• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.399-404
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• 1999

2,3-Dihydroxybiphenyl 1,2-dioxygenase (2,3-DHBD), which catalyzes the ring meta-cleavage of 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl, is encoded by the phnQ gene of biphenyl- and phenanthrene-degrading Pseudomonas sp. strain DJ77. We determined the nucleotide sequence of a DNA fragment of 1497 base pairs which included the phnQ gene. The fragment lncluded an open reading frame of 903 base pairs to accommodate the enzyme. The predicted amino acid sequence of the enzyme subunit consisted of 300 residues. In front of the gene, a sequence resembling an E. coli promoter was identified, which led to constitutive expression of the cloned gene in E. coli. The deduced amino acid sequence of the PhnQ enzyme exhibited 85.6% identity with that of the corresponding enzyme in Sphingomonas yanoikuyae Q1 (formerly S. paucimobilis Q1) and 22.1% identity with that of catechol 1,2,3-dioxygenase from the same DJ77 strain. PhnQ showed broader substrate preference than previously-cloned PhnE, catechol 2,3-dioxygenase. Ten amino acid residues, considered to be important for the role of extradiol dioxygenases, were conserved.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.47 no.6
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• pp.432-437
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• 2003

It has been known that quercetin, a bioflavonoid widely distributed in fruits and vegetables as dietary-derived flavonoid and exert significant multiple biological effects such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor effects. In addition, it has been shown to have a chemoprotective role in cancer, though complex effects on signal transduction involved in cell proliferation and angiogenesis. The present study investigated whether quercetin can enhance antioxidant enzyme activity (glutathione peroxidase: GPx, superoxide dismutase: SOD, catalase: CAT) and regulate the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in the presence of vitamin E, L-ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione (GSH) on B16F10 murine melanoma cells. After 48h treatment of cells with quercetin in the presence of vitamin E, L-ascorbic acid, GSH, we measured the cytotoxicities by MTT assay. The cells exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition in their proliferation in the presence of vitamin E, L-ascorbic acid, GSH respectively. We also investigated the effects of antioxidant enzyme activity and ROS generation. The antioxidant enzyme activity of quercetin in the presence of vitamin E was stronger than GSH, L-ascorbic acid, the same treatments decreased ROS generation in B16F10 murine melanoma cells. Taken together, these result demonstrate that the antioxidant effect of quercetin can enhanced in the presence of vitamin E and it might plays an important role in anti-oxidative effects.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 2023

This protocol clarifies a simple and precise method for measuring the activity of xanthine oxidase (XO) enzyme inhibitor. XO enzyme, which accelerates oxidative stress-related disorders through its capacity to generate hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anion radicals (O₂^•-), has been found to be inhibited by several plant extracts. Enzyme samples were incubated with a suitable buffer containing adequate amounts of xanthine as a substrate to determine XO activity. The method depends on direct measurements of uric acid and hydrogen peroxide production to test XO with and without interference. The CUPRAC reagent (Cu(Nc)₂²⁺) was used to inhibit enzyme reaction after incubation was complete. The generated urate and peroxide reduced the Cu(II)-neocuproine complex (Cu(Nc)₂²⁺) to a brightly colored Cu(I)-neocuproine complex (Cu(Nc)₂⁺), which was assessed with a spectrophotometer at 450 nm. XO activity was found to be directly related to the increased absorbance of the colored Cu(I)-neocuproine complex (Cu(Nc)₂⁺). To eliminate catalase enzyme interference, the proposed method used sodium azide and was validated against XO activity using the UV method in matched samples with t-test analysis. The proposed assay can determine XO activity with high precision, as indicated by the correlation coefficient (R² = 0.9935) from comparison with the reference protocol.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.1044-1050
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• 2014

Since there is no consensus about the most reliable assays to detect invasive aspergillosis from samples obtained by minimally invasive or noninvasive methods, we compared the efficacy of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for galactomannan (GM) detection and quantitative real-time PCR assay (qRT-PCR) for the diagnosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis. Neutropenic, male Sprague-Dawley rats (specific pathogen free; 8 weeks old; weight, $200{\pm}20g$) were immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide and infected with Aspergillus fumigatus intratracheally. Tissue and whole blood samples were harvested on days 1, 3, 5, and 7 post-infection and examined with GM ELISA and qRT-PCR. The A. fumigatus DNA detection sequence was detected in the following number of samples from 12 immunosuppressed, infected rats examined on the scheduled days: day 1 (0/12), day 3 (0/12), day 5 (6/12), and day 7 (8/12) post-infection. The sensitivity and specificity of the qRT-PCR assay was 29.2% and 100%, respectively. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis indicated a Ct (cycle threshold) cut-off value of 15.35, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.627. The GM assay detected antigen in sera obtained on day 1 (5/12), day 3 (9/12), day 5 (12/12), and day 7 (12/12) post-infection, and thus had a sensitivity of 79.2% and a specificity of 100%. The ROC of the GM assay indicated that the optimal Ct cut-off value was 1.40 (AUC, 0.919). The GM assay was more sensitive than the qRT-PCR assay in diagnosing invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in rats.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.309-313
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• 1994

Phytase of rat intestine had a large amount of oilgosacchanrides ; The enzyme consisted of two different subunits with the molecular weights of 90 KDa and 70 KDa in its intack form, whereas the apparent molecular weights tumed to 72 KDa and 52 KDa, respectively, after deglycosylation. The treatment with glycopeptidase F reduced the molecular weights from 90 KDa and 70 KDa to 83 KDa and 52 KDa, respectively, While endoglycosidase H caused no change in their molecular weights. These results indicate that the 70KDa subunit contains only the N-linked oilgosaccharide chains, while the 90KDa subunit ocntains O-linked oilgosaccharides as well as N-linked ones. Enzyme-linked lectin assays suggeted that bisecting N-acetyl-D-glucosamine and galactose 1-4 N-acetyl-D-glucosamine structures were present and that fucose was included in these oilgosaccharide moieties. Sialic acid was not found in either subunit.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.181-188
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• 2008

Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) assay was used to detect and identify four fish viruses, fish iridovirus, viral hemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV), viral nervous necrosis virus (VNNV), hirame rhabdovirus (HRV). Four viruses were detected by PCR with each specific primers. Identification of iridovirus was achieved by digesting the PCR amplified fragment with a restriction enzyme ApaⅠ. It was possible to distinguish positive from false positive PCR amplicons of VHSV by RFLP of PstⅠ or HindⅢ restriction enzymes. VNNV was identified using RFLP of BamHⅠrestriction enzyme and HRV was identified by XbaⅠ restriction enzyme. This approach can be used for more rapid, simple and specific diagnosis of fish viral diseases.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.245-250
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• 2001

Aminoacyl tRNA synthetases of bacteria are known as potential targets for new anti-microbial agents. To isolate new inhibitors of bacterial methionyl-tRNA synthetases from natural sources, a new target-oriented screening system using whole cells which are over-expressing a target enzyme was developed. Approximately 8,000 culture broths of microorganisms from soils were tested by this screening system. Among them, ten culture broths was found to contain inhibitory activity against methionyl -tRNA synthetases of Escherichia coli. For the validation of the screening system, this new method was compared with in vitro enzymatic method. Seven out of 10 culture broths showed inhibitory activity against methionyl-tRNA synthetases of E. coli. This result showed that the new screening system was comparable to the enzyme assay. Thus we believe that our screening system as a new method can be applied for the screening of new antibiotics inhibiting bacterial methionyl-tRNA synthetases from natural products.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.141-146
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• 2012

Veronica peregrina (Scrophylariaceae) has been widely used as a Korean traditional medicine for the treatment of various pathological conditions including infection, hemorrhage and gastric ulcer. In the current study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of methanolic extracts of V. Peregrina (VPM) on the LPS-mediated nitric oxide (NO) production in mouse (C57BL/6) peritoneal macrophages. NO production was significantly down-regulated by the treatment of VPM dose dependently. To evaluate the mechanism of the inhibitory action of VPM on NO production, we performed iNOS enzyme activity assay and checked the change of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) levels by Western blotting. Although VPM did not affect iNOS enzyme activity, iNOS protein expression was attenuated by VPM indicating VPM inhibits NO production via suppression of iNOS enzyme expression. In addition, VPM attenuated the expression of another pro-inflammatory mediator such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in a dose dependent manner. We also found that VPM can reduce trypsin-induced paw edema in mice. Based on this study, we suggest that V. peregrina may be beneficial in diseases which related to macrophage-mediated inflammatory disorders.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.2829-2832
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• 2013

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.384.2-384
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• 2001