• BMB Reports
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.298-303
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• 2004

In general, a SYPRO Ruby dye is well known as a sensitive fluorescence-based method for detecting proteins by one-or two-dimensional SDS-PAGE (1-DE or 2-DE). Based on the SYPRO Ruby dye system, the combined two-dimensional fibrin zymography (2-D FZ) with SYPRO Ruby staining was newly developed to identify the Bacillus sp. proteases. Namely, complex protein mixtures from Bacillus sp. DJ-4, which were screened from Doen-Jang (Korean traditional fermented food), showed activity on the zymogram gel. The gel spots on the SYPRO Ruby gel, which corresponded to the active spots showing on the 2-D FZ gel, were analyzed by a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometric analysis. Five intracellular fibrinolytic enzymes of Bacillus sp. DJ-4 were detected through 2-D FZ. The gel spots on the SYPRO Ruby dye stained 2-D gel corresponding to 2-D FZ were then analyzed by MALID TOF MS. Three of the five gel spots proved to be quite similar to the ATP-dependent protease, extracellular neutral metalloprotease, and protease of Bacillus subtilis. Also, the extracellular proteases of Bacillus sp. DJ-4 employing this combined system were identified on three gels (e.g., casein, fibrin, and gelatin) and the proteolytic maps were established. This combined system of 2-D zymography and SYPRO Ruby dye should be useful for searching the specific protease from complex protein mixtures of many other sources (e.g., yeast and cancer cell lines).

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.106-116
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• 2008

Objectives : Peroxynitrite $(ONOO^-)$, superoxide anion radical $({\cdot}O_2^-)$ and nitric oxide (NO) are cytotoxic because they can oxidize several cellular components such as proteins, lipids and DNA. They have been implicated in the aging processes, and age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the $ONOO^-$, NO, and $({\cdot}O_2^-)$ scavenging and anti-inflammatory activities of Mori Fructus in ob/ob mice. Methods : Mice were grouped and treated for 5 weeks as follows. Both the normal lean (C57/BL6J black mice) and control obese (ob/ob mice) groups received the standard chow. The experimental groups were fed a diet of chow supplemented with 7.5, 15 and 30 mg Mori Fructus per 1 kg of body weight for 14 days. For this study, the fluorescent probes, namely 2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA), 4,5-diaminofluorescein (DAF-2) and dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR 123) were used. Western blotting was performed using anti-phospho $I{\kappa}B-\alpha$, anti-IKK-$\alpha$, anti-NF-${\kappa}B$ (p50, p65), anti-COX-2 and anti-iNOS respectively. Results : Mori Fructus inhibited the generation of $ONOO^-$, NO and $({\cdot}O_2^-)$ in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mouse kidney postmitochondria in vitro. The generation of $ONOO^-$, NO and $({\cdot}O2^-)$ were inhibited in the Mori Fructus-administered ob/ob mice groups. The GSH/GSSG ratio decreased in the ob/ob mice, whereas they improved in the Mori Fructus-administered groups. Mori Fructus inhibited the expression of phospho $I{\kappa}B-\alpha$, IKK-$\alpha$, COX-2, iNOS genes, and thereby the activation of NF-$I{\kappa}B$. Conclusions : These results suggest that Mori Fructus is an effective $ONOO^-$, $({\cdot}O_2^-)$ and NO scavenger, and therefore it might be a potential therapeutic drug against the inflammation process and inflammation-related diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.144-151
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• 2014

Increasing the gene copy number has been commonly used to enhance the protein expression level in the yeast Pichia pastoris. However, this method has been shown to be effective up to a certain gene copy number, and a further increase of gene dosage can result in a decrease of expression level. Evidences indicate the gene dosage effect is product-dependent, which needs to be determined when expressing a new protein. Here, we describe a direct detection of the gene dosage effect on protein secretion through expressing the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene under the direction of the ${\alpha}$-factor preprosequence in a panel of yeast clones carrying increasing copies of the EGFP gene (from one to six copies). Directly examined under fluorescence microscopy, we found relatively lower levels of EGFP were secreted into the culture medium at one copy and two copies, substantial improvement of secretion appeared at three copies, plateau happened at four and five copies, and an apparent decrease of secretion happened at six copies. The secretion of EGFP being limiting at four and five copies was due to abundant intracellular accumulation of proteins, observed from the fluorescence image of yeast and confirmed by western blotting, which significantly activated the unfolded protein response indicated by the up-regulation of the BiP (the KAR2 gene product) and the protein disulfide isomerase. This study implies that tagging a reporter like GFP to a specific protein would facilitate a direct and rapid determination of the optimal gene copy number for high-yield expression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.224-228
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• 2010

The encapsulation of bacteria may be used to harness them for longer periods of time in order to make them viable, whereas antibiotic treatment would result in controlled release of therapeutic molecules. Encapsulated Escherichia coli GFP (green fluorescent protein) (E. coli GFP) was used here as a model for therapeutic substance - GFP fragments release (model of bioactive substances). Our aim was to evaluate the performance of bacteria encapsulated in hollow fibers (HFs) treated with antibiotic for induction of cell death. The polypropylene-surface-modified HFs were applied for E. coli encapsulation. The encapsulated bacteria were treated with tetracycline in vitro or in vivo during subcutaneous implantation into mice. The HF content was evaluated in a flow cytometer, to assess the bacteria cell membrane permeability changes induced by tetracycline treatment. It was observed that the applied membranes prevented release of bacteria through the HF wall. The E. coli GFP culture encapsulated in HF in vitro proved the tetracycline impact on bacteria viability and allows the recognition of the sequence of events within the process of bacteria death. Treatment of the SCID mice with tetracycline for 8 h proved the tetracycline impact on bacteria viability in vivo, raising the necrotic bacteria-releasing GFP fragments. It was concluded that the bacteria may be safely enclosed within the HF at the site of implantation, and when the animal is treated with antibiotic, bacteria may act as a local source of fragments of proteins expressed in the bacteria, a hypothetical bioactive factor for the host eukaryotic organism.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.31-36
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• 2012

The receptor activator of NF-${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL) signal is an activator of tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), which leads to the activation of NF-${\kappa}B$ and other signal transduction pathways essential for osteoclastogenesis, such as $Ca^{2+}$ signaling. However, the intracellular levels of inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate ($IP_3$) and $IP_3$-mediated cellular function of RANKL during osteoclastogenesis are not known. In the present study, we determined the levels of $IP_3$ and evaluated $IP_3$-mediated osteoclast differentiation and osteoclast activity by RANKL treatment of mouse leukemic macrophage cells (RAW 264.7) and mouse bone marrow-derived monocyte/macrophage precursor cells (BMMs). During osteoclastogenesis, the expression levels of $Ca^{2+}$ signaling proteins such as $IP_3$ receptors ($IP_3Rs$), plasma membrane $Ca^{2+}$ ATPase, and sarco/endoplasmic reticulum $Ca^{2+}$ ATPase type2 did not change by RANKL treatment for up to 6 days in both cell types. At 24 h after RANKL treatment, a higher steady-state level of $IP_3$ was observed in RAW264.7 cells transfected with green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged pleckstrin homology (PH) domains of phospholipase C (PLC) ${\delta}$, a probe specifically detecting intracellular $IP_3$ levels. In BMMs, the inhibition of PLC with U73122 [a specific inhibitor of phospholipase C (PLC)[ and of $IP_3Rs$ with 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2APB; a non-specific inhibitor of $IP_3Rs$) inhibited the generation of RANKL-induced multinucleated cells and decreased the bone-resorption rate in dentin slice, respectively. These results suggest that intracellular $IP_3$ levels and the $IP_3$-mediated signaling pathway play an important role in RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis.

• BMB Reports
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• 제40권6호
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• pp.952-958
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• 2007

We isolated many genes induced from pepper cDNA microarray data following their infection with the soybean pustule pathogen Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines 8ra. A full-length cDNA clone of the Capsicum annuum ankyrin-repeat domain $C_3H_1$ zinc finger protein (CaKR1) was identified in a chili pepper using the expressed sequence tag (EST) database. The deduced amino acid sequence of CaKR1 showed a significant sequence similarity (46%) to the ankyrin-repeat protein in very diverse family of proteins of Arabidopsis. The gene was induced in response to various biotic and abiotic stresses in the pepper leaves, as well as by an incompatible pathogen, such as salicylic acid (SA) and ethephon. CaKR1 expression was highest in the root and flower, and its expression was induced by treatment with agents such as NaCl and methyl viologen, as well as by cold stresses. These results showed that CaKR1 fusion with soluble, modified green fluorescent protein (smGFP) was localized to the cytosol in Arabidopsis protoplasts, suggesting that CaKR1 might be involved in responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses in pepper plants.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.46-55
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• 1999

The expressed sequence tags(ESTs) from immature seed of rice, Oryza sativa cv Milyang 23, were partially sequenced and analyzed by homology. As of 1998, the partial sequences of about 6,600 cDNA clones were analyzed from normal and normalized immature seed cDNA libraries. About 2,200 ESTs were putatively identified by BLASTX deduced amino acid sequence homology analysis. About 20% of them were putatively identified as storage proteins. Also the clones were highly homologous to genes involved particularly in starch biosynthesis, glycolysis, signal transduction and defenses. Compared to 35% of redundancy in the ESTs of normal cDNA library, that from the substracted library was 15%. The Korea Rice Genome Network is maintained to provide the updated information of sequences, their homologies and sequence alignments of ESTs. For the stable expression of transgene in rice, diverse vectors were developed for overexpression, targeting and gene dosage effect with transit peptides (Tp) and matrix attachment region (MAR) sequence from chicken lysozyme locus. The rice calli were transformed via Agrobacterium tumefaciens LBA4404(pSB1) with the triparental mating technique and selected by herbicide resistance. The green fluorescent protein(GFP) gene in expression vector under the control of rbcS promoter-Tp was overexpressed upto 10 % of the total soluble protein. In addition, the Tp-sGFP fusion protein was properly processed during translocation into chloroplast. The expression of sGFP in the presence of MAR sequences was analyzed with Northern and immunoblot analysis. All the lines in which sGFP transgene with MAR sequence, showed position independent and copy number-dependent expression, while the lines without MAR showed the varied level of expression with the integration site. Thus the MAR sequence significantly reduced the variation in transgene expression between independent transformants.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.483-490
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• 2012

This study was designed to identify the effects of Polygoni cuspidati Radix(PCR) on the generation of superoxide anion radicals (${\cdot}O_2{^-}$), nitric oxide (NO), peroxynitrite ($ONOO^-$) in the renal epithelial cells of mouse(LLC-$PK_1$). The effects of PCR on the expression of inflammation-related proteins, IKK-${\alpha}$, phospho-$I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$, NF-${\kappa}B$ (p50, p65), COX-2, iNOS, IL-$1{\beta}$, VCAM-1, were examined by western blotting. For this study, the fluorescent probes, namely dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR 123), 2',7'-dichloro dihydrofluorescein diacetate (DCFDA), 4,5-diaminofluorescein (DAF-2) were used. Protein expression levels of IKK-${\alpha}$, phospho-$I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$, NF-${\kappa}B$ (p50, p65), COX-2, iNOS, IL-$1{\beta}$, VCAM-1 were assayed by western blot. PCR reduced $H_2O_2$-induced cell death dose-dependently. It inhibited the generation of ${\cdot}O_2{^-}$, NO, $ONOO^-$ and $PGE^2$ in the $H_2O_2$-treated LLC-PK1 cells in vitro. PCR inhibited the espression of IKK-${\alpha}$, phospho-$I{\kappa}B-{\alpha}$, COX-2, iNOS, IL-$1{\beta}$ and VCAM-1 genes by means of decreasing the NF-${\kappa}B$ activation. These results suggest that PCR is an effective NO, ${\cdot}O_2{^-}$, $ONOO^-$ scavenger, and this substance recommended to be applied in treatment for the inflammatory process and inflammation-related disease.

• 한국미생물생명공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국미생물생명공학회 2001년도 Proceedings of 2001 International Symposium
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• pp.77-80
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• 2001

A variety of different methods to generate diverse proteins, including random mutagenesis and recombination, are currently available, and most of them accumulate the mutations on the target gene of a protein, whose sequence space remains unchanged. On the other hand, a pool of diverse genes, which is generated by random insertions, deletions, and exchange of the homologous domains with different lengths in the target gene, would present the protein lineages resulting in new fitness landscapes. Here we report a method to generate a pool of protein variants with different sequence spaces by employing green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a model protein. This process, designated functional salvage screen (FSS), comprises the following procedures： a defective GFP template expressing no fluorescence is firstly constructed by genetically disrupting a predetermined region(s) of the protein, and a library of GFP variants is generated from the defective template by incorporating the randomly fragmented genomic DNA from E. coli into the defined region(s) of the target gene, followed by screening of the functionally salvaged, fluorescence-emitting GFPs. Two approaches, sequence-directed and PCR-coupled methods, were attempted to generate the library of GFP variants with new sequences derived from the genomic segments of E. coli. The functionally salvaged GFPs were selected and analyzed in terms of the sequence space and functional property. The results demonstrate that the functional salvage process not only can be a simple and effective method to create protein lineages with new sequence spaces, but also can be useful in elucidating the involvement of a specific region(s) or domain(s) in the structure and function of protein.

• 대한한방내과학회지
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.75-83
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• 2003

Objectives : Peroxynitrite($ONOO^-$), formed from the reaction of $O2^-$ and NO, is a cytotoxic species that can oxidize several cellular components such as proteins, lipids and DNA. It has been involved in the aging process and age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, cancer and atherosclerosis. The aim of this study was to investigate scavenging activities of $ONOO^-$ and its precursors, NO and $O_{2^-}$ and its scavenging mechanism of Zingiberis Rhizoma (ZR). Methods : To investigate scavenging activities of $ONOO^-,\;NO,\;O_{2^-}$ and its scavenging mechanism, we used fluorescent probes like DCFDA, DAF-2 and DHR 123. The $ONOO^-$ scavenging activity on ZR was assayed by measuring oxidized dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR 123) by fluorometry. The scavenging efficacy was expressed as IC50, showing the concentration of each sample that is required to cause 50% inhibition of DHR 123 oxidation. In a separate study, the protective effect of ZR on $ONOO^-$-induced nitration of bovine serum albumin was investigated through immuno-assay with a monoclonal anti-nitryrosine antibody, and a horseradish peroxidase-conjugated anti-mouse secondary antibody from sheep. Results : ZR markedly scavenged authentic $ONOO^-,\;O_{2^-}$ and NO. It also inhibited $ONOO^-$ induced by $O_{2^-}$ and NO which are derived from SIN-1. The data demonstrated that ZR led to decreased $ONOO^-$ mediated nitration of tyrosine through electron donation. It also inhibited the nitration of bovine serum albumin induced by $ONOO^-$ in a dose-dependent manner. Furtheremore, it blocked LPS-induced ROS and RNS generation. Conclusions : These results suggest that ZR can be developed as an effective $ONOO^-$ scavenger for the prevention of aging process and age-related diseases.