• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2005

Cobrotoxin, a venom of Vipera lebetina turanica, is a group of basic peptidescomposed of 233 amino acids with six disulfide bonds formed by twelve cysteins. NF-kB is activated by subsequent release of inhibitory IkB and translocation of p50. Since sulfhydryl group is present in kinase domain of p50 subunit of NF-kB, cobrotoxin could modify NF-kB activity by protein-protein interaction. We therefore examined effect of cobrotoxin on NF-kB activities in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP)-stimulated Raw 264.7 mouse macrophages. Cobrotoxin suppressed the LPS and SNP-induced release of IkB and p50 translocation resulted in inhibition of DNA binding activity of NF-kB. Inhibition of NF-kB resulted in reduction of the LPS and SNP-induced production of inflammatory mediators NO and PGE2 generation. The inhibitory effect of cobrotoxin on the NF-kB activity were blocked by addition of reducing agents dithiothreitol and glutathione. These results demonstrate that cobrotoxin inhibits activation of NF-kB, and suggest that pico to nanomolar range of cobrotoxin could inhibit the expression of genes in the NF-kB signal pathway.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.721-733
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• 2019

Objective: The objectives of this study were to investigate the thermal gelation properties and molecular forces of actomyosin extracted from two classes of chicken breast meat qualities (normal and pale, soft and exudative [PSE]-like) during heating process to further improve the understanding of the variations of functional properties between normal and PSE-like chicken breast meat. Methods: Actomyosin was extracted from normal and PSE-like chicken breast meat and the gel strength, water-holding capacity (WHC), protein loss, particle size and distribution, dynamic rheology and protein thermal stability were determined, then turbidity, active sulfhydryl group contents, hydrophobicity and molecular forces during thermal-induced gelling formation were comparatively studied. Results: Sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that protein profiles of actomyosin extracted from normal and PSE-like meat were not significantly different (p>0.05). Compared with normal actomyosin, PSE-like actomyosin had lower gel strength, WHC, particle size, less protein content involved in thermal gelation forming (p<0.05), and reduced onset temperature ($T_o$), thermal transition temperature ($T_d$), storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G"). The turbidity, reactive sulfhydryl group of PSE-like actomyosin were higher when heated from $40^{\circ}C$ to $60^{\circ}C$. Further heating to $80^{\circ}C$ had lower transition from reactive sulfhydryl group into a disulfide bond and surface hydrophobicity. Molecular forces showed that hydrophobic interaction was the main force for heat-induced gel formation while both ionic and hydrogen bonds were different significantly between normal and PSE-like actomyosin (p<0.05). Conclusion: These changes in chemical groups and inter-molecular bonds affected protein-protein interaction and protein-water interaction and contributed to the inferior thermal gelation properties of PSE-like meat.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.294.1-294.1
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• 2016

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) with two-dimensional layered structure, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and tungsten diselenide (WSe2), are considered attractive materials for future semiconductor devices due to its relatively superior electrical, optical, and mechanical properties. Their excellent scalability down to a monolayer based on the van der Waals layered structure without surface dangling bonds makes semiconductor devices based on TMD free from short channel effect. In comparison to the widely studied transistor based on MoS2, researchs focusing on WSe2 transistor are still limited. WSe2 is more resistant to oxidation in humid ambient condition and relatively air-stable than sulphides such as MoS2. These properties of WSe2 provide potential to fabricate high-performance filed-effect transistor if outstanding electronic characteristics can be achieved by suitable metal contacts and doping phenomenon. Here, we demonstrate the effect of two different metal contacts (titanium and platinum) in field-effect transistor based on WSe2, which regulate electronic characteristics of device by controlling the effective barreier height of the metal-semiconductor junction. Electronic properties of WSe2 transistor were systematically investigated through monitoring of threshold voltage shift, carrier concentration difference, on-current ratio, and field-effect mobility ratio with two different metal contacts. Additionally, performance of transistor based on WSe2 is further enhanced through reliable and controllable n-type doping method of WSe2 by triphenylphosphine (PPh3), which activates the doping phenomenon by thermal annealing process and adjust the doping level by controlling the doping concentration of PPh3. The doping level is controlled in the non-degenerate regime, where performance parameters of PPh3 doped WSe2 transistor can be optimized.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.526-532
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• 2005

A lectin with in-vitro anticancer activity against established human cancer cell lines has been purified by affinity chromatography on asialofetuin-linked amino activated silica beads from the tubers of Arisaema tortuosum, popularly known as Himalayan Cobra lily, a monocot plant from the family Araceae. The bound Arisaema tortuosum lectin (ATL) was eluted with glycine-HCl buffer, pH 2.5. ATL was effectively inhibited by asialofetuin, a complex desialylated serum glycoprotein as well as by N-acetyl-D-lactosamine, a disaccharide. It gave a single band corresponding to a subunit molecular weight of 13.5 kDa in SDS-PAGE, pH 8.8 both under reducing and non reducing conditions. When subjected to gel-filtration on Biogel P-200, it was found to have a molecular weight of 54 kDa, suggesting a homotetramer structure, in which individual polypeptides are not bound to each other with disulfide bonds. ATL is a glycoprotein with 0.9% carbohydrate content, stable up to $55^{\circ}C$ and at pH 2 to 10. The lectin had no requirement for divalent metal ions i.e. $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mn^{2+}$ for its activity. However, as reported for other monocot lectins, ATL gave multiple bands in isoelectric focusing and Native PAGE, pH 8.3. The lectin was found to inhibit in vitro proliferation of human cancer cell lines HT29, SiHa and OVCAR-5.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2011

Resistance to PAI-1 is a factor which confers clinical benefits in thrombolytic therapy. The only US FDA approved PAI-1 resistant drug is Tenecteplase$^{(R)}$. Deletion variants of t-PA have the advantage of fewer disulfide bonds in addition to higher plasma half lives. A new variant was developed by deletion of the first three domains in t-PA in addition to substitution of KHRR 128-131 amino acids with AAAA in truncated t-PA. The specific activity of this new variant, $570\;IU/{\mu}g$, was found to be similar to those found in full length t-PA (Alteplase$^{(R)}$), $580\;IU/{\mu}g$. A 65% and 85% residual activity after inhibition by rPAI-1 was observed for full length and truncated-mutant form, respectively. This new variant as the first PAI-1 resistant truncated t-PA may offer more advantages in clinical conditions in which high PAI-1 levels makes the thrombolytic system prone to re-occlusion.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.47-59
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• 2006

We previously found that cobrotoxin inhibited $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity by reacting with signal molecules of $NF-{\kappa}B$ which is critical contributor in cancer cell growth by induction of apoptotic cell death. We here investigated whether cobrotoxin inhibits cell growth of human prostate cancer cells through induction of apoptotic cell death, which is related with the suppression of the $NF-{\kappa}B$ activity. Cobrotoxin $(0{\sim}8\;nM)$ inhibited prostate cancer cell growth through increased apoptosis in a dose dependent manner. Cobrotoxin inhibited DNA binding activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$, an anti-apoptotic transcriptional factor. Consistent with the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$, cobrotoxin increased the expression of pro-apoptotic proteins caspase 3. Cobrotoxin, a venom of Vipera lebetina turanica, is a group of basicpeptides composed of 233 amino acids with six disulfide bonds formed by twelve cysteins. NF-kB is activated by subsequent release of inhibitory IkB and translocation of p50. Since sulfhydryl group is present in kinase domain of p50 subunit of NF-kB, cobrotoxin could modify NF-kB activity by protein-protein interaction. And Cobrotoxin down regulated Akt signals. Salicylic acid as a reducing agent of Sulf-hydryl group and LY294002 as a Akt inhibitor abrogated cobrotoxin-induced cell growth and DNA binding activity of $NF-{\kappa}B$. These findings suggest that nano to pico molar range of cobrotoxin could inhibit prostate cancer cell growth, and the effect may be related with the induction of apoptotic cell death through Akt dependent inhibition of $NF-{\kappa}B$ signal.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.711-717
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• 2018

Human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) can stimulate the division of various cell types and has potential clinical applications. Since the protein contains three intra-molecular disulfide bonds, the high expression of active hEGF in Escherichia coli has not been well researched, We fused the hEGF gene with a small ubiquitin-related modifier gene (SUMO) by synthesizing an artificial SUMO-hEGF fusion gene that was highly expressed in E. coli (DE3) strain. The optimal expression level of the soluble fusion protein, SUMO-hEGF with IPTG (Isopropyl-${\beta}$-D-Thiogalactopyranoside), was up to 38.9% of the total cellular protein. The fusion protein was purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography and cleaved by a SUMO-specific protease to obtain the native hEGF, which was further purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The result of the reverse-phase HPLC showed that the purity of the recombinant cleaved hEGF was greater than 98%.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.387-392
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• 2011

To investigate the molecular scavenging capabilities of the larvae of Hermetia illucens, two serine proteases (SPs) were cloned and characterized. Multiple sequence alignments and phylogenetic tree analysis of the deduced amino acid sequences of Hi-SP1 and Hi-SP2 were suggested that Hi-SP1 may be a chymotrypsin- and Hi-SP2 may be a trypsin-like protease. Hi-SP1 and Hi-SP2 3-D homology models revealed that a catalytic triad, three disulfide bonds, and a substrate-binding pocket were highly conserved, as would be expected of a SP. E. coli expressed Hi-SP1 and Hi-SP2 showed chymotrypsin or trypsin activities, respectively. Hi-SP2 mRNAs were consistently expressed during larval development. In contrast, the expression of Hi-SP1 mRNA fluctuated between feeding and molting stages and disappeared at the pupal stages. These expression pattern differences suggest that Hi-SP1 may be a larval specific chymotrypsin-like protease involved with food digestion, while Hi-SP2 may be a trypsin-like protease with diverse functions at different stages.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.118-122
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• 2006

In this report, we describe that the use of GroEL/GroES-enriched S30 extract remarkably enhances the solubility and enzymatic activity of cell-free synthesized rPA, which requires the correct formation of 9 disulfide bonds for its biological activity. We found that the stable maintenance of redox potential is necessary, but not sufficient for the optimal expression of active rPA. In a control reaction without using additional molecular chaperones, most of the rPA molecules were aggregated almost instantly after their expression and thus failed to exhibit the enzymatic activity. However, by the use of GroEL/GroES-enriched extract, combined with IAM-treatment, approximately $30{\mu}g/ml$ of active rPA was expressed in the cell-free synthesis reaction. This result not only demonstrates the efficient production of complex proteins, but also shows the control and flexibility offered by the cell-free protein synthesis system.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.460-469
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• 2019

Bacterial ${\alpha}-type$ carbonic anhydrase (${\alpha}-CA$) is a zinc metalloenzyme that catalyzes the reversible and extremely rapid interconversion of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate. In this study, we report the first crystal structure of a hyperthermostable ${\alpha}-CA$ from Persephonella marina EX-H1 (pmCA) in the absence and presence of competitive inhibitor, acetazolamide. The structure reveals a compactly folded pmCA homodimer in which each monomer consists of a 10-stranded ${\beta}-sheet$ in the center. The catalytic zinc ion is coordinated by three highly conserved histidine residues with an exchangeable fourth ligand (a water molecule, a bicarbonate anion, or the sulfonamide group of acetazolamide). Together with an intramolecular disulfide bond, extensive interfacial networks of hydrogen bonds, ionic and hydrophobic interactions stabilize the dimeric structure and are likely responsible for the high thermal stability. We also identified novel binding sites for calcium ions at the crystallographic interface, which serve as molecular glue linking negatively charged and otherwise repulsive surfaces. Furthermore, this large negatively charged patch appears to further increase the thermostability at alkaline pH range via favorable charge-charge interactions between pmCA and solvent molecules. These findings may assist development of novel ${\alpha}-CAs$ with improved thermal and/or alkaline stability for applications such as $CO_2$ capture and sequestration.