• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.40 no.2
• /
• pp.104-110
• /
• 2012

Glycosynthase is an active site nucleophile mutant enzyme, prepared from glycosidase, which is capable of synthesizing oligosaccharide derivatives without the hydrolysis of the product. Thermoacidophilic ${\alpha}$-glucosidase of Thermoplasma acidophilum (AglA) exhibits a transglycosylating activity yielding various glycosides. AglA was converted to glycosynthase by the substitution of the catalytic nucleophile Asp-408 residue into non-nucleophile glycine in order to increase its ability to synthesize various glycosides by transglycosylation. The glycosynthase mutant was purified by Ni-NTA chromatography and its glycoside-synthesizing activity was measured by using an external nucleophile, sodium formate buffer, providing maltose as a donor and p-nitrophenyl-${\alpha}$-D-glucopyranoside ($pNP{\alpha}G$) as an acceptor, respectively. In addition, $pNP{\alpha}G$ was examined for its feasibility to act as both a donor and an acceptor, and products were compared with those of the wildtype enzyme. The mutant enzyme was found to catalyze the formation of a specific product from $pNP{\alpha}G$ with a yield of 42.5% without further hydrolysis, while the wild-type enzyme produced two $pNP{\alpha}G$ products at low yields. The results demonstrate the possibility of satisfactory yields for the reactions in the presence of small amounts of acceptor, and demonstrate that the high activity of the mutant, at pHs below neutrality, was applicable in the transfer of glucose from the natural donor.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.309-315
• /
• 2008

The methanol extract from the aerial parts of Aceriphyllum rossii was fractionated into ethyl acetate, n-BuOH and $H_2O$ layers through solvent fractionation. Repeated silica gel column chromatography of EtOAc and n-BuOH layers afforded five flavonol glycosides. They were identified as astragalin (1), kaempferol 3-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1${\rightarrow}$6)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (2), rutin (3), kaempferol 3-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1${\rightarrow}$4)-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl 1${\rightarrow}$6)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (4), and quercetin 3-O-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1${\rightarrow}$4)-${\alpha}$-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1${\rightarrow}$6)-${\beta}$-D-glucopyranoside (5) on the basis of spectroscopic data. All of them showed an inhibition in farnesyl protein tranferase (FPTase) activity, and rutin (3) inhibited the growth of rat H-ras cell and the cell migration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs).

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.98-102
• /
• 2005

The MeOH extracts obtained from whole plant of Trigonotis peduncularis Benth. were solvent fractionated using EtOAc, n-BuOH and water, successively. The EtOAc and n-BuOH fractions gave four flavonol glycosides through application of silica gel and octadecyl silica gel (ODS) column chromatographies. The chemical structures of the flavonol glycosides were determined by the interpretation of several spectral data including 2D-NMR as $kaempferol-3-O-{\beta}-{D}-glucopyranoside\;(astragalin,\;1),\;kaempferol-3-O-{\alpha}-{L}-rhamnopyranosyl\;(1{\rightarrow}6)-{\beta}-{D}-glucopyranoside\;(nicotiflorin,\;2),\;quercetin-3-O-{\alpha}-{L}-rhamnopyranosyl(1{\rightarrow}6)-{\beta}-{D}-glucopyranoside\;(rutin,\;3),\;quercetin-3-O-{\beta}-{D}-glucopyranoside\;(isoquercitrin,\;4)$. The flavonoids have been first isolated from this plant. Nicotiflorin $(100\;{\mu}g/ml)$ showed $68.3{\pm}1.2%$ of the inhibitory effect on hACAT1(human Acyl CoA: cholesterol transferase 1) activity.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.122-128
• /
• 2001

This review showed a discussion on the biofunctional activities of citrus flavonoids. The major flavonoids of citrus species, hesperidin, hesperetin, naringin, and naringenin, were selected to evaluate their biological effects on the lipid metabolism in rats and hamsters, the proliferation of human hepatocyte HepG2 cells, and the antioxidative effect in lipid peroxidation models. These flavonoids showed hypotriglyceridemic effect in hamsters and hypochloesterolemic effect in rats. They also significantly inhibited the activities of phosphatidate phophohydrolase and acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase, which are key enzymes for biosynthesis of triglyceride and cholesterol, repectively, in vivo and in vitro experiments. These biofunctional activities by citrus flavonoids were shown more potent in the aglycone flavonoids, hespreretin and naringenin, than their corresponding glycoside flavonoids, hesperidin and naringin. These aglycone flavonoids also have inhibitory effects on proliferation of human hepatocyte cancer HepG2 cells. Hesperidin showed lowering activities of cellular triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations in HepG2 cells. Citrus flavonoids have significant importance in functional food industry as biofunctional active ingredients.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.21 no.8
• /
• pp.861-868
• /
• 2011

A xylanase gene, xyn7c, was cloned from Paenibacillus sp. 12-11, an alkalophilic strain isolated from the alkaline wastewater sludge of a paper mill, and expressed in Escherichia coli. The full-length gene consists of 1,296 bp and encodes a mature protein of 400 residues (excluding the putative signal peptide) that belongs to the glycoside hydrolase family 10. The optimal pH of the purified recombinant XYN7C was found to be 8.0, and the enzyme had good pH adaptability at 6.5-8.5 and stability over a broad pH range of 5.0-11.0. XYN7C exhibited maximum activity at $55^{\circ}C$ and was thermostable at $50^{\circ}C$ and below. Using wheat arabinoxylan as the substrate, XYN7C had a high specific activity of 1,886 U/mg, and the apparent $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values were 1.18 mg/ml and 1,961 ${\mu}mol$/mg/min, respectively. XYN7C also had substrate specificity towards various xylans, and was highly resistant to neutral proteases. The main hydrolysis products of xylans were xylose and xylobiose. These properties make XYN7C a promising candidate to be used in biobleaching, baking, and cotton scouring processes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.28 no.4
• /
• pp.588-596
• /
• 2018

An endo-${\beta}$-1,4-glucanase gene, cel9K, was cloned using the shot-gun method from Paenibacillus sp. X4, which was isolated from alpine soil. The gene was 2,994 bp in length, encoding a protein of 997 amino acid residues with a predicted signal peptide composed of 32 amino acid residues. Cel9K was a multimodular enzyme, and the molecular mass and theoretical pI of the mature Cel9K were 103.5 kDa and 4.81, respectively. Cel9K contains the GGxxDAGD, PHHR, GAxxGG, YxDDI, and EVxxDYN motifs found in most glycoside hydrolase family 9 (GH9) members. The protein sequence showed the highest similarity (88%) with the cellulase of Bacillus sp. BP23 in comparison with the enzymes with reported properties. The enzyme was purified by chromatography using HiTrap Q, CHT-II, and HiTrap Butyl HP. Using SDS-PAGE/activity staining, the molecular mass of Cel9K was estimated to be 93 kDa, which is a truncated form produced by the proteolytic cleavage of its C-terminus. Cel9K was optimally active at pH 5.5 and $50^{\circ}C$ and showed a half-life of 59.2 min at $50^{\circ}C$. The CMCase activity was increased to more than 150% in the presence of 2 mM $Na^+$, $K^+$, and $Ba^{2+}$, but decreased significantly to less than 50% by $Mn^{2+}$ and $Co^{2+}$. The addition of Cel9K to a commercial enzyme set (Celluclast 1.5L + Novozym 188) increased the saccharification of the pretreated reed and rice straw powders by 30.4% and 15.9%, respectively. The results suggest that Cel9K can be used to enhance the enzymatic conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to reducing sugars as an additive.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.9 no.6
• /
• pp.599-605
• /
• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Citrus flavonoids have a variety of physiological properties such as anti-oxidant, anti-inflammation, anti-cancer, and anti-obesity. We investigated whether bioconversion of Citrus unshiu with cytolase (CU-C) ameliorates the anti-adipogenic effects by modulation of adipocyte differentiation and lipid metabolism in 3T3-L1 cells. MATERIALS/METHODS: Glycoside forms of Citrus unshiu (CU) were converted into aglycoside forms with cytolase treatment. Cell viability of CU and CU-C was measured at various concentrations in 3T3L-1 cells. The anti-adipogenic and lipolytic effects were examined using Oil red O staining and free glycerol assay, respectively. We performed real time-polymerase chain reaction and western immunoblotting assay to detect mRNA and protein expression of adipogenic transcription factors, respectively. RESULTS: Treatment with cytolase decreased flavanone rutinoside forms (narirutin and hesperidin) and instead, increased flavanone aglycoside forms (naringenin and hesperetin). During adipocyte differentiation, 3T3-L1 cells were treated with CU or CU-C at a dose of 0.5 mg/ml. Adipocyte differentiation was inhibited in CU-C group, but not in CU group. CU-C markedly suppressed the insulin-induced protein expression of CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein ${\alpha}$ ($C/EBP{\alpha}$) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma ($PPAR{\gamma}$) as well as the mRNA levels of $CEBP{\alpha}$, $PPAR{\gamma}$, and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c (SREBP1c). Both CU and CU-C groups significantly increased the adipolytic activity with the higher release of free glycerol than those of control group in differentiated 3T3-L1 adipocytes. CU-C is particularly superior in suppression of adipogenesis, whereas CU-C has similar effect to CU on stimulation of lipolysis. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that bioconversion of Citrus unshiu peel extracts with cytolase enhances aglycoside flavonoids and improves the anti-adipogenic metabolism via both inhibition of key adipogenic transcription factors and induction of adipolytic activity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.17 no.2
• /
• pp.126-130
• /
• 1989

In 14 kinds of ginsenosides in ginseng saponin, ginsenoside Rbr is contained the most abundantly. But ginsenoside Rd which is similar to ginsenoside R $b_1$in structure, was known to be superior to ginsenoside R $b_1$pharmaceutically. The convertible enzyme which can transform ginsenoside R $b_1$to Binsenoside Rd specifically among ginseng saponin, was purified homogeneously from Rhizopus japonicus. The optimal pH for the action of the enzyme was pH 4.8 to 5.0, and optimal temperature was 45$^{\circ}C$. The enzyme was stable in the range of pH 4.0 to 9.0, and the half activity of enzyme was remained by the thermal treatment at 6$0^{\circ}C$ for 2 hours. The enzyme activity was enhanced by addition of M $n^{++}$ or Fe, though inhibited by EDTA or o-phenanthroline. On the substrate specificity, the enzyme was. able to hydrolyze gentiobiose, cellobiose, amygdalin and prunasin, but not to hydrolyze any other kinds of Binsenosides besides Binsenoside R $b_1$. Km values of the enzyme for ginsenoside R $b_1$, gentiobiose and amygdalin were 5.0mM, 4.8mM and 3.7mM, respectively.3.7mM, respectively.y.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.39 no.2
• /
• pp.168-174
• /
• 2011

In order to develop safe and economic novel antifungal agents, we prepared 73 methanol extracts from medicinal and edible herbs and examined their 365 solvent fractions using n-hexane, methylene chloride, ethylacetate, butanol and water residue based on the sequential organic solvent fraction method. When using the various fractions in the screening step for antifungal activity, we discovered ethylacetate fraction of Morus alba L., methylene chloride fraction of Pimpinella brachycarpa (MCPB), and n-hexane fraction of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge, which all have activities in methanol extracts, as potential sources of antifungal agents. Amongst these, the antifungal activity of P. brachycarpa has not to date been reported on. In addition, the mycelial growth inhibition and spore germination inhibition activities of MCPB against A. niger were confirmed by disc-diffusion assay in a 10 day culture. The MIC and MFC of MCPB were determined as 0.25 and 0.5 mg/ml, respectively. The MCPB has no hemolytic activity against human RBC at 0.5 mg/ml and glycoside-flavonoids are theorized to be active constituents. These results suggest that MCPB has a prominent antifungal activity and that the application of sequential organic solvent fractions, instead of simple natural product extracts, is useful in the screening process of novel bioactive substances.

• Polymer(Korea)
• /
• v.37 no.3
• /
• pp.347-355
• /
• 2013

In this study, the porous cellulose hydrogel as a carrier to enhance the skin delivery of quercetin and its glycoside, rutin known as flavonoid antioxidants was prepared and its properties were investigated. The optimum cellulose hydrogel for quercetin and rutin was made by the reaction of 2 wt% cellulose with 12% ECH. In the release test of the hydrogel containing the flavonoids, the release of quercetin was diffusion-controlled at $10{\sim}500{\mu}M$, but rutin was released by the erosion of hydrogel system at $10{\sim}50{\mu}M$. Both the encapsulation efficiency and release amount of rutin in hydrogel were higher than quercetin. However, in skin permeation experiment using Franz diffusion cell, quercetin showed higher skin permeation capacity than rutin. The hydrogel containing flavonoids showed remarkable transdermal permeation than the control group. These results suggest that porous cellulose hydrogel is potential drug delivery system to enhance transdermal permeation of water-insoluble flavonoid antioxidants.