• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1999.10b
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• pp.280.1-280
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• 1999

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.228-233
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• 2008

Effects of chaperones on mRNA stability and gene expression were studied in order to develop an efficient Escherichia coli expression system that can maximize gene expression. The stability of mRNA was modulated by introducing various secondary structures at the 5'-end of mRNA. Four vector systems providing different 5'-end structures were constructed, and genes encoding GFPuv and endoxylanase were cloned into the four vector systems. Primer extension assay revealed different mRNA half-lives depending on the 5'-end secondary structures of mRNA. In addition to the stem-loop structure at the 5'-end of mRNA, coexpression of dnaK-dnaJ-grpE or groEL-groES, representative heat-shock genes in E. coli, increased the mRNA stability and the level of gene expression further, even though the degree of stabilization was varied. Our work suggests that some of the heat-shock proteins can function as mRNA stabilizers as well s protein chaperones.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.239-245
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• 2007

DnaK is a major antigen in Streptococcus pneumoniae, and is induced by a minor shift in temperature (30 to $37^{\circ}C$) but not by ethanol shock. Although HrcA in the presence of $Ca^{{+}{+}}$ represses the expression of both groEL and hrcA, the control of transcription of the dnaK operon is not completely understood. In this study, the dnaK operon of S. pneumoniae (5' hrcA-grpE-dnaK-dnaJ) was cloned and analyzed. It contains large intergenic regions in grpE/dnaK and dnaK/dnaJ. Pulse labeling with [$^{35}S$]-methionine and immunoblot analyses revealed the presence of higher levels of DnaK than of HrcA even in the presence of $Ca^{{+}{+}}$ after heat shock suggesting that $Ca^{{+}{+}}$ differentially regulates the heat shock responses of hrcA and dnaK. By blocking de novo mRNA synthesis with rifampin it was shown that neither the hrcA nor the groEL transcripts were stabilized by heat shock even though dnaK transcripts were stabilized. We conclude that S. pneumoniae uses fine regulation of the transcription of the individual genes of the tetracistronic dnaK operon to cope with the various stresses experienced during infections.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.259-270
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• 2020

Listeria monocytogenes is a gram-positive, facultative anaerobe food pathogen responsible for the listeriosis that mostly occurs during the low-temperature storage of a cold cut or dairy products. To understand the systemic response to a wide range of growth temperatures, L. monocytogenes were cultivated at a different temperature from 10℃ to 42℃, then whole cell proteomic analysis has been performed both exponential and stationary cells. The specific growth rate increased proportionally with the increase in growth temperature. The maximum growth rate was observed at 37℃ and was maintained at 42℃. Global protein expression profiles mainly depended on the growth temperatures showing similar clusters between exponential and stationary phases. Expressed proteins were categorized by their belonging metabolic systems and then, evaluated the change of expression level in regard to the growth temperature and stages. DnaK, GroEL, GroES, GrpE, and CspB, which were the heat&cold shock response proteins, increased their expression with increasing the growth temperatures. In particular, GroES and CspB were expressed more than 100-fold than at low temperatures during the exponential phase. Meanwhile, CspL, another cold shock protein, overexpressed at a low temperature then exponentially decreased its expression to 65-folds. Chemotaxis protein CheV and flagella proteins were highly expressed at low temperatures and stationary phases. Housekeeping proteins maintained their expression levels constant regardless of growth temperature or growth phases. Most of the growth related proteins, which include central carbon catabolic enzymes, were highly expressed at 30℃ then decreased sharply at high growth temperatures.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.228-236
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to characterize the hemolytic Aeromonas sp. MH-8 exposed to green tea catechin, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). Initially, the hemolytic Aeromonas sp. MH-8 was enriched and isolated from stale fish. Bactericidal effects of MH-8 exposed to EGCG ranging from 1 mg/mL to 4 mg/mL were monitored, and complete bactericidal effects were achieved within 3 h at 3 mg/mL and higher concentrations. SDS-PAGE with silver staining revealed that the amount of lipopolysaccharides increased or decreased in the strain MH-8 treated to different concentrations and exposing periods of EGCG in exponentially growing cultures. The stress shock proteins (70-kDa DnaK and 60-kDa GroEL), which might contribute to enhancing the cellular resistance to the cytotoxic effect of EGCG, were induced at different concentrations of EGCG exposed to cell culture of MH-8. Scanning electron microscopic analysis demonstrated the presence of irregular rod shapes with umbilicated surfaces for cells treated with EGCG. 2-DE of soluble protein fractions from MH-8 cultures showed 18 protein spots changed by EGCG exposure. These proteins involved in chaperons (e.g., DnaK, GroEL and trigger factor), enterotoxins (e.g., aerolysin and phospholipase C precursor), LPS synthesis (e.g., LPS biosynthesis protein and outer membrane protein A precursor), and various biosynthesis and energy metabolism were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting using MALDI-TOF. In consequence, EGCG was found to have substantial antibacterial effects against food-poisoning causing bacterium, hemolytic Aeromonas sp. MH-8. Also the results provide clues for understanding the mechanism of EGCG-induced stress and cytotoxicity on Aeromonas sp. MH-8.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2017

This study was undertaken to identify and characterize hemolytic Bacillus cereus isolated from commercial ssam-jang. The physiological and biochemical properties of isolate were first examined. Using the BIOLOG system, the isolate was identified and assigned to B. cereus MH-2. Phylogenetic tree of MH-2 was plotted based on 16S rRNA sequence comparisons. Hemolytic activity was observed around wells of sheep blood agar plates seeded with MH-2 cultures; the zone of hemolysis gradually increased with increasing incubation time of the cultures. Zymographic analysis estimated the molecular weight of the presumed hemolysis-causing molecule to be about 30 kDa. Survival rates of MH-2 cells decreased with increasing NaCl concentrations in the media. The stress shock proteins (e.g., DnaK and GroEL) induced by NaCl were reduced in proportion to the NaCl concentration and exposure period to B. cereus MH-2. Analysis of SDS-PAGE and Western blot revealed that the stress shock proteins, 70-kDa DnaK and 60-kDa GroEL were decreased proportionate to the NaCl concentrations as well as exposure period in exponentially growing cultures. Scanning electron microscopy demonstrated the presence of perforations and irregular rod forms with wrinkled surfaces in cells treated with NaCl.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.1 s.81
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• pp.132-136
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• 2007

When alginate lyase gene (aly) from Pseudoalteromonas elyakovii was expressed in E. coli, most of the gene product was produced as aggregated insoluble particles known as inclusion bodies. In order to produce a soluble and active form of alginate lyase, E. coli cells fore cotransformed with the plasmids designed to permit coexpression of aly together with molecular chaperones such as DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE or GroEL/ES chaperones. The results revealed that the coexpression of aly together with DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperone had a marked effect on the production of this protein as a soluble and active form, presumably through facilitating correct folding of alginate lyase protein. The optimal concentration of L-arabinose for the induction of DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperone was found to be 0.05 mg/ml. When DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperone was coexpressed, about 34% in the total alginate lyase was produced in the soluble fraction. By addition of 10% cetylpyridinium chloride, a clear zone around the colony coexpressing aly and DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperone was formed, indicating that the alginate in the medium was hydrolyzed by active alginate lyase enzyme.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.163-177
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• 2001

Most, if not all, aphids harbor intracellular bacterial symbionts, called Buchnera, in their bacteriocytes, huge cells differentiated for this purpose. The association between Buchnera and aphids is so intimate, mutualistic and obligate that neither of them can any longer reproduce independently. Buchnera are vertically transmitted through generations of the host insects. Evidence suggests that Buchnera were acquired by a common ancestor of aphids 160-280 million years ago, and have been diversified, since then, in parallel with their aphid hosts. Molecular phylogenetic analyses indicate that Buchnera belong to the g subdivision of the Proteobacteria. Although Buchnera are close relatives of Escherichia coli, they contain move than 100 genomic copies per cell, and their genome size is only one seventh that of E. coli. The complete genome sequence of Buchnera revealed that their gene repertoire is quite different from those of parasitic bacteria such as Mycoplasma, Rickettsia and Chlamydia, though their genome sizes have been reduced to a similar extent. Whereas these parasitic bacteria have lost most genes for the biosynthesis of amino acids, Buchnera retain many of them. In particular, Buchnera's gene repertoire is characteristic in the richness of the genes for the biosynthesis of essential amino acids that the eukaryotic hosts are not able to synthesize, reflecting a nutritional role played by these symbionts. Buchnera, when housed in the bacteriocyte, selectively synthesize a large amount of symbionin, which is a homolog of GroEL, the major stress protein of E. coli. Symbionin not only functions as molecular chaperone, like GroEL, but also has evolutionarily acquired the phosphotransferase activity through amino acid substitutions. Aphids usually profit from Buchnera's fuction as a nutritional supplier and, when faced with an emergency, consume the biomass of Buchnera cells as nutrient reserves.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.149-157
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• 2009

In both gram-positive and several gram-negative bacteria, the transcription of dnaK and groE operons is negatively regulated by HrcA; however, the mechanism modulating HrcA protein activity upon thermal stress remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that HrcA is modulated via reduction and oligomerization in vitro. Native-PAGE analysis was used to reveal the oligomeric structure of HrcA. The oligomeric HrcA structure became monomeric following treatment with the reducing agent dithothreitol, and this process was reversed by treatment with hydrogen peroxide. Moreover, the mutant HrcA C118S exhibited reduced binding to CIRCE elements and became less oligomerized, suggesting that cysteine residue 118 is important for CIRCE element binding as well as oligomerization. Conversely, HrcA mutant C280S exhibited increased oligomerization. An HrcA double mutant (C118S, C280S) was monomeric and exhibited a level of oligomerization and CIRCE binding similar to wild type HrcA, suggesting that cysteine residues 118 and 280 may function as checks to one another during oligomer formation. Biochemical fractionation of E. coli cells overexpressing HrcA revealed the presence of HrcA in the membrane fraction. Together, these results suggest that the two HrcA cysteine residues at positions 118 and 280 function as reduction sensors in the membrane and mediate oligomerization upon stress.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.414-419
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• 2006

When the alginate lyase gene (aly) from Pseudoalteromonas elyakovii was expressed in E. coli, most of the gene product was organized as aggregated insoluble particles known as inclusion bodies. To examine the effects of chaperones on soluble and nonaggregated form of alginate lyase in E. coli, we constructed plasm ids designed to permit the coexpression of aly and the DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE or GroEL/ES chaperones. The results indicate that coexpression of aly with the DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperone together had a marked effect on the yield alginate lyase as a soluble and active form of the enzyme. It is speculated this result occurs through facilitation of the correct folding of the protein. The optimal concentration of L-arabinose required for the induction of the DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperone was found to be 0.05mg/mL. An analysis of the protein bands on SDS-PAGE gel indicated that at least 37% of total alginate lyase was produced in the soluble fraction when the DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE chaperone was coexpressed.