• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.381-388
• /
• 2008

An X-linked skeletal disorder, SEDT (spondyloepiphyseal dysplasia tarda) is a genetic disease characterized by a disproportionately short trunk and short stature caused by mutations in the SEDL gene. This gene is evolutionarily conserved from yeast to human. The yeast SEDL protein ortholog, Trs20p, has been isolated as a member of a large multi-protein complex called the transport protein particle (TRAPP), which is involved in endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-to-Golgi transport. The interaction between SEDL and partner proteins is important in order to understand the molecular mechanism of SEDL functions. We isolated several SEDL-binding proteins derived from rat cells by an immobilized GST-fusion method. Furthermore, the SEDL-homologue proteins were identified using motif based methods. Common motifs between SEDL-binding proteins and SEDL-homologue proteins were classified into seven types and 78 common motifs were revealed. Sequence similarities were contracted to seven types using phylogenetic trees. In general, types I-III and VI were classified as having the function of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, glycogen phosphorylase, isocitrate dehydrogenase, and enolase, respectively, and type IV was found to be functionally related to the GST protein. Types V and VII were found to contribute to TRAPP vesicle trafficking.

• Proceedings of the Korea Crystallographic Association Conference
• /
• 2002.11a
• /
• pp.4-4
• /
• 2002

PDZ domains bind to short segments within target proteins in a sequence-specific fashion. GRIP/ABP family proteins contain six to seven PDZ domains and interact via its sixth PDZ domain (class Ⅱ) with the C-termini of various proteins, including liprin-α. In addition the PDZ456 domain mediates the formation of homo- and heteromultimers of GRIP proteins. To better understand the structural basis of peptide recognition by a class Ⅱ PDZ domain and DZ-mediated multimerization, we determined the crystal structures of the GRIPI PDZ6 domain, alone and in complex with a synthetic C-terminal octapeptide of human liprin-α, at resolutions of 1.5 Å and 1.8 Å, respectively. Remarkably, unlike other class Ⅱ PDZ domains, Ile736 at αB5 rather than conserved Leu732 at αB1 makes a direct hydrophobic contact with the side chain of the Tyr at the -2 position of the ligand. Moreover, the peptide-bound structure of PDZ6 shows a slight reorientation of helix αB, indicating that the second hydrophobic pocket undergoes a conformational adaptation to accommodate the bulkiness of the Tyr's side chain, and forms an antiparallel dimer through an interface located at a site distal to the peptide-binding groove. This configuration may enable formation of GRIP multimers and efficient clustering of GRIP-binding proteins.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.189-195
• /
• 2001

Single base substitution and deletion mutation have been introducted into the verotoxin 2 (VT2)A subunit gene from O157:H7 isolates to reduce cytotoxicity of VT2 and the cytotoxicity between wild type toxin and mutant toxoid were compared. A M13-derived recombinant plasmid pEP19RF containing a 940bp EcoRI-PstI fragment of VT2A gene was constructed for oligonucleotide-directed mutagenesis. The duoble mutant pDOEX was constructed by point and deletion mutation of two different highly conserved regions of VT2A encoding active site cleft of enzymatic domain. The key residue, Glu 167(GAA) and the pentamer(WGRIS) consisting of the enzymatic domain were replaced by ASP(GAC) and completely deleted in nucleotide sequence analysis of mutant, respectively. In the comparision of vero cell cytotoxicity between wide type toxin and toxoid from mutant, the wild type toxin expressed cytotoxicity in dilution of $10^{-6}$, but the toxid from mutant did not show cytotoxicity to vero cells.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.19 no.11
• /
• pp.1522-1528
• /
• 2009

A marine bacterium was isolated from brown seaweeds for its ability to degrade alginate. Analysis of 16S ribosomal DNA sequence revealed that the strain belongs to Streptomyces like strain ALG-5 which was reported previously. New alginate lyase gene of Streptomyces sp. M3 was cloned by using PCR with the specific primers designed from homologous nucleotide sequences. The consensus sequences of N-terminal YXRSELREM and C-terminal YFKAGXYXQ were conserved in the M3 alginate lyase amino acid sequences. The homology model for the M3 alginate lyase showed a characteristic structure of $\beta$-jelly roll fold main domain like alyPG from Corynebacterium sp. ALY-1. The homogenate of the recombinant E. coli with the alginate lyase gene showed more degrading activity for polyguluronate block than polymannuronate block. The results from the multiple alignments and the homology modeling elucidated in the M3 alginate lyase can be classified into family PL-7.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.210-218
• /
• 2005

The rice genome contains at least 28 EXPA (${\alpha}$-expansin) genes. We have obtained near full-length cDNAs from the previously uncharacterized genes. Analysis of these newly identified clones together with the 12 identified earlier showed that the EXPA genes contain up to two introns and encode proteins of 240 to 291 amino acid residues. The EXPA proteins contain three conserved motifs: eight cysteine residues at the N-terminus, four tryptophan residues at the C-terminus, and a histidine-phenylalanine-aspartate motif in the central region. EXPA proteins could be divided into six groups based on their sequence similarity. Most were strongly induced in two-day-old seedlings and in the roots of one-week-old plants. However, only 14 genes were expressed in the aboveground organs, and their patterns were quite diverse. Transcript levels of EXPA7, 14, 15, 18, 21, and 29 were greater in stems, while EXPA2, 4, 5, 6, and 16 were highly expressed in both stem and sheath but not in leaf blade. EXPA1 is leaf blade-preferential, and EXP9 is leaf sheath-preferential. Most of the root-expressed genes were more strongly expressed in the dividing zone. However, the Group 2 EXPA genes were also strongly expressed in both mature and dividing zones, while EXPA9 was preferentially expressed in the elongation zone. Fourteen EXPA genes were expressed in developing panicles, with some being expressed during most developmental stages, others only as the panicles matured. These diverse expression patterns of EXPA genes suggest that in general they have distinct roles in plant growth and development.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.103-108
• /
• 2000

We have cloned and analyzed cDNA coding for non-virion (NV) protein of the m V - P R T The NV gene contained 336 bp open readmg frame and encoded a protein of 11 1 amino acids with a molecular weight of 13.2 kDa. The deduced amino acid sequence of NV of IHNVPRT was found to be 90-95% identical to those of foreign isolates of IHNV. These results indicate that NV gene of the MNV is highly conserved among &ifferent strains of THNV Northern blot analyses revealed that the levels of NV gene expression were strongly elevated after 20 h post-infection. In order to identify the role of NV in the replication of MNV in fish cells, IHNVinfected cells were treated with antisense oligonucleotides. While IHNV-PRT exposed to glycoprotein (G) antisense oligonucleotide showed severely reduced growth, the growth of virus exposed to NV antisense oligonucleotide was not affected by NV antisense oligonucleotide, which suggests that NV is not essential for replication of IHNV in fish cells.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.301-310
• /
• 1992

This work was performed to investigate the possibility of using J96 hemolysin(Hly, Hly A) vaccine against urinary tract infecting Escherichia coli. Based on the known sequence of J96 hemolysin which was originally isolated from a pyelonephritis patient, ten 20-mer oligonucleotide probes were synthesized. Radioactive labelled 8 probes showed positive colony blots against most of the hemolysin producing wild type E. coli, while HA484 and HA661 showed 28.3, 71.7% positive blots, respectively. This result means that hemolysin genes are highly conserved. Also, 12 anti-Hly MABs(monoclonal antibodies) showed more than 90% positive immunoblots against secreted hemolysin from wild type E. coli. Especially, the result that MAB132 neutralized hemolysin from all of the wild type E. coli augments the idea that hemolysin will be effective as a vaccine.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.459-466
• /
• 2013

The lactic acid bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus is widely used as a starter culture for the production of dairy products. Whole-genome sequencing is expected to utilize the genetic basis behind the metabolic functioning of lactic acid bacterium (LAB), for development of their use in biotechnological and probiotic applications. We sequenced the whole genome of Streptococcus thermophilus MTCC 5461, the strain isolated from a curd source, by 454 GS-FLX titanium and Ion Torrent PGM. We performed comparative genome analysis using the local BLAST and RDP for 16S rDNA comparison and by the RAST server for functional comparison against the published genome sequence of Streptococcus thermophilus CNRZ 1066. The whole genome size of S. thermophilus MTCC 5461 is of 1.73Mb size with a GC content of 39.3%. Streptococcal virulence-related genes are either inactivated or absent in the strain. The genome possesses coding sequences for features important for a probiotic organism such as adhesion, acid tolerance, bacteriocin production, and lactose utilization, which was found to be conserved among the strains MTCC 5461 and CNRZ 1066. Biochemical analysis revealed the utilization of 17 sugars by the bacterium, where the presence of genes encoding enzymes involved in metabolism for 16 of these 17 sugars were confirmed in the genome. This study supports the facts that the strain MTCC 5461 is nonpathogenic and harbors essential features that can be exploited for its probiotic potential.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.23 no.4
• /
• pp.579-585
• /
• 2013

Streptococcus equi ssp. zooepidemicus (Streptococcus zooepidemicus, SEZ) is an important pathogen associated with opportunistic infections of a wide range of species, including pigs and humans. The absence of a suitable vaccine makes it difficult to control SEZ infection. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) has been previously identified as an immunogenic protein using immunoproteomic techniques. In the present study, we confirmed that the sequence of GAPDH was highly conserved with other Streptococcus spp. The purified recombinant GAPDH could elicit a significant humoral antibody response in mice and confer significant protection against challenge with a lethal dose of SEZ. GAPDH could adhere to the Hep-2 cells, confirmed by flow cytometry, and inhibit adherence of SEZ to Hep-2 cells in an adherence inhibition assay. In addition, real-time PCR demonstrated that GAPDH was induced in vivo following infection of mice with SEZ. These suggest that GAPDH could play an important role in the pathogenesis of SEZ infection and could be a target for vaccination against SEZ.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.304-312
• /
• 2013

The thermotolerant methylotrophic yeast Hansenula polymorpha is attracting interest as a potential strain for the production of recombinant proteins and biofuels. However, only limited numbers of genome engineering tools are currently available for H. polymorpha. In the present study, we identified the HpPOL3 gene encoding the catalytic subunit of DNA polymerase ${\delta}$ of H. polymorpha and mutated the sequence encoding conserved amino acid residues that are important for its proofreading 3'${\rightarrow}$5' exonuclease activity. The resulting $HpPOL3^*$ gene encoding the error-prone proofreading-deficient DNA polymerase ${\delta}$ was cloned under a methanol oxidase promoter to construct the mutator plasmid pHIF8, which also contains additional elements for site-specific chromosomal integration, selection, and excision. In a H. polymorpha mutator strain chromosomally integrated with pHIF8, a $URA3^-$ mutant resistant to 5-fluoroorotic acid was generated at a 50-fold higher frequency than in the wild-type strain, due to the dominant negative expression of $HpPOL3^*$. Moreover, after obtaining the desired mutant, the mutator allele was readily removed from the chromosome by homologous recombination to avoid the uncontrolled accumulation of additional mutations. Our mutator system, which depends on the accumulation of random mutations that are incorporated during DNA replication, will be useful to generate strains with mutant phenotypes, especially those related to unknown or multiple genes on the chromosome.