot, and siphon. After the V. tapetis challenge under laboratory conditions, Mc-Cathepsin D mRNA was up-regulated in gills and hemocytes. Present study indicates that Mc-Cathepsin D is constitutively expressed in different tissues and potentially inducible when infecting BRD by V. tapetis. It is further suggesting that Mc-Cathepsin D may be involved in multiple role including immune response reactions against BRD.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
• /
• v.44 no.6
• /
• pp.1243-1255
• /
• 2023

Objective: This study aims to explore the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of enzyme (Viscozyme)-treated garlic extract (EG) in an animal model of acute enteritis induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Methods: The experiment included four subgroups: normal, control, EG200 (treated with 200 mg/kg EG), and EG400 (treated with 400 mg/kg EG). Drug administration lasted 3 days, followed by the induction of acute enteritis in all groups (except normal) through the intraperitoneal administration of 20 mg/kg of LPS 1 h after the last oral dose. Autopsy was conducted 24 h later to collect serum and colon tissue. Serum was analyzed for reactive oxygen species (ROS) and C-reactive protein (CRP), while Western blotting was performed on the colon tissue. Results: After analyzing the ROS and CRP levels in serum, the EG treatment group exhibited a significant decrease compared with the control group. The EG treatment group exhibited a significant decrease in the activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs)/nuclear factor-kappa B p65 (NF-κB) pathway compared with the control group. EG administration significantly regulated apoptosis-related factors, including B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X, cysteine aspartyl-specific protease-3, and cytochrome C. Conclusions: EG treatment in mice with LPS-induced acute colitis reduced the ROS and CRP levels, suppressed the MAPKs/NF-κB pathway in the colon, and effectively alleviated acute enteritis by modulating apoptosis-related factors. Based on these findings, EG emerges as a promising candidate for the prevention and treatment of acute colitis, showing its potential therapeutic efficacy in this experimental model.