• Animal cells and systems
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.273-278
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• 2000

Transforming growth factor-$\beta$ (IGF-$\beta$)s are multifunctional small polypeptides synthesized in most cell types. TGF-$\beta$ exerts pivotal effects on both bone formation and resorption. In addition, increasing lines of evidence implicate TGF-$\beta$ as a potential coupling factor between these two processes during bone remodeling. In the present study, the expression form and the activation mechanism of latent-TGF-$\beta$ were investigated using specific antibodies for each isoform. TGF-$\beta$s were observed to be synthesized and accumulated in a large amount in cultured osteoblastic cells. The estimated molecular weights of intracellular TGF-$\beta$2 and -$\beta$3 were 49 and 55 kDa, respectively. Based on proteolytic digestion study and immunofluorescence observation, these precursor forms seemed to be accumulated in distinct intracellular compartments. To examine whether the internal pool of TGF-$\beta$ was possiblely regulated by external signals, their biological activites were examined in a conditioned media of this cell. Although the intact conditioned media did not contain detectable TGF-$\beta$ activity, heat-treatment or acid-activation of the conditioned media revealed significant TGF-$\beta$ activity. Furthermore, in the presence of estrogen, this activity was dramatically diminished. It is known that activation of latent TGF-$\beta$ can be achieved by different chemical and enzymatic treatments, or by incubation with certain cell types. This extracellular activation was suggested as a key step in the regulation of TGF-$\beta$ activity. In addition to these extracellular activation, this study suggests that the synthesis and intracellular processing are important regulation steps for TGF-$\beta$ action. In addition, this regulation Is specific for TGF-$\beta$ type 2, because the change was not observed in TGF-$\beta$3 in osteoblastic cell line.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.1082-1091
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• 2020

Microbial transglutaminases (MTGs) are widely used in the food industry. In this study, the MTG gene of Streptomyces sp. TYQ1024 was cloned and expressed in a food-grade bacterial strain, Bacillus subtilis SCK6. Extracellular activity of the MTG after codon and signal peptide (SP Ync M) optimization was 20 times that of the pre-optimized enzyme. After purification, the molecular weight of the MTG was 38 kDa and the specific activity was 63.75 U/mg. The optimal temperature and pH for the recombinant MTG activity were 50℃ and 8.0, respectively. MTG activity increased 1.42-fold in the presence of β-ME and 1.6-fold in the presence of DTT. Moreover, 18% sodium chloride still resulted in 83% enzyme activity, which showed good salt tolerance. Cross-linking gelatin with the MTG increased the strength of gelatin 1.67 times and increased the thermal denaturation temperature from 61.8 to 75.8℃. The MTG also significantly increased the strength and thermal stability of gelatin. These characteristics demonstrated the huge commercial potential of MTG, such as for applications in salted protein foods.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2014

During long standing hyperglycaemic state in diabetes mellitus, glucose forms covalent adducts with the plasma proteins through a non-enzymatic process known as glycation. Protein glycation and formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications like retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, cardiomyopathy along with some other diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis and aging. Glycation of proteins interferes with their normal functions by disrupting molecular conformation, altering enzymatic activity, and interfering with receptor functioning. AGEs form intra- and extracellular cross linking not only with proteins, but with some other endogenous key molecules including lipids and nucleic acids to contribute in the development of diabetic complications. Recent studies suggest that AGEs interact with plasma membrane localized receptors for AGEs (RAGE) to alter intracellular signaling, gene expression, release of pro-inflammatory molecules and free radicals. The present review discusses the glycation of plasma proteins such as albumin, fibrinogen, globulins and collagen to form different types of AGEs. Furthermore, the role of AGEs in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications including retinopathy, cataract, neuropathy, nephropathy and cardiomyopathy is also discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.537-543
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• 2005

Subtilisin (EC 3.4.21.14) is the major extracellular alkaline serine protease of Bacillus species. Previously, we found that subtilisins did not migrate in the electrophoretic field in the Laemmili buffer system due to their high pI values (over 8.8); however, it formed a 'binding mode' at the top of the separating gel [5]. Utilizing this characteristic, four subtilisins from Bacillus sp. strains (e.g., B. subtilis 168, B. subtilis KCTC 1021, B. amyloliquefaciens KCTC 3002, and Bacillus sp. DJ-1 and DJ-4) were easily and quickly identified by an over-running electrophoretic technique with a miniscale culture supernatant (less than 20 ml) without any column chromatographic steps. Two subtilisins (DJ-l and a recombinant version) from Bacillus sp. DJ-l were characterized, and the enzymatic properties were determined by SDS-fibrin zymography and densitometric analysis. Based on this observation, the recombinant pro-subtilisin DJ-l showed the same 'binding mode,' similar to native subtilisin DJ-l. On the other hand, mature subtilisin DJ -1 without pro-peptide showed no enzymatic activity.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.104-111
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• 2001

There are some evidence that active enzymatic proteins, e.g. fungal laccase, exist in the naturally occured soil humus. This study was performed to investigate the covalent binding of fungal laccase to the humic acid-iron complex, and to measure laccase activity of immobilized ones. Seven methods were adopted to form the covalent binding of fungal laccase with soil humic acids complexed with iron. Using these seven methods it was possible to change the dimension of spacer arm between laccase and support, and also to regulate the mode of covalent binding of this enzyme. The spacer arm was regulated from 2C to 11C. There was not observed any straight relationship between the spacer arm longitude and the laccase activity after immobilization, but the binding mode more effective than the former. Three out of the seven methods gave the high activity of immobilized laccase, and which active products of laccase immobilization was stable up to 10 days after the process. It is indicated that natural soil condition might be prevented the laccase activation by the toxic influence of some phenolic humic compounds. It was shown, for the first time, the possibilities to obtain the high activity of fungal laccase by binding to humic acids, and especially in complex with iron.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.109-116
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• 1997

An extracellular proteinase of Candida albicans was purified by a combination of 0~75% ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE Sepharose Fast Flow ion exchange chromatography, and Sephacryl S-200 HR molecular sieve chromatography. Its mlecular weight was approximately 41 kDa on SDS-PAGE and isoelectric point was 4.4. The enzyme was inhibited by pepstain A. Optimum enzyme activity ranged from pH 2.0 to 3.5 with its maximum at pH 2.5 and a temperature of 45$^{\circ}C$. The addition of divalent cations, $Ca^{2+}$, Zn$^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$, resulted in no significant inhibition of enzymatic activity. However, some inhibitory effects were observed by Fe$^{2+}$, Ag$^{2+}$ and Cu$^{2+}$. With BSA as substrate, an apparent $K_m$ was determined to be 7$\times$10$^{-7}$ M and $K_i$, using pepstatin A as an inhibitor, was 8.05$\times$10$^{-8}$ M. N-terminal amino acid sequence was QAVPVTLXNEQ. Degradation of BSA and fibronectin was shown but not collagen, hemoglobin, immunoglobulin G, or lysozyme. The enzyme preferred peptides with Glu and Leu at the P$_1$ position, but the enzyme activity was highly reduced when the P$_2$ position was phe or pro. This enzyme showed antigenicity against sera of patients with candidiasis.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.71-81
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• 2007

Photobacterium damselae subsp. damselae and 4 Vibrio spp.(V. anguillarum, V. splendidus, V. harveyi and V. ordalii) were isolated from the diseased olive flounders, Paralichthys olivaceus. The isolates were tested on the pathogenicity in vitro. The properties of extracellular products(ECPs) were investigated with enzymatic activities, hemolytic activities toward the sheep and olive flounder erythrocytes, and cytotoxicity activities on the cell-line. And potential signal transduction pathways of the bacterial internalization were detected by using signal transduction inhibitors. P. damselae was high in phospholipase activity, hemolytic activity to olive flounder erythrocytes and cytotoxicity activity. And P. damselae had diversified internalizing pathways as compared to isolated vibrios. Therefore, these activities may be related with pathogenicity of P. damselae.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.348-352
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• 1999

We have intended to accelerate the secretion of human lysozyme(HLY) with permeabilizing agents from the cultivated cells of the recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The five agents CaCl2, Tween 80, ethanol, Triton X 100, and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide(CTAB) were used as permeabilizing agents. Treatments of the yeast cell with CaCl2, Tween 80, and ethanol were effective to increase the secretion from the yeast cells. Especially, treatment of 10% ethanol increased the extracellular HLY activity by 38.6% at 30oC for 48 h in culture broth. But Triton X 100 and CTAB unexpectedly didn't play a role in increase of HLY secretion. Recovery of a foreign protein by permeabilizing agents is easier than by osmotic shock, and is less expensive than enzymatic digestion.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.555-559
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• 2002

Three different strains of Aureobasidium pullulans were grown in batch cultures to compare their abilities of enzyme production. It was found that specific enzyme activity was the highest with strain ATCC 9348 and the enzyme production was closely coupled to growth. Studies on morphology during the growth of A. pullulans revealed that mycelia cells were dominant at the initial stages of growth. However, yeast-like cells and chlamydospores were dominant in the latter stages of batch culture. The pattern of morphological changes during the growth period was not affected by pH. However, it appears that the ratio of intra- to extracellular enzyme activity tended to increase with fermentation time irrespective of the pH employed, suggesting that the secretion efficiency of intracellular enzyme to broth likely depends on cell morphology Using molasses as a cheap source of sucrose, enzymatic production of fructo-oligosaccharides as a feed additive with A. pullulans cells could be achieved successfully at 55$\^{C}$ and pH 5.5.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.759-766
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• 2008

Among more than a hundred colonies of fungi isolated from soil samples, DY-52 has been screened as an extracellular chitin deacetylase (CDA) producer. The isolate was further identified as Mortierella sp., based on the morphological properties and the nucleotide sequence of its 18S rRNA gene. The fungus exhibited maximal growth in yeast peptone glucose (YPD) liquid medium containing 2% of glucose at pH 5.0 and $28^{\circ}C$ with 150 rpm. The CDA activity of DY-52 was maximal (20 U/mg) on the 3rd day of culture in the same medium. The CDA was inducible by addition of glucose and chitin. The enzyme contained two isoforms of molecular mass 50 kDa and 59 kDa. This enzyme showed a maximal activity at pH 5.5 and $60^{\circ}C$. In addition, it had a pH stability range of 4.5-8.0 and a temperature stability range of $4-40^{\circ}C$. The enzyme was enhanced in the presence of $Co^{2+}$ and $Ca^{2+}$. Among various substrates tested, WSCT-50 (water-soluble chitin, degree of deacetylation 50%), glycol chitin, and crab chitosan (DD 71-88%) were deacetylated. Moreover, the CDA can handle N-acetylglucosamine oligomers $(GlcNAc)_{2-7}$.