• 생명과학회지
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.483-489
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• 2002

S. cerevisiae에서 glucoamylase 유전자의 promoter와 signal sequence 그리고 MF$\alpha$1의 prosequence를 이용하여 합성 곤충 defensin를 발현하고 항균활성을 보유한 형태로 분비하는데 성공하였다. Defensin의 여러 생화학적인 특성을 조사한 결과 열 안정성이 높아 10$0^{\circ}C$에서 30분간 가열하여도 항균활성을 온전히 유지하였으며 조사한 pH 영역, 2.0-12.0에서 항균활성의 변화가 없었다. 또한 여러 단백질 분해효소를 처리하면 항균활성이 완전히 사라졌으나 전분질 분해효소, 섬유소분해효소 및 지질분해효소의 처리는 항균 활성에 전혀 영향이 없었다. 황산암모늄침전, SP-Sepharose column cormatography, RP-HPLC 등의 조작을 통해 defensin을 순수한 형태로 정제하였으며 Tricine-SDS-PAGE를 통해 분자량이 약 4.0 kDa임을 확인하였고 정제한 defensin은 항균활성을 보유하였다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.477-482
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• 2002

효모 glucoamylase의 promoter와 분비신호서열 그리고 MF$\alpha$1의 prosequence를 이용하여 곤충 defensin을 S. cerevisiae 2805에서 항균활성을 보유한 형태로 발현 및 분비하는데 성공하였다. 발현된 defensin의 대부분이 세포 외로 분비되어 거의 모든 항균활성이 배양 상등액에 존재하였다. 이것은 S. cerevisiae에서 발현된 defensin이 glucoamylase의 분비신호서열과 MF$\alpha$1의 prosequenre에 의해 효율적으로 processing되어 분비됨을 시사한다. Defensin의 다른 미생물에 대한 항균활성을 조사한 결과 병원균인 St. aureus와 L. monocytogenes에 대해서도 항균활성이 존재하였다.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.57-62
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• 2001

A cDNA encoding the defensin homologue of a novel family member was isolated from the cDNA library of the firefly,Pyrocoelia rufa. Sequence analysis of the cDNA encoding the defensin homologue of P. rufa resulted that the 165 bp cDHA has an open reading frame of 55 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequences of the defensin homologue gene from P. rufa showed identity to known mammalian defensins. Also 6 cystein residues in the P. rufa defensin homologue gene were conserved in the same position as those of known mammalian defensins. The result suggested that P. rufa defensin homologue is a novel member of the insect defensin family. Southern blot analysis suggests that there may be a single copy number of the P.rufa defensin homologue gene and their fat body-specific expression pattern at the transcriptional level was confirmed by Northern blot analysis.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.496-503
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• 2002

곤충에서 유래한 항균 펩티드, defensin을 항균활성이 있는 활성적인 형태로 분비하는 Pichia 균주를 개발하기 위한 일환으로서 MF$\alpha$1 prerpo sequence와 defensin 합성유전자를 pichia 발현 벡터에 재조합하여 형질전환하고 아미노산 histidine을 첨가하지 않은 최소 배지에서 형질전환체를 일차적으로 선별하였다. 선별한 형질전환체를 대상으로 항생제 G-418에 대한 내성과 M. luteus를 시험균으로 사용하여 생육환 저해를 통한 defensin의 세포 외 분비를 조사하여 4 균주를 선택하고 분석하였다. Southern hybridizaion을 통해 숙주의 염색체 DNA에 삽입한 defensin 유전자가 유지됨을 확인하였으며 전체 RNA를 분리하고 RT-PCR을 수행하여 defensin mRNA를 증폭하고 Southern hybridization을 실시한 결과 증폭된 밴드는 probe로 사용한 defensin 유전자에 의해 양성 신호가 나타났다. 배양시간에 따른 4 균주의 세포성장과 항균활성을 비교하기 위해 BMMY 배지에서 96시간 배양하였다. 세포성장은 모두 유사한 양상을 보였다. 세포성장은 48시간 동안 급격하게 증가한 후 그 이후로는 정지기에 도달되었다. 항균활성도 48시간까지 급격히 증가하였으며 항균활성이 가장 높은 형질전환체 균주 3는 72시간 배양 시 550 AU/$m\ell$을 나타내었다.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.236-241
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• 2000

효모 Saccharomyces cerevisiae를 숙주 세포로 이용하여 활성형의 항균펩티드를 생산하기 위한 model system으로서 쉬파리 유래 defensin의 합성 유전자를 GAP promoter, mating factor $\alpha$1 (MF$\alpha$1)의 preprosequence 및 GAL7 transcription terminator의 조절하에 있는 재조합 plasmid pGMD18을 제작한 후 Saccharomyces cerevisiae에 형질전환하여 growth inhibtion zone assay를 통해 항균활성을 보유한 재조합 효모를 선별하였다. 재조합 효모의 성장 속도와 defensin의 분비능을 증가시키기 위하여 최적의 배지 조성과 배양조건을 결정하였다. 재조합 효모의 defensin 생산을 위한 최적 배양조건을 조사한 결과 0.4% yeast extract, 유기질소원 2% corn steep liquor, 탄소원 2.5% glucose, 0.05% $C_2CO_3$를 포함한 배지에서 초기 pH3 그리고 배양온도 $28^{\circ}C$의 경우가 세포성장과 defensin 의 항균활성이 가장 우수하였다. 이 조건으로 배양을 수행한 결과 YPD 배지에서 배양한 조건보다 약 2배의 세포 성장과 약 4배의 defenzin 생산을 확인하였다.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.143-147
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• 2011

Defensins, cysteine-rich cationic polypeptides released from neutrophils, are known to have powerful antimicrobial properties. In this study, we sacrificed 30 rats to investigate the effects of ${\alpha}$-defensin 1 on detrusor muscle contractions in isolated rat bladder. From the experiments we found relaxing effects of ${\alpha}$-defensin 1 on the contractions induced by phenylephrine (PE) but not by bethanechol (BCh) in the detrusor smooth muscles. To determine the mechanisms of the effects of ${\alpha}$-defensin 1, the changes of effects on PE-induced contraction by ${\alpha}$-defensin 1 pretreatment were observed after pretreatment of Rho kinase inhibitor (Y-27632), protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor (Calphostin C), potent activator of PKC (PDBu; phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate), and NF-${\kappa}B$ inhibitors (PDTC; pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate and sulfasalazine). The contractile responses of PE ($10^{-9}{\sim}10^{-4}$ M) were significantly decreased in some concentrations of ${\alpha}$-defensin 1 ($5{\times}10^{-9}$ and $5{\times}10^{-8}$ M). When strips were pretreated with NF-kB inhibitors (PDTC and sulfasalazine; $10^{-7}{\sim}10^{-6}$ M), the relaxing responses by ${\alpha}$-defensin 1 pretreatment were disappeared. The present study demonstrated that ${\alpha}$-defensin 1 has relaxing effects on the contractions of rat detrusor muscles, through NF-${\kappa}B$ pathway. Further studies in vivo are required to clarify whether ${\alpha}$-defensin 1 might be clinically related with bladder dysfunction by inflammation process.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제17권1호
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• pp.131-135
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• 2008

A cDNA encoding a defensin-like peptide (Protaetiamycine) from the larvae of a beetle, Protaetia brevitarsis was cloned. The DNAs encoded the deduced propeptide of 79 amino acid residues with the predicted molecular weight of 8.4 kDa and PI of 8.24. Overall amino acid sequence of this protein has 39% similarity to that of Rhodnius prolixus defensin, 43% similarity to that of Acalolepta luxuriosa defensin, and 72% similarity to that of Oryctes rhinoceros defensin, suggesting that this gene is an insect defensin. In an attempt to apply the anti-bacterial peptide to the development of therapeutic agents, a 12-mer peptide amidated at its C-terminus, ACAAHCLAIGRG-$NH_2$ (Ala55-Lys66-$NH_2$, 12Pbn) was synthesized. This peptide showed some antifungal activity against Candida albicans. To increase antifungal activity, six 9-mer peptides were synthesized by modifying amino acid sequences of 12Pbn fragment. Among these peptides, 9Pbm3-9Pbm6 exhibited strong activity compared with Cecropin B and mellitin.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.131-137
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• 2009

Plant defensins are small (5-10 kDa) basic peptides thought to be an important component of the defense pathway against fungal and/or bacterial pathogens. To understand the role of plant defensins in protecting plants against the brown planthopper, a type of insect herbivore, we isolated the Brassica rapa Defensin 1 (BrD1) gene and introduced it into rice (Oryza sativa L.) to produce stable transgenic plants. The BrD1 protein is homologous to other plant defensins and contains both an N-terminal endoplasmic reticulum signal sequence and a defensin domain, which are highly conserved in all plant defensins. Based on a phylogenetic analysis of the defensin domain of various plant defensins, we established that BrD1 belongs to a distinct subgroup of plant defensins. Relative to the wild type, transgenic rices expressing BrD1 exhibit strong resistance to brown planthopper nymphs and female adults. These results suggest that BrD1 exhibits insecticidal activity, and might be useful for developing cereal crop plants resistant to sap-sucking insects, such as the brown planthopper.

• BMB Reports
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.278-283
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• 2006

Defensins are small cysteine rich peptides with a molecular mass of 5-10 kDa and some of them exhibit potent antifungal activity. We have cloned the coding region of a cDNA of 225 bp cysteine rich defensin, named as Tfgd1, from the legume Trigonella foenum-graecum. The amino acid sequence deduced from the coding region comprised 74 amino acids, of which the N-terminal 27 amino acids constituted the signal peptide and the mature peptide comprised 47 amino acids. The protein is characterized by the presence of eight cysteine resisdues, conserved in the various plant defensins forming four disulphide bridges, which stabilize the mature peptide. The recombinant protein expressed in E coli exhibited antifungal activity against the broad host range fungus, Rhizoctonia solani and the peanut leaf spot fungus, Phaeoisariopsis personata.

• 한국환경농학회지
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• 제28권4호
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• pp.435-441
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• 2009

In the present study, we analyzed the defensin protein deduced from Korean radish (Raphanus sativus L.) seeds.To express the genes in E. coli, we constructed a recombinant expression vector with a defensin gene, named rKRs-AFP gene isolated from Korean radish seeds. Over expressed rKRs-AFP proteins was separated by SDS-PAGE to determine the purity, and protein concentration was determined by the Bradford method. Antifungal activity was assessed by disk assay method against the tested fungi. As a result, when 500 mL of cell culture were disrupted by sonicator, 32.5 mg total proteins were obtained. The purified protein showed a single band on SDS-PAGE with estimated molecular weight about 6 KDa, consistent with the molecular mass calculated from the deduced amino acid sequence. The purified rKRs-AFP protein showed remarkable antifungal activities against several fungi including Aspergillus niger, Botrytis cinerea causing the gray mold disease, and Candida albicans. In field tests using the purified rKRs-AFP protein, the protein showed the reducing activity of disease spot and the mitigating effect of spreading of disease like agrichemicals. The immuno-assay of rKRs-AFP protein showed that the purified protein entirely accumulated at B. cinerea cytoplasm through the hyphal septa shown by fluorescence imaging. There was no fluorescence inside the cell, when the hypha was incubated without the protein. These all results indicate that the recombinant rKRs-AFP proteins can be utilized as a potential antifungal drug to control harmful plant fungal pathogens.