• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.153-157
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• 1991

Intracellular enzymes of an extreme halophilic bacterium, Halobacterium sp. HE10, isolated from a saltern in Korea was investigated. The membrane-bound enzyme, NADH dehydrogenase, involved in electron transport system was stimulated by the addition of 2.0 M NaCl. The respiratory enzyme activities such as NADH oxidase and NADH dehydrogenase was decreased on removal of $Na^+$ ion and restored when replaced with cations like $K^+$, $Li^+$and $NH_{4}^{+}$ ions. Furthermore, their activities were affected by the anions such like carbonate, acetate, sulfate, chloride and nitrate at the presence of $Na^+$ion. Lactate dehydrogenase activity was highest at the asturated solution of NaCl and isocitrate dehydrogenase activity was a maximum level at 1.0 M NaCl. These results suggested that the enzyme activites of the respiratory chain in Halobacterium sp. EH10 was stimulated by the presence of $Na^+$ ion.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.442-450
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• 2013

The aim of this study was to determine and compare the preventive effect of Korean White Ginseng and Red Ginseng on oxidative stress in $H_2O_2$-treated HepG2 cells. The roots of ginseng were extracted with 70% methanol and partitioned with butanol to obtain saponin fractions, which have been known as bioactive constituents of ginseng. 2',7'-Dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) assay and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were measured for evaluating intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Also, mRNA expressions and activities of antioxidant enzymes were analyzed to determine the antioxidant activity of saponin or non-saponin fractions of ginsengs. According to DCF-DA assay, $H_2O_2$-induced MDA release and ROS generation were significantly reduced by treatment with saponin fractions of white and red ginseng roots. Also, saponin fractions increased effectively intracellular antioxidant enzyme activities including catalase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase in $H_2O_2$-treated HepG2 hepatoma cells. In general, red ginseng was more effective than white ginseng for reducing oxidative stress. These results indicate that administration of red ginseng may certainly contribute relatively stronger than white ginseng to prevent from damaging liver function by oxidative stress.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.79-86
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• 2013

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to investigate neuroprotective effects and molecular mechanisms of luteolin against ${\beta}$-amyloid ($A{\beta}_{25-35}$)-induced oxidative cell death in BV-2 cells. Methods : The protective effects of luteolin against $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-induced cytotoxicity and apoptotic cell death were determined by MTT dye reduction assay and TUNEL staining, respectively. The apoptotic cell death was further analyzed by measuring mitochondrial transmembrane potential and expression of pro- and/or anti-apoptotic proteins. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of luteolin, intracellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species, oxidative damages, and expression of antioxidant enzymes were examined. Results : Luteolin pretreatment effectively attenuated $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-induced apoptotic cell death indices such as DNA fragmentation, dissipation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential, increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase and caspase-3 in BV-2 cells. Furthermore, $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-induced intracellular formation of reactive oxygen species and subsequent oxidative damages such as lipid peroxidation and depletion of endogenous antioxidant glutathione were suppressed by luteolin treatment. The neuroprotective effects of luteolin might be mediated by up-regulation of cellular antioxidant defense system via up-regulation of ${\gamma}$-glutamylcysteine ligase, a rate-limiting enzyme in the glutathione biosynthesis and superoxide dismutase, an enzyme involved in dismutation of superoxide anion into oxygen and hydrogen peroxide. Conclusions : These findings suggest that luteolin has a potential to protect against $A{\beta}_{25-35}$-induced neuronal cell death and damages thereby exhibiting therapeutic utilization for the prevention and/or treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.928-937
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• 2016

S-Nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) metabolizes S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) and has been shown to play important roles in regulating cellular signaling and formulating host defense by modulating intracellular nitric oxide levels. The enzyme has been found in bacterial, yeast, mushroom, plant, and mammalian cells. However, to date, there is still no evidence of its occurrence in filamentous fungi. In this study, we cloned and investigated a GSNOR-like enzyme from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. The enzyme occurred in native form as a homodimer and exhibited low thermal stability. GSNO was an ideal substrate for the enzyme. The apparent K_m and k_cat values were 0.55 mM and 34,100 min^-1, respectively. Substrate binding sites and catalytic center amino acid residues based on those from known GSNORs were conserved in this enzyme, and the corresponding roles were verified using site-directed mutagenesis. Therefore, we demonstrated the presence of GSNOR in a filamentous fungus for the first time.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.373-382
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• 1994

A bacterial strain No. 40, which produced extracellular endoglucanase, was isolated from the rumen of Korean native goals and identified to be a genus of Actinomyces sp. The optimum conditions for endoglucanase production in PY-CMC medium were initial pH of 7.0 and 4 days of cultivation at $39^{\circ}C$. When localization of endoglucanase activity of Actinomyces sp. was determined, 68% of the enzyme activity was found in the extracellular fraction, 11% of the activity was detected in the periplasmic space and the remaining activity was in the intracellular and cell-bound fractions. The maximal endoglucanase activity was observed at pH 5.0 and it was most s table at pH 5.0. The optimum temperature of this enzyme activity was $55^{\circ}C$, but enzyme activity was gradually lost at temperature above $60^{\circ}C$. The crude enzyme was activated by addition of 10 mM cysteine and 10 mM DTT. But it was inhibited by addition of 10 mM $Cu^{{+}{+}}$ and $Fe^{{+}{+}}$. This crude enzyme could digest carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and degrade xylan, avicel, pNPG, and pNPC to a less extent.

• 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.7 no.5
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• pp.287-292
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• 1997

The role of glyoxylate bypass in lysine production by Corynebacterium glutamicum ssp. lactofermentum ATCC21799 was analyzed by using cloned aceA and aceB genes which encode enzymes catalyzing the bypass. Introduction of a plasmid carrying aceA and aceB to the strain increased enzyme activities of the bypass to approximately 5 fold on acetate minimal medium. The strain with amplified glyoxylate bypass excreted 25% more lysine to the growth medium than the parental strain, apparently due to the increased availability of intracellular oxaloacetate. The final cell yield was lower in the strain with amplified glyoxylate bypass. These changes were specific to the lysine-producing C. glutamicum ssp. lactofermentum ATCC21799, since the lysine-nonproducing wild type Corynebacterium glutamicum strain grew faster and achieved higher cell yield when the glyoxylate bypass was amplified. These findings suggest that the lysine producing C. glutamicum ssp. lactofermentum ATCC21799 has the ability to efficiently channel oxaloacetate, the TCA cycle intermediate, to the lysine biosynthesis pathway whereas lysine-nonproducing strains do not. Our results show that amplification of the glyoxylate bypass efficiently increases the intracellular oxaloacetate in lysine producing Corynebacterium species and thus results in increased lysine production.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.46 no.6
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• pp.466-471
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• 2002

Oxidative stress is considered to be associated with many diseases, such as inflammatory and cardiovascular diseases, aging and cancer. An important etiological mechanism of these diseases may be a causal relationship between the presence of oxidants and the generation of lipid hydroperoxides derived from enzymatic reactions or xenobiotic metabolism. The hydroperoxides can be decomposed to alkoxy- (ROㆍ) and peroxy- (ROOㆍ) free radicals that can oxidize other cell components, resulting in changes in enzyme activity or the generation of mediators, which can cause further cell damage. The aim of this study was to evaluate the ability of aqueous extract from the roots of Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC (Campanulaceae), Changkil (CK), to affect cellular response in primary cultures of rat hepatocytes to t-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BHP) induced oxidative stress and hepatotoxicity. CK-treated cells showed an increased resistance to oxidative challenge, as revealed by a higher percent of survival capacity in respect to control cells. CK reduced t-BHP-enhanced lipid peroxidation measured as production of malondialdehyde and enhanced intracellular reduced glutathione depletion by t-BHP. Furthermore, CK protected from the t-BHP-induced intracellular generation of reactive oxygen species assessed by monitoring dichlorodihydrofluorescein fluorescence. It can be concluded that CK exerts an antioxidant action inside the cell, responsible for the observed modulation of the cellular response to oxidative challenge, and CK have a marked antioxidative and hepatoprotective potency.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.494-500
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• 2014

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: This study investigated whether Padina arborescens extract (PAE) protects INS-1 pancreatic ${\beta}$ cells against glucotoxicity-induced apoptosis. MATERIALS/METHODS: Assays, including cell viability, lipid peroxidation, generation of intracellular ROS, NO production, antioxidant enzyme activity and insulin secretion, were conducted. The expressions of Bax, Bcl-2, and caspase-3 proteins in INS-1 cells were evaluated by western blot analysis, and apoptosis/necrosis induced by high glucose was determined by analysis of FITC-Annexin V/PI staining. RESULTS: Treatment with high concentrations of glucose induced INS-1 cell death, but PAE at concentrations of 25, 50 or $100{\mu}g/ml$ significantly increased cell viability. The treatment with PAE dose dependently reduced the lipid peroxidation and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes reduced by 30 mM glucose, while intracellular ROS levels increased under conditions of 30 mM glucose. PAE treatment improved the secretory responsiveness following stimulation with glucose. The results also demonstrated that glucotoxicity-induced apoptosis is associated with modulation of the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. When INS-1 cells were stained with Annexin V/PI, we found that PAE reduced apoptosis by glucotoxicity. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, the present study indicates that PAE protects against high glucose-induced apoptosis in pancreatic ${\beta}$ cells by reducing oxidative stress.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.668-673
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• 2013

A recombinant E. coli co-expressing ALA synthase (hemA), NADP-dependent malic enzyme (maeB), and dicarboxylic acid transporter (dctA) was reported to synthesize porphyrin derivatives including iron-containing heme. To enhance the synthesis of bacterial heme, five genes of the porphyrin biosynthetic pathway [pantothenate kinase (coaA), ALA dehydratase (hemB), 1-hydroxymethylbilane synthase (hemC), uroporphyrinogen III synthase (hemD), and uroporphyrinogen III decarboxylase (hemE)] were amplified in the recombinant E. coli co-expressing hemA-maeB-dctA. Pantothenate kinase expression enabled the recombinant E. coli to accumulate intracellular CoA. Intracellular ALA was the most enhanced by uroporphyrinogen III synthase expression, porphobilinogen was the most enhanced by ALA dehydratase expression, uroporphyrin and coproporphyrin were the most enhanced by 1-hydroxymethylbilane synthase expression. The strain co-expressing coaA, hemA, maeB, and dctA produced heme of $0.49{\mu}mol/g$-DCW, which was twice as much from the strain without coaA expression. Further pathway gene amplifications for the porphyrin derivatives are discussed based on the results.