• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.246-249
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• 1988

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.809-816
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• 2010

Microbial biotransformations can be used to predict mammalian drug metabolism. The present investigation deals with microbial biotransformation of valdecoxib using microbial cultures. Thirty-nine bacterial, fungal, and yeast cultures were used to elucidate the biotransformation pathway of valdecoxib. A number of microorganisms metabolized valdecoxib to various levels to yield nine metabolites, which were identified by HPLC-DAD and LC-MS-MS analyses. HPLC analysis of biotransformed products indicated that a majority of the metabolites are more polar than the substrate valdecoxib. Basing on LC-MS-MS analysis, the major metabolite was identified as a hydroxymethyl metabolite of valdecoxib, whereas the remaining metabolites were produced by carboxylation, demethylation, ring hydroxylation, N-acetylation, or a combination of these reactions. The hydroxymethyl and carboxylic acid metabolites were known to be produced in metabolism by mammals. From the results, it can be concluded that microbial cultures, particularly fungi, can be used to predict mammalian drug metabolism.

• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.66-72
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• 1997

A mammalian DNA repair enzyme, UV endonuclease III which also functions as a ribosomal protein S3 (rpS3), was purified from mouse cells and characterized. UV endonuclease III was previously cloned and known to yield a peptide of 32 kDa upon expression in E. coli [Kim et al., (1995) J. Bioi. Chem. 270, 13620-13629]. However, biochemically purified UV endonuclease III, which has a sedimentation coefficient of 3.25, appears to have an additional peptide of 28 kDa. It appears that two bands were derived from one complex, judging from the comparison of the nuclease activity on the native and SDS-gel electrophoreses. UV endonuclease III becomes non-specific upon purification and this phenomenon is more significant in the case of pure fractions of the enzyme. Non-specific activity was not influenced by pH or any salt conditions.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.187-195
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• 2011

X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is a process that enables mammalian females to ensure the dosage compensation for X-linked genes. Investigating the mechanism of XCI might provide deeper understandings of chromosomal silencing, epigenetic regulation of gene expressions, and even the course of evolution. Studies on mammalian XCI conducted with mice have revealed many fundamental findings on XCI. However, difference of murine and human XCI necessitates the further investigation in human XCI. Recent success in reprogramming of differentiated cells into pluripotent stem cells showed the reversibility of XCI in vitro, X chromosome reactivation (XCR), which provides another tool to study the change in X chromosome status. This review summarizes the current knowledge of XCI during early embryonic development and describes recent achievements in studies of XCI in reprogramming process.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.147-153
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• 2004

The oocyte and its surrounding granulosa cells co-exist in a closed compartment called a follicle, although they receive many signals from other parts of the body. It is well established that the intercellular communications between the oocyte and granulosa cells are required for normal oocyte development and ovulation during folliculogenesis. Gap junctions are intercellular channels allowing the direct transmission of ions and small molecules between coupled cells. Several lines of studies have shown that multiple connexins (Cx, subunits of gap junction) are expressed in mammalian ovarian follicles. Among them, two major connexins Cx37 and Cx43 are expressed in different manner. While the gap junction channels formed by Cx37 are localized between the oocyte and encompassing granulosa cells, the intercellular channels by Cx43 are located between granulosa cells. In this review, I will summarize the general properties of gap junction channels and discuss their possible formation (or compatibility) of intercellular channels formed by the oocyte and granulosa cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.922-931
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• 2009

Screening-scale studies were performed with 26 fungal cultures for their ability to transform the anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam. Among the different fungi screened, a filamentous fungus, Cunninghamella blakesleeana NCIM 687, transformed meloxicam to three metabolites in significant quantities. The transformation of meloxicam was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Based on the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) data, two metabolites were predicted to be 5-hydroxymethyl meloxicam and 5-carboxy meloxicam, the major mammalian metabolites reported previously. A new metabolite was produced, which is not detected in mammalian systems. Glucose medium, pH of 6.0, temperature of $27^{\circ}C$, 5-day incubation period, dimethylformamide as solvent, and glucose concentration of 2.0% were found to be suitable for maximum transformation of meloxicam when studied separately. It is concluded that C. blakesleeana can be employed for biotransformation of drugs for production of novel metabolites.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1214-1217
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• 2012

One Helicosporium strain, isolated from a wilted chestnut tree, evidenced in vitro antimicrobial activity against various types of bacteria and fungi, and generated a diffusible pigment. The antimicrobial compounds and the diffusible pigment of the Helicosporium sp. isolate were purified via solvent fractionation, column chromatography, and recycling preparative chromatography. Both the major antimicrobial compound and the diffusible pigment were identified as 2-methylresorcinol via nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Therefore, 2-methylresorcinol, a diffusible pigment generated by Helicosporium sp., appears to be an active antimicrobial principle. This pigment also exhibited considerable cytotoxicity against mammalian cells.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2001

4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase plays an essential role in the 4-aminobutyric acid shunt, converting 4-aminobutyrate to succinic semi aldehyde. We isolated and sequenced' a fish cDNA fragment that encodes 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase. A brain cDNA library from flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) was constructed using the ZAP- III XR vector and screened for the fish 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase gene using a probe derived from the conserved sequences of known mammalian 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferases. A partial cDNA for 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase was cloned and found to be 700 bp in length corresponding to 66 amino acids. Nucleotide sequence of the clone was aligned with NCBI (National Center for Biotechnology Information) DNA sequence data base. The result showed high sequence identity with previously reported mammalian 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferases. The trans­criptional level of flounder 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase was detected with the presence of mRNA at different flounder tissues by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The expression of flounder 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase was also tested and detected from the flounder tissues of the brain, liver, kidney and pancreas.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.85-102
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• 1987

In spite of high incidences in gastrointestinal cancers in Korea, there have been few studies so far, which tried to detect or isolate the mutagenic, namely the carcinogenic substances in the Korean taste traditional foods. Among the many plausible dietary sources of carcinogens, the pyrolytic products of proteins or amino acids would be the major ones. And it is more noteworthy that the food pattern analysis showed the increasing consumption of protein foods by Korean as pyrolytic products, such as Bulgogi and Kalbi, etc.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2013

Electrospun nanofibers are being widely used as a substratum for mammalian cell culture owing to their structural similarity to collagen fibers found in extracellular matrices of mammalian cells and tissues. Especially, development of diverse synthetic polymers has expanded use of electrospun nanofibers for constructing cell culture substrata. Synthetic polymers have several benefits comparing to natural polymer for their structural consistency, low cost, and capability for blending with other polymers or small molecules to enhance their structural integrity or add biological functions. PMGI (polymethylglutarimide) is one of the synthetic polymers that produced a rigid nanofiber that enables incorporation of small molecules, peptides, and gold nanoparticles through co-electrospinning process, during which the materials are fixed without any chemical modifications in the PMGI nanofibers by maintaining their activities. Using the phenomenon of PMGI nanofiber, here I introduce a construction method of a nanofiber substratum having cell-affinity function towards a pluripotent stem cell by incorporating a small molecule in the PMGI nanofiber.