• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.467-472
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• 2014

Obesity is known to be strongly associated with cardiovascular disease and cancer, the leading causes of mortality worldwide, and develops owing to interactions between genes and the environment. DNA methylation can act as a downstream effector of environmental signals, and analysis of this process therefore holds substantial promise for identifying mechanisms through which genetic and environmental factors jointly contribute to disease risk. Global DNA methylation of peripheral blood cells has recently been proposed as a potential biomarker for disease risk. Repetitive element DNA methylation has been shown to be associated with prominent obesity-related chronic diseases, but little is known about its relationship with weight status. In this study, we quantified the methylation of Alu elements in the peripheral blood DNA of 244 healthy women with a range of body mass indexes (BMIs) using pyrosequencing technology. Among the study participants, certain clinical laboratory parameters, including hemoglobin, serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutamic- pyruvic transaminase, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels were found to be strongly associated with BMI. Moreover, a U-shaped association between BMI and Alu methylation was observed, with the lowest methylation levels occurring at BMIs of between 23 and $30kg/m^2$. However, there was no significant association between Alu methylation and age, smoking status, or alcohol consumption. Overall, we identified a differential influence of BMI on global DNA methylation in healthy Korean women, indicating that BMI-related changes in Alu methylation might play a complex role in the etiology and pathogenesis of obesity. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanisms underlying this relationship.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.7
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• pp.662-670
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• 2020

We have investigated the involvement of the pre-mRNA processing factor 4B (PRP4) kinase domain in mediating drug resistance. HCT116 cells were treated with curcumin, and apoptosis was assessed based on flow cytometry and the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Cells were then transfected with PRP4 or pre-mRNA-processing-splicing factor 8 (PRP8), and drug resistance was analyzed both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we deleted the kinase domain in PRP4 using Gateway™ technology. Curcumin induced cell death through the production of ROS and decreased the activation of survival signals, but PRP4 overexpression reversed the curcumin-induced oxidative stress and apoptosis. PRP8 failed to reverse the curcumin-induced apoptosis in the HCT116 colon cancer cell line. In xenograft mouse model experiments, curcumin effectively reduced tumour size whereas PRP4 conferred resistance to curcumin, which was evident from increasing tumour size, while PRP8 failed to regulate the curcumin action. PRP4 overexpression altered the morphology, rearranged the actin cytoskeleton, triggered epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and decreased the invasiveness of HCT116 cells. The loss of E-cadherin, a hallmark of EMT, was observed in HCT116 cells overexpressing PRP4. Moreover, we observed that the EMT-inducing potential of PRP4 was aborted after the deletion of its kinase domain. Collectively, our investigations suggest that the PRP4 kinase domain is responsible for promoting drug resistance to curcumin by inducing EMT. Further evaluation of PRP4-induced inhibition of cell death and PRP4 kinase domain interactions with various other proteins might lead to the development of novel approaches for overcoming drug resistance in patients with colon cancer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.862-870
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• 2010

Cyperus rotundus L. is a perennial herb that was found to be dominating an area in northeast Brazil previously contaminated with petroleum. In order to increase our knowledge of microorganism-plant interactions in phytoremediation, the bacterial community present in the rhizosphere and roots of C. rotundus was evaluated by culture-dependent and molecular approaches. PCR-DGGE analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene showed that the bacterial community in bulk soil, rhizosphere, and root samples had a high degree of similarity. A complex population of alkane-utilizing bacteria and a variable nitrogen-fixing population were observed via PCR-DGGE analysis of alkB and nifH genes, respectively. In addition, two clone libraries were generated from alkB fragments obtained by PCR of bulk and rhizosphere soil DNA samples. Statistical analyses of these libraries showed that the compositions of their respective populations were different in terms of alkB gene sequences. Using culturedependent techniques, 209 bacterial strains were isolated from the rhizosphere and rhizoplane/roots of C. rotundus. Dot-blot analysis showed that 17 strains contained both alkB and nifH gene sequences. Partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing revealed that these strains are affiliated with the genera Bosea, Cupriavidus, Enterobacter, Gordonia, Mycoplana, Pandoraea, Pseudomonas, Rhizobium, and Rhodococcus. These isolates can be considered to have great potential for the phytoremediation of soil with C. rotundus in this tropical soil area.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1680-1687
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• 2020

Fungal endophytes are symbiotic microorganisms that are often found in asymptomatic plants. This study describes the genetic diversity of the fungal endophytes isolated from the roots of plants sampled from the west coast of Korea. Five halophytic plant species, Limonium tetragonum, Suaeda australis, Suaeda maritima, Suaeda glauca Bunge, and Phragmites australis, were collected from a salt marsh in Gochang and used to isolate and identify culturable, root-associated endophytic fungi. The fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 was used as the DNA barcode for the classification of these specimens. In total, 156 isolates of the fungal strains were identified and categorized into 23 genera and two phyla (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota), with Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes as the predominant classes. The genus Alternaria accounted for the largest number of strains, followed by Cladosporium and Fusarium. The highest diversity index was obtained from the endophytic fungal group associated with the plant P. australis. Waito-C rice seedlings were treated with the fungal culture filtrates to analyze their plant growth-promoting capacity. A bioassay of the Sm-3-7-5 fungal strain isolated from S. maritima confirmed that it had the highest plant growth-promoting capacity. Molecular identification of the Sm-3-7-5 strain revealed that it belongs to Alternaria alternata and is a producer of gibberellins. These findings provided a fundamental basis for understanding the symbiotic interactions between plants and fungi.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.136-142
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• 2016

The influences of fluorescence, scattering, and flocculation in random media were interpreted for the scattered fluorescence intensity and wavelength, it has been studied the molecular properties by the spectroscopy of laser induced fluorescence(LIF). The effects of optical properties in scattering media have been found by the optical parameters(${\mu}_s$, ${\mu}_a$, ${\mu}_t$). Flocculation is an important step in many solid-liquid separation processes and is widely used in Photodynamic therapy. The interactions of several colloid particles can come into play which have major effect on the flocculation and LIF process. We measured scattering and fluorescence spectra of the sample in vitro as function of distance from lase source to detector. The value of scattering coefficient ${\mu}_s$ is and ${\beta}$-carotene were measured as larger values(I, ${\delta}$) by means of closer distance from source to detector.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.202-208
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• 1996

SAPO-11 was synthesized hydrothermally and dealuminated with $H_4$EDTA. The framework structure of SAPO-11 was maintained safely by 24 hours' dealumination, but further dealumination for 48 hours caused SAPO-11 collapsed and to be changed to variscite($AIPO_4{\cdot}2H_2O$) and tridymite($SiO_2$). Dealuminated SAPO-11 showed two structural hydroxyl bands at 3607 $cm^{-1}$ and 3453 $cm^{-1}$ respectively. The intensities of these two bands increased according to the extent of dealumination, and disappeared by the adsorption of methylamine. Dealuminated SAPO-11 showed higher desorption temperatures and greater activation energies in desorption of water and methylamine compared to non-dealuminated SAPO-11. All the phenomena may be due to the stronger interactions of Bronsted acid sites of structural hydroxyl groups generated by dealumination with adsorbed water and methylamine molecules respectively.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.5
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• pp.607-624
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• 2018

We review SAFT equation of state (EOS) which is based on TPT theory and statistical-mechanical principles, and confirm that it can be used as a useful tool to predict vapor-liquid phase equilibria of associating fluid mixtures. We examine theoretical structure of PC-SAFT EOS in great detail, and then assess the applicability and performance of the EOS while applying it to various mixtures containing nonpolar components, polar components and associating components in a stage-wise manner. In contrast to the conventional engineering EOS, PC-SAFT EOS can accurately predict nonideal behaviors of those mixtures without using semi-empirical binary interaction parameter. This is because the SAFT theory is based on a rigorous theoretical framework at molecular level which effectively accounts for various intermolecular interactions, and it thus provides substantial benefits in applying the SAFT EOS to complex thermodynamic phenomena of multi-component mixtures.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.83-87
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• 1999

Since the blastocyst is broken and spreads out on a flat plastic culture dish (two dimensional culture) during in vitro development, it has been difficult to study the implantation process. It also has been difficult to analyse the interactions between endometrial epithelial and stromal cells because of the lack of a long-term in vitro model which can stimulate in vivo characteristics, as these cells eventually fail to proliferate or cease to express differentiated functions. Recently nontransformed cell lines, CUE-P and CUS-V2, derived from rat endometrial epithelium and stroma were reported. In this study, morphology of CUE-P and CUS-V2 was examined and oxytocin gene expression by CUE-P cells was demonstrated by RT-PCR. The CUE-P cells have a cuboidal morphology and CUS-V2 cells resemble fibroblast and exhibit a spindle-like morphology. In RT-PCR, same size of PCR products of oxytocin gene at hypothalamus, uterus and CUE-P cells were demonstrated. These results showed three dimensional culture system could be made by using the new cell lines.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.445-454
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• 2007

Background: Phosphatidic acid(PA), an important second messenger, is involved in inflammation. Notably, cell-cell interactions via adhesion molecules playa central role in inflammation. This thesis show that PA induces expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1(ICAM-1) on macrophages and describe the signaling pathways. Materials and methods: Macrophages were cultured in the presence of 10% FBS and assayed cell to cell adhesion using HUVEC. For the gene and protein analysis, RT-PCR, Western blot and flow cytometry were performed. In addition, overexpressed cell lines for dominant negative PKC-${\delta}$ mutant established and tested their effect on the promoter activity and expression of ICAM-1 protein by PA. Results: PA-activated macrophages significantly increased adhering to human umbilical vein endothelial cell and this adhesion was mediated by ICAM-1. Pretreatment with rottlerin(PKC-${\delta}$ inhibitor) or expression of a dominant negative PKC-${\delta}$ mutant, but not Go6976(classical PKC-${\alpha}$ inhibitor) and myristoylated PKC-${\xi}$ inhibitor, attenuated PA-induced ICAM-1 expression. The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) inhibitor blocked PA-induced ICAM-1 expression in contrast, ERK upstream inhibitor didn't block ICAM-1. Conclusion: These data suggest that PA-induced ICAM-1 expression and cell-cell adhesion in macrophages requires PKC-${\delta}$ activation and that PKC-${\delta}$ activation is triggers to sequential activation of p38 MAPK.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.2005-2011
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• 2012

Nopp140 is a highly phosphorylated protein that resides in the nucleolus of mammalian cell and is involved in the biogenesis of the nucleolus. It interacts with a variety of proteins related to the synthesis and assembly of the ribosome. It also can bind to a ubiquitous protein kinase CK2 that mediates cell growth and prevents apoptosis. We found that Nopp140 is an intrinsically unfolded protein (IUP) lacking stable secondary structures over its entire sequence of 709 residues. We discovered that mitoxantrone, an anticancer agent, was able to enhance the interaction between Nopp140 and CK2 and maintain suppressed activity of CK2. Surface plasma resonance studies on different domains of Nopp140 show that the C-terminal region of Nopp140 is responsible for binding with mitoxantrone. Our results present an interesting example where a small chemical compound binds to an intrinsically unfolded protein (IUP) and enhances protein-protein interactions.