• Molecules and Cells
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• 제22권1호
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• pp.36-43
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• 2006

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are promising candidates for cell therapy and tissue engineering, but their application has been impeded by lack of knowledge of their core biological properties. In order to identify MSC-specific proteins, the hydrophobic protein fraction was individually prepared from two different umbilical cord blood (UCB)-derived MSC populations; these were then subjected to two-dimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis and peptide mass fingerprinting matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI)-time of flight (TOF)-mass spectrometry (MS). Although the 2D gel patterns differed somewhat between the two samples, computer-assisted image analysis identified shared protein spots. 35 spots were reliably identified corresponding to 32 different proteins, many of which were chaperones. Based on their primary sub-cellular locations the proteins could be grouped into 6 categories: extracellular, cell surface, endoplasmic reticular, mitochondrial, cytoplasmic and cytoskeletal proteins. This map of the water-insoluble proteome may provide valuable insights into the biology of the cell surface and other compartments of human MSCs.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.280-287
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• 2005

The insulin-mediated Ras/mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade was examined in SK-N-BE(2) and PC12 cells, which can and cannot produce reactive oxygen species (ROS), respectively. Tyrosine phosphorylation of the insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1) was much lower in SK-N-BE(2) cells than in PC12 cells when the cells were treated with insulin. The insulin-mediated interaction of IRS-1 with Grb2 was observed in PC12 but not in SK-N-BE(2) cells. Moreover, the activity of extracellular-signal-related kinase (ERK) was much lower in SK-N-BE(2) than in PC12 cells when the cells were treated with insulin. Application of exogenous $H_2O_2$ caused increased tyrosine phosphorylation and Grb2 binding to IRS-1 in SK-N-BE(2) cells, while exposure to an $H_2O_2$ scavenger (N-acetylcysteine) or to a phophatidylinositol-3 kinase inhibitor (wortmannin), and expression of a dominant negative Rac1, decreased the activation of ERK in insulin-stimulated PC12 cells. These results indicate that the transient increase of ROS is needed to activate ERK in insulin-mediated signaling and that an inability to generate ROS is the reason for the insulin insensitivity of SK-N-BE(2) cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제6권6호
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• pp.386-390
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• 1996

The ${\beta}$-galactosidase gene from Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis ATCC 7962 was cloned and its enzymatic properties were characterized, with a view to assessing its potential use as a selection marker in the food-grade cloning vector. Chromosomal DNA from L. lactis subsp. lactis 7962 was cleaved with PstI and ligated into pBR322 for transformation into Escherichia coli TGl. Transformants showing ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity possessed the pBR322 plasmid containing a 10 kilobase (kb) PstI fragment and this plasmid was named pCKL11. The cloned ${\beta}$-galactosidase gene came from the chromosomal DNA of L. lactis subsp. lactis 7962 was confirmed by Southern hybridization. A restriction map of pCKL11 was constructed from the cleavage of both pCKL11 and the purified 10kb insert fraqment. The. optimum pH of the ${\beta}$-galactosidase determined with the E. coli harboring the pCKL11 was 7.0. The optimum temperature was $50^{\circ}C$, while the pI of the enzyme was 7.4. These values were the same as those of the enzyme from the parent strain.

• 통합자연과학논문집
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• 제4권2호
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• pp.91-98
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• 2011

Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) have been applied for two decades in the development of relationships between physicochemical properties of chemical substances and their biological activities to obtain a reliable statistical model for prediction of the activities of new chemical entities. The fundamental principle underlying the QSAR is that the structural difference is responsible for the variations in biological activities of the compounds. In this work, we developed 3D-QSAR model for a series of 5-Lipoxygenase inhibitors, utilizing comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) and Topomer CoMFA methodologies. Our developed models addressed superiority of Topomer CoMFA over CoMFA. The CoMFA model was obtained with $q^2$=0.593, $r^2$=0.939, $Q^2$=0.334 with 6 optimum number of components (ONC). Higher statistical results were obtained with the Topomer CoMFA model ($q^2$=0.819, $r^2$=0.947, ONC=5). Further robustness of developed models was checked with the ANOVA test and it shows F=113 for CoMFA and F=162.4 for Topomer CoMFA model. Contour map analysis indicated that the more requirement of electrostatic parameter for improved potency.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.293-296
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• 1999

Different Y mutation in Yq11 occurring de novo in sterile males were first described 19 years ago. Since the phenotype of the patients was always associated with azoospermia or severe oligospermia, it was postulated that these mutations interrupt a Y spermatogenesis locus in the euchromatic Y region (Yq11) called azoospermia factor (AZF). Recently, it became possible to map AZF mutations to different subregions in Yq11by molecular deletion mapping. This indicated that azoospermia is possibly caused by more than one Y gene in Yq11 and the Yq11 chromatin structure. The frequency of AZF mutations in idiopathic sterile males $(5{\sim}20%)$ may indicate a need for a general screening programme for its analysis in infertility clinic. We have experienced a case of deletion distal to Yq11 region in azoospermic patient. So we report this case with a brief review of literatures.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제25권12호
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• pp.1791-1800
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• 2004

Angiotensin I, a model decapeptide, was glycosylated and partially hydrolyzed with HCl (6 N, 80 $^{\circ}C$, 4 h), aminopeptidase, and carboxypeptidase Y. A single peptide mass map obtained from truncated peptides in the partial acid hydrolysate of angiotensin and its glycosylation product mixture by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry enabled sequencing of angiotensin by a combinatorial procedure. MALDI-TOF and electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometric results indicate that both the N-terminal amino group of aspartic acid and the guanidinium group of the second residue arginine are glycosylated.

• BMB Reports
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• 제40권1호
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• pp.1-6
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• 2007

Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) is a mitogenactivated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase kinase that activates JNK and p38 kinases. ASK1 is activated by various stresses, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS), endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and calcium influx which are thought to be responsible for the pathogenesis or exacerbations of various human diseases. Recent studies revealed the involvement of ASK1 in ROS- or ER stressrelated diseases, suggesting that ASK1 may be a potential therapeutic target of various human diseases. In this review, we focus on the current findings for the relationship between pathogenesis and ASK1-MAPK pathways.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제28권5호
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• pp.417-422
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• 2009

Mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) are known to get activated during various stress signals and transduce the message from the cell membrane to the nucleus for appropriate cellular reorganization. Though, a certain basal activity of MAPK is often observed in the control plants. Prolonged exposure of rice plants to lowered or elevated temperature exhibited a rhythm in the activation of MAPKs. We analyzed existence of a possible endogenous rhythm in the activity of MAPKs in rice plants. The plants growing at constant temperature entrained in 16/8 h day-night cycle showed diurnal rhythm in activity. When the activation of MAPK was tested under continuous conditions by shifting plants to continuous darkness for a period of 72 h, the periodic rhythm persisted and followed a circadian pattern. Analysis of the transcripts of group A, B and C members of MAPKs under above conditions by quantitative real time PCR revealed that the members of group C exhibit periodic rhythm. Our data indicates that the MAP kinase activity in rice follows rhythmic expression in a circadian manner.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제40권5호
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• pp.371-377
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• 2017

Despite the importance of the receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB ligand (RANKL)-RANK signaling mechanisms on osteoclast differentiation, little has been studied on how RANK expression is regulated or what regulates its expression during osteoclastogenesis. We show here that insulin signaling increases RANK expression, thus enhancing osteoclast differentiation by RANKL. Insulin stimulation induced RANK gene expression in time- and dose-dependent manners and insulin receptor shRNA completely abolished RANK expression induced by insulin in bone marrow-derived monocyte/macrophage cells (BMMs). Moreover, the addition of insulin in the presence of RANKL promoted RANK expression. The ability of insulin to regulate RANK expression depends on extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) since only PD98059, an ERK1/2 inhibitor, specifically inhibited its expression by insulin. However, the RANK expression by RANKL was blocked by all three mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases inhibitors. The activation of RANK increased differentiation of BMMs into tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase-positive ($TRAP^+$) osteoclasts as well as the expression of dendritic cell-specific transmembrane protein (DC-STAMP) and d2 isoform of vacuolar ($H^+$) ATPase (v-ATPase) Vo domain (Atp6v0d2), genes critical for osteoclastic cell-cell fusion. Collectively, these results suggest that insulin induces RANK expression via ERK1/2, which contributes to the enhancement of osteoclast differentiation.

• 한국육종학회지
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• 제42권1호
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• pp.23-27
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• 2010

The objective of this study was to map the gene for reduced embryo size in rice using DNA markers. The reduced embryo size mutant was induced from N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) treated Taichung 65. Genetic analysis revealed that the phenotype of the reduced embryo was controlled by a single recessive gene, designated as re-1. For mapping the gene controlling embryo size, an $F_2$ population was developed from a cross between the Korean Tongil-type, Milyang 23 (Oryza sativa ssp. indica) and the mutant. The ratio of $F_2$ seeds nearly fitted to 3:1 ratio, indicating that this phenotype was controlled by a single recessive gene. Bulked sergeant analysis was performed with SSR markers. The gene for the reduced embryo size was detected on chromosome 1. The gene was further mapped between two SSR markers, RM315 and RM265 on chromosome 1 (approximately 1.5 Mb interval). The linked markers will facilitate selection of this grain character in a breeding program and provide the foundation for positional cloning of this gene.