• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.129-137
• /
• 2007

Intercellular signaling is a crucial biological process for the coordination of cell differentiation, organ development and whole plant physiology. The intercellular movement of macromolecule signals such as proteins and RNAs has emerged as a novel mechanism of cell-to-cell communication in plant. Plasmodesmata, which are intercellular symplasmic channels, provide a key pathway for cell-to-cell trafficking of regulatory proteins / RNAs. This review specifically focuses on integrating the recent understanding on non-cell autonomous macromolecules, their function and regulatory mechanisms of intercellular trafficking through plasmodesmata.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
• /
• v.31 no.2 s.85
• /
• pp.249-259
• /
• 2001

This study was designed to evaluate the expression of heat shock protein in tooth and surrounding tissue during the experimental movement of rat incisors, by LSAB(labelled streptavidine biotin) immunohistochemical staining for heat shock protein. Twenty seven Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into a control group(3 rats), and 6 experimental groups(24 rats), to which 75g of force was applied from helical springs across the maxillary incisors. Rats of experimental groups were sacrificed at 0.5, 1, 4, 7, 14 and 28 days after force application, respectively. And the periodontal tissues of a control group and experimental groups were studied immunohistochemically. The results were as follows : 1. In control group, the expression of HSP47 was rare in gingiva, dentin and cementum, and mild in periodontal ligament and alveolar bone. But it was more evident than that of HSP70. 2. The expression of HSP47 or HSP70 was rare or mild in dentin, cementum and odontoblast of experimental group, regardless of the duration of force application, which was not different from that of control group. 3. In experimental group, the expression of HSP47 got to the highest degree in periodontal ligament and alveolar bone at 4 days after force application, and then decreased. And the expression was more evident in the pressure side than in the tension side of periodontal ligament 4. The expression of HSP70 began to increase at 12 hours after force application and got to the highest degree at 4 days, in the capillary of pulp and periodontal ligament. And the expression was more evident in the pressure side than in the tension side of periodontal ligament 5. The expression of HSP70 in alveolar bone of experimental group was rare, which was similar to that of control group.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.279-288
• /
• 2006

Objectives : We investigated the association of SNP A and P1763 polymorphisms on dystrobrevin binding protein 1(DTNBP1) gene with smooth pursuit eye movement(SPEM) abnormality in Korean schizophrenic patients. Methods : We measured SPEM function in 217 Korean schizophrenics(male 116, female 101) and divided them into two groups, one is a good SPEM function group and the other is a poor SPEM function group. We then analyzed SNP A polymorphism and P1763 polymorphism on DTNBP1 gene from their DNAs extracted from their blood. We compared the differences of genotype and allele distributions of the two polymorphisms on DTNBP1 gene between the two groups. Results : The Ln S/N ratio(mean${\pm}$SD) of the good SPEM function group was $4.39{\pm}0.33$ and the ratio of poor SPEM function group was $3.17{\pm}0.71$. There were no statistically significant differences of age and male/female ratio between the two groups. There were no significant differences of genotype or allele distributions of the SNP A polymorphism and P1763 polymorphism on DTNBP1 gene between the two schizophrenic groups divided by SPEM function. Conclusion : The results suggest that SNP A polymorphism and P1763 polymorphism on DTNBP1 gene might not be related to SPEM function abnormality in schizophrenia.

• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
• /
• v.6 no.4
• /
• pp.3.1-3.10
• /
• 2014

Amino acid substitution matrices are essential tools for protein sequence analysis, homology sequence search in protein databases and multiple sequence alignment. The PAM matrix was the first widely used amino acid substitution matrix. The BLOSUM series then succeeded the PAM matrix. Most substitution matrixes were developed by using the statistical frequency of substitution between each amino acid at blocks representing groups of protein families or related proteins. However, substitution of amino acids is based on the similarity of physiochemical properties of each amino acid. In this study, a new approach was used to obtain major physiochemical properties in multiple sequence alignment. Frequency of amino acid substitution in multiple sequence alignment database and selected attributes of amino acids in physiochemical properties database were merged. This merged data showed the major physiochemical properties through principle components analysis. Using factor analysis, these four principle components were interpreted as flexibility of electronic movement, polarity, negative charge and structural flexibility. Applying these four components, BAPS was constructed and validated for accuracy. When comparing receiver operated characteristic ($ROC_{50}$) values, BAPS scored slightly lower than BLOSUM and PAM. However, when evaluating for accuracy by comparing results from multiple sequence alignment with the structural alignment results of two test data sets with known three-dimensional structure in the homologous structure alignment database, the result of the test for BAPS was comparatively equivalent or better than results for prior matrices including PAM, Gonnet, Identity and Genetic code matrix.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.44 no.4 s.140
• /
• pp.331-341
• /
• 2006

Actin binding proteins play key roles in cell structure and movement particularly as regulators of the assembly, stability and localization of actin filaments in the cytoplasm. In the present study, a cDNA clone encoding an actin bundling protein named as AhABP was isolated from Acanthamoeba healyi, a causative agent of granulomatous amebic encephalitis. This clone exhibited high similarity with genes of Physarum polycephalum and Dictyostelium discoideum, which encode actin bundling proteins. Domain search analysis revealed the presence of essential conserved regions, i.e., an active actin binding site and 2 putative calcium binding EF-hands. Transfected amoeba cells demonstrated that AhABP is primarily localized in phagocytic cups, peripheral edges, pseudopods, and in cortical cytoplasm where actins are most abundant. Moreover, AhABP after the deletion of essential regions formed ellipsoidal inclusions within transfected cells. High-speed co-sedimentation assays revealed that AhABP directly interacted with actin in the presence of up to $10{\mu}M$ of calcium. Under the electron microscope, thick parallel bundles were formed by full length AhABP, in contrast to the thin actin bundles formed by constructs with deletion sites. In the light of these results, we conclude that AhABP is a novel actin bundling protein that is importantly associated with actin filaments in the cytoplasm.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.12 no.3
• /
• pp.145-151
• /
• 2006

Leukotactin-l (Lkn-l )/CCL15 has been known as a potent chemoattractant of leukocytes. However, the precise function of Lkn-l in human neutrophils has not been explained well. In the present study, we investigated the contribution of Lkn-1 in chemotactic activity of human neutrophils. Both CCR1 and CCR3 mRNA expressions are strongly expressed in human neutrophils but CCR2 protein expression was uniquely detected on the cell surface. Lkn-l binding to CCR1 and CCR3 induced chemotactic activity of neutrophils. Chemotactic index of Lkn-l was comparable to that of IL-8. $MIP-1{\alpha}/CCL3$ binding to CCR1 and CCR5 has no effect on neutrophil migration. Cell migration, in response to Lkn-l, was blocked by pertussis toxin (Ptx), a $G_o/G_i$ protein inhibitor, and U73122, a phospholipase C(PLC) inhibitor but not by protein kinase C inhibitor such as rottlerin, and Ro-31-8425. Taken together, our results demonstrate that Lkn-l transduces the chemotaxis signal through $G_o/G_i$ protein and PLC. This finding provides the molecular mechanism by which Lkn-l may contribute to neutrophil movement into the site of inflammation.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
• /
• v.19 no.11
• /
• pp.632-643
• /
• 2019

In recent years, large scale damages from arbovirus infections by mosquitoes have been reported worldwide due to factors such as change in global climate, increased overseas travel, and increased logistics movement between countries. Among them, Zika virus and dengue virus belonging to genus Flavivirus are representative. In this study, we performed in-depth analyses of the envelope (E) protein that perform essential functions for host infection of Zika virus and dengue virus based on bioinformatics databases. The domain analysis of E protein was performed to determine the type, location, and function, and homology analysis for each domain. From these results, EDIII showing low homology was identified. The homology and immunogenicity of each peptide constituting EDIII were analyzed and three-dimensional structures were modeled. Furthermore, we discussed their biological meaning and how they could be used.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.286-294
• /
• 2023

Biological and molecular characterization of a Korean isolate of Orthotospovirus chrysanthinecrocaulis (formerly known as chrysanthemum stem necrosis virus, CSNV) isolated from Chrysanthemum morifolium was determined using host range and sequence analysis in this study. Twenty-three species of indicator plants inoculated mechanically CSNV-Kr was investigated for determination of host range. CSNV-Kr induced various local and systemic symptoms in the inoculated plant species. CSNV-Kr could not infect three plant species and induced symptomless in systemic leaves in Nicotiana tabacum cultivars, though the plant samples reacted positively with the antiserum to CSNV by double-antibody sandwich-enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The complete genome sequence of CSNV-Kr was determined. The L RNA of CSNV-Kr consists of 8,959 nucleotides (nt) and encodes a putative RNA-dependent RNA polymerase. The M RNA of CSNV-Kr consists of 4,835 nt and encodes the movement protein (NSm) and the glycoprotein precursor (Gn/Gc protein). The S RNA of CNSV-Kr consists of 2,836 nt and encodes NSs protein and N protein. The Gn/Gc and N sequence of CSNV-Kr were compared with those of previously published CSNV isolates originating from different countries at nucleotide and amino acid levels. The Gn/GC sequence of CSNV-Kr shared 98.8-99.5% identity with CSNV isolated from other countries and the N sequence of CSNV-Kr shared 98.8-99.6% identity. No particular region of variability could be found in either grouping of viruses. All of the CSNV isolates did not show any relationship according to geographical origins and isolation hosts, suggesting no distinct segregation of the CSNV isolates.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.355-363
• /
• 1995

It has been well known that the intracellular calcium concentration $([Ca^{2+}]_i)$ in living cell is very sensitive to live or to survive, but the transmembrane system of calcium ion, especially mechanism of calcium ion movement in unexcitable state has been little elucidated. Though many proposed theories for calcium ion transport have been reported, it is still unclear that how could the sustained maintenance in cytosolic calcium level be done in cell. Since one of possible mechanisms of calcium transport may be related to the acetylcholine receptor-linked calcium channel, author performed experiment to elucidate this mechanism of calcium influx related to cholinergic receptor in ml muscarinic receptor-transfected RBL-2H3 cell-line. 1) The effects of carbachol both on calcium ion influx and on the secretion of hexosaminidase were respectively observed in the manner of time-related or concentration-dependent pattern in this model. 2) The effects of several metal cations on calcium transport were shown in carbachol-induced cell-line. 3) Atropine was administered to examine the relationship between cholinergic receptor and calcium ion influx in this model. 4) PMA (Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate) or PTx (Pertussis toxin) was respectively administered to examine the secondary mediator which involved pathway of calcium ion movement in carbachol-induced cell-line. The results of this experiments were as follows; 1) Carbachol significantly stimulated both the calcium influx and the secretion of hexosaminidase in the manner of the concentration-dependent pattern. 2) Atropine potently blocked the effects of carbachol in concentration-response manner. 3) Administered metal cations inhibited the calcium influx in carbachol-stimulated this model to the concentration-related pattern. 4) PMA did not inhibit carbachol-induced secretion of hexosaminidase, but blocked the calcium influx in this cell-line. 5) The suppression of carbachol-induced hexosaminidase secretion was shown in PTx-treated cell -line.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• v.23 no.6
• /
• pp.582-589
• /
• 2015

Several theories emphasize that aging is closely related to oxidative stress and disease. The formation of excess ROS can lead to DNA damage and the acceleration of aging. Vigna angularis is one of the important medicinal plants in Korea. We isolated vitexin from V. angularis and elucidated the lifespan-extending effect of vitexin using the Caenorhabditis elegans model system. Vitexin showed potent lifespan extensive activity and it elevated the survival rates of nematodes against the stressful environments including heat and oxidative conditions. In addition, our results showed that vitexin was able to elevate antioxidant enzyme activities of worms and reduce intracellular ROS accumulation in a dose-dependent manner. These studies demonstrated that the increased stress tolerance of vitexin-mediated nematode could be attributed to increased expressions of stress resistance proteins such as superoxide dismutase (SOD-3) and heat shock protein (HSP-16.2). In this work, we also studied whether vitexin-mediated longevity activity was associated with aging-related factors such as progeny, food intake, growth and movement. The data revealed that these factors were not affected by vitexin treatment except movement. Vitexin treatment improved the body movement of aged nematode, suggesting vitexin affects healthspan as well as lifespan of nematode. These results suggest that vitexin might be a probable candidate which could extend the human lifespan.