• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.425-431
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• 1996

The enzymatic characteristics of Alcaligenes latus were investigated by measuring the variations of various enzyme activities related to biosynthesis and degradation of poly-${\beta}$-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) during cultivation. All PHB biosynthetic enzymes, ${\beta}$-ketothiolase, acetoacetyl-CoA reductase, and PHB synthase, were activated gradually at the PHB accumulation stage, and the PHB synthase showed the highest value among three enzymes. This indicates that the rate of PHB biosynthesis is mainly controlled by either ${\beta}$-ketothiolase or acetoacetyl-CoA reductase rather than PHB synthase. The enzymatic activities related to the degradation of PHB were also measured, and the degradation of PHB was controlled by the activity of PHB depolymerase. The effect of supplements of metabolic regulators, citrate and tyrosine, was also investigated, and the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase was increased by metabolic regulators, especially by tyrosine. The activities of ${\beta}$-ketothiolase and acetoacetyl-CoA reductase were also activated by citrate and tyrosine, while the activity of PHB depolymerase was depressed. The increased rate and yield of PHB biosynthesis by metabolic regulators may be due to the increment of acetyl-CoA concentration either by the repression of the TCA cycle by citrate through product inhibition or by the activation of sucrose metabolism by the supplemented tyrosine.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2005

Fibrates are a class of hypolipidemic agents whose effects are mediated by activation of a specific transcription factor called the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $\alpha\;(PPAR\alpha).\;PPAR\alpha$ regulates the pathways of lipid catabolism such as fatty acid oxidation and the triglyceride metabolism, resulting in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. The decreased levels of plasma triglycerides by fibrates are responsible for hypertrophy and hyperpalsia of adipose cells. To determine whether fenofibrate regulates adipogenesis in female C57BL/6J mice, we measured the effects of fenofibrate on not only body weight, adipose tissue mass and serum triglycerides, but also the histology of adipose tissue and the expression of adipocyte marker genes. Fenofibrate did not inhibit high fat diet-induced increases in body weight, adipose tissue mass and serum triglycerides. Furthermore, fenofibrate did not cause the changes in the size and number of adipocytes and the expression of adipocyte-specific genes such as leptin and $TNF\alpha$. Therefore, this study demonstrates that fenofibrate does not affect adipogenesis in female mice.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1200-1210
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• 2004

Metabolic flux analysis was established by adapting previous stoichiometric model developed during growth with cellulose to cell grown with cellobiose for further direct comparison of the bacterial metabolism. In carbon limitation with cellobiose, a shift from acetate-ethanol fermentation to ethanol-lactate fermentation is observed and the pyruvate overflow is much higher than with cellulose. In nitrogen limitation with cellobiose, the cellodextrin and exopolysaccharide overflows are much higher than on cellulose. In carbon and nitrogen saturation with cellobiose, the cellodextrin, exopolysaccharide, and free amino acids overflows reach the highest levels observed but all remain limited on cellulose. By completely shunting the cellulosome, the use of cellobiose allows to reach much higher carbon consumption rates which, in return, highlights the metabolic limitation of C. cellulolyticum. Therefore, the physical nature of the carbon source has a profound impact on the metabolism of C. cellulolyticum and most probably of other cellulolytic bacteria. For cellulolytic bacteria, the use of soluble carbon substrate must carefully be taken into consideration for the interpretation of results. Direct comparison of metabolic flux analysis from cellobiose and cellulose revealed the importance of cellulosome, phosphoglucomutase and pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase in the distribution of carbon flow in the central metabolism. In the light of these findings, future directions for improvement of cellulose catabolism by this bacterium are discussed.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.217-223
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• 1995

Adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate (ATPP) was identified and quantified in extracts of rabbit platelets by elution of extracts containing authentic adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate and comparison of retention time with nucleotide standards using high-performance liquid chromatography technique. The amount of adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate was $0.62\;nmoles/10^{9}$ cells which was 62-fold lower than that of ATP but only 10-fold lower than that of ADP. During platelet aggregation induced by thrombin, adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate was released to a relatively high extent. The degradation rates and halflives of adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate were measured during incubation of platelets in whole blood, erythrocyte suspension and plasma, respectively. The results suggest that plasma contributes more than blood cells to the catabolism of adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate. The pattern of degradation indicates that ATPP may be degraded mainly to AMP by soluble enzymes in plasma and very slowly to ADP and/or AMP by ectoenzymes on blood cells such as erythrocyte. The nature of the enzymes responsible fer the degradation of adenosine 5'-tetraphosphate is yet to be identified.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.729-737
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• 1996

Activieties of hepatic cysteine desulfhydration was assessed in cats fed one of the following diets for 5 weeks : 20% protein, 0% taurine diet(LPOT) ; 20% protein, 0.15% taurine diet (LPNT) ; 60% protein, 0% taurine diet(HPOT) ; and 60% protein, 0.15% taurine diet(HPNT). Cats fed LPOT and HPOT had been maintained on a taurine-free diet for 6 weeks prior to the experiment in order to deplete body taurine. Activities of cysteine desulfhydration were determined by measuring the production of H235S from 35S-cysteine in the presence and absence of $\alpha$-ketoglutarate ($\alpha$-KG) in the incubation medium. The direct pathway via cysteine desulfhydrase appears to account for the major route of cysteine desulfhydration in the cat liver since the values obtained in the absence of $\alpha$-KG were between 81 and 88% of those obtained in the presence of $\alpha$-KG. Mean$\pm$SEM of the hepatic total desulfhydration activities(umol H2S.min-1.kg body wt-1)in cats fed LPOT, LPNT, HPOT and HPNT were 117$\pm$6, 135$\pm$10, 137$\pm$10, and 190$\pm$9, respectively. The capacity of hepatic cysteine desulfhydration (UA/kg body wt) was positively cerrelated not only with the dietary concentration of taurine but also with the concentration of protein.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.289-298
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• 2006

3',5'-cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) is an important molecule, which mediates diverse cellular processes. For example, it is involved in regulation of sugar uptake/catabolism, DNA replication, cell division, and motility in various acterial species. In addition, cAMP is one of the critical regulators for syntheses of virulence factors in many pathogenic bacteria. It is believed that cAMP acts as a signal for environmental changes as well as a regulatory factor for gene expressions. Therefore, intracellular concentration of cAMP is finely modulated by according to its rates of synthesis (by adenylate cyclase), excretion, and degradation (by cAMP phosphodiesterase). In the present review, we discuss the bacterial physiological characteristics governed by CAMP and the molecular mechanisms for gene regulation by cAMP. Furthermore, the effect of cAMP on phosphotransferase system is addressed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1169-1176
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• 2007

Genes encoding proteins responsible for limonene catabolism were cloned from a limonene-degrading microorganism, Enterobacter cowanii 6L, which was isolated from citron (Citrus junos) peel. The 8.6, 4.7, and 7.7 kb fragments (CD3, CD4, and CD6) of E. cowanii 6L chromosomal DNA that confer to E. coli the ability to grow on limonene have been cloned and their corresponding DNA sequences were determined. Nine open reading frames (ORFs) were identified, and the four ORFs (921 bp of CD3-2; 1,515 bp of CD4-1; 1,776 bp of CD6-1; and 1,356 bp of CD6-2) that encode limonene hydroxylase were confirmed by independently expressing these genes in E. coli. FAD and NADH were found to stimulate the hydroxylation reaction if added to cell extracts from E. coli recombinants, and multiple compounds (linalool, dihydrolinalool, perillyl alcohol, (${\alpha}-terpineol$, and ${\gamma}-terpineol$) were the principal products observed. Our results suggest that the isolate E. cowanii 6L has a broad metabolic capability including utilization of limonene. This broad metabolic ability was confirmed by identifying four novel limonene hydroxylase functional ORFs in E. cowanii 6L.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.107-114
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• 1995

These works were designed to examine the effects of dietary fiber sources and levels on lipid metabolism in rats fed high lard diet. Rats were divided into three($\alpha$-cellulose, polydextrose, carrageenan) groups and were fed with containing 6% fiber diet. Serum, liver and fecal lipid contents were examined after four weeks of dieting. Also, in order to investigate whether hypocholesterolemic effect of dietary fiber at 4 weeks is continued at 8 weeks, rats were fed with diets containing same sources with different levels of each dietary fiber and were sacrificed after eight weeks of dieting. Serum cholesterol in rats fed carrageenan diet and polydextrose diet were reduced compared with $\alpha$-cellulose-fed group at both four and eight weeks dieting. Liver cholesterol in both polydextrose-fed and carrageenan-fed group were lower than $\alpha$-cellulose-fed group. Fecal total group were increased compared with $\alpha$-cellulose-fed group. On the other hand, there was no significant difference between polydextrose-fed and carrageenan-fed group. On the basis of the results, it was suggested that the hypocholesterolemic effect of soluble fiber used in this study (polydextrose, carageenan) on rats was due to the inhibition of cholesterol absorption on the intestinal lumen and acceleration of cholesterol catabolism in the liver and enhancement of bile acids excretion. On the other hand, insoluble fiber($\alpha$-cellulose) showed no hypo-cholesterolemic effect.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.141-148
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• 1997

Alcaligenes xylosoxydans strain SMN3 capable of utilizing biphenyl grew not only on phenol, and benzoate, but also on salicylate. Catabolisms of biphenyl and salicylate appear to be interrelated since benzoate is a common metabolic intermediate of these compounds. Enzyme levels in the excatechol 2. 3-dioxygenas which is meta-cleavage enzyme of catechol, but did not induce catechol 1, 2-dioxygenase. All the oxidative enzymes of biphenyl and 2, 3,-dihydroxybiphenyl (23DHBP) were induced when the cells were grown on biphenyl and salicylate, respectively. Biphenyl and salicylate could be a good inducer in the oxidation of biphenyl and 2, 3-dihydroxybiphenyl. The two enzymes for the degradation of biphenyl and salicylate were induced after growth on either biphenyl or salicylate, suggesting the presence of a common regulatory element. However, benzoate could not induce the enzymes responsible for the oxidation of these compounds. Biphenyl and salicylate were good inducers for indigo formation due to the activity of biphenyl dioxygenase. These results suggested that indole oxidation is a property of bacterial dioxygenase that form cis-dihydrodiols from aromatic hydrocarbon including biphenyl.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.1151-1156
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• 2002

This research was done to make the effective prescription and cope with various senile dementia. Sprague-Dawley rats were injured by ibotenic acid to make a damage on learning and memory functions of model rats. At first acquisition test and retention rest were done in the Morris water maze. And to evaluate the effects of the sample drug(GSD) on choline acetyltranferase and acetylcholine esterase, immunoreactive measurement and enzymatic activity measuring were carried out. The ibotenic acid were injected to hippocampus CA1 and CA3 area. Conclusion : GSD improved the learning ability in the acquisition test and memory function in the retention test significantly. And GSD increased the level of ChAT which is synthesizing acetylcholine in CA1 area, and at the same time it increased the level of AChE which is resolving acetylcholine. These results show that GSD improved the cholinergic catabolism and anabolism, and the increment of metabolic activity of cholinergic system. In other words, it contributes to the recovery of damaged learning and memory function by ibotenic acid. So it can be concluded that GSD will be helpful to cholinergic brain damage induced by primary or senile reduction of acetylcholine secretive activity.