• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.7
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• pp.651-656
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• 2015

Plant growth and development are coordinately orchestrated by environmental cues and phytohormones. Light acts as a key environmental factor for fundamental plant growth and physiology through photosensory phytochromes and underlying molecular mechanisms. Although phytochromes are known to possess serine/threonine protein kinase activities, whether they trigger a signal transduction pathway via an intracellular protein kinase network remains unknown. In analyses of mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK, also called MKK) mutants, the mkk3 mutant has shown both a hypersensitive response in plant hormone gibberellin (GA) and a less sensitive response in red light signaling. Surprisingly, light-induced MAPK activation in wild-type (WT) seedlings and constitutive MAPK phosphorylation in dark-grown mkk3 mutant seedlings have also been found, respectively. Therefore, this study suggests that MKK3 acts in negative regulation in darkness and in light-induced MAPK activation during dark-light transition.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.185-193
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• 2007

Symbiotic nitrogen fixation with nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the root nodules is a distinctly beneficial metabolic process in legume plants. Legumes control the nodule number and nodulation zone through a systemic negative regulatory system between shoot and root. Mutation in the soybean NTS gene encoding GmNARK, a CLAVATA1-like serine/threonine receptor-like kinase, causes excessive nodule development called hypernodulation. To examine the effect of nts mutation on the gene expression profile in the leaves, suppression subtractive hybridization was performed with the trifoliate leaves of nts mutant 'SS2-2' and the wild-type (WT) parent 'Sinpaldalkong2', and 75 EST clones that were highly expressed in the leaves of the SS2-2 mutant were identified. Interestingly, the expression of jasmonate (JA)-responsive genes such as vspA, vspB, and Lox2 were upregulated, whereas that of a salicylate-responsive gene PR1a was suppressed in the SS2-2 mutant. In addition, the level of JA was about two-fold higher in the leaves of the SS2-2 mutant than in those of the WT under natural growth conditions. Moreover, the JA-responsive gene expression persists in the leaves of SS2-2 mutant without rhizobia infection in the roots. Taken together, our results suggest that the nts mutation increases JA synthesis in mature leaves and consequently leads to constitutive expression of JA-responsive genes which is irrelevant to hypernodulation in the root.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1466-1472
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• 2011

We characterized embryo early gene (EEG)-704 promoter of the silkworm Bombyx mori, which is specifically regulated in the development stages. To determine core promoter region, 10 different partial mutant clones were tested by luciferase assay in Sf9 cells. About 1.5 kb promoter shows higher luciferase activity than constitutive promoter (BmA3). Interestingly, EEG-704 shares the same DNA sequences with BmHsp20.8 by the result of BLAST analysis; its expression is also increased under heat shock condition. Development of such promoter inducible, directly or indirectly in the developmental-stage, is very useful in making recombinant proteins in transgenic silkworms.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2009

Ligand-dependent or independent oligomerization of receptor protein tyrosine kinase (RPTK) is often an essential step for receptor activation and intracellular signaling. The novel oncogene with kinase-domain (NOK) is a unique RPTK that almost completely lacks an ectodomain, expresses intracellularly and activates constitutively. However, it is unknown whether NOK can form oligomer or what function oligomerization would have. In this study, two NOK deletion mutants were generated by either removing the ectodomain ($NOK{\Delta}ECD$) or including the endodomain (NOK-ICD). Co-immunoprecipitation demonstrated that the transmembrane (TM) domain of NOK was essential for its intermolecular interaction. The results further showed that NOK aggregated more closely as lower order oligomers (the dimer- and trimer-sized) than either deletion mutant did since NOK could be crosslinked by both Sulfo-EGS and formaldehyde, whereas either deletion mutant was only sensitive to Sulfo-EGS. Removing the NOK TM domain (NOK-ICD) not only markedly promoted higher order oligomerization, but also altered the subcellular localization of NOK and dramatically elevated the NOK-mediated constitutive activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). Moreover, NOK-ICD but not NOK or $NOK{\Delta}ECD$ was co-localized with the upstream signaling molecule RAS on cell membrane. Thus, TM-mediated intermolecular contacting may be mainly responsible for the constitutive activation of NOK and contribute to the autoinhibitory effect on RAS/MAPK signaling.

• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.24-31
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• 2000

In order to find out SoxR-reducing system in E. coli, we generated Tn10-insertion mutants and screened for constitutive expression of SoxS in a soxS-lacZ fusion strain. One mutation was mapped in rseB, a gene in rseABC (Regulation of SigmaE) operon. The constitutive soxS-expressing phenotype was due to the polar effect on the downstream gene, rseC. RseC is likely to function as a component of SoxR reduction system because SoxR was kept in oxidized form to activate soxS expression in rseC mutant. RseC is an integral membrane protein with an N-terminal cysteine-rich domain in the cytoplasm. The functionally critical cysteines were determined by substitution mutagenesis. The truncated N-terminal domain of RseC reduced the soxS transcription by $50\%$ as judged by in vitro transcription assay. Currently RseC is believed to be a reducing factor for SoxR. However, the mechanism for the reduction needs further investigation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Potoscience Conference
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• spring
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• pp.97-103
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• 2003

Phytochrome controls diverse aspects of plant development in response to the ambient light conditions. HFRl, a basic helix-loop-helix protein, is required for a subset of phytochrome A (phy A)-mediated photo-responses in Arabidopsis. Here, we show that overexpression of HFR1-N105, but not the one of the full-length HFR1, confers exaggerated photo-responses. The transgenic plants overexpressing HFR1- N105 exhibited light-independence in a subset of photo-responses, including germination, de-etiolation, gravitropic hypocotyl growth, and blocking of greening. Overexpression of HFR1-N105 also caused constitutive light-responses in the expression of some light-regulated genes. In addition, the HFR1-N105 overexpressor showed hypersensitive responses under R and FR light, dependently on phyB and phyA, respectively. End-of-day far-red light response and petiole elongation were suppressed in the HFR1-N105 overexpressor plants. Together these results imply that overexpression of HFR1-N105 activated a branch of light signaling, supporting the hypothesis that transcriptional regulation in the nucleus would be the primary mechanism of light signaling in Arabidopsis. We discuss the biotechnological potential of the mutant bHLH protein, HFR1-N105 in regard to suppressed shade avoidance syndrome.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2000

Gonadotropin receptors are members of the seven-transmembrane (TM) receptor family, Point mutations in the lutropin/choriogonadotropin receptor (LH/CGR) have been shown to cause constitutive activation which results in precocious puberty in affected males, We introduced one of the mutation, D556Y, into the LH/CG receptor and the same high affinity binding mutant (D556Y) receptor clone cell for wild type LH/CGR (LH/CGR-wt) was chosen for further analysis, In contrast to cells expressing LH/CGR-wt, it was demonstrated that the mutant receptor exhibited markedly increased basal cAMP production in the absence of agonist, suggesting that autonomous Leydig cell activity in familial male-precocious puberty (FMPP) is caused by a constitutively activating LH/CGR.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.133-143
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• 2021

In contrast to the human lutropin receptor (hLHR) and rat LHR (rLHR), very few naturally occurring mutants in other mammalian species have been identified. The present study aimed to delineate the mechanism of signal transduction by three constitutively activating mutants (designated M410T, L469R, and D590Y) and two inactivating mutants (D383N and Y546F) of the eel LHR, known to be naturally occurring in human LHR transmembrane domains. The mutants were constructed and measured cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation via homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence assays in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells. The activating mutant cells expressing eel LHR-M410T, L469R, and D590Y exhibited a 4.0-, 19.1-, and 7.8-fold increase in basal cAMP response without agonist treatment, respectively. However, inactivating mutant cells expressing D417N and Y558F did not completely impaired signal transduction. Specifically, signal transduction in the cells expressing activating mutant L469R was not occurred with a further ligand stimulation, showing that the maximal response exhibited approximately 53% of those of wild type receptor. Our results suggested that the constitutively activating mutants of the eel LHR consistently occurred without agonist treatment. These results provide important information of LHR function in fish and regulation with regard to mutations of highly conserved amino acids in glycoprotein hormone receptors.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.403-409
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• 2010

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hsp30 is a plasma membrane heat shock protein that is induced by various environmental stress conditions. However, the functional role of Hsp30 during diverse environmental stressors is not presently known. To gain insight into its function during thermal stress, we have constructed and characterized a ${\Delta}hsp30$ strain during heat stress. $BY4741{\Delta}hsp30$ cells were found to be more sensitive compared with BY4741 cells, when exposed to a lethal heat stress at $50^{\circ}C$. When budding yeast is exposed to either heat shock or weak organic acid, it inhibits Pma1p activity. In this study, we measured the levels of Pma1p in mutant and Wt cells both during optimal temperature and heat shock temperature. We observed that $BY4741{\Delta}hsp30$ cells showed constitutive reduction of Pma1p. To gain further insights into the role of Hsp30 during heat stress, we compared the total protein profile by 2D gel electrophoresis followed by identification of differentially expressed spots by LC-MS. We observed that contrary to that expected from thermal-stress-induced changes in gene expression, the ${\Delta}hsp30$ mutant maintained elevated levels of Pdc1p, Trx1p, and Nbp35p and reduced levels of Atp2p and Sod1p during heat shock. In conclusion, Hsp30 is necessary during lethal heat stress, for the maintenance of Pma1p and a set of thermal stress response functions.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.464-469
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• 1991

An $\alpha$-amylase producing bacterium, strain 2B, was isolated from soil and identified to genus Bacillus. To enhance $\alpha$-amylase productivity, strain 2B was mutagenized successively with nitrosoguanidine. For an efficient selection of a-amylase hyperproducers, mutants which produced $\alpha$-amylase in the presence of glucose were isolated. The resultant mutant HG4, which was classified as constitutive and catabolite derepressed hyperproducer of a-amylase, produced about 30 folds more $\alpha$-amylase than parental strain in medium containing lactose as carbon source. The strain HG4 grew rapidly and produced enzyme in parallel with cell growth. Moreover, its cell lysis did not occur until time of maximal yield of enzyme, which was considered to be a favorable characteristic for the production and purificiation of enzyme in industrial scale. The enzymatic properties of parental strain 2B and mutant strain HG4 were almost the same. The optimal temperature and pH for enzyme reaction was $70^{\circ}C$ and pH 6.0, respectively, in 'the presence of 0.6mM $Ca^[2+}$ as an effective stabilizer.