• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.590-600
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• 2003

The matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a family of enzymes responsible for degrading connective tissue. MMPs catalyze the breakdown of collagen from the extracellular matrix, leading to wrinkle formation and accelerated skin aging. Furthermore, ultraviolet irradiation causes increased expression of certain MMPs. In the extracellular matrix turnover, MMPs are interacting with endogenous regulators named tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs). Using peptide substrate assays, it has been demonstrated that TIMP-MMP complexes interact highly specifically with $K_{i}$ values of 10$^{-9}$ -10$^{-16}$ M. Therefore applications for TIMP as inhibitor of collagen degradation are suggested for cosmetic anti-aging products to prevent wrinkle formation and loss of elasticity. To date four TIMP proteins (TIMP-1, TIMP-2, TIMP-3 and TIMP-4) have been identified which show a high degree in sequence similarity. The production of human TIMP-2, a 194-residue nonglycosylated protein, was performed by fed-batch culture of Escherichia coli. TIMP-2 accumulated in the bacterial cells in an insoluble form as inclusion bodies. The inclusion bodies were solubilized and the protein refolded to yield the native TIMP-2 in the active form. The integrity of the protein was confirmed by mass analysis, Edman sequencing and gel shift experiments with authentic samples. The inhibitory activity of the refolded and purified TIMP-2 was demonstrated with MMP-1 and MMP-2 assays using synthetic fluorogenic peptide substrates.s.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.515-518
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• 1998

Adhesive interaction of the platelet glycoprotien IIb-IIIa (GP IIb-IIIa) with a plasma protein, such as fibrinogen, plays an important role in thrombosis and hemostasis. The specific sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) is critical for the binding of fibrinogen to platelet. To examine and characterize the GP IIb-IIIa antagonist from natural sources, we have developed a simple enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay (ELISA) system. The GP IIb-IIIa complex was purified to homogeneity from platelet Iysates by the combination of two affinity chromatographic methods using the synthetic RGD peptide (GRGDSPK)-immobilized Sepharose and wheat germ lectin-Sepharose. The synthetic peptide GRGDSP inhibits GP IIb-IIIa binding to immobilized fibrinogen with an $IC_{50}$ of $1.5\;{\mu}M$. Venoms of three different snake species and a Korean scolopendra extract have strong antagonistic activities for the binding of human fibrinogen to the platelet GP IIb-IIIa complex. The $IC_{50}$ values of the snake venom s and scolopendra were in the range of $5.5\;{\mu}g$ to $60\;{\mu}g$. These results provide meaningful information for developing antiplatelet agents.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.77-90
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• 2006

Beta-amyloid peptide (A$\beta$) is a major component of senile plaques and its aggregation is considered to play a critical role in pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Aggregation of A$\beta$ could result from both increased synthesis and decreased degradation of A$\beta$. Our laboratory is interested in understanding the mechanism of A$\beta$ degradation in brain. Recently our laboratory identified a bacterial gene (SKAP) from Streptomyces sp KK565 whose protein product has an activity to cleave A$\beta$ and thus reduce the A$\beta$-induced neurotoxicity. The sequence analysis showed that this gene was closely related to aminopeptidase. Maldi-Tof analysis showed that the recombinant SKAP protein expressed in E. coli cleaves both A$\beta$ 40 and A$\beta$ 42 at the N-terminal of A$\beta$ while an aminopeptidase from Streptomyces griseus (SGAP) cleaves at the C-terminal. We also identified a mammalian homolog of SKAP and the recombinant mammalian protein expressed in Sf-9 insect cells showed a similar proteolytic activity to SGAP, cutting A$\beta$ at the C-terminus. I well discuss the detailed mechanism of the enzyme action and its functional implication in AD.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2010

Monofunctional biosynthetic peptidoglycan transglycosylase (MBPT) catalyzes the formation of the glycan chain in bacterial cell walls from peptidoglycan subunits: N-acetylglucosamine (NAG) and acetylmuramic acid (NAM). Bifunctional glycosyltransferases such as the penicillin binding protein (PBP) have peptidoglycan glycosyltransferase (PGT) on their C terminal end which links together the peptidoglycan subunits while transpeptidase (TP) on the N terminal end cross-links the peptide moieties on the NAM monosaccharide of the peptide subunits to create the bacterial cell wall. The singular function of MBPT resembles the C terminal end of PBP as it too contains and utilizes a similar PGT domain. In this article we analyzed the infectious and non infectious protein sequences of MBPT from 31 different strains of bacteria using a variety of bioinformatic tools. Motif analysis, dot-plot comparison, and phylogenetic analysis identified a number of significant differences between infectious and non-infectious protein sequences. In this paper we have made an attempt to explain, analyze and discuss these differences from an evolutionary perspective. The results of our sequence analysis may open the door for utilizing MBPT as a new target to fight a variety of infectious bacteria.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.132-137
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• 1997

A novel protein (HEAAE, High Essential Amino Acid Encoding Protein), rich in essential amino acids ($75{\%}$ of total), was designed and constructed in our laboratory. The designed peptides were analyzed by SYBLE and stable secondary and tertiary structures were predicted. The monomeric form (HEAAE-1) of the protein consists of 20 amino acid residues with four additional amino acids comprising a potential ${\beta}$-turn (HEAAE-4). Size exclusion analysis demonstrated that the monomer is self-aggregates in aqueous solution to form higher ordered multimeric structures, which are very reminiscent of natural plant storage proteins. The DNA encoding this amino acid sequence was synthesized, and from this monomeric gene fragment (heaae-1), the stable tetrameric form of the gene (heaae-4) was generated by subcloning into the E. coli expression vector pKK223-3. A clear 6 kDa polypeptide band corresponding to the molecular weight of the dimeric form (HEAAE-2) was detected. The smeared band which appeared around the molecular weight corresponding to HEAAE-4 of 11 kDa suggested that the tetramer form of this protein might be processed into smaller size products.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.163-174
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• 2006

Luteinizing Hormone Releasing Hormone(LHRH) is a decapeptide neurotransmitter known to be regulated by metal ions in the hyperthalamus. Zn-binding LHRH complex was systhesized, and zinc-LHRH complex was studied to understand what kinds of structural modifications would be critical in the LHRH releasing mechanism. Both nonexchangeable and exchangeable $^1H-NMR$ signal assignments were accomplished by pH-dependent and COSY NMR experiments. In addition, $^1H-NMR$ chemical shift changes of a-proton and peptide NH NMR signals at different pH condition, and $^1H-NMR$ signal differences between metal free and metallo-LHRH complex was monitored. NMR signals exhibit that primary metal-binding sites are nitrogens donor of imidazole ring and Arg, and peptide oxygen of Pro-His in the sequence. Structure obtained in this study has a cyclic conformation which is similar to that of energy minimized, and exhibits a specific a-helical turn with residue numbers $(2{\sim}7)$ out of 10 amino acids.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.8
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• pp.1175-1182
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• 2021

We investigated the effect of bovine lactoferricin (Lfcin-B), a peptide derived from bovine lactoferrin, on activation of intestinal epithelial cells in IEC-6 intestinal cell, and protection against in vivo rotavirus (RV) infection. Treatment with Lfcin-B significantly enhanced the growth of IEC-6 cells and increased their capacity for attachment and spreading in culture plates. Also, Lfcin-B synergistically augmented the binding of IEC-6 cells to laminin, a component of the extracellular matrix (ECM). In the analysis of the intracellular mechanism related to Lfcin-B-induced activation of IEC-6 cells, this peptide upregulated tyrosine-dependent phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin, which are intracellular proteins associated with cell adhesion, spreading, and signal transduction during cell activation. An experiment using synthetic peptides with various sequences of amino acids revealed that a sequence of 9 amino acids (FKCRRWQWR) corresponding to 17-25 of the N-terminus of Lfcin-B is responsible for the epithelial cell activation. In an in vivo experiment, treatment with Lfcin-B one day before RV infection effectively prevented RV-induced diarrhea and significantly reduced RV titers in the bowels of infected mice. These results suggest that Lfcin-B plays meaningful roles in the maintenance and repair of intestinal mucosal tissues, as well as in protecting against intestinal infection by RV. Collectively, Lfcin-B is a promising candidate with potential applications in drugs or functional foods beneficial for intestinal health and mucosal immunity.

• BMB Reports
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• v.56 no.11
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• pp.606-611
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• 2023

The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 cleaves 11 sites of viral polypeptide chains and generates essential non-structural proteins for viral replication. Mpro is an important drug target against COVID-19. In this study, we developed a real-time fluorometric turn-on assay system to evaluate Mpro proteolytic activity for a substrate peptide between NSP4 and NSP5. It produced reproducible and reliable results suitable for HTS inhibitor assays. Thus far, most inhibitors against Mpro target the active site for substrate binding. Mpro exists as a dimer, which is essential for its activity. We investigated the potential of the Mpro dimer interface to act as a drug target. The dimer interface is formed of domain II and domain III of each protomer, in which N-terminal ten amino acids of the domain I are bound in the middle as a sandwich. The N-terminal part provides approximately 39% of the dimer interface between two protomers. In the real-time fluorometric turn-on assay system, peptides of the N-terminal ten amino acids, N10, can inhibit the Mpro activity. The dimer interface could be a prospective drug target against Mpro. The N-terminal sequence can help develop a potential inhibitor.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 2005

Beauveria bassiana F-101, which has high toxicity toward Acantholyda parki as well as Thecodiplosis japonensis, was an isolate to develop an alternative control system against the major forest pests. Up to now, in B. bassiana, only one pr1 gene has been isolated and characterized. Therefore, we here reported the identification of a pr1-like gene, which would be a factor of toxicity from B. bassiana F-101. The oligonucleotides for the amplification of the pr1-like gene, were chosen based on the conserved regions of the subtilisin family enzymes, pr1 genes of B. bassiana and Metarhizium anisopliae, and proteinase K of Tritirachium album. The cloned PCR fragment had 1111 bp including 52 bp intron. The deduced Pr1-like peptide showed a low identity with Pr1s of entomopathogenic fungi such as B. bassiana Pr1 (BbPr1) and M. anisopliae Pr1 (MaPr1) as well as the proteinase K of T. album (TaPrK). Instead, the deduced peptide had a substantially high amino acid sequence identity $(>65\%)$ with the serine proteases of Magnaporthe grisea (MgSPM1) and Podospora anserina (PaPspA). These results, therefore, appear to suggest that the putative Pr1-like peptide of B. bassiana F-101 belongs to the subtilisin-like serine protease family and may be a novel gene.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.598-603
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• 1991

An antifungal mixture of six members (component A to F), KRF-001 produced by Bacillzts subtilis subsp. krictiensis was isolated from the fermentation broth. Molecular weight of component A to F was determined by FAB-MS to be 1042, 1056, 1056, 1070, 1070 and 1084 respectively. Various instrumental analyses (amino acid analysis, GC-MS, $^1H-NMR, ^1HH$ COSY NMR) revealed that the mixture was a homologous cyclic peptide composed of each one mole of glutamine, proline, tyrosine, serine, unusual $\beta$-amino acid and three moles of asparagine. The structural differences of component A to F were found in carbon number and terminal structure of the unusual $\beta$-amino acid. After determination of the sequence and stereochemistry of those amino acids, the tentative structure of KRF-001 was determined.