• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.536-541
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• 1991

To enhance the productivity of fruit flavor compounds from whey by the lactose fermenting yeast, Kluyveromyces lactzs ATCC 8585 was treated with N-methyI-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG). After the NTG treatments, a mutant showing resistance to antifungal activity of geraniol, and strong fruity but low yeasty flavor was selected and named as K. lactis 450 K. Flavor compounds from 3-day culture broth were extracted with pentane-dichloromethane (2:l) and the concentrated oleoresins were analyzed by gas chromatography. The mutant strain produced more classes and larger amount of flavor compounds than the parent stlain. Tentatively identified volatile compounds from the culture of the mutant were: terpenes such as myrcenol; alcohols such as cis-3-hexenol, n-hexanol; esters such as ethyl isovalerate, cis- 3-hexenyl n-butyrate, n-amyl-n-hexanoate, phenyl ethyl n-propioate; ketones such as methyl vinyl ketones; other compounds such as vanillin, 3-methylcoumarin.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.49-55
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• 2021

The diet plays a fundamental role in the formation of the gut microbiota, determining the interrelationship between the gut microbiota and the host. The current study investigated the effect of Chlorella vulgaris on the gut microbiota by using simulated in vitro digestion and colonic fermentation. Bioaccessibility was measured after in vitro digestion, and SCFAs and microbial profiling were analyzed after colonic fermentation. The bioaccessibility of C. vulgaris was 0.24 g/g. The three major SCFAs (acetate, propionate, and butyrate) increased significantly when compared to the control group. In microbial profiling analysis, microorganisms such as Faecalibacterium, Dialister, Megasphaera, Dorea, Odoribacter, Roseburia, Bifidobacterium, Butyricmonas, and Veillonella were high in C. vulgaris group. Among them, Faecalibacterium, Dialister, Megasphaera, Roseburia, and Veillonella were thought to be closely associated with the increased level of SCFAs. Finally, it can be expected to help improve gut microbiota and health through ingestion of C. vulgaris. However, further studies are vital to confirm the changes in the gut microbiota in in vivo, when C. vulgaris is ingested.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.679-688
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• 2018

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are neurodevelopmental disorders that share behavioral features, the results of numerous studies have suggested that the underlying causes of ASDs are multifactorial. Behavioral and/or neurobiological analyses of ASDs have been performed extensively using a valid model of prenatal exposure to valproic acid (VPA). Abnormal synapse formation resulting from altered neurite outgrowth in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) during embryonic brain development has been observed in both the VPA model and ASD subjects. Although several mechanisms have been suggested, the actual mechanism underlying enhanced neurite outgrowth remains unclear. In this study, we found that VPA enhanced the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), particularly mature BDNF (mBDNF), through dual mechanisms. VPA increased the mRNA and protein expression of BDNF by suppressing the nuclear expression of methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2), which is a transcriptional repressor of BDNF. In addition, VPA promoted the expression and activity of the tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), which induces BDNF maturation through proteolytic cleavage. Trichostatin A and sodium butyrate also enhanced tPA activity, but tPA activity was not induced by valpromide, which is a VPA analog that does not induce histone acetylation, indicating that histone acetylation activity was required for tPA regulation. VPA-mediated regulation of BDNF, MeCP2, and tPA was not observed in astrocytes or neurons. Therefore, these results suggested that VPA-induced mBDNF upregulation was associated with the dysregulation of MeCP2 and tPA in developing cortical NPCs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.277-285
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• 1996

In Pseudomonas fluorescens grown on malonate as sole carbon source, acetyl-CoA synthetase was induced, suggesting that malonate is metabolized through acetate and then acetyl-CoA. Acetyl-CoA synthetase was purified 18.6-fold in 4 steps to apparent homogeneity. The native molecular mass of the enzyme estimated by a native acrylamide gel electrophoresis was 130 kDa. The enzyme was composed of two identical subunits with a molecular mass of 67 kDa. Optimum pH was 70. The acetyl-CoA synthetase showed typical Michaelis-Menten kinetics for the substrates, acetate, ATP and CoA, whose $K_m$ values were calculated to be 33.4, 74.8, and 40.7 mM respectively. Propionate. butyrate and pentanoate were also used as substrates by the enzyme, but the rate of the formation of the CoA derivatives was decreased in the order of the increase in carbon number. The enzyme was inhibited by the group-specific reagents diethylpyro-carbonate, 2,3-butanedione, pyridoxal-5'-phosphate and N-bromosuccinimide. In the presence of substrates the inactivation rate of the enzyme, by all of the group-specific reagents mentioned above decreased, indicating the presence of catalytically essential histidine, arginine, lysine and tryptophan residues at or near the active site. Preincubation of the enzyme with ATP, $Mg^{2+}$ resulted in the increase of its susceptibility to diethylpyrocarbonate, suggesting that ATP, $Mg^{2+}$ may induce a conformational change in the active site exposing the essential histidine residue to diethylpyrocarbonate. The enzyme was acetylated in the presence of acetyl-CoA, indicating that this is one of acyl-enzyme.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.223-232
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• 1993

Technetium labeled isonitrile analogues are widely used as myocardial perfusion imaging agents. We synthesized and characterized a new isonitrile compound, ethyl 3-isocyanobutyrate(EIB). Proton and $^{13}C$ NMR spectroscopy and thin layer chromatography with a $C_{18}$ coat was performed. EIB was easily labeled with $^{99m}TcO_4^-$- with sodium dithionite. The labeling efficiency measured by RP-HPLC was over 95%. The labeled product was stable with dilution in normal saline and with prolonged incubation at room temperature. There was no formation of secondary products or free $^{99m}TcO_4^-$. In vivo kinetics study of $^{99m}Tc$ (I) labeled EIB in rabbits showed adequate myocardial uptake, good contrast against lung background, and relatively rapid liver clearance. The heart to lung ratio was over 2.5 and the heart to liver ratio was approximately from 0.4 to 5 at 60 minutes post injection. Hepatic clearance of $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$ was faster ($t_{1/2}$=6 minutes) than that of $^{99m}Tc-MIBI$. In vivo kinetics observed in dog was similar to that in rabbit but there was faster gallbladder filling, and thus lower liver background. SPECT imaging of the canine myocardium showed favorable imaging characteristics. However, biodistribution in mice demonstrated a myocardial % injected dose/organ of less than 0.1%. This was thought to be due to interspecies difference in plasma esterase activity. In human plasma, $^{99m}Tc$ ( I ) labeled EIB was stable for at least 2 hours, without production of secondary products by HPLC. We conclude that ethyl 3-isocyanobutyrate may be a potential new myocardial perfusion imaging agent and deserves further investigation as to its usefulness for clinical use.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.555-560
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• 2006

A bacterium producing novel lipolytic enzyme was isolated from house sewage and identified as Acinetobacter sp. BD5 based on physiological characterization and 16S rDNA sequencing. The lipolytic activity of Acinetobacter sp. BD5 was tested using an EL agar medium and CE agar medium supplemented with 1% tributyrin and olive oil, respectively. The formation of a clear zone around the colony was detected by agar medium supplemented with 1% tributyrin and olive oil, respectively and Acinetobacter sp. BD5 formed powder-like zone around the colony on LB agar medium containing Tween 20. The quantitative lipolytic activity was determined by using p-NP butyrate as substrate. Acinetobacter sp. BD5 secreted the lipolytic enzyme during exponential growth phase, reaching a maximum amount after 6 hours of incubation. The lipolytic enzyme was found to be optimally active at $60^{\circ}C$ and retained more than 70% at $70-80^{\circ}C$. It displayed a high degree of activity in a pH of 7.0 to 10.6, with an optimal pH of 9.0.