• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.9
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• pp.586-592
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• 2009

The bactenecin is an antibacterial peptide with an intramolecular disulfide bond. We recently found that homodimeric bactenecin exhibits more potent antibacterial activity than the monomeric form and retains its activity at physiological conditions. Here we assess the difference in the modes of antibiotic action of homodimeric and monomeric bactenecins. Both monomeric and dimeric bactenecins almost completely killed both Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli within 10-30 min at concentrations of $8-16\;{\mu}M$. However, exposure to liposomes elicited an increase in the fluorescence quantum yield from a tryptophan-containing monomeric analog, while the homodimeric analog showed a significant reduction in fluorescence intensity. Moreover, unlike the monomer, the homodimer displayed apparent membrane-lytic activity enabling release of various sized dyes from liposomes, and rapidly and fully depolarized the S. aureus membrane. Together, our results suggest that homodimeric bactenecin forms pores in the bacterial membrane, while monomeric one penetrates through the membrane to target intracellular molecules/organelles.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1994

The effects of S-23142{N-(4-chloro-2-fluoro-5-propargyloxyphenyl)-3, 4, 5, 6-tetrahydrophtalimide}, on protoporphyrin IX(PPIX) biosynthesis in Spinacia oleracea L, leaf in vivo and in vitro condition were investigated by reversed-phase HPLC with fluorescence detector. The stroma and the membrane fraction of spinach chloroplast were isolated by osmotic regulation. The conversion of ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid(ALA) to PPIX occured more in the stroma than in the membrane fraction. It suggested that the enzymes that catalyse PPIX biosynthesis from ALA were localized in the stroma. Also, the synthesized PPIX content from ALA was completely inhibited by $10^{-8}M$ of S-23412 or $10^{-7}M$ of acifluorfen in the stroma but not in the membrane fractions. Therefore, these results suggested that the target site of S-23142 and acifluorfen may exist in the stroma fraction of spinach chloroplast.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1299-1306
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• 2015

This study aims to investigate the mechanism of action of the cinnamon bark essential oil (CB), when used singly and also in combination with piperacillin, for its antimicrobial and synergistic activity against beta-lactamase TEM-1 plasmid-conferred Escherichia coli J53 R1. Viable count of bacteria for this combination of essential oil and antibiotic showed a complete killing profile at 20 h and further confirmed its synergistic effect by reducing the bacteria cell numbers. Analysis on the stability of treated cultures for cell membrane permeability by CB when tested against sodium dodecyl sulfate revealed that the bacterial cell membrane was disrupted by the essential oil. Scanning electron microscopy observation and bacterial surface charge measurement also revealed that CB causes irreversible membrane damage and reduces the bacterial surface charge. In addition, bioluminescence expression of Escherichia coli [pSB1075] and E. coli [pSB401] by CB showed reduction, indicating the possibility of the presence of quorum sensing (QS) inhibitors. Gas-chromatography and mass spectrometry of the essential oil of Cinnamomum verum showed that trans-cinnamaldehyde (72.81%), benzyl alcohol (12.5%), and eugenol (6.57%) were the major components in the essential oil. From this study, CB has the potential to reverse E. coli J53 R1 resistance to piperacillin through two pathways; modification in the permeability of the outer membrane or bacterial QS inhibition.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.362-368
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• 2010

Dermcidin is a human antibiotic peptide that is secreted by the sweat glands and has no homology to other known antimicrobial peptides. As an initial step toward understanding dermcidin's mode of action at bacterial membranes, we used homonuclear and heteronuclear NMR to determine the conformation of the peptide in 50% trifluoroethanol solution. We found that dermcidin adopts a flexible amphipathic $\alpha$-helical structure with a helix-hinge-helix motif, which is a common molecular fold among antimicrobial peptides. Spin-down assays of dermcidin and several related peptides revealed that the affinity with which dermcidin binds to bacterial-mimetic membranes is primarily dependent on its amphipathic $\alpha$-helical structure and its length (>30 residues); its negative net charge and acidic pI have little effect on binding. These findings suggest that the mode of action of dermcidin is similar to that of other membrane-targeting antimicrobial peptides, though the details of its antimicrobial action remain to be determined.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2000

The present study was designed to investigate the effect f quinidine on catecholamine (CA) secretion evoked by ACh, high $K^{+}$, DMPP, McN-A343, cyclopiazonic acid and Bay-K-8644 from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland and to establish the mechanism of its action. The perfusion of quinidine (15-150 $\mu$M) into an adrenal vein for 60 min produced relatively dose- and time-dependent inhibition in CA secretion evoked by ACh (5.32$\times$10$^{-3}$ M), high $K^{+}$ (5.6$\times$10$^{-2}$ M), DMPP (10$^{-4}$ M for 2 min), McN-A-343 (10$^{-4}$ M for 2 min), cyclopiazonic acid (10$^{-5}$ M for 4 min) and Bay-K-8644 (10$^{-5}$ M for 4 min). Furthermore, in adrenal glands pre-loaded with quinine (5$\times$10$^{-5}$ M), CA secretory responses evoked by veratridine (10$^{-4}$ M) was time-dependently inhibited. Also, in the presence of lidocaine (10$^{-4}$ M), which is also known to be a sodium channel blocker, CA secretory responses evoked by ACh, high potassium, DMPP, McN-A-343, Bay-K-8644 and cyclo-piazonic acid were also greatly reduced in similar fashion to that of quinidine-treatment. Taken together, these results suggest that quinidine causes greatly the inhibition of CA secretion evoked by stimulation of cholinergic (both nicotinic and muscarinic) receptors as well as by membrane depolarization, indicating strongly that this effect may be mediated by inhibiting influx of extracellular calcium and release in intracellular calcium in the rat adrenomedullary chromaffin cells. Furthermore, these findings indicate strongly that this inhibitory action of quinidine appears to be associated to the blocking action of sodium channels at least in CA secretion from the rat adrenal gland.and.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.97-107
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• 1992

Strichartz and Richie have suggested that the mechanism of sodium donductance block of local anesthetics involves their interaction with a specific binding site within the sodium channel. However, there is evidence that local anesthetics can interact electrostatically with membrane proteins as well as membrane lipids. Whether or not all actions of local anesthetics are mediated by common site remains unclear. Thus, it can not be ruled out that local anesthetics concurrently interact with neuronal membrane lipids since sodium channels were found to be tightly associated with membrane lipids through covalent or noncovalent bonds. In summary, it is strongly postulated that local anesthetics, in addition to their direct interaction with sodium channels, concurrently interact with membrane lipids, fluidize the membrane, and thus induce conformational changes of sodium channels, which are known to be tightly associated with membrane lipids.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2003.10b
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• pp.87.2-88
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• 2003

The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of pinacidil, a potassium channel opener, on arterial blood pressure, catecholamine release and vascular contractile responses in the normotensve rats and to establish the mechanism of action. Phenylephrine (an adrenergi $_1$-receptor agonist) and high potassium (a membrane- depolarizing agent) caused greatly contractile responses in the isolated aortic strips, respectively. These phenylephrine (10$\^$-5/ M)-induced contractile responses were dose-dependently depressed in the presence of pinacidil (25 ∼ 100 ${\mu}$M). (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.125-134
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• 1969

The effect of heat treatment on membrane permeabilities of yeast's cells was studied, the amounts of efflux out of yeast cells were put to analysis, and fraction survival was also counted by viable plate counting method. Effects of nutritional substances on thermally injured yeast cells were also investigated under the highlight of reabsorption mechanism, then the relationship between permeability and surviving action in injured yeast cells are discussed.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.112-118
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• 2003

1-Methylated $\beta$-carbolines (harmaline and harmalol) and antioxidants (N-acetylcysteine and ascorbate) reduced the loss of cell viability in differentiated PC 12 cells treated with 5 mM glutamate. $\beta$-Carbolines prevented the glutamate-induced decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, cytochrome c release and caspase-3 activation in PC 12 cells. $\beta$-Carbolines reduced the formation of reactive oxygen species and depletion of glutathione due to glutamate in PC12 cells. $\beta$-Carbolines revealed a scavenging action on hydrogen peroxide and reduced the iron and EDTA-mediated degradation of 2-deoxy-D-ribose. The results suggest that I-methylated $\beta$-carbolines attenuate the cytotoxic effect of glutamate on PC12 cells by reducing the alteration of mitochondrial membrane permeability that seems to be mediated by oxidative stress.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.354-358
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• 1999

In order to know the antifungal characteristics of saturated fatty acids having 6 to 12 carbons, their minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) and minimum fungicidal concentrations (MFCs) were estimated against Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Fatty acids from C6 to C11 exhibited increasing activity with chain length, but C12 fatty acid did not show activity at all. In relation to antifungal modes of actions, fatty acids investigated showed on inhibitory activity toward the plasma membrane H+-ATPase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Their inhibitions to the glucose-induced acidification and ATP hydrolysis caused by the proton pump were found to be in common wiht antifungal activities. At the test concentration of 1mM, hexanoic acid (C6) showed the lowest inhibition of about 30%, while undecanoic acid(C11) showed the strongest inhibition of over 90%. In addition, as seen with antifungal activity, the inhibitory activity of dodecanoic acid (C12) was suddenly reduced to less than 50%.