• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.708-714
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• 2007

The two-component signal transduction, which typically consists of a histidine kinase and a response regulator, is used by bacterial cells to sense changes in their environment. Previously, the SphS-SphR histidine kinase and response regulator pair of phosphate sensing signal transduction has been identified in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. In addition, some response regulators in bacteria have been shown to be cross regulated by low molecular weight phosphorylated compounds in the absence of the cognate histidine kinase. The ability of an endogenous acetyl phosphate to phosphorylate the response regulator, SphR in the absence of the cognate histidine kinase, SphS was therefore tested in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The mutant lacking functional SphS and acetate kinase showed no detectable alkaline phosphatase activity under phosphate-limiting growth conditions. The results suggested that the endogenous acetyl phosphate accumulated inside the mutants could not activate the SphR via phosphorylation. On the other hand, exogenous acetyl phosphate could allow the mutant lacking functional acetate kinase and phosphotransacetylase to grow under phosphate-limiting conditions suggesting the role of acetyl phosphate as an energy source. Reverse transcription PCR demonstrated that the transcripts of acetate kinase and phospho-transacetylase genes in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is up-regulated in response to phosphate limitation suggesting the importance of these two enzymes for energy metabolism in Synechocystis cells

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.587-593
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• 2016

As sessile organisms, plants must be able to adapt to the environment. Plants respond to the environment by adjusting their growth and development, which is mediated by sophisticated signaling networks that integrate multiple environmental and endogenous signals. Recently, increasing evidence has shown that a bHLH transcription factor PIF4 plays a major role in the multiple signal integration for plant growth regulation. PIF4 is a positive regulator in cell elongation and its activity is regulated by various environmental signals, including light and temperature, and hormonal signals, including auxin, gibberellic acid and brassinosteroid, both transcriptionally and post-translationally. Moreover, recent studies have shown that the circadian clock and metabolic status regulate endogenous PIF4 level. The PIF4 transcription factor cooperatively regulates the target genes involved in cell elongation with hormone-regulated transcription factors. Therefore, PIF4 is a key integrator of multiple signaling pathways, which optimizes growth in the environment. This review will discuss our current understanding of the PIF4-mediated signaling networks that control plant growth.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.187-192
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• 1986

Activity of endogenous growth regulator in 4th year Panax ginseng root was investigated by second leaf sheath test of rice seedling and paper chromatogram of a acidic fraction of methanol extract before (March 28) and after (May 9) emergence of root bud, at the late season (Sept.4) and after leaf fall (November 11). GA$_3$ and ABA were used as reference. According to paper and high performance liquid chromatography of samples and authentic growth regulators the presence of insole acetic acid (IAA), gibberellic acid (GA$_3$) and abscisic acid (cis and trans ABA) was confirmed. These three regulators appeared to consist of major system though the existence of other regulators could not be ruled out. IAA activity seemed little changed through out the seasons. GA activity decreased in the later stages while ABA activity increased.

• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.10
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• pp.521-526
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• 2020

Endogenous retroviruses (ERVs) are retrotransposons present in various metazoan genomes and have been implicated in metazoan evolution as well as in nematodes and humans. The long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposons contain several regulatory sequences including promoters and enhancers that regulate endogenous gene expression and thereby control organismal development and response to environmental change. ERVs including the LTR retrotransposons constitute 8% of the human genome and less than 0.6% of the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) genome, a nematode genetic model system. To investigate the evolutionarily conserved mechanism behind the transcriptional activity of retrotransposons, we generated a transgenic worm model driving green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression using Human endogenous retroviruses (HERV)-K LTR as a promoter. The promoter activity of HERV-K LTR was robust and fluorescence was observed in various tissues throughout the developmental process. Interestingly, persistent GFP expression was specifically detected in the adult vulva muscle. Using deletion constructs, we found that the region from positions 675 to 868 containing the TATA box was necessary for promoter activity driving gene expression in the vulva. Interestingly, we found that the promoter activity of the LTR was dependent on che-1 transcription factor, a sensory neuron driver, and lin-15b, a negative regulator of RNAi and germline gene expression. These results suggest evolutionary conservation of the LTR retrotransposon activity in transcriptional regulation as well as the possibility of che-1 function in non-neuronal tissues.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.20-25
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• 2015

TGF-${\beta}$ regulates pleiotropic cellular responses including cell growth, differentiation, migration, apoptosis, extracellular matrix production, and many other biological processes. Although non-Smad signaling pathways are being increasingly reported to play many roles in TGF-${\beta}$-mediated biological processes, Smads, especially receptor-regulated Smads (R-Smads), still play a central mediatory role in TGF-${\beta}$ signaling for epithelial-mesenchymal transition. Thus, the biological activities of R-Smads are tightly regulated at multiple points. Inhibitory Smad (I-Smad also called Smad7) acts as a critical endogenous negative feedback regulator of Smad-signaling pathways by inhibiting R-Smad phosphorylation and by inducing activated type I TGF-${\beta}$ receptor degradation. Roles played by Smad7 in health and disease are being increasingly reported, but the molecular mechanisms that regulate Smad7 are not well understood. In this study, we show that E3 ubiquitin ligase Itch acts as a positive regulator of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling and of subsequent EMT-related gene expression. Interestingly, the Itch-mediated positive regulation of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling was found to be dependent on Smad7 ubiquitination and its subsequent degradation. Further study revealed Itch acts as an E3 ubiquitin ligase for Smad7 polyubiquitination, and thus, that Itch is an important regulator of Smad7 activity and a positive regulator of TGF-${\beta}$ signaling and of TGF-${\beta}$-mediated biological processes. Accordingly, the study uncovers a novel regulatory mechanism whereby Smad7 is controlled by Itch.

• Experimental and Molecular Medicine
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.6.1-6.10
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• 2018

Bmal1 is one of the key molecules that controls the mammalian molecular clock. In humans, two isoforms of Bmal1 are generated by alternative RNA splicing. Unlike the extensively studied hBmal1b, the canonical form of Bmal1 in most species, the expression and/or function of another human-specific isoform, hBmal1a, are poorly understood. Due to the lack of the N-terminal nuclear localization signal (NLS), hBMAL1a does not enter the nucleus as hBMAL1b does. However, despite the lack of the NLS, hBMAL1a still dimerizes with either hCLOCK or hBMAL1b and thereby promotes cytoplasmic retention or protein degradation, respectively. Consequently, hBMAL1a interferes with hCLOCK:hBMAL1b-induced transcriptional activation and the circadian oscillation of Period2. Moreover, when the expression of endogenous hBmal1a is aborted by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout, the rhythmic expression of hPer2 and hBmal1b is restored in cultured HeLa cells. Together, these results suggest a role for hBMAL1a as a negative regulator of the mammalian molecular clock.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.859-865
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• 2006

When thin slits (e.g., $1mm{\times}10mm$) of maize (Zea mays) coleoptiles were floated on a buffer, they spontaneously curved outward because of unbalanced tissue tension between inner and outer faces. Exogenously applied auxin induced inward curvature of the thin strip of the maize coleoptile in a dose-dependent manner. This bioassay system was used to screen endogenous substances that work together with auxin. In methanol extract of maize coleoptiles including the leaves inside, Active fractions that promote the auxin-induced inward curvature of maize coleoptile slices were found. The curvature-enhancing activity of the extract was not related to energy supply. The active substances were adsorbed to $C_{18}$ cartridges even at pH 10 and eluted in two fractions by 50% and 80% methanol. These substances were named as Curvature-Enhancing Factor-1 (CEF-1) and Curvature-Enhancing Factor-2 (CEF-2), respectively. The CEF-2 was resolved on a reversed phase $C_{18}$ column by HPLC.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.459-483
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• 2010

This paper constructs the two-part tax-a combined form of output tax and entrance fee-for polluting oligopolists under endogenous entry. In the presence of external damage that varies exogenously with aggregate output, we show that the two-part tax produces the ex post Pigouvian rule and thus achieves the first-best optimum. We also examine a detailed analysis of the impact of the two-part tax on social welfare and government revenues. Finally, when estimation errors exist in the process of regulation, we identify the incentive conflicts between interest groups and analyze the effects of estimation errors on determining optimal tax. In particular, we show that if the regulator takes care of both welfare loss and revenue gain under the proposed two-part tax, not only over-estimation on the slope of external damage but also under-estimation on the slope of market demand should be taken into the policy consideration.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.36.1-36.6
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• 2019

The incidence and mortality rate of cancer continues to gradually increase, although considerable research effort has been directed at elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying biomarkers responsible for tumorigenesis. Accumulated evidence indicates that the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), which are transcribed but not translated into functional proteins, contribute to cancer development. Recently, linc00152 (an lncRNA) was identified as a potent oncogene in various cancer types, and shown to be involved in cancer cell proliferation, invasiveness, and motility by sponging tumor-suppressive microRNAs acting as a competing endogenous RNA, binding to gene promoters acting as a transcriptional regulator, and binding to functional proteins. In this review, we focus on the oncogenic role of linc00152 in tumorigenesis and provided an overview of recent clinical studies on the effects of linc00152 expression in human cancers.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.35-39
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• 1977

Cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), known as a versatile regulator of cellular processes and as a secondary messenger of various hormones and other biogenic agents, such as prostaglandins and histamine, induced prompt and transient antidiuresis followed by mild natriuresis and diuresis, when it was administered into the lateral ventricle of the rabbit in doses ranging from $100\;{\mu}g$ to 1 mg. The initial antidiuresis was brought about by the systemic hypotension, whereas the secondary diuresis seemed to be resulted from the decreased tubular reabsorption of sodium, suggestive of participation of certain endogenous natriuretic agent. This observation suggests that cAMP might be involved in the center-mediated renal action of prostaglandins.