• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.35 no.11
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• pp.3267-3274
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• 2014

In order to investigate the effects of the double replacement of $\small{L}$-Pro, $\small{D}$-Pro, $\small{D}$-Leu or Nleu (the peptoid residue for Leu) in the hydrophobic face (positions 9 and 13) of amphipathic ${\alpha}$-helical non-cell-selective antimicrobial peptide $L_8K_9W_1$ on the structure, cell selectivity and mechanism of action, we synthesized a series of $L_8K_9W_1$ analogs with double replacement of $\small{L}$-Pro, $\small{D}$-Pro, $\small{D}$-Leu or Nleu in the hydrophobic face of $L_8K_9W_1$. In this study, we have confirmed that the double replacement of $\small{L}$-Pro, $\small{D}$-Pro, or Nleu in the hydrophobic face of $L_8K_9W_1$ let to a great increase in the selectivity toward bacterial cells and a complete destruction of ${\alpha}$-helical structure. Interestingly, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{L}$-Pro, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{D}$-Pro and $L_8K_9W_1$-Nleu preferentially interacted with negatively charged phospholipids, but unlike $L_8K_9W_1$ and $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{D}$-Leu, they did not disrupt the integrity of lipid bilayers and depolarize the bacterial cytoplasmic membrane. These results suggested that the mode of action of $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{L}$-Pro, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{D}$-Pro and $L_8K_9W_1$-Nleu involves the intracellular target other than the bacterial membrane. In particular, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{L}$-Pro, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{D}$-Pro and $L_8K_9W_1$-Nleu had powerful antimicrobial activity (MIC range, 1 to $4{\mu}M$) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MDRPA). Taken together, our results suggested that $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{L}$-Pro, $L_8K_9W_1$-$\small{D}$-Pro and $L_8K_9W_1$-Nleu with great cell selectivity may be promising candidates for novel therapeutic agents, complementing conventional antibiotic therapies to combat pathogenic microorganisms.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.222-228
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• 1992

Pleurotus florida was transformed by complementation of auxotrophic mutant using chimeric plasmid containing Flammulina velutipes leu 2 gene and pBR 322 replicon. Mycelial morphology of transformants was grown and compared on mushroom complete and minimal medium. Transformants were mated with monokaryon and their genetic recombination was investigated for the morphology of fruitbody and spore analysis. $Leu^+$ transformant showed same mating type of $A_1B_1$ as to the untransformed mutant. The transformant and the untransformed mutant were mated with monokaryon of which mating type is $A_2B_1$, respectively. Although fruitbody of the untransformed mutant was not produced, $leu^+$ transformant produced fruitbody. Spore analysis showed that leucine requiring spores from fruitbody of $leu^+$ transformant were diminished when compared with those of untransformed mutant.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.560-566
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of solvent extracts from medicinal plants on the fermentation of kimchi. Five microorganisms related to kimchi fermentation were selected and the antimicrobial activities of solvent fractions from medicinal plants were investigated. The chloroform fraction from the methanol extract of dandelion (Taraxacum platycarpum D.) exhibited inhibitory activity against five strains such as Lactobacilli plantarum, Lactobacilli brevis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Enterococcus faecalis and Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The chloroform fraction from the methanol extract of Dandelion inhibited the growth of E. faecalis and Leu. mesenteroides at the concentration of 80 mg/mL. Scanning electron micrographs of Leu. mesenteroides and E. faecalis treated with chloroform fraction 80 mg/mL exhibited morphological changes, including irregularly contracted cell surface.

• Mass Spectrometry Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.117-122
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• 2019

This study demonstrated the sensitivity of electron capture dissociation mass spectrometry (ECD-MS) to probe subtle conformational changes in gaseous melittin ions induced by the substitution of an amino acid. ECD-MS was performed for triply and quadruply-protonated melittin and its variants obtained by a single amino acid substitution, namely, D-Pro14, Pro14Ala, and Leu13Ala. Although native triply-protonted melittin showed only a few peptide backbone cleavage products, the D-Pro14 and Pro14Ala variants exhibited extensive backbone fragments, suggesting the occurrence of a significant structural or conformational change induced by a single amino acid substitution at Pro14. On the contrary, the substitution at Leu13, namely Leu13Ala (+3), did not cause significant changes in the ECD backbone fragmentation pattern. Thus, the sensitivity of ECD-MS is demonstrated to be good enough to probe the aforementioned conformational change in melittin.

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.359-364
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• 1996

By both in vitro hydroxylamine mutagenesis of the wild type 3-phosphoglycerate kinase gene (PGK) promoter DNA and insertion of the leu2-d gene, we have created yeast expression vectors potentially useful for production of eukaryotic genes in yeast. The guanine (G) to adenine (A) change at the -3 position from the ATG start codon of the PGK promoter-based vector rendered a 6~7 times elevated expression of the adjacent eukaryotic gene, and insertion of the leu2-d gene in the vector containing the mutated PGK promoter further enhanced the expression of the gene. When expression of the AIDS virus HIV1-gagP17 gene in a lacZ fusion form was examined with this new vector, a 15 times higher level of expression than that from the original PGK promoter was observed. Northern and Southern analysis showed that this elevated expression is due to the production of a high copy number of mRNA by leu2-d gene functioning and by efficient translation of the produced mRNA. Thus, the vector that contained the A at the -3 position from the ATG start codon in the promoter region and the leu2-d gene shows increased expression capability and will be potentially useful for production of eukaryotic genes in yeast.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.3 s.76
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• pp.485-492
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• 2006

The PrrBA two-component system is one of the major regulatory systems that control expression of photosynthesis genes in response to changes in oxygen tension in the anoxygenic photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodobacter sphaeroides. The system consists of the PrrB histidine kinase and the PrrA response regulator. The N-terminal transmembrane domain of PrrB serves as a signal-sensing domain and comprises six transmembrane helices forming three periplasmic loops and two cytoplasmic loops. The $3^{rd}$ and $4^{th}$ transmembrane helices and the $2^{nd}$ periplasmic loop were suggested to play a crucial role in redox-sensory function. In this study we demonstrated that mutations of Asp-90, Gln-93, Leu-94, Leu-98, and Asn-106 in the $2^{nd}$ periplasmic loop and its neighboring region led to severe defects in PrrB sensory function, indicating that these amino acids might be related to the redox-sensing function of PrrB. The mutant forms (D90E, D90N, and D90A) of PrrB were heterologously overexpressed in Escherichia coli, purified by means of affinity chromatography and their autokinase activities were comparatively assessed. The D90N form of PrrB was shown to possess higher autokinase activity than the wild-type form of PrrB, whereas the D90E form of PrrB displayed lower autokinase activity than the wild-type form of PrrB. The D90A mutation led to the loss of PrrB autokinase activity.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.261-269
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• 2012

The cyclic dimers of enkephalin were isolated as minor components during the solution synthesis of the corresponding cyclic monomers. The ratio of cyclic dimer to monomer was approximately 1:4 from the percent of yields. In the receptor binding assay of two cyclic dimmers, ($Tyr_2-C[D-Glu-Phe-gPhe]_2$ 6, $Tyr_2-C[D-Asp-Phe-gPhe-rLeu]_2$ 8), both analogs exhibited the high preference for ${\delta}$ receptor compared to monocyclic counterparts. In the nociceptive activity, both showed about 5 times less potent than the cyclic monomers. The repeated synthesis of 14-membered cyclic analog, Tyr-C[D-Glu-Phe-gPhe-D-rLeu] 14, which was known as having three distinct cis-trans isomers, gave rise to apparently different conformational analog arousing only trans isomer. In the receptor binding assay, it showed tremendously high selectivity toward ${\mu}$ receptor $({\delta}/{\mu}=160)$.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.733-741
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• 2007

The effects of intra-duodenal infusion of methionine (Met), lysine (Lys) and leucine (Leu) on dry matter intake (DMI), the concentrations of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I), growth hormone (GH) and insulin in plasma, and liver IGF-I mRNA level were investigated in two experiments for Liuyang Black growing wether goats. In Experiment 1, three goats ($10.0{\pm}0.1$ kg) were fitted with ruminal, proximal duodenal and terminal ileal fistulaes to determine the infusion amounts of Met, Lys and Leu at the duodenum according to essential amino acid flows into the duodenum and their apparent digestibility. The infusion amounts were 0.77 g/d, 0.91 g/d and 0.58 g/d respectively. In Experiment 2, 4 groups of goats (($10.0{\pm}0.2$ kg) for each group, were cannulated at the duodenum, and were infused with a mixture of Met, Lys and Leu (Control), or mixtures with 21% Met, Lys or Leu replaced with glutamate respectively on a nitrogenous basis. The replacement of 21% Met, Lys or Leu with glutamate did not affect intakes of maize stover, concentrate or both (p>0.05) when compared with the control. The replacement of 21% Met or Lys significantly (p<0.05) reduced plasma GH, insulin and IGF-I concentrations and liver IGF-I mRNA level. The replacement of 21% Leu with glutamate reduced (p<0.05) plasma IGF-I concentration only, but not plasma insulin and GH, as well as liver IGF-I mRNA level (p>0.05). The close relationships between supplying Met and Lys in the lumen of the duodenum and plasma IGF-I, GH and insulin concentrations, as well as liver IGF-I mRNA level in this study indicate that the effects of the limiting amino acids on nutrition of animals are likely intermediated via their effects on these hormones, and these hormone profiles could be used as intermediate markers for the limiting order of amino acids.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.524-531
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• 2005

Two experiments were conducted to standardize in ovo injection of amino acids (AA) and to evaluate the effect of in ovo injection of limiting AA(s) on pre and post hatch growth performance, immune response and development of digestive organs. Combinations of essential and non-essential amino acids (Lys+Arg, Lys+Met+Cys, Thr+Gly+Ser, Ile+Leu+Val and Gly+Pro) were injected into 50 eggs in each treatment group at 14 d of embryonic age. Standardization of injection site, needle length and embryonic age revealed that when AA were injected in to the broad end of the egg with a 11 mm needle and at the narrow end with a 24 mm needle both at the 7$^{th}$ and 14$^{th}$ d of incubation there was poor hatchability. However, better hatchability was recorded when the AA were injected in the narrow end of the egg with a 11 mm needle and in the broad end with a 24 mm needle on the 14$^{th}$ d of incubation. The chick to egg weight ratio was higher (p<0.018) when AA were injected on the 14$^{th}$ d of incubation. When a combination of amino acids were injected a 63.6 or 63.2 g difference in body weight of bird at 21 d was recorded between uninjected control and Ile+Leu+Val or Gly+Pro group, respectively. Higher feed intake (p<0.047) was recorded in the AA injected groups and feed conversion ratio (FCR) was numerically better in Gly+Pro, Lys+Met+Cys AA injected groups than in the uninjected control. Significantly higher immune response to cell mediated (p<0.033) and humoral (p<0.002) immunity was observed in in ovo amino acid injected birds, especially in Lys+Met+Cys, Thr+Gly+Ser or Ile+leu+Val groups. The digestive organ weights at 21 d did not differ between specific AA injected groups and the uninjected control. In ovo injected amino acids may act as immunomodulators and their role in gastrointestinal development needs further research.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.39-49
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• 1990

It has been reported that bombesin induces contraction of the smooth muscle of the gastrointestinal tract. Thus, the present investigation was undertaken to see an influence of bombesin on electrical activity of the gastric smooth muscle, since electrical activity is associated with contractile activity in the smooth muscle of the stomach. Smooth muscle strips $(5\;{\times}\;1.5\;cm)$ that included the corpus and antrum were prepared from the ventral and dorsal portion of the feline stomach along the greater curvature. Circular muscle strips $(1\;{\times}\;0.3\;cm)$ of the corpus were also obtained. Electrical activity of the corpus and antrum of the muscle strip was monophasically recorded by using Ag-AgCl capillary electrodes placed on the circular muscle layer. Contractile activity of the circular muscle strip was also recorded. The recordings were performed in Krebs-Ringer solution that was continuously aerated with $O_{2}$ containing 5% $Co_{2}$, and kept at $36^{\circ}C$. Dose-related responses of electrical activity and contractility to bombesin was studied after frequency of slow waves and contraction of each strip reached to a steady state. An action of $D-leu^{13}-{\psi}\;(CH_{2}NH)-D-leu^{14}-bombesin,\;D-pro^{2}-D-trp^{7,9}-substance\;P$, tetrodotoxin, hexamethonium, atropine, phentolamine or propranolol on the effect of bombesin was also observed. 1) Bombesin increased frequency of slow waves and contractions dose-dependently at concentrations from $10^{-9}\;M\;to\;3\;{\times}\;10^{-8}\;M$. 2) The bombesin analogue at a concentration of $3\;{\times}\;10^{-7}\;M$ antagonized the effect of bombesin on frequency of slow waves. 3) The effect of bombesin on frequency of slow waves was inhibited by tetrodotoxin $(10^{-6}\;M)$ and hexamethonium $(10^{-3}\;M)$ but unaffected by atropine $(10^{-6}\;M)$, phentolamine $(10^{-5}\;M)$ and propranolol $(10^{-5}\;M)$. 4) The effect of bombesin on frequency of slow waves was blocked by the substance P analogue at a concentration of $10^{-5}\;M$. 5) Substance P at a concentration of $10^{-5}\;M$ failed to change frequency of slow waves. It is concluded from the above results that bombesin increases the frequency of slow waves as well as contractions of the smooth muscle strip from the feline stomach, and the effect of bombesin might be mediated by non-cholinergic or non-adrenergic mechanism at neuromuscular junction. However, enteric nerves that have substance P as a neurotransmitter do not appear to participate in the action of bombesin on frequency of slow waves.