• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.457-465
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• 2018

The expression of BCL-2 interacting cell death suppressor (BIS), an anti-stress or anti-apoptotic protein, has been shown to be regulated at the transcriptional level by heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) upon various stresses. Recently, HSF1 was also shown to bind to BIS, but the significance of these protein-protein interactions on HSF1 activity has not been fully defined. In the present study, we observed that complete depletion of BIS using a CRISPR/Cas9 system in A549 non-small cell lung cancer did not affect the induction of heat shock protein (HSP) 70 and HSP27 mRNAs under various stress conditions such as heat shock, proteotoxic stress, and oxidative stress. The lack of a functional association of BIS with HSF1 activity was also demonstrated by transient downregulation of BIS by siRNA in A549 and U87 glioblastoma cells. Endogenous BIS mRNA levels were significantly suppressed in BIS knockout (KO) A549 cells compared to BIS wild type (WT) A549 cells at the constitutive and inducible levels. The promoter activities of BIS and HSP70 as well as the degradation rate of BIS mRNA were not influenced by depletion of BIS. In addition, the expression levels of the mutant BIS construct, in which 14 bp were deleted as in BIS-KO A549 cells, were not different from those of the WT BIS construct, indicating that mRNA stability was not the mechanism for autoregulation of BIS. Our results suggested that BIS was not required for HSF1 activity, but was required for its own expression, which involved an HSF1-independent pathway.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권10호
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• pp.773-786
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• 2017

The loss of green coloration via chlorophyll (Chl) degradation typically occurs during leaf senescence. To date, many Chl catabolic enzymes have been identified and shown to interact with light harvesting complex II to form a Chl degradation complex in senescing chloroplasts; this complex might metabolically channel phototoxic Chl catabolic intermediates to prevent oxidative damage to cells. The Chl catabolic enzyme 7-hydroxymethyl Chl a reductase (HCAR) converts 7-hydroxymethyl Chl a (7-HMC a) to Chl a. The rice (Oryza sativa) genome contains a single HCAR homolog (OsHCAR), but its exact role remains unknown. Here, we show that an oshcar knockout mutant exhibits persistent green leaves during both dark-induced and natural senescence, and accumulates 7-HMC a and pheophorbide a (Pheo a) in green leaf blades. Interestingly, both rice and Arabidopsis hcar mutants exhibit severe cell death at the vegetative stage; this cell death largely occurs in a light intensity-dependent manner. In addition, 7-HMC a treatment led to the generation of singlet oxygen ($^1O_2$) in Arabidopsis and rice protoplasts in the light. Under herbicide-induced oxidative stress conditions, leaf necrosis was more severe in hcar plants than in wild type, and HCAR-overexpressing plants were more tolerant to reactive oxygen species than wild type. Therefore, in addition to functioning in the conversion of 7-HMC a to Chl a in senescent leaves, HCAR may play a critical role in protecting plants from high light-induced damage by preventing the accumulation of 7-HMC a and Pheo a in developing and mature leaves at the vegetative stage.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.147-152
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• 2006

Most plant organs develop from meristems. Rice FON1, which is an ortholog of Clv1, regulates stem cell proliferation and organ initiation. The point mutations, fon1-1 and fon1-2, disrupt meristem balance, resulting in alteration of floral organ numbers and the architecture of primary rachis branches. In this study, we identified two knockout alleles, fon1-3 and fon1-4, generated by T-DNA and Tos17 insertion, respectively. Unlike the previously isolated point mutants, the null mutants have alterations not only of the reproductive organs but also of vegetative tissues, producing fewer tillers and secondary rachis branches. The mutant plants are semi-dwarfs due to delayed leaf emergence, and leaf senescence is delayed. SEM analysis showed that the shoot apical meristems of fon1-3 mutants are enlarged. These results indicate that FON1 controls vegetative as well as reproductive development by regulating meristem size.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제37권3호
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• pp.232-242
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• 2021

Glomerella leaf spot (GLS) is a severe infectious disease of apple whose infective area is growing gradually and thus poses a huge economic threat to the world. Different species of Colletotrichum including Colletotrichum gloeosporioides are responsible for GLS. For efficient GLS control, it is important to understand the mechanism by which the cruciferous crops and C. gloeosporioides interact. Arginine is among one of the several types of amino acids, which plays crucial role in biochemical and physiological functions of fungi. The arginine biosynthesis pathway involved in virulence among plant pathogenic fungi is poorly understood. In this study, CgCPS1 gene encoding carbamoyl phosphate synthase involved in arginine biosynthesis has been identified and inactivated experimentally. To assess the effects of CgCPS1, we knocked out CgCPS1 in C. gloeosporioides and evaluated its effects on virulence and stress tolerance. The results showed that deletion of CgCPS1 resulted in loss of pathogenicity. The ∆cgcps1 mutants showed slow growth rate, defects in appressorium formation and failed to develop lesions on apple leaves and fruits leading to loss of virulence while complementation strain (CgCPS1-C) fully restored its pathogenicity. Furthermore, mutant strains showed extreme sensitivity to high osmotic stress displaying that CgCPS1 plays a vital role in stress response. These findings suggest that CgCPS1 is major factor that mediates pathogenicity in C. gloeosporioides by encoding carbamoyl phosphate that is involved in arginine biosynthesis and conferring virulence in C. gloeosporioides.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권6호
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• pp.784-794
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• 2023

Background: ginsenoside Rg5 is a rare ginsenoside with known hypoglycemic effects in diabetic mice. This study aimed to explore the effects of ginsenoside Rg5 on skin wound-healing in the Lepr^db/db mutant (db/db) mice (C57BL/KsJ background) model and the underlying mechanisms. Methods: Seven-week-old male C57BL/6J, SLC7A11-knockout (KO), the littermate wild-type (WT), and db/db mice were used for in vivo and ex vivo studies. Results: Ginsenoside Rg5 provided through oral gavage in db/db mice significantly alleviated the abundance of apoptotic cells in the wound areas and facilitated skin wound healing. 50 μM ginsenoside Rg5 treatment nearly doubled the efferocytotic capability of bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) from db/db mice. It also reduced NF-κB p65 and SLC7A11 expression in the wounded areas of db/db mice dose-dependently. Ginsenoside Rg5 physically interacted with SLC7A11 and suppressed the cystine uptake and glutamate secretion of BMDCs from db/db and SLC7A11-WT mice but not in BMDCs from SLC7A11-KO mice. In BMDCs and conventional type 1 dendritic cells (cDC1s), ginsenoside Rg5 reduced their glycose storage and enhanced anaerobic glycolysis. Glycogen phosphorylase inhibitor CP-91149 almost abolished the effect of ginsenoside Rg5 on promoting efferocytosis. Conclusion: ginsenoside Rg5 can suppress the expression of SLC7A11 and inhibit its activity via physical binding. These effects collectively alleviate the negative regulations of SLC7A11 on anaerobic glycolysis, which fuels the efferocytosis of dendritic cells. Therefore, ginsenoside Rg5 has a potential adjuvant therapeutic reagent to support patients with wound-healing problems, such as diabetic foot ulcers.

• 분석과학
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• 제31권5호
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• pp.208-218
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• 2018

자가소화작용은 세포 내 물질들을 이중막 구조의 자가포식체를 형성하여 라이소좀(lysosome)과 융합한 후 이들을 분해시키는 과정이다. 자가소화작용은 유전적, 세포적, 생화학 수준에서 연구가 진행되어왔지만, 자가포식체의 미세구조 분석 및 정량적 분석은 체계적으로 이루어지지 않았다. 본 연구에서는 먼저, 기초 자가소화작용이 진행되는 환경과 기아상태로 자가소화작용을 유도한 환경의 세포에서 각각 자가포식체 막 형성에 중요한 역할을 하는 ATG5가 결핍된 섬유아세포와 정상 섬유아세포에서의 자가포식체의 미세구조를 비교 관찰 하였다. 정상 섬유아세포에서는 초기 패고포어, 초기 및 후기 자가포식체, 오토라이소좀과 같은 자가포식체의 단계별 미세구조를 확인한 반면, ATG5가 제거된 섬유아세포에서는 이중막 구조가 완성되지 않은 자가포식체 구조가 증가한 것을 확인하여 ATG5가 자가포식체 성숙에 중요한 역할을 함을 다시 한번 검증할 수 있었다. 본 연구를 통해 구축한 자가포식체 미세구조 분석법을 활용하여 확장된 폴리글루타민을 가지는 N-말단 헌팅틴 유전자를 발현시키는 헌팅턴병의 세포학적 모델에서 단계별 자가포식체를 분석하였다. 그 결과, 흥미롭게도 헌팅틴 단백질이 발현된 세포에서 후기 자가포식체가 증가하는 것을 확인할 수 있었으며, 이를 통해 헌팅틴 돌연변이 단백질 응집체 제거에 필요한 자가소화작용 활성화를 위해서 자가포식체와 라이소좀의 결합 단계를 촉진하는 것이 효과적일 가능성에 대해서 유추할 수 있었다. 결론적으로 전자현미경을 활용한 자가포식체의 단계별 미세구조 관찰 및 정량 분석이 다양한 인간 질병모델에 적용되고, 자가소화작용과 연관된 병리 메커니즘 연구에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

• Toxicological Research
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• 제24권3호
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• pp.175-182
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• 2008

DNA-dependent protein kinase(DNA-PK) is involved in joining DNA double-strand breaks induced by ionizing radiation or V(D)J recombination and is activated by DNA ends and composed of a DNA binding subunit, Ku, and a catalytic subunit, DNA-PKcs. It has been suggested that DNA-PK might be $2^{nd}$ upstream kinase for protein kinase B(PKB). In this report, we showed that Ser473 phosphorylation in the hydrophobic-motif of PKB is blocked in DNA-PK knockout mouse embryonic fibroblast cells(MEFs) following insulin stimulation, while there is no effect on Ser473 phosphorylation in DNA-PK wild type MEF cells. The observation is further confirmed in human glioblastoma cells expressing a mutant form of DNA-PK(M059J) and a wild-type of DNA-PK(M059K), indicating that DNA-PK is indeed important for PKB activation. Furthermore, the treatment of cells with doxorubicin, DNA-damage inducing agent, leads to PKB phosphorylation on Ser473 in control MEF cells while there is no response in DNA-PK knockout MEF cells. Together, these results proposed that DNA-PK has a potential role in insulin signaling as well as DNA-repair signaling pathway.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제22권10호
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• pp.1428-1433
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• 2012

장수 또는 노화에 관한 연구는 여러 가지 유전적 요인과 생리학적 및 환경 요인들의 복잡한 조합에 의해 결정되므로, 이와 관련된 연구는 매우 흥미로운 분야이나 또한 어려운 주제이다. 지난 수십 년 동안 장수 또는 노화에 관여하는 분자 메커니즘을 찾기 위하여 동물 모델을 사용한 유전학적 접근법으로, 특이적 유전자를 결손 시키는 연구는 귀중한 도구임이 입증되었다. 장수에 관한 첫 번째 연구는 꼬마선충의 돌연변이체에서 발견되었으며, 이 선충의 인슐린/인슐린유사 성장인자-1 회로가 장수에 관여함이 밝혀졌다. 인슐린유사 성장인자-1은 인슐린과 유사한 아미노산 서열을 가진 폴리펩타이드로, 세포의 정상적인 성장과 발달에 관여한다. 이 발견 이후 인슐린/인슐린유사 성장인자-1 회로에 관여하는 많은 인자들이 선충과 초파리 연구에서 장수에 관여함이 밝혀졌다. 또한 특이적 유전자를 결손 시킨 생쥐 모델을 이용한 연구에서도 인슐린/인슐린유사 성장인자-1 회로뿐 아니라 성장호르몬/인슐린유사 성장인자 회로도 장수에 관여함이 지난 수십 년 동안의 연구결과로 밝혀졌다. 간 조직 특이적으로 인슐린유사 성장인자-1 유전자를 결손 시킨 생쥐모델을 이용한 최근의 연구 결과에 의하면 인슐린유사 성장인자-1 자체도 장수에 관여함이 최초로 밝혀졌으며, 이는 인슐린유사 성장인자-1 회로가 무척추동물뿐 아니라 척추동물에서도 장수에 관여함을 명백하게 보여주는 결과이다. 장수를 조절하는 분자 메커니즘은 아직 완전하게 설명되지 않지만, 감소되어진 인슐린유사 성장인자-1의 신호가 장수와 노화의 조절에 중요한 역할을 하며, 인슐린유사 성장인자-1 회로에 관여하는 여러 가지 유전자들의 장수에서의 역할을 유전자 조작된 생쥐모델을 이용하여 집중적으로 검토하려 한다.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제53권4호
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• pp.286-291
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• 2017

진핵 세포에서 히스톤의 변형은 크로마틴 구조를 조절하는 데에 있어서 중요한 메커니즘이다. Set1 복합체에 의한 히스톤 H3의 네 번째 라이신 잔기(H3K4)에 발생하는 메틸화는 다양하게 잘 알려져 있는 히스톤 변형 중 하나이다. Set1 complex는 H2B의 유비퀴틴화에 의존적으로 발생하는 H3K4 메틸화에 중요하다고 알려진 Swd2를 포함하여 7개의 소단위 단백질을 가지고 있다. Swd2는 Set1의 RNA recognition motif (RRM) 도메인 근처에 결합하여 Set1의 활성을 조절하고, 또 RNA의 3' 말단 형성에 관여하는 CPF (Cleavage and Polyadenylation Factors) 복합체의 구성성분이라고 보고되었다. 최근 보고들에 따르면, 이런 Swd2의 이중적인 기능이 서로 독립적으로 작용하며, Swd2 결실돌연변이 균주가 살지 못하는 이유가 CPF 복합체의 구성성분으로써의 기능 때문이라고 알려져 있다. 본 연구에서 우리는 Swd2가 Set1의 RRM 도메인에 결합하여 Set1의 활성을 조절할 수 있을 뿐만 아니라, Set1의 안정성에도 영향을 줄 수 있음을 발견하였다. 또 우리는 Swd2가 결합할 수 없는 truncated-Set1을 가지고 있는 ${\Delta}swd2$ 돌연변이가 사멸하지 않고 정상적으로 자라는 것을 관찰하였다. 이런 결과들은 Saccharomyces cerevisiae에서 H3K4 메틸화와 RNA 3' 말단 형성과정에서의 Swd2의 이중적인 기능이 서로 독립적인 것이 아님을 제안하다.