• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.17-27
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• 2019

Ubiquitin-specific protease 44 (USP44) has been implicated in tumor progression and metastasis across various tumors. However, the function of USP44 in prostate cancers and regulatory mechanism of histone-modifying enzymes by USP44 in tumors is not well-understood. Here, we found that enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2), a histone H3 lysine 27 methyltransferase, is regulated by USP44. We showed that EZH2 is a novel target of USP44 and that the protein stability of EZH2 is upregulated by USP44-mediated deubiquitination. In USP44 knockdown prostate cancer cells, the EZH2 protein level and its gene silencing activity were decreased. Furthermore, USP44 knockdown inhibited the tumorigenic characteristics and cancer stem cell-like behaviors of prostate cancer cells. Inhibition of tumorigenesis caused by USP44 knockdown was recovered by ectopic introduction of EZH2. Additionally, USP44 regulates the protein stability of oncogenic EZH2 mutants. Taken together, our results suggest that USP44 promotes the tumorigenesis of prostate cancer cells partly by stabilizing EZH2 and that USP44 is a viable therapeutic target for treating EZH2-dependent cancers.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.2141-2144
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• 2018

Based on previous studies reporting the anti-prion activity of poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-lysine and poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-arginine, we investigated cationic poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-ornithine (PLO), poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-histidine (PLH), anionic poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-glutamic acid (PLE) and uncharged poly-${\text\tiny{L}}$-threonine (PLT) in cultured cells chronically infected by prions to determine their anti-prion efficacy. While PLE and PLT did not alter the level of $PrP^{Sc}$, PLO and PLH exhibited potent $PrP^{Sc}$ inhibition in ScN2a cells. These results suggest that the anti-prion activity of poly-basic amino acids is correlated with the cationicity of their functional groups. Comparison of anti-prion activity of PLO and PLH proposes that the anti-prion activity of poly-basic amino acids is associated with their acidic cellular compartments.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.172-180
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• 2019

Infections with Pseudomonas aeruginosa are difficult to treat not only because it is often associated with multidrug-resistant infections but also it is able to form biofilm. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antibiofilm and anti-Quorum Sensing (QS) activities of Thymbra capitata essential oils (EOs) against Beta Lactamase (BL) producing P. aeruginosa and the reference strain P. aeruginosa 10145. GC/MS analysis showed that thymol (23.25%) is the most dominant compound in T. capitata EOs. The MICs of T. capitata EOs against P. aeruginosa (BL) and P. aeruginosa 10145 were 1.11%. At sub MIC (0.041, 0.014 and 0.0046%), the EOs of T. capitata remarkably inhibited the biofilm formation of both strains tested and complete inhibition of the biofilm formation was reported at 0.041%. The EOs of T. capitata were found to inhibit the swarming motility, aggregation ability and hydrophobic ability of P. aeruginosa (BL) and P. aeruginosa 10145. Interestingly, the EOs of T. capitata reduce the production of three secreted virulence factors that regulated by QS system including pyocyanin, rhamnolipids and LasA protease. The potent antibiofilm and anti-QS activities of T. capitata EOs can propose it as a new antibacterial agent to control pseudomonas infections.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.111-123
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• 1988

Neutrophil elastases were purified by a three step procedure consiting of one Sephadex G-75 and two HPLC elutions. The elastases cross-reacted with antibodies to human neutrophil elastase. Three bands with molecular weights between 26,000 and 29,700 were observed by gel electrophoresis. At each stage of purification the quantity of Zn increased, reaching molar ratio of 2:1 with elastase in the most purified samples. Calcium content. was seletively elevated during the earlier stages of purification but decreased to a ratio of 0.25 to 1 with elastase at the final step of purfication. Neutrophil elastase could be inhibited by EDTA, EGTA and 1,10-phenanthroline. EGTA inhbition was noncompetitive inhibition and reversible only if the time of preincubation was relatively short, indicating the instability of the apoenzyme. The concentration of chelator required to show significant inhibition of elastase was also dependent upon the stage of purity and the ionic strength of the reaction mixture. Inhibition by EGTA, followed by the removal of EGTA, could be reversed by Zn. In the presence of EGTA the enzyme could be returened to full activity by the addition of Zn, Mn and Ca, but not Mg or Na. All of the above evidence strongly supports human neturophil elastase could be a metalloenzyme as well as a serine protease.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.436-441
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• 1994

To investigate the lowering effects of in vitro enzymatic hydrolysis by the treatment of chymotrypsin, trypsin, pancreatin, or protease from Aspergillus oryzae on the antigenicity of whey protein isolate (WPI) against rabbit anti ${\alpha}-LA$ antiserum, competitive inhibition ELISA (cELISA) and passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) test using guinea pig were performed. The results of cELISA showed that the monovalent antigenicity of the whey protein hydrolysates (WPH) to the antiserum was decreased to $10^{-2.5}-10^{-5.5}$ and less by the hydrolysis. The monovalent antigenicity of the WPH hydrolyzed by trypsin, or protease from Asp. nryzae was much lowered by the pretreatment of heat denaturation. The antigenicity of the WPH hydrolyzed by chymotrypsin, trypsin, or pancreatin was much lowered by the pretreatment of pepsin. Especially, the antigenicity of TDP (trypic hydrolysate with pretreatment of heat and pepsin) was found almost to be removed. However, there was not consistency between degree of hydrolysis(DH) and the monovalent antigenicity of the WPH. By the heterologous PCA it was found that all of the PGPH lost the polyvalent antigenicity regardless of the pretreatments although WPI and ${\alpha}-LA$ had the positive high antigenicity. The results suggested that the peptides derived from ${\alpha}-LA$ in WPH could bind specific antibodies but they could not induce allergy. Therefore, it was elucidated that the allergenicity of ${\alpha}-LA$ in whey protein could be destroyed easily by the enzymatic hydrolysis.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.300-305
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• 2008

We investigated an antibacterial substance produced by Bacillus subtilis HS 25. Antibacterial activity was relatively heat-stable, with no effect caused by heating at $100^{\circ}C$ for 10 min, but a gradual decrease in activity after 15 min at $100^{\circ}C$. The antibacterial substance was more stable at pH 7.42-12 than at pH 4.5-5.0. There was strong antibacterial activity against E. coli and P. mirabilis at pH 12. The minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of the substance was 5 mg/mL for E. coli 7.5 mg/mL for P. mirabilis and S. aureus and 15 mg/mL for S. enteritidis, K. pneunoniae, and V. parahaemolyticus. When the substance was added to cultures of E. coli, S. enteritidis, and P. mirabilis, the bacterial surfaces became irregular and deeply changed. The substance produced from B. subtilis HS 25 was not degraded by Papain but was degraded by a protease from Aspergillus orzae, pancreatin, and pepsin.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.2045-2049
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• 2012

Objective: To investigate the effect of down-regulation of Sentrin/SUMO-specific protease 1 (SENP1) expression on the apoptosis of human Burkitt lymphoma cells (Daudi cells) and potential mechanisms. Methods: Short hairpin RNA (shRNA) targeting SENP1 was designed and synthesized and then cloned into a lentiviral vector. A lentiviral packaging plasmid was used to transfect Daudi cells (sh-SENP1-Daudi group). Daudi cells without transfection (Daudi group) and Daudi cells transfected with blank plasmid (sh-NC-Daudi group) served as control groups. Flow cytometry was performed to screen GFP positive cells and semiquantitative PCR and Western blot assays were employed to detect the inference efficiency. The morphology of cells was observed under a microscope before and after transfection. Fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot assays were conducted to measure the mRNA and protein expression of apoptosis related molecules (caspase-3, 8 and 9). After treatment with $COCl_2$ for 24 h, the mRNA and protein expression of hypoxia inducible factor -$1{\alpha}$ (HIF-$1{\alpha}$) was determined. Results: Sequencing showed the expression vectors of shRNA targeting SENP1 to be successfully constructed. Following screening of GFP positive cells by FCM, semiqualitative PCR showed the interference efficiency was $79.2{\pm}0.026%$. At 48 h after transfection, the Daudi cells became shrunken, had irregular edges and presented apoptotic bodies. Western blot assay revealed increase in expression of caspase-3, 8 and 9 with prolongation of transfection (P<0.05). Following hypoxia treatment, mRNA expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ remained unchanged in three groups (P>0.05) but the protein expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ markedly increased (P<0.05). However, in the sh-SENP1-Daudi group, the protein expression of HIF-$1{\alpha}$ remained unchanged Conclusion: SENP1-shRNA can efficiently inhibit SENP1 expression in Daudi cells. SENP1 inhibition may promote cell apoptosis. These findings suggest that SENP1 may serve as an important target in the gene therapy of Burkitts lymphoma.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.226-233
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• 2019

Ochratoxin A (OTA) that is one of mycotoxins produced mainly by Aspergillus spp. is a common contaminant of stored grains and poses health hazards to human and livestock. The aim of this study is to explore the ability of isolated bacteria Bacillus subtilis AF13 and Streptomyces shenzhenensis YR226 to inhibit growth and OTA production of 3 ochratoxigenic Aspergillus strains. The antifungal activity against mycelial growth and sporulation of Aspergillus strains was examined by coculture with AF13 and YR226 on potato dextrose agar plate. AF13 and YR226 reduced 77.58 and 78.48% of fungal colony radius, respectively, and both strains inhibited fungal sporulation up to 99% in 10 days of incubation. YR226 also reduced more than 91% of spore germination of 3 fungal strains. When Aspergillus strains were cocultured with AF13 or YR226 in yeast extract sucrose medium, mycelial growth and OTA production decreased in all three fungal strains. In particular, AF13 completely inhibited the mycelial growth of A. alutaceus and inhibited its OTA production by 99%, and YR226 also reduced mycelial growth and toxin production up to 99%, respectively. Antimicrobial substances produced by AF13 and YR226 included siderophore, chitinase, protease, ${\beta}$-1,3-glucanase and biosurfactant. These results suggest that AF13 and YR226 can be used in a biological method to prevent valuable crops against mycotoxigenic fungi, and therefore decrease economic damage in agriculture and feed industry.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.512-519
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• 2008

Three different polysaccharide-peptide complexes (PPC, named as Fr-I, Fr-II, and Fr-III) were produced by submerged mycelial culture of an entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps sphecocephala, and their anticancer activities were investigated in human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) and neuroblastoma (SK-N-SH) cells. The highest inhibitory effects of PPC on both HepG2 and SK-N-SH cells were achieved with Fr-I, whereas Fr-III with low molecular mass showed lower inhibition effects. Interestingly, the inhibitory effects of the three fractions were increased after protease digestion, suggesting that the inhibitory effects resulted mainly from the carbohydrate moiety, at least in the case of Fr-II and Fr-III, of PPC. The results of DNA fragmentation in PPC-induced apoptotic cells were confirmed by both DNA ladder assay and comet assay. Our investigation also showed that PPC-induced apoptosis of both cancer cells was associated with intracellular events including DNA fragmentation, activation of caspase-3, and modulation of Bcl-2 and Bax. We conclude that PPC has potential as a novel therapeutic agent for the treatment of both HepG2 and SK-N-SH cancer cells without any cytotoxicity against normal cells.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 2018

Black rot disease in orchids is caused by the water mold Phytophthora palmivora. To gain better biocontrol performance, several factors affecting growth and antifungal substance production by Pseudomonas aeruginosa RS1 were verified. These factors include type and pH of media, temperature, and time for antifungal production. The results showed that the best conditions for P. aeruginosa RS1 to produce the active compounds was cultivating the bacteria in Luria-Bertani medium at pH 7.0 for 21 h at $37^{\circ}C$. The culture filtrate was subjected to stepwise ammonium sulfate precipitation. The precipitated proteins from the 40% to 80% fraction showed antifungal activity and were further purified by column chromatography. The eluted proteins from fractions 9-10 and 33-34 had the highest antifungal activity at about 75% and 82% inhibition, respectively. SDS-PAGE revealed that the 9-10 fraction contained mixed proteins with molecular weights of 54 kDa, 32 kDa, and 20 kDa, while the 33-34 fraction contained mixed proteins with molecular weights of 40 kDa, 32 kDa, and 29 kDa. Each band of the proteins was analyzed by LC/MS to identify the protein. The result from Spectrum Modeler indicated that these proteins were closed similarly to three groups of the following proteins; catalase, chitin binding protein, and protease. Morphological study under scanning electron microscopy demonstrated that the partially purified proteins from P. aeruginosa RS1 caused abnormal growth and hypha elongation in P. palmivora. The bacteria and/or these proteins may be useful for controlling black rot disease caused by P. palmivora in orchid orchards.