• KSBB Journal
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.124-132
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• 2017

A methane-oxidizing bacterium was isolated from rice paddy field soil around Jeollanam-do province, Korea, and characterized. The isolate was gram-negative, orange pigmented and short rod ($1.1-1.2{\times}1.6-1.9{\mu}m$). It was catalase and urease-negative but oxidase-positive. The strain utilized methane and methanol as sole carbon and energy sources. It had an ability to grow with an optimum pH 7.0 and an optimum growth temperature $30^{\circ}C$. The strain was resistant to antibiotic polymyxin B but sensitive to streptomycin, kanamycin, ampicillin, chloramphenicol and rifampicin. The isolate required copper for their growth with concentration range of $2-25{\mu}M$, with an optimum of $10{\mu}M$. Under optimal culture condition, specific cell growth rate and generation time were found to be $0.046hr^{-1}$ and 15.13 hr, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rDNA sequences indicated that the strain formed a tight phylogenetic lineage with Methylomonas koyamae with a value of 99.4% gene sequence homology. So, we named the isolate as Methylomonas sp. SM4. 8.6 mM methanol was accumulated in the reaction mixture containing 70 mM sodium formate and 40 mM $MgCl_2$ (MDH inhibitor) under atmosphere of methane:air (40:60) mixture for 24 hr at $30^{\circ}C$.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.205-213
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• 1995

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of organic solvents on xenobiotic metabollzing enzyme system in vivo by meaas of experimental conditions i.e. (1) single group which was treated by benzene (B), toluene (T) and xylene (X), respectively, (2) combination group which was treated by mixture of benzene+toluene (BT), benzene+xylene (BX), and toluene+xylene (TX), respectively, (3) mixture group which was treated by benzene+ toluene+xylene mixture (M), and to interpreat the interaction between the organic solvents metabolizing enzymes. 1. The contents of cytochrome P-450 in liver microsomes were increased (p < 0.01) in organic solvents treated groups, and the contents of cytochrome P-450 were increased by following order of B < T < M < BT=BX < X < TX. 2. The activity of cytochrome P-450 dependent AHHase was significantly higher in organic solvents treated groups than in control group (p < 0.01), and the activity of AHHase was increased by following order of B < T < BT=BX=TX=xylene < M. 3. The activity of NADPH P-450 reductase was significantly higher in organic solvents treated groups than in control group (p < 0.01), and the order of M < combinated group < X < T

• Toxicological Research
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2010

The Malassezia fungi are responsible for various human skin disorders including dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis. Of the Malassezia fungi, Malassezia globosa (M. globosa) is one of the most common in human scalp. The completed genome sequence of M. globosa contains four putative cytochrome P450 genes. To determine the roles of Malassezia P450 enzymes in the biosynthesis of ergosterol, we isolated MGL3996 gene from M. globosa chromosomal DNA by PCR. The MGL3996 gene encodes an enzyme of 616 amino acids, which shows strong similarity with known CYP52s of other species. MGL3996 gene was cloned and expressed in Pichia pastoris (P. pastoris) heterologous yeast expression system. Using the yeast microsomes expressing MGL3996 protein, a typical P450 CO-difference spectrum was shown with absorption maximum at 448 nm. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed a protein band of apparent molecular weight 69 kDa and Western blot with anti-histidine tag antibody showed that MGL3996 was successfully expressed in P. pastoris. Cloning and expression of a new P450 gene is an important step to study the P450 monooxygenase system of M. globosa and to understand the role of P450 enzymes in pathophysiology of dandruff.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.291-299
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• 1993

Midgut tissues from 4 insect specIes were exammed for the activity of cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases, a major enzyme involved in chemical detoxification. When Helicoverpa assulta larvae were reared on an artificial d;et, the specific activity of the midgut cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases (MFO) was :3 times higher than that of the fat body, The specific activity of the midgut cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases was higher in H. assul/a larvae when reared on Nicotiana tabacum leaves than when on CapsIcum annuum fruits or an artificial diet. In the case of Hyphantria cunea larvae, Tilia megaphyllo leaves were the best in inducing midgut cytochrome P-450 monooxygenases activity. When larvae of H. assulta, Spodoptera exigua, H. cunea and Spodoptera litura were reared on their own artificial diet, the highest activity was seen in S. exigua larvae which is a polyphagous and insecticide-resistant strain.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2011

The cytochrome P450 (P450, CYP) are the superfamily of heme-containing monooxygenase enzymes, found throughout all nature including mammals, plants, and microorganisms. Mammalian P450 enzymes are involved in oxidative metabolism of a wide range of endo- and exogenous chemicals. Especially P450s involved in drug metabolisms are important for drug efficacy and polymorphisms of P450s in individuals reflect differences of drug responses between people. To study the functional differences of CYP2A6, CYP2D6, and CYP4A11 variants, we cloned the four CYP2A6, three CYP2D6, and three CYP4A11 variants, which were found in Korean populations, in mammalian expression vector pcDNA by PCR and examined their expressions in COS-7 mammalian cells using immunoblots using P450 specific polyclonal antibodies. Three of four CYP2A6, two of three CYP4A11, and two of three CYP2D6 variants showed expressions in COS-7 cells but the relative levels of expressions are remarkably different in those of each variants. Our findings may help to study and explain the differences between functions of CYP variants and drug responses in Korean populations.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Tobacco Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.99-107
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• 1998

Numerous studies have demonstrated a negative association between cigarette smoking and Parkinson's disease. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether chronic exposure of mice to cigarette smoke a(footed the metabolism of 1-methyl-1113,6-tetrahydro-pyridine (MPTP) by cytochrome P4SO (P-450) or flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) in the hepatic microsomes of C57BL6/J mice. Adult male C57BL6/J mice were exposed to mainstream smoke generated from 15 cigarettes for 10 min a day and 5 day per week for 6 weeks. MPTP (10 mg/kg body weight) was administered to mice by subcutaneous injection for 6 consecutive days. Microsolnal P-450 content was increased by MPTP, smoke exposure, or both, but NADPH cytochrome P-450 reductase activity was rather decreased by the same treatments. The activities of benzo(a)pyrene hydroxylase, 7-ethoxycoumarin O-deethylase and ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase were significantly increased by the exposure of cigarette smoke, but were not or little affected by MPTP treatment. Benzphetamine N-demethylase activity was not affected either by MPTP treatment or by cigarette smoke exposure, but it was significantly increased by the combined MPTP treatment with cigarette smoke exposure, showing their synergic effect for the induction of the enzyme activity. Interestingly, in vitro studies of hepatic FMO and P-450 system both O-oxygenation and N-demethylation of MPTP were increased in the smoke-exposed or in the MPTP-treated mice. These results suggest that the enhancement in the N-demethylation as well as O-deethylation of P-450 system and in the N-oxygenation of FMO activity by cigarette smoke exposure in mouse liver may contribute to attenuating the neurotoxic effects of MPTP on the nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurons.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2002

A 4.8-kb DNA fragment encoding the P-450 type hydroxylase and ferredoxin genes was cloned from Pseudonocardia autotrophica IFO 12743 that can convert vitamin D$\_$3/ into its hydroxylated active forms. In order to isolate the P-450 gene cluster in this organism, we designed PCR primers on the basis of the regions of an oxygen binding site and a heme ligand pocket that are general characteristics of the P-450 hydroxylase. Sequencing analysis of the BamHI fragment revealed the presence of four complete and one incomplete ORFs, named PauA, PauB, PauC, and PauD, respectively. As a result of computer-based analyses, PauA and PauB have homology with enoyl-CoA hydratase from several organisms and the positive regulators belonging to the tetR family, respectively. PauC and PauD show similarity with SuaB/C proteins and ferredoxins, respectively, which are composed of P-450 monooxygenase systems for metabolizing two sulfonylurea herbicides in Streptomyces griseolus PauC shows the highest similarity with another CytP-450$\_$Sca2/ protein that is responsible for production of a specific HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor, pravastatin, in S. carbophilus. Cultures of Steptomyces lividans transformant, containing the P-450 gene cluster on the pWHM3 plasmid, was unable to convert vitamin D$\_$3/ to its hydroxylated forms.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1736-1748
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• 2018

Brucella abortus can survive and replicate within host macrophages, and great efforts have been made to demonstrate the genes involved in pathogenicity, such as internalization, in Brucella research. Here, intracellular responses were compared between THP-1 macrophage cells stimulated with B. abortus wild-type and four mutants (C1, C10, C27, and C32) using microarray to demonstrate the role of genes related to intracellular survival and replication. These mutants were generated by deleting genes encoding BAB_RS13225 (4-hydrobenzoate 3-monooxygenase, PHBH), BAB_RS00455 (heme exporter protein cytochrome C, CcmC), BAB_RS03675 (exopolyphosphatase, PPX), and BAB_RS13225 (peptidase M24). The results showed that mutants C1 and C10 induced significant suppression of survival levels and cytokine expression relative to wild-type in the THP-1 macrophage cells. These findings suggest that the BAB_RS13225 and BAB_RS00455 genes play important roles in survival within human macrophages. Conversely, mutants C27 and C32 induced significantly higher survival level than wild-type in the cells inhibiting cellular signal transduction. It is assumed that the BAB_RS03675 and BAB_RS13225 genes play a role in cellular resistance to B. abortus. Therefore, the disrupted genes are involved in B. abortus intracellular growth, and especially in its survival, and they could be effective targets for understanding the intracellular bacterium, B. abortus.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.54-56
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• 2006

Single-well-gas-sparging tests were developed and evaluated for assessing the feasibility of in-situ aerobic cometabolism of trichloroethylene (TCE), using propane as a growth substrate. To evaluate transport characteristics of dissolved solutes [sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) or bromide (non-reactive tracers), propane (a growth substrate), ethylene, propylene (nontoxic surrogates to probe for CAH transformation activity), and DO], push-pull transport tests were performed. Mass balance showed about 90% of the injected bromide and about 80% of the injected SF6 were recovered, and the recoveries of other solutes were comparable with bromide and slightly higher than SF6. A series of Gas-Sparging Biostimulation tests were performed by sparging propane/oxygen/argon/SF6 gas mixtures, and temporal ground water samples were obtained from the injection well under natural gradient 'drift' conditions. The decreased time for propane depletion and the longer time to deplete SF6 as a conservative tracer indicate the progress of biostimulation. Gas-Sparging Activity tests were performed. .Propane utilization, DO consumption, and ethylene and propylene cometabolism were well demonstrated. The stimulated propane-utilizers cometabolized ethylene and propylene to produce ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, as cometabolic by-products, respectively. Gas-Sparging Acetylene Blocking tests were performed by sparging gas mixtures including acetylene to demonstrate the involvement of monooxygenase enzymes. Gas substrate degradation was essentially completely Inhibited in the presence of acetylene, and no production of the corresponding oxides was also observed. The Gas-Sparging tests supports the evidences that the successive stimulation of propane-oxidizing microorganisms, cometabolic transformation of ethylene and propylene by the enzyme responsible for methane and propane degradation.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.72-78
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• 2013

This work aimed to assess some pharmacological activities of P. leptostachya var. asiatica Hara. The dried roots of P. leptostachya var. asiatica Hara were extracted with 70% ethanol to generate the powdered extract, named PLE. Anti-angiogenic activity was detected using chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. In vitro anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated via analyzing nitric oxide (NO) content, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. Antioxidant activity was determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in the stimulated macrophage cells. Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and -2 (MMP-2) activities in the culture media were detected using zymography. PLE exhibits an anti-angiogenic activity in the CAM assay, and displays an inhibitory action on the generation of NO in the LPS-stimulated macrophage cells. In the stimulated macrophage cells, it is able to diminish the enhanced ROS level. It can potently scavenge the stable DPPH free radical. It suppresses the induction of iNOS and COX-2 and the enhanced MMP-9 activity in the stimulated macrophage cells. Both monooxygenase and oxidase activities of tyrosinase were strongly inhibited by PLE. Taken together, the dried roots of P. leptostachya var. asiatica Hara possess anti-angiogenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and skin whitening activities, which might partly provide its therapeutic efficacy in traditional medicine.