• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.268-273
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• 1996

An extremely cadmium tolerant yeast, Hansenula anomala B-7 used to determine the modification of the intracellular enzyme activities by cadmium ion. The activities of alcohol dehydrogenase, phosphofructokinase, and cytidine deaminase were decreased up to 90%, 40%, and 86% compa- red with the control by 1 mM cadmium nitrate respectively, but the activities of malate dehydrogenase, 6- phosphogluconate dehydrogenase, cytochrome c oxidase, and alkaline phosphatase were increased up to 440%, 136%, 260% and 155% compared with the control by 1 mM cadmium nitrate respectively. These results show that the activities of the enzymes participating in Embden-Mayerhof pathway (e.g. anaerobic metabolism) were reduced by cadmium, but those involved in hexose monophosphate pathway and tricarboxylic acid cycle (e.g. aerobic metabolism) were stimulated in contrast. It has been suggested that the diminished activity of cytidine deaminase in pyrimidine nucleotide dissimilation occured due to the inhibited nucleotide dissimilation by cadmium ion; the enhanced activity of cytochrome c oxidase was specifically required in order to oxidize a raised amount of NADH and NADPH due to the increased aerobic metabolism.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제26권6호
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• pp.533-538
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• 2018

Nitric oxide (NO) mediates various physiological and pathological processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and inflammation. Protein S-nitrosylation (SNO), a NO-mediated reversible protein modification, leads to changes in the activity and function of target proteins. Recent findings on protein-protein transnitrosylation reactions (transfer of an NO group from one protein to another) have unveiled the mechanism of NO modulation of specific signaling pathways. The intracellular level of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), a major reactive NO species, is controlled by GSNO reductase (GSNOR), a major regulator of NO/SNO signaling. Increasing number of GSNOR-related studies have shown the important role that denitrosylation plays in cellular NO/SNO homeostasis and human pathophysiology. This review introduces recent evidence of GSNO-mediated NO/SNO signaling depending on GSNOR expression or activity. In addition, the applicability of GSNOR as a target for drug therapy will be discussed in this review.

• BMB Reports
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• 제39권3호
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• pp.335-338
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• 2006

Methylglyoxal (MG) is an endogenous physiological metabolite which is present in increased concentrations in diabetics. MG reacts with the amino acids of proteins to form advanced glycation end products. In this in vitro study, we investigated the effect of MG on the structure and function of ceruloplasmin (CP) a serum oxidase carrier of copper ions in the human. When CP was incubated with MG, the protein showed increased electrophoretic mobility which represented the aggregates at a high concentration of MG (100 mM). MG-mediated CP aggregation led to the loss of enzymatic activity and the release of copper ions from the protein. Radical scavengers and copper ion chelators significantly prevented CP aggregation. CP is an important protein that circulates in plasma as a major copper transport protein. It is suggested that oxidative damage of CP by MG may induce perturbations of the copper transport system and subsequently lead to harmful intracellular condition. The proposed mechanism, in part, may provide an explanation for the deterioration of organs in the diabetic patient.

• 생물정신의학
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.1-5
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• 2013

Glutamate receptors are important components of synaptic transmission in the nervous system. Especially, ${\alpha}$-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptors mediate most abundant excitatory synaptic transmission in the brain. There is elaborate mechanism of regulation of AMPA receptors including protein synthesis/degradation, intracellular trafficking, exocytosis/endocytosis and protein modification. In recent studies, it is revealed that functional dysregulation of AMPA receptors are related to major psychiatric disorders. In this review, we describe the structure and function of AMPA receptors in the synapse. We will introduce three steps of mechanism involving trafficking of AMPA receptors to neuronal membrane, lateral diffusion into synapses and synaptic retention by membrane proteins and postsynaptic scaffold proteins. Lastly, we will describe recent studies showing that regulation of AMPA receptors is important pathophysiological mechanism in psychiatric disorders.

• BMB Reports
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• 제49권9호
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• pp.459-473
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• 2016

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) often involve the formation of abnormal and toxic protein aggregates, which are thought to be the primary factor in ND occurrence and progression. Aged neurons exhibit marked increases in aggregated protein levels, which can lead to increased cell death in specific brain regions. As no specific drugs/therapies for treating the symptoms or/and progression of NDs are available, obtaining a complete understanding of the mechanism underlying the formation of protein aggregates is needed for designing a novel and efficient removal strategy. Intracellular proteolysis generally involves either the lysosomal or ubiquitin-proteasome system. In this review, we focus on the structure and assembly of the proteasome, proteasome-mediated protein degradation, and the multiple dynamic regulatory mechanisms governing proteasome activity. We also discuss the plausibility of the correlation between changes in proteasome activity and the occurrence of NDs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제19권11호
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• pp.1301-1305
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• 2009

The evolution of living organisms occurs via a combination of highly complicated processes that involve modification of various features such as appearance, metabolism and sensing systems. To understand the evolution of life, it is necessary to understand how each biological feature has been optimized in response to new environmental conditions and interrelated with other features through evolution. To accomplish this, we constructed contents-based trees for a two-component system (TCS) and metabolic network to determine how the environmental communication mechanism and the intracellular metabolism have evolved, respectively. We then conducted a comparative analysis of the two trees using ARACNE to evaluate the evolutionary and functional relationship between TCS and metabolism. The results showed that such integrated analysis can give new insight into the study of bacterial evolution.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.187-194
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• 2007

In order to utilize different nitrogen sources and to survive in a situation of nitrogen limitation, microorganisms have developed sophisticated mechanisms to adapt their metabolism to a changing nitrogen supply. In this communication, the recent knowledge of nitrogen regulation in the amino acid producer Corynebacterium glutamicum is summarized. The core adaptations of C. glutamicum to nitrogen limitation on the level of transcription are controlled by the global regulator AmtR. Further components of the signal pathway are GlnK, a $P_{II}-type$ signal transduction protein, and GlnD. Mechanisms involved in nitrogen control in C. glutamicum regulating gene expression and protein activity are repression of transcription, protein-complex formation, protein modification by adenylylation, change of intracellular localization, and proteolysis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권1호
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• pp.72-76
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• 2016

Cell death pathways such as apoptosis can be activated in response to oxidative stress, enabling the disposal of damaged cells. In contrast, controlled intracellular redox events are proposed to be a significant event during apoptosis signaling, regardless of the initiating stimulus. In this scenario oxidants act as second messengers, mediating the post-translational modification of specific regulatory proteins. The exact mechanism of this signaling is unclear, but increased understanding offers the potential to promote or inhibit apoptosis through modulating the redox environment of cells. Peroxiredoxins are thiol peroxidases that remove hydroperoxides, and are also emerging as important players in cellular redox signaling. This review discusses the potential role of peroxiredoxins in the regulation of apoptosis, and also their ability to act as biomarkers of redox changes during the initiation and progression of cell death.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.96-102
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• 2017

Background: Korean ginseng, Panax ginseng Meyer, has been used as a traditional oriental medicine to treat illness and promote health for several thousand years. Ginsenosides are the main constituents for the pharmacological effects of P. ginseng. Since several ginsenosides, including ginsenoside (G)-Rg3 and G-Rp1, have reported antiplatelet activity, here we investigate the ability of G-Rp4 to modulate adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation. The ginsenoside Rp4, a similar chemical structure of G-Rp1, was prepared from G-Rg1 by chemical modification. Methods: To examine the effects of G-Rp4 on platelet activation, we performed several experiments, including antiplatelet ability, the modulation of intracellular calcium concentration, and P-selectin expression. In addition, we examined the activation of integrin ${\alpha}IIb{\beta}_3$ and the phosphorylation of signaling molecules using fibrinogen binding assay and immunoblotting in rat washed platelets. Results: G-Rp4 inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner. We found that G-Rp4 decreased calcium mobilization and P-selectin expression in ADP-activated platelets. Moreover, fibrinogen binding to integrin ${\alpha}IIb{\beta}_3$ by ADP was attenuated in G-Rp4-treated platelets. G-Rp4 significantly attenuated phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2, p38, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, as well as protein kinase B, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, and phospholipase C-${\gamma}$ phosphorylations. Conclusion: G-Rp4 significantly inhibited ADP-induced platelet aggregation and this is mediated via modulating the intracellular signaling molecules. These results indicate that G-Rp4 could be a potential candidate as a therapeutic agent against platelet-related cardiovascular diseases.

• 한국동물학회지
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• 제36권3호
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• pp.347-352
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• 1993

N-ethylmaleimide는 낮은 농도에서 Myosin heavy chain의 활성화 부위에 존재하는 2개의 황화기에 선택적으로 결합하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 계 근조직에서 분리된 $Ca^2$+-의존성 단백질 분해효소, Calpain은 이와같이 알킬화된 Myosin heavy chain을 알킬화 되지 않은 것에 비하여 우선적으로 분해하는 것으로 나타났다. 또한, 황화기를 특이하게 산하시키는 KMnO$_4$가 처리된 Myosin heavy chain도 산화되지 않은 것에 비하여 훨씬 빠른 속도로 분해됨을 관찰하였다. 뿐만아니라, N-ethylmaleimide나 KMnO$_4$의 처리는 농도-의존적으로 myosin에 의한 ATP 분해를 불활성화 시키었다. 이러한 결과는 활성화 부위에 존재하는 황화기의 화학적 변형은 Myosin hsavy chain이 Calapin과 같은 세포내 단백질 분해효소에 의하여 인식되는 기구임을 시사한다.