• Genomics & Informatics
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• 제7권2호
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• pp.111-121
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• 2009

Cell membrane proteins play crucial roles in the cell's molecular interaction with its environment and within itself. They consist of membrane-bound proteins and many types of transmembrane (TM) proteins such as receptors, transporters, channel proteins, and enzymes. Membrane proteomes of cellular organisms reveal some characteristics in their global topological distribution according to their evolutionary positions, and show their own information transfer complexity. Predicted transmembrane segments (TMSs) in membrane proteomes with HMMTOP showed near power-law distribution and frequency characteristics in 6-TMS and 7-TMS proteins in prokaryotes and eukaryotes, respectively. This reaffirms the important roles of membrane receptors in cellular communication and biological evolutionary history.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.162-173
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• 2015

The cellular fatty acid composition is important for metabolic plasticity in Rhodobacter sphaeroides. We explored the effects of changing the cellular ratio of unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) to saturated fatty acids (SFAs) in R. sphaeroides by overexpressing several key fatty acid biosynthetic enzymes through the use of expression plasmid pRK415. Bacteria containing the plasmid pRKfabI₁ with the fabI₁ gene that encodes enoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) reductase showed a reduction in the cellular UFA to SFA ratio from 4 (80% UFA) to 2 (65% UFA) and had decreased membrane fluidity and reduced cell growth. Additionally, the ratio of UFA to SFA of the chromatophore vesicles from pRKfabI₁-containing cells was similarly lowered, and the cell had decreased levels of light-harvesting complexes, but no change in intracytoplasmic membrane (ICM) content or photosynthetic (PS) gene expression. Both inhibition of enoyl-ACP reductase with diazaborine and addition of exogenous UFA restored membrane fluidity, cell growth, and the UFA to SFA ratio to wild-type levels in this strain. R. sphaeroides containing the pRKfabB plasmid with the fabB gene that encodes the enzyme β-ketoacyl-ACP synthase I exhibited an increased UFA to SFA ratio from 4 (80% UFA) to 9 (90% UFA), but showed no change in membrane fluidity or growth rate relative to control cells. Thus, membrane fluidity in R. sphaeroides remains fairly unchanged when membrane UFA levels are between 80% and 90%, whereas membrane fluidity, cell growth, and cellular composition are affected when UFA levels are below 80%.

• 새물리
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• 제68권11호
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• pp.1173-1182
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• 2018

메조포러스 실리카는 강한 친수성과 구조적인 특성으로 인하여 저습환경에서도 이온교환막에 적절한 수화가 일어나도록 할 것이다. 그러므로 메조포러스 실리카와 나피온을 합성한 이온교환막은 낮은 상대습도에서도 우수한 양성자 전도도를 보일 것이다. 메조포러스 실리카와 나피온 합성이온교환막의 이온채널형성 그리고 네트워크를 통한 양성자 이동에 대한 이해는 합성이온교환막을 개발하고 최적화하기 위해 필수적이라 할 수 있다. 이 연구에서는 메조포러스 구조 (mesoporous cellular foam) $SiO_2/Nafion$ 합성이온교환막을 제작하고 양성자 전도도 및 성능을 평가하였다. 또한, 정전기력 현미경(electrostatic force microscopy, EFM)을 사용하여 메조포러스 구조 $SiO_2/Nafion$ 합성 이온교환막의 표면 전하 밀도 측정을 통한 이온 채널의 분포 및 밀도를 분석하였다. 연구는 몇 가지 주목할 만한 결과를 보여주었다. 첫째, 합성이온교환막은 저습환경에서 우수한 양성자 전도도 및 성능을 나타내었다. 둘째, 합성이온교환막은 국부적으로 이온채널의 밀도가 주목할 만하게 높은 지역이 형성되며 동시에 양성자 전도도가 극단적으로 낮은 지역 또한 동시에 형성됨을 확인하였다.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제48권2호
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• pp.33-42
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• 2018

Myosin X is one of myosin superfamily members having unique cellular functions on cytoskeletal reorganization. One of the most important cellular functions of myosin X is to facilitate the formation of membrane protrusions. Since membrane protrusions are important factors for diverse cellular motile processes including cell migration, cell invasion, path-finding of the cells, intercellular communications and so on, it has been thought that myosin X plays an important role in various processes that involve cytoskeletal reorganization including cancer progression and development of neuronal diseases. Recent studies have revealed that the unique cellular function of myosin X is closely correlated with its unique structural characteristics and motor properties. Moreover, it is found that the molecular and cellular activities of myosin X are controlled by its specific binding partner. Since recent studies have revealed the presence of various specific binding partners of myosin X, it is anticipated that the structural, biochemical and cell biological understanding of the binding partner dependent regulation of myosin X function can uncover the role of myosin X in diverse cell biological processes and diseases.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.167-171
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• 2011

[ ${\alpha}$ ]synuclein (${\alpha}$-syn) is implicated in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD) and other related diseases. We have previously reported that ${\alpha}$-syn binds to the cell membranes in a transient and reversible manner. However, little is known about the physiologic function and/or consequence of this association. Here, we examined whether chemically induced perturbations to the cellular membranes enhance the binding of ${\alpha}$-syn, based on hypothesis that ${\alpha}$-syn may play a role in maintenance of membrane integrity or repair. We induced membrane perturbations or alterations in ${\alpha}$-syn-overexpressing human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) by treating the cells with hydrogen peroxide ($H_2O_2$) or oleic acid. In addition, membranes fractionated from these cells were perturbed by treating them with proteinase K or chloroform. Dynamic interaction of ${\alpha}$-syn to the membranes was analyzed by the chemical cross-linking assay that we developed in the previous study. We found that membrane interaction of ${\alpha}$-syn was increased upon treatment with membrane-perturbing reagents in a dose and time dependent manner. These results suggest that perturbations in the cellular membranes cause increased binding of ${\alpha}$-syn, and this may have significant implication in the physiological function of ${\alpha}$-syn in cells.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.111-117
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• 2018

A previous exo-terrestrial life-detecting experiment, which was conducted on Mars, sought to detect the products of glucose metabolism, the most common biological process on Earth (Viking biological experiment). Today, glucose metabolism is not considered the universal process of life survival. As NASA plans to launch an orbiter mission in the near future (2020s, the Clipper) and ultimately conduct a lander mission on Europa, a detection experiment that can give broader information regarding habitability is highly required. In this study, we designed a life-detecting experiment using a more universal feature of life, the amphipathic molecular membrane, theoretically considering the environment of Europa (waterdominant environment). This designed experiment focuses on finding and profiling hydrophobic cellular membrane-like microstructures. Expected results are given by conceptual data analysis with plausible hypothetical samples.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.45-49
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• 2018

Autophagy is a lysosome-dependent degradation process that is essential for maintaining cellular homeostasis. In recent years, more studies have focused on the late stages of autophagy. Our group discovered and studied the terminal step of autophagy, namely autophagic lysosome reformation (ALR). ALR is the process that regenerates functional lysosomes from autolysosomes, thus maintaining lysosome homeostasis. ALR involves clathrin-mediated membrane budding from autolysosomes, elongation of membrane tubules along microtubules with the pulling force provided by the motor protein KIF5B, proto-lysosome scission by dynamin 2, and finally maturation of proto-lysosomes to functional lysosomes. In this review, we will summarize progress in unveiling the molecular mechanisms underlying ALR and its potential pathophysiological roles.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제24권12호
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• pp.1744-1754
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• 2014

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA genome is replicated by an RNA replicase complex (RC) consisting of cellular proteins and viral nonstructural (NS) proteins, including NS5B, an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) and key enzyme for viral RNA genome replication. The HCV RC is known to be associated with an intracellular membrane structure, but the cellular components of the RC and their roles in the formation of the HCV RC have not been well characterized. In this study, we took a proteomic approach to identify stomatin, a member of the integral proteins of lipid rafts, as a cellular protein interacting with HCV NS5B. Co-immunoprecipitation and co-localization studies confirmed the interaction between stomatin and NS5B. We demonstrated that the subcellular fraction containing viral NS proteins and stomatin displays RdRp activity. Membrane flotation assays with the HCV genome replication-competent subcellular fraction revealed that the HCV RdRp and stomatin are associated with the lipid raft-like domain of membranous structures. Stomatin silencing by RNA interference led to the release of NS5B from the detergent-resistant membrane, thereby inhibiting HCV replication in both HCV subgenomic replicon-harboring cells and HCV-infected cells. Our results identify stomatin as a cellular protein that plays a role in the formation of an enzymatically active HCV RC on a detergent-resistant membrane structure.

• 분석과학
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.65-71
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• 2015

진핵세포내 막성세포소기관들은 각각 고유한 세포의 중요한 기능들을 담당하고 있다. 이들 기관에 분포하는 단백질들은 세포질에서 발현된 후, 정교한 조절에 의해서 다양한 세포내 소기관으로 운송된다. 따라서, 세포내에 존재하는 막성세포소기관의 마커를 개발하고, 이들의 타기팅 기전을 알아내는 것은 세포 생리 및 병리학적 기전 연구에 중요한 도구가 될 수 있다. 본 연구에서는 기존에 보고된 당지질-결합 펩타이드들과 이들의 변형을 통한 세포내 타겟팅을 분석하였다. 그 결과 이러한 당지질-결합 펩타이드들은 미토콘드리아, 원형질막, 골지체로 위치하는 것을 확인할 수 있었으며, 이러한 펩타이드가 세포내 기관을 마커로 이용될 가능성을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한, 원형질막에 타기팅하는 펩타이드 마커의 경우는, 정전기적인 상호작용에 의해 원형질막에 선택적으로 타기팅됨을 알 수 있었다. 본 연구결과를 통해 당지질-결합 펩타이드들이 다양한 세포내 운송과 관련한 연구에 세포소기관의 위치 및 모양을 분석 할 수 있는 마커로 이용될 수 있음을 알 수 있었다.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• 제14권3호
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• pp.115-120
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• 2023

The design theory for nanoporous filtration membranes needs to be established. The present study shows that the performance and technical advancement of nanoporous filtration membranes are determined by the fundamental parameter I (in the unit Watt^1/2) which is formulated as a function of the shear strength of the liquid-pore wall interface, the radius of the filtration pore, the membrane thickness, and the bulk dynamic viscosity of the flowing liquid. This parameter determines the critical power loss on a single filtration pore for initiating the wall slippage, which is important for the flux of the membrane. It also relates the membrane permeability to the power cost by the filtration pore. It is shown that for biological cellular membranes its values are on the scale 1.0E-8Watt^1/2, for mono-layer graphene membranes its values are on the scale 1.0E-9Watt^1/2, and for nanoporous membranes made of silica, silicon nitride or silicon carbonized its values are on the scale 1.0E-5Watt^1/2. The scale of the value of this parameter directly measures the level of the performance of a nanoporous filtration membrane. The carbon nanotube membrane has the similar performance with biological cellular membranes, as it also has the value of I on the scale 1.0E-8Watt^1/2.