• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.33-38
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• 2014

In recent times, the demand for edible medication for the treatment of hyperpigmentation has increased significantly. Therefore, the discovery of a stable, safe and inexpansive antimelanogenic component from natural substances, such as grains, is of particular interest. The levels and activities of some metabolites and/or enzymes can be increased. In the present study, we investigated the antimelanogenic effects of water-soluble extracts from barley (BE), malt (ME) and germinated barley (GBE) in melan-a cells. The inhibitory effects of ME and GBE on melanin production were significantly greater than that of BE. Interestingly, the content of ferulic acid, the proposed active component of barley, was also higher in ME and GBE than in BE by HPLC analysis. Western blot analysis of the expression of melanogenic enzymes in melan-a cells treated with BE, ME or GBE indicated the expression of both tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2) significantly decreased after treatment with BE, ME or GBE. These results suggest that besides BE, ME and GBE also inhibit melanin production most likely through suppression of tyrosinase and TRP-2 expression. ME and GBE were more efficacious at inhibiting melanin production than BE was and may also represent potential skin-whitening agents.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제11권6호
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• pp.973-978
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• 2001

The bacterial flagellar motor is a molecular machine that couples proton or sodium influx to force generation, mostly for driving rotation of the helical flagellar filament. In this study, we cloned a gene (motX) encoding a component of the sodium-driven flagellar motor from Vibrio fluvialis. The nucleotide sequence of the motX gene, composed of 633 bp and 211 amino acid residues, was determined. Overexpression of the motX gene in Escherichia coli using a strong promoter induced growth inhibition and cell lysis. The lethal effect of E. coli was suppressed by adding amiloride, as a potent inhibitor for the sodium channel. Electron microscopic observation of the expressed protein indicated that MotX protein induced by isopropyl ${\beta}$-D-thiogalactopyranoside caused the lysis of host cell.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.347-351
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• 2008

Several lines of evidence indicate that the oxidative modification of protein and the subsequent accumulation of the modified proteins have been found in cells during aging, oxidative stress, and in various pathological states including premature diseases, muscular dystrophy, rheumatoid arthritis, and atherosclerosis. The important agents that give rise to the modification of a protein may be represented by reactive aldehydic intermediates, such as ketoaldehydes, 2-alkenals and 4-hydroxy-2-alkenals. These reactive aldehydes are considered important mediators of cell damage due to their ability to covalently modify biomolecules, which can disrupt important cellular functions and can cause mutations. Furthermore, the adduction of aldehydes to apolipoprotein B in low-density lipoproteins (LDL) has been strongly implicated in the mechanism by which LDL is converted to an atherogenic form that is taken up by macrophages, leading to the formation of foam cells. During the search for an endogenous inducer of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), an inducible isoform responsible for high levels of prostaglandin production during inflammation and immune responses, 4-hydroxy-2-noennal (HNE), one of the most representative lipid peroxidation product, has been identified as the potential inducer of COX-2. In addition, the following study on the molecular mechanism of the COX-2 induction by HNE has unequivocally established that a serum component, which is eventually identified to be denatured LDL, is essential for COX-2 induction. Here I review current understanding of the mechanisms by which HNE in cooperation with the serum component activates gene expression of COX-2.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제22권7호
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• pp.894-901
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• 2012

Based on their respective antitumor and thrombolytic activities, the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin C2 (SEC2) and staphylokinase (Sak) were chosen for the construction of the novel chimeric proteins Sak-linker-SEC2 and SEC2-linker-Sak using a linker composed of nine Ala residues. Both chimeric proteins possessed nearly the same PBMC proliferation stimulating activity and antitumor activity as SEC2 and thrombolytic activity as Sak. Neither the SEC2 or Sak component of each chimeric protein affected the activity of the other component. The results presented in this study provide a possible strategy to prevent and cure tumor thrombus.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.1077-1085
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• 1997

This study was carried out to elucidate the utilization of the fusant for shortening the ripening time by making an observation of the microstructure and the profile of component change. In ripening cheese, moisture content of the sample treated with tested strain is not a remarkable difference among the test samples. With an increase of the ripening time, L. helveticus showed the highest increase in protein content, followed by fusant, and then L. bulgaricus. The fat content of all starters was gradually decreased while it was it was rapidly decreased after 7 days. The pH of all starters was gradually decreased when the ripening time increased. The titratable acidity was greatly increased between a 9th day and a 15th day ripening. In investigating the light microscopic microstructure of ripened cheese samples, the sample treated with fusant indicated little difference from the other starters in decomposition of protein and fat components by microbial enzymes. In SEM observation, the structure of all cheese samples was uniform and the rough texture was converted into smooth texture by the interaction of cheese components and the abscission of single bond in casein matrix when the ripening time is increased. The fusant showed similar results in the examination of component change and its microstructure compared with the other starters. Therefore, it was revealed that the fusant can be partially used as a cheese starter instead of conventional starters by replacing them or combining them together with the other starters for shortening the ripening time.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제2권1호
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• pp.113-116
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• 1998

A cDNA clone coding for ribosomal protein 46 (rp46) which is a component of 60S ribosomal large subunit has been identified from Drosophila melanogaster. A cDNA clone encoding S. cerevisiae rp46 was used as a probe to screen a Drosophila larvae cDNA library. The DNA sequence analysis revealed that the cDNA coding for Drosophils rp46 contains a complete reading frame of 153 nucleotides coding for 51 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 71-75% homology with those of other eukaryotic organisms. Northern blot analysis showed that about 1-kb rp46 transcripts are abundant throughout fly development. Whole mount embryonic mRNA in situ hybridization also showed no preferential distribution of the transcripts to any specific region. The chromosomal in situ hybridization revealed that the identified gene is localized at position 60C on the right arm of the second polytene chromosome with a possibility of single copy.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• 제37권2호
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• pp.151-158
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• 1994

Aleurone layers of normal and vp1 mutant maize kernels were extracted and centrifuged at 100,000g to yield a cytosol fraction. Binding of [3H]ABA cis, trans (＋)ABA to a soluble macromolecular components present in the cytosol was demonstrated by Sephadex chromatography and non-denaturing PAGE. The binding component was of high molecular weight and seems to be an aggregate of proteins. A rapid DEAE-cellulose filter method for assaying bound [3H]ABA to a soluble protein was adapted. Binding assays were performed with cytosol that had been preheated or incubated with several enzymes, indicating that heat and protease treatments disrupted the binding. This suggested that binding occurred to proteins. Some properties of the ABA binding proteins were described. The [3H]ABA binding were reduced dramatically when unlabeled ABA was added as a competitor, suggesting a specific binding of [3H]ABA. Gel filtration profiles and autoradiogram of [3H]ABA binding showed no difference in the binding components of Vp1 and vp1/vp1 mutant cytosol, indicating that Vp1 protein is not a sole ABA binding protein.

• 한국작물학회지
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• 제47권
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• pp.163-174
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• 2002

Peanut is one of the principal oil seeds in the world as a rich source of edible oil and protein. Peanut quality arises as a result of a complex interaction of genetic, physiological and biochemistry processes that produce the chemical composition of the peanut seed. The major factors influencing seed quality are degree of maturity and digging and drying, curing and storage as a series of harvesting. The end products, peanut butter, salted seed, confections, roasting stock and by-products are favored in world-wide because of their unique roasted peanut flavor, Literatures are reviewed mainly focusing on the physiological properties and nutritional quality of oil, protein and flavor in peanut. Chemical properties of protein and oil, and volatile flavor component in peanut seeds are studied. The objectives of this paper were to review and summarize the results obtained from the improving quality breeding program and evaluation of the chemical composition in peanut up to now.

• Mycobiology
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.243-248
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• 2011

The ubiquitin-proteasome system is one of the major protein turnover mechanisms that plays important roles in the regulation of a variety of cellular functions. It is composed of E1 (ubiquitin-activating enzyme), E2 (ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme), and E3 ubiquitin ligases that transfer ubiquitin to the substrates that are subjected to degradation in the 26S proteasome. The Skp1, Cullin, F-box protein (SCF) E3 ligases are the largest E3 gene family, in which the F-box protein is the key component to determine substrate specificity. Although the SCF E3 ligase and its F-box proteins have been extensively studied in the model yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, only limited studies have been reported on the role of F-box proteins in other fungi. Recently, a number of studies revealed that F-box proteins are required for fungal pathogenicity. In this communication, we review the current understanding of F-box proteins in pathogenic fungi.

• 한국식품영양과학회지
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.292-298
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• 1999

Myofibril and actomyosin were prepared from red muscle and white muscle of fresh water fish and sea water fish, and their biochemical characteristics and SDS PAGE patterns of myofibril were compared. SDS PAGE analysis showed that electrophoretic patterns of myofibril were similar be tween white muscle and red muscle, while difference of 30kDa component of myofibril was detected between fresh water fish and sea water fish. When myofibril were treated with trypsin, difference in hydrolysis of heavy chain was observed between white muscle and red muscle. In activities of Ca ATPase, Mg ATPase, EDTA ATPase and ATPase activity pH curve, myofibrillar protein from fresh water fish showed higher specific activity than those from sea water fish.