• KSBB Journal
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.119-125
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• 2011

In the synthesis of nanoparticles, much attention has been paid to regulating the particle size. There has been a possible evident that using the central cavity (core) of the protein ferritin has a greatly significant influence on it because the core can generate the nanometer-sized mineral particles of variable metal ions. In this report, recombinant human L-ferritins produced from Saccharomyces cerevisiae were purified and their molecular properties were characterized. The cDNA for human ferritin L chain was also expressed in another host such as Escherichia coli, and the properties of recombinant L-ferritins were compared. From isoelectric focusing experiment, the L-ferritin from the recombinant yeast showed no indication of N-glycosylation. Some post-translational modifications other than N-glycosylation were speculated in the L-ferritins from yeast. A difference was made in the L-ferritins in their iron uptake rates and the initial rate of the L-ferritin from yeast was slightly increased. The reconstitution yield and size distribution of the core minerals were analyzed in the L-ferritins by transmission electron microscopy. The L-ferritin from yeast with higher reconstitution yield (54.5%) showed slightly larger sizes (mean 6.92 nm) with narrower size distribution than the L-ferritin from E. coli. It is, in conclusion, speculated that L-ferritin from yeast is relatively superior to the other, in view of the size of nanoparticle and its relative homogeneity.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• 제1권3호
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• pp.203-208
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• 2005

Thioacetamide (TA) is potent haptotoxincant that requires metabolic activation by mixed-function oxidases. Micrcarray technology, which is massive parallel gene expression profiling in a single hybridization experiment, has provided as a powerful molecular genetic tool for biological system related toxicant. In this study we focus on the use of toxicogenomics for the determination of gene expression analysis associated with hepatotoxicity in rat liver epithelial cell line WB-F344 (WB). The WB cells was used to assess the toxic effects of TA. WB cells were exposed to two concentrations of TA-doses which caused 20% and 50% cell death were chosen and the cells exposed for periods of 2 and 24 h. Our data revealed that following the 2-h exposure at the both of doses and 24-h exposure at the low doses, few changes in gene expression were detected. However, after 24-h exposure of the cells to the high concentration, multiple changes in gene expression were observed. TA treatment gave rise predominantly to up-regulation of genes involved in cell cycle and cell death, but down-regulation of genes involves in cell adhesion and calcium ion binding. Exposure of WB cells to higher doses of the TA gave rise to more changes in gene expression at lower exposure times. These results show that TA regulates expression of numerous genes via direct molecular signaling mechanisms in liver cells.

• 한국식물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국식물학회 1987년도 식물생명공학 심포지움 논문집 Proceedings of Symposia on Plant Biotechnology
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• pp.213-237
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• 1987

In vitro flowering system may minimize the confounded influence of non-floral meristem parts of plants in studying the relationship of a given treatment and flowering responses. We have induced flower buds from plantlets regenerated from zygotic embryo-derived somatic embryos of ginseng, which circumvented the normal 2-year juvenile period before flowering. The result suggests that the adulthood of ginseng root explants in the experiment previously conducted by Chang and Hsing (1980; Nature 284: 341-342) is not prerequired to flowering of plantlets regenerated through somatic embryogenesis. We have also induced flower buds from elongated axillary brandches from cotyledonary nodes by culturing ginseng zygotic embryos, seedlings, and excised cotyledonary nodes. It was found that 6-benzyladenine (BA) supplemented to the medium was essential for flowering, whereas abscisic acid (ABA) was inhibitory. Gibberellic acid(GA3) was also required for flowering when ABA was present with BA in the medium. The results suggest that cytokinins, gibberellins, and inhibitors play primary, permissive, and preventive roles, respective-ly, in the induction of flowering of ginseng. Tran Thanh Van (1980; Int. Rev. Cytol., Suppl. IIA: 175-194) has developed the "thin cell layer system" in which the induction of shoots, roots, or flower buds from epidermal layer explants were controlled by culture conditions and exogenous growth regulators in the medium, Utilizing the thin cell layer system, Meeks-Wagner et al. (1989; The Plant Cell 1: 25-35) have cloned genes specifically expressed during floral evocation. However, the system is too tedious for obtaining a sufficient amount of plant materials for biochmical and molecular biological studies of flowering. We have developed a garlic callus culture system and one obvious advantaging over the thin cell layer system is that an abundant cells committed to develope into flower buds proliferate. When the above cells were compared by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis with those which have just lost the competence for developing into flower buds, a few putative proteins specific to floral evocation were detected. The garlic callus culture system can be further explored for elucidation of the molecular biological mechanism of floral evocation and morphogenesis.hogenesis.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.235-240
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• 1998

The myristoyl-acyl carrier protein (ACP) specific thioesterase from Iris tectorum was purified to a considerable homogeneity and characterized. The enzyme was eluted with a considerable stability by double-gradients using Triton X-100 and low ionic KCl or Na-phosphate through DEAE-52, Octyl-Sepharose, Q-Sepharose, and hydroxyapatite chromatoraphy. SDS-PAGE analysis showed a single band of 39 kDa. The native molecular weight was estimated to be 82 kDa by Sephacryl S-200 chromatography, indicating that the enzyme was a dimer. The thioesterase showed a chain-length specificity to myristoyl-ACP in preference to other-ACPs. The enzyme activity decreased by 1.0 mM myristate to about 27% of the original activity, whereas the remaining activity with decanoate was about 90%. The purified thioesterase was inhibited by myristoyl-CoA more than by myristate, suggesting that the myristoyl-AGP thiolesterase might be controlled by myristic acid and/or a subsequent product myristoyl-CoA. In addition, some biochemical characteristics of the enzyme were described.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제44권1호
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• pp.12-15
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• 2001

The antioxidative compounds and antioxidant contents of ginger (Zingiber officinale) rhizomes were determined. Substances reextracted using ethyl acetate from crude methanol extract of fresh ginger rhizome were separated through thin layer chromatography. Ten phenolic antioxidative bands were visualized through color reactions using ferric chloride-potassium ferricyanide and 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylbydrazyl (DPPH). The antioxidative compounds were purified through preparative TLC and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), among which, five antioxidants were identified as 4-, 6-, 8-. and 10-gingerols and 6-shogaol on the basis of their molecular weights determined through LC-MS. As shown in experiments using DPPH free radicals, 6-Gingerol and PT4-HP8 (unknown) were revealed to be more efficient than BHT (butylated hydroxy toluene). Contents of gingerols were determined through reverse phase HPLC. Total gingerol contents (sum of 6-,8-, and 10-gingerols) in rhizomes of different ginger varieties varied significantly. The HG55 (collected at Wanju district in Korea) and the HG52 (imported from Brazil) showed the highest gingerol contents.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제3권3호
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• pp.181-187
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• 1993

Steroid $\Delta^1$-dehydrogenase which introduces a double bond into the 1, 2 positions of steroid ring A was purified from Arthrobacter simplex, an excellent biotransformer of hydrocortisone into prednisolone. Hydrocortisone-induced cells were disrupted by vigorous agitation with glass beads, and a solubilized enzyme was obtained after centrifugation at 100, 000$\times$g for 90 minutes. The enzyme was purified 123-fold in three steps of chromatographic procedures with 13% yield. The last step of testosterone-agarose affinity column decisively contributed to the successful purification. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 98, 000 by SDS-PAGE and 100, 000 by gel filtration, indicating that this enzyme behaves as a monomer. The enzyme showed demands for artificial electron acceptor, and among the several reagents tested, phenazine methosulfate acted as the most effective electron acceptor. Subcellular distribution of this enzyme was studied by centrifugation experiment. Comparison of the enzyme activities in pelleted membrane and cytosol fractions suggests that the enzyme may be a weakly attached peripheral membrane protein in vivo. But considerable amounts of enzyme was solubilized without any additional treatments for membrane protein.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제65권2호
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• pp.93-99
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• 2022

Lysosome organelle extract (LOE) was derived from egg whites. The lysosome is an intracellular organelle that contains several hydrolysis enzymes. Previous studies have reported that LOE performs important functions, such as melanin de-colorization and anti-melanin production in B16F10 melanoma cells. However, its principal molecular and cellular mechanisms have not been elucidated till date. In non-cytotoxic conditions, LOE significantly inhibited α-MSH induced melanin synthesis of murine B16F10 cells. The anti-melanogenic activity of LOE was mediated by suppressing the mRNA expression of tyrosinase enzyme, tyrosinase related protein-1/2 (TRP-1/2), and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) genes. By performing western blot analysis, we found that LOE significantly attenuated melanogenesis. In this case, LOE helped in increasing extracellular receptor kinase (ERK) phosphorylation in α-MSH induced B16F10 cells. Furthermore, MITF is found to be a key regulatory transcription factor in melanin synthesis; it was down-regulated by LOE through ERK phosphorylation. In this experiment, PD98059 (MEK inhibitor) was used to check whether LOE directly regulated the activity of ERK. Although LOE exerted inhibitory effect on melanin synthesis, we could not observe this effect in PD98059-treated α-MSH induced B16F10. These results strongly indicate that LOE is related to ERK activation and MITF degradation in anti-skin pigmentation. Hence, LOE should be utilized as a whitening agent of skin in the near future.

• BMB Reports
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• 제47권10호
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• pp.546-551
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• 2014

The insecticidal activity of Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry toxins involves toxin stabilization, oligomerization, passage across the peritrophic membrane (PM), binding to midgut receptors and pore-formation. The residues Arg-158 and Tyr-170 have been shown to be crucial for the toxicity of Bt Cry4Ba. We characterized the biological function of these residues. In mosquito larvae, the mutants R158A/E/Q (R158) could hardly penetrate the PM due to a significantly reduced ability to alter PM permeability; the mutant Y170A, however, could pass through the PM, but degraded in the space between the PM and the midgut epithelium. Further characterization by oligomerization demonstrated that Arg-158 mutants failed to form correctly sized high-molecular weight oligomers. This is the first report that Arg-158 plays a role in the formation of Cry4Ba oligomers, which are essential for toxin passage across the PM. Tyr-170, meanwhile, is involved in toxin stabilization in the toxic mechanism of Cry4Ba in mosquito larvae.

• BMB Reports
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• 제40권4호
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• pp.475-485
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• 2007

Methamphetamine is an illicit drug that is often abused and can cause neuropsychiatric and neurotoxic damage. Repeated administration of psychostimulants such as methamphetamine induces a behavioral sensitization. According to a previous study, Bax was involved in neurotoxicity by methamphetamine, but the function of Bax in rewarding effect has not yet been elucidated. Therefore, we have studied the function of Bax in a rewarding effect model. In the present study, we treated chronic methamphetamine exposure in a Bax-deficient mouse model and examined behavioral change using a conditioned place preference (CPP) test. The CPP score in Bax knockout mice was decreased compared to that of wild-type mice. Therefore, we screened for Bax-related genes that are involved in rewarding effect using microarray technology. In order to confirm microarray data, we applied the RT-PCR method to observe relative changes of Bcl2, a pro-apoptotic family gene. As a result, using our experiment microarray, we selected genes that were associated with Bax in microarray data, and eventually selected the Tgfbr2 gene. Expression of the Tgfbr2 gene was decreased by methamphetamine in Bax knockout mice, and the gene was overexpressed in Bax wild-type mice. Additionally, we confirmed that Creb, FosB, and c-Fos were related to rewarding effect and Bax using immunohistochemistry.

• 한국균학회지
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• 제26권4호통권87호
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• pp.450-457
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• 1998

Cryparin은 Cryphonectria parasitica의 세포벽에 풍부한 소수성 단백질에 속한다. cryparin은 비록 하나의 유전자에 의해 발현되지만 액체배양 후 48시간이 지나면 발현된 전체 유전자중에서 22%를 차지할 정도의 높은 발현 양상을 나타낸다. 또한 cryparin은 RNA mycovirus인 Cryphonectria hypovirus 1의 감염에 의해 발현이 현저히 억제되는 유전자로 알려졌다. 이미 지난 실험(Kim et al., 1999)에서 상동염색체간의 재조합을 이용하여 cryparin 유전자를 항생제 hygromycin B 저항성 유전자로 치환한 치환체를 제조하였다. 발현율이 매우 높으면서도 virus에 의해 밀접하게 영향받는 cryparin 유전자의 promoter 분석을 위하여서는 대상이 되는 유전자 치환을 위한 vector만을 포함하며, 분석에 이용될 여러 유전자 운반체들이 어느 한곳에만 삽입되도록 하는 성질을 가진 균주의 개발이 필요하다. 그러나 지난번 실험의 결과 얻어진 cryparin 치환체는 치환용 vector외에도 무작위로 삽입된 vector가 존재하고 나아가 새로운 vector들이 어느 한곳에만 삽입되도록 하는 성질을 갖지 못하였다. 따라서 본 실험에서는 cryparin 유전자 치환체와 영양요구성 돌연변이체인 균주간의 교잡을 이용하여 분석 대상이 되는 유전자의 치환에 이용된 vector만을 포함하며, 분석에 이용될 여러 유전자 운반체들이 genome내의 어느 한곳에만 삽입되도록 하는 성질을 가진 균주를 제조하였다.