• BMB Reports
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.508-512
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• 2002

Phospholipase C-gamma-2 ($PLC{\gamma}2$) activation is a key signaling event for many cell functions. In order to delineate the pathways that lead to $PLC{\gamma}2$ activation, we devised a quick method for obtaining sufficient $PLC{\gamma}2$. We obtained the full-length cDNA for human $PLC{\gamma}2$ and expressed it in E. coli using the expression vector pT5T. To enhance the protein expression, tandem AGG-AGG arginine codons at the amino acid positions 1204-1205 were replaced by CGG-CGG arginine codons. The protein expression was detected in a Western blot analysis by both anti-$PLC{\gamma}2$ antibodies and the antibodies that are raised against the tripeptide epitope (Glu-Glu-Phe) tag that are genetically-engineered to its carboxyl terminal. Crude lysates that were prepared from bacteria that express $PLC{\gamma}2$ were found to catalyze the hydrolysis of phosphatidylinositol 4,5 bisphosphate. Similar to previous reports on $PLC{\gamma}2$ that is isolated from mammalian tissue, the recombinant enzyme was $Ca^{2+}$ dependent with optimal activity at 1-10 uM $Ca^{2+}$.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.115-121
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• 2011

hFSH is a glycoprotein secreted from anterior pituitary and consists of ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ subunits. Because of its major biological functions including sperm formation in the male and for follicular growth, FSH is used to cure woman's sterility. In this study we tried to produce recombinant hFSH in vitro using a retrovirus expression vector. Two major components of the vector we constructed are: ( i ) a DNA fragment containing ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ genes fused by a DNA sequence coding carboxyl terminal peptide (CTP) of human chorionic gonadotropin, (ii) a DNA fragment corresponding woodchuck hepatitis virus posttranscriptional regulatory element (WPRE). Evaluation of expression profile of the recombinant FSH using reverse transcription PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Among three cell lines tested, HeLa cells were the best for hFSH expression (5,395 mIU/ml), then followed by chicken embryonic fibroblast (CEF) cells and Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells in the order of hFSH production. In addition to the amount, the FSH produced from HeLa cells was highest in terms of biological activity which was determined by measuring cAMP.

• BMB Reports
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 2006

Endostatin is a tumor-derived angiogenesis inhibitor, and the endogenous 20 kDa carboxyl-terminal fragment of collagen XVIII. In addition to inhibiting angiogenesis, endostatin inhibits tumor growth and the induction of apoptosis in several endothelial cell types. However, the mechanisms that regulate endostatin-induced apoptotic cell death are unclear. Here, we investigated apoptotic cell death and the underlying regulatory mechanisms elicited of endostatin in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Endostatin was found to induce typical apoptotic features, such as, chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation in these cells. Thus, as the phosphoinositide 3-OH kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (PKB) signaling pathway has been shown to prevent apoptosis in various cell types, we investigated whether this pathway could protect cells against endostatin induced apoptosis. It was found that the inhibition of PI3K/PKB significantly increased endostatin-induced apoptosis, and that endostatin-induced cell death is physiologically linked to PKB-mediated cell survival through caspase-8.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.218-225
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• 1999

A protease without tryptic and chymotryptic activities was purified from the hepatopancreas of shrimp, Penaeus orientalis, using Q-Sepharose ionic exchange, benzamidine Sepharose-6B affinity, Mono-Q, and gel chromatography. Molecular weight (M.W.) of the protease was estimated to be 27kDa by sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS­PAGE). The amino acid composition of the protease was different from that of protease from P. japonicus or trypsin from P. orientalis. The protease was completely inhibited by benzamidine, $N\alpha-p-tosyl-L-lysine$ chloromethyl ketone (TLCK), and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (PMSF) and was not affected by leupeptin, pepstatin, N-tosyl-L-phenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), iodoacetate, and ethylenediamine tetra acetate (EDTA). The enzyme did not have any activity against Na-benzoyl-DL-arginine p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) or N-benzoyl-L-tyrosine ethyl ester (BTEE) which are specific substrates of trypsin and chymotrypsin, respectively. However, the protease showed hydrolytic activity for a carboxyl terminal of Tyr, Trp, Phe, Glu, and Cys.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.91-100
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• 1999

The complete nucleotide sequence of olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) hsp70-related rDNA was determined by RT- and RACE-PCR methods. A full-length of hsp70-related cDNA has an open reading frame of 1.95 kb encoding 650 amino acids with a calculated molecular weight of 71.1 kD. A corresponding hsp70-related protein contains a number of conserved elements including an ATP-binding domain, a nuclear localization signal and the carboxyl terminal motif, EEVD, which may have a role in chaperone function. Comparison of nucleotide and predicted amino acid sequence between olive flounder hsp70-related gene and hsp/hsc70 genes of other species revealed a high similarity with the cognate form of these genes. These results indicated that we recovered likely to be a olive flounder cognate hsc70 gene.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.11-26
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• 2003

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid deposition and associated loss of neunons in brain regions involved in learning and memory processes. Several causes of evidence support that the congnitive disturbance is closed associated with the deficit of cerebral acetylcholine neurotransmission, and the effect of carboxyl terminal 105 amino acid fragment (CT105) of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) on the gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines. We tested it on the scopolamine-induced amnesia model of the ICR mouse using the Morris water maze with repeated orally administration of 1st Green-Tea extract (200 mg/kg) and 2nd Green-Tea extract (200 mg/kg). The Green-Tea prevents impairment of learning and memory and neuronal loss in mouse models of cognitive disturbance and it demonstrated selectivity for inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE). Furthermore, the repeated administration of Green-Tea, CT105-induced alzheimer's mouse model showed central cholinergic activity by ameliorates learning and memory impairment, and isolation of CD14 microglia showed significantly decreases intracellular release of the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$ and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Because of its composite profile, oral therapeutic index and a prophylactic, Green-Tea is considered the better therapeutic candidate for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.233-240
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• 1969

The synthesis is described of new pepsin substrates of benzyloxycarbonyl-glycyl-L-tyrosyl-L-phenylalanyl-glycine ethyl ester and benzyloxycarbonyl-glycyl-L-tyrosyl-L-phenylalanyl-glycine for studies on the specificity of pepsin, and thin layer chromatographic examination of the peptides prepared showed the new substrates are homogeneous and also, same examination of the incubation mixtures showed that two synthetic substrates are cleaved by pepsin at the L-tyrosyl-L-phenylalanyl bond and hydrolysis of these substrates by pepsin is achieved without transpeptidation. It is found that synthetic peptides are moderately soluble with the amount of the substrate up to a concentration of 0.7 mM in aqueous sodium citrate buffers (0.04 M) in the pH range 1.8-4.0, thus obviating the necessity for the adding of an organic solvent in the assay mixture. The kinetic parameters for synthetic substrates are tabulated in the following table. The data in the table indicate that the susceptibility of synthetic peptides to peptic hydrolysis are relatively large and the change of the carboxyl-terminal group of synthetic substrate from glycine ethyl ester to glycine causes a small decrease in the susceptibility of the L-tyrosyl-L-phenylalanyl bond.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.188-195
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• 2000

In order to understand molecular events during silk synthesis and provide genetic resources for molecular breeding, we had analyzed the cDNA library constructed from the posterior silkgland of Antheraea yamamai and partially sequenced 276 randomly selected genes from the cDNA library. Database comparisons of the expressed sequence tags (ESTs) revealed that 26 non-redundant clones showed a high similarity with previously identified genes. Among them, 17 clones exhibited a homology with previously identified insect genes and 9 clones were identical to genes that were previously identified from other organisms. A functional categorization showed that silk synthesis-defense- or stress-related genes, as well as genes involved in the metabolic pathways and in the transcriptional or translational apparatus are represented. In this report, the clone (AY479) which had high similarity with fibroin from A. pernyi was particularly analyzed in detail. The AY479 clone was carboxyl terminal region of fibroin. The 472 bp cDNA has 123 amino acids that shared 85% homology with the fibroin from A. pernyi and its deduced peptide had unique feature, that is, sites of alanine rich residues.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.44-49
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• 2009

Conjugated nanocrystals using CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystal quantum dots modified by organic linkers and glucose oxidase (GOx) were prepared for use as biosensors. The trioctylphophine oxide (TOPO)-capped QDs were first modified to give them water-solubility by terminal carboxyl groups that were bonded to the amino groups of GOx through an EDC/NHS coupling reaction. As the glucose concentration increased, the photoluminescence intensity was enhanced linearly due to the electron transfer during the enzymatic reaction. The UV-visible spectra of the as-prepared QDs are identical to that of QDs-MAA. This shows that these QDs do not become agglomerated during ligand exchanges. A photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopic study showed that the PL intensity of the QDs-GOx bioconjugates was increased in the presence of glucose. These glucose sensors showed linearity up to approximately 15 mM and became gradually saturated above 15 mM because the excess glucose did not affect the enzymatic oxidation reaction past that amount. These biosensors show highly sensitive variation in terms of their photoluminescence depending on the glucose concentration.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.369-375
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• 2019

Microtubules form through the polymerization of ${\alpha}-$ and ${\beta}-tubulin$, and tubulin transport plays an important role in defining the rate of microtubule growth inside cellular appendages, such as the cilia and flagella. Heterotrimeric kinesin 2 is a molecular motor member of the kinesin superfamily (KIF) that moves along the microtubules to transport multiple cargoes. It consists of two motor subunits (KIF3A and KIF3B) and a kinesin-associated protein 3 (KAP3), forming a heterotrimeric complex. Heterotrimeric kinesin 2 interacts with many different binding proteins through the cargo-binding domains of the KIF3s, but these binding proteins have not yet been specified. To identify these proteins for KIF3A, we performed yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screening and found a specific interaction with ${\beta}2-tubulin$ (Tubb2), a microtubule component. Tubb2 was found to bind to the cargo-binding domain of KIF3A but did not interact with KIF3B, KIF5B, or kinesin light chain 1 in the Y2H assay. The carboxyl-terminal region of Tubb2 is essential for interaction with KIF3A. Other Tubb isoforms, including Tubb1, Tubb3, Tubb4, and Tubb5, also interacted with KIF3A in the Y2H screening. However, ${\alpha}1-tubulin$ (Tuba1) did not interact with KIF3A. In addition, an antibody to KIF3A specifically co-immunoprecipitated the KIF3B and KAP3 associated with Tubb2 from mouse brain extracts. In combination, these results suggest that a heterotrimeric kinesin 2 motor protein is capable of binding to tubulin and may transport it in cells.