• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.160-162
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• 2004

Rhodococcus sp. strain T104 is able to utilize both limonene and biphenyl as growth substrates. Fur-thermore, T104 possesses separate pathways for the degradation of limonene and biphenyl. Previously, we found that a gene(s) involved in limonene degradation was also related to indigo-producing ability. To further corroborate this observation, we have cloned and sequenced a 8,842-bp genomic DNA region with four open reading frames, including one for indole oxygenase, which converts indole to indigo (a blue pigment). The reverse transcription PCR data demonstrated that the identified indole oxygenase gene is specifically induced by limonene, thereby implicating this gene in the degradation of limonene by T104.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.153-162
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• 2017

Background: The mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (MET) receptor can be overexpressed in solid tumors, including small cell lung cancer (SCLC). However, the molecular mechanism regulating MET stability and turnover in SCLC remains undefined. One potential mechanism of MET regulation involves the C-terminus of Hsp70-interacting protein (CHIP), which targets heat shock protein 90-interacting proteins for ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. In the present study, we investigated the functional effects of CHIP expression on MET regulation and the control of SCLC cell apoptosis and invasion. Methods: To evaluate the expression of CHIP and c-Met, which is a protein that in humans is encoded by the MET gene (the MET proto-oncogene), we examined the expression pattern of c-Met and CHIP in SCLC cell lines by western blotting. To investigate whether CHIP overexpression reduced cell proliferation and invasive activity in SCLC cell lines, we transfected cells with CHIP and performed a cell viability assay and cellular apoptosis assays. Results: We found an inverse relationship between the expression of CHIP and MET in SCLC cell lines (n=5). CHIP destabilized the endogenous MET receptor in SCLC cell lines, indicating an essential role for CHIP in the regulation of MET degradation. In addition, CHIP inhibited MET-dependent pathways, and invasion, cell growth, and apoptosis were reduced by CHIP overexpression in SCLC cell lines. Conclusion: C HIP is capable of regulating SCLC cell apoptosis and invasion by inhibiting MET-mediated cytoskeletal and cell survival pathways in NCI-H69 cells. CHIP suppresses MET-dependent signaling, and regulates MET-mediated SCLC motility.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.295-304
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• 2021

Background: Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a hematopoietic malignancy driven by promyelocytic leukemia-retinoic acid receptor A (PML-RARA) fusion gene. The therapeutic drugs currently used to treat APL have adverse effects. 20(S)-ginsenoside Rh2 (GRh2) is an anticancer medicine with high effectiveness and low toxicity. However, the underlying anticancer mechanisms of GRh2-induced PML-RARA degradation and apoptosis in human APL cell line (NB4 cells) remain unclear. Methods: Apoptosis-related indicators and PML-RARA expression were determined to investigate the effect of GRh2 on NB4 cells. Z-VAD-FMK, LY294002, and C 87, as inhibitors of caspase, and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) pathways were used to clarify the relationship between GRh2-induced apoptosis and PML-RARA degradation. Results: GRh2 dose- and time-dependently decreased NB4 cell viability. GRh2-induced apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and caspase3, caspase8, and caspase9 activation in NB4 cells after a 12-hour treatment. GRh2-induced apoptosis in NB4 cells was accompanied by massive production of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial damage and upregulated Bax/Bcl-2 expression. GRh2 also induced PML/PML-RARA degradation, PML nuclear bodies formation, and activation of the downstream p53 pathway in NB4 cells. Z-VAD-FMK inhibited caspase activation and significantly reversed GRh2-induced apoptosis and PML-RARA degradation. GRh2 also upregulated TNF-α expression and inhibited Akt phosphorylation. LY294002, an inhibitor of the PI3K pathway, enhanced the antitumor effects of GRh2, and C 87, an inhibitor of the TNF-α pathway, reversed NB4 cell viability, and GRh2-mediated apoptosis in a caspase-8-dependent manner. Conclusion: GRh2 induced caspase-dependent PML-RARA degradation and apoptosis in NB4 cells via the Akt/Bax/caspase9 and TNF-α/caspase8 pathways.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bioinformatics Conference
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• 2000.11a
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• pp.13-16
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• 2000

Microorganisms have been widely employed for the production of useful bioproducts including primary metabolites such as ethanol, succinic acid, acetone and butanol, secondary metabolites represented by antibiotics, proteins, polysaccharides, lipids and many others. Since these products can be obtained in small quantities under natural condition, mutation and selection processes have been employed for the improvement of strains. Recently, metabolic engineering strategies have been employed for more efficient production of these bioproducts. Metabolic engineering can be defined as purposeful modification of cellular metabolic pathways by introducing new pathways, deleting or modifying the existing pathways for the enhanced production of a desired product or modified/new product, degradation of xenobiotics, and utilization of inexpensive raw materials. Metabolic flux analysis and metabolic control analysis along with recombinant DNA techniques are three important components in designing optimized metabolic pathways, This powerful technology is being further improved by the genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and bioinformatics. Complete genome sequences are providing us with the possibility of addressing complex biological questions including metabolic control, regulation and flux. In silico analysis of microbial metabolic pathways is possible from the completed genome sequences. Transcriptome analysis by employing ONA chip allows us to examine the global pattern of gene expression at mRNA level. Two dimensional gel electrophoresis of cellular proteins can be used to examine the global proteome content, which provides us with the information on gene expression at protein level. Bioinformatics can help us to understand the results obtained with these new techniques, and further provides us with a wide range of information contained in the genome sequences. The strategies taken in our lab for the production of pharmaceutical proteins, polyhydroxyalkanoate (a family of completely biodegradable polymer), succinic acid and me chemicals by employing metabolic engineering powered by genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and bioinformatics will be presented.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.267-274
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• 2018

Lipids in microalgae are energy-rich compounds and considered as an attractive feedstock for biodiesel production. To redirect carbon flux from competing pathways to the fatty acid synthesis pathway of Tetraselmis sp., we used three types of chemical inhibitors that can block the starch synthesis pathway or photorespiration, under nitrogen-sufficient and nitrogen-deficient conditions. The starch synthesis pathway in chloroplasts and the cytosol can be inhibited by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea and 1,2-cyclohexane diamine tetraacetic acid (CDTA), respectively. Degradation of glycine into ammonia during photorespiration was blocked by aminooxyacetate (AOA) to maintain biomass concentration. Inhibition of starch synthesis pathways in the cytosol by CDTA increased fatty acid productivity by 27% under nitrogen deficiency, whereas the blocking of photorespiration in mitochondria by AOA was increased by 35% under nitrogen-sufficient conditions. The results of this study indicate that blocking starch or photorespiration pathways may redirect the carbon flux to fatty acid synthesis.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2021.04a
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• pp.56-56
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• 2021

Nypa fruticans Wurmb is a mangrove plant belonging to Araceae family. N. fruticans is typically found in Southeast Asia, and in some parts of Queensland, Australia. N. fruticans has phytochemicals, phenolics, and flavonoids. In this study, we investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of the ethyl acetate fraction of N. fruticans (ENF) on the production and expression of cytokines and inflammatory mediators through the major signal transduction pathways. ENF attenuated the level of cytokines in a dose-dependent manner and decreased the production of nitric oxide (NO). ENF decreased the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) via alleviating transcription of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) by an inhibitor of nuclear factor-kappa B (IκB) degradation. Furthermore, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways (ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and p38) are known to be involved in the inflammatory response. Phosphorylations of ERK1/2, JNK1/2, and p38 were significantly decreased compared with the ENF-untreated control. Conclusively, ENF was related to alleviating various pro-inflammatory mediators through IκB/NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, including p65 translocation to the nucleus.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.292-299
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• 2014

Iopromide is an X-ray contrast agent that has been detected frequently with high concentration level in surface waters. Structural characterization of degradation products and measurement of degradation efficiency of iopromide by an electron beam irradiation were performed. For the fortified sample with iopromide, electron beam irradiation (UELV-10-10S, klysotrn, 10 MeV, 1 mA and 10 kW) was performed. The chemical structures of I_D_665 and I_D_663, which are degradation products of iopromide, were proposed by interpretation of mass spectra and chromatograms by LC/ESI-MS/MS. The mass fragmentation pathways of mass spectra in tandem mass spectrometry were also proposed. Iopromide was degraded 30.5~98.4% at dose of 0.3~5 kGy, and 97.8~30% in the concentration range $0.5{\sim}100{\mu}g/kg$ at electron beam dose of 0.3 kGy, respectively. Thus, increased degradation efficiency of iopromide by electron beam irradiation was observed with a higher dose of electron beam and lower concentration.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.182-189
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• 1986

Alachlor, 2-chloro-2',6'-diethyl-N-(methoxymethyl) acetanilide produced four major degradation products, when incubated under an upland soil condition for 80 days. They include 8-ethyl-2-hydroxy-N-(methoxymethyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroquinoline (m/z 221), N-hydroxyacetyl-2,3-dihydro-7-ethylindole (m/z 205), 2-hydroxy-2',6'-diethyl-N-(methoxymethyl) acetanilide (m/z 251), and 9-ethyl-1,5-dihydrol-(methoxymethyl)-5-methyl-4,1-benzoxazepin-2 (3H)-one (m/z 249). The products turned out to be a little different from those obtained under the flooded paddy soil condition used in the previous paper. The plausible pathways for the degradation were proposed.

• BMB Reports
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• v.51 no.10
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• pp.484-485
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• 2018

Receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIP3 or RIPK3) is a serine-threonine kinase largely essential for necroptotic cell death; it also plays a role in some inflammatory diseases. High levels of RIP3 are likely sufficient to activate necroptotic and inflammatory pathways downstream of RIP3 in the absence of an upstream stimulus. For example, we have previously detected high levels or RIP3 in the skin of Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis patients; this correlates with increased phosphorylation of MLKL found in these patients. We have long surmised that there are molecular mechanisms to prevent anomalous activity of the RIP3 protein, and so prevent undesirable cell death and inflammatory effects when inappropriately activated. Recent discovery that Carboxyl terminus of Hsp 70-Interacting Protein (CHIP) could mediate ubiquitylation- and lysosome-dependent RIP3 degradation provides a potential protein that has this capacity. However, while screening for RIP3-binding proteins, we discovered that pellino E3 ubiquitin protein ligase 1 (PELI1) also interacts directly with RIP3 protein; further investigation in this study revealed that PELI1 also targets RIP3 for proteasome-dependent degradation. Interestingly, unlike CHIP, which targets RIP3 more generally, PELI1 preferentially targets kinase active RIP3 that has been phosphorylated on T182, subsequently leading to RIP3 degradation.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.349-352
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• 2003

Recent studies have shown that some of the PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl)-degraders are able to effectively degrade PCB in the presence of monoterpenes, which act as inducers for the degradation pathway. Rhodococcus sp. T104, an effective PCB degrader, has been shown to induce the degradation pathway by utilizing limonenes, cymenes, carvones, and pinenes as sole carbon sources which can be found in the natural environment. Moreover, the strain T104 proved to possess three separate oxidation pathways of limonene, biphenyl, and phenol. Of these three, the limonene can also induce the biphenyl degradation pathway. In this work, we report the presence of three distinct genes for aromatic oxygenase, which are putatively involved in the degradation of aromatic substrates including biphenyl, limonene, and phenol, through PCR amplification and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE). The genes were differentially expressed and well induced by limonene, cymene, and plant extract A compared to biphenyl and/or glucose. This indicates that substrate specificity must be taken into account when biodegradation of the target compounds are facilitated by the plant natural substrates.