• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2014

It is already known that adzuki beans (Vigna angularis) are able to control appetite. Therefore, this study tested the proteins isolated from adzuki beans for their protease resistance and interaction with the intestinal mucosa. The major proteins from adzuki beans were found to be resistant to the digestive enzymes pepsin and pancreatin, and were identified using 2D-SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry. The major adzuki proteins were easily fractionated by treating the soluble protein extract with 10mM $CaCl_2$, and were found to contain lactotransferrin, a homologous protein to the dynein light chain domain, proteinase inhibitor, and proteins with unknown functions. From a tissue binding assay using mouse intestinal tissue sections, the major protein fraction showed weak, yet significant and specific binding to the mucosa layer of the small intestine. Thus, the current results suggest that adzuki proteins are resistant to digestive enzymes, which enables them to survive protease digestion in the intestinal tract, plus they may interact with the intestinal mucosa layer. Therefore, the molecules responsible for controlling appetite in adzuki beans are presumably protease-resistant proteins that interact with the intestinal mucosa or delay digestion in the digestive tract.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.108-112
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• 2013

Nuts are one of the most common sources of allergies in individuals of all ages. In order for a particular protein to render an allergic reaction, it must resist proteolytic digestion by intestinal enzymes. In this study, three well-known allergenic nuts, almonds, cashew nuts, and peanuts, were used as samples, and enzyme digestion with Bacillus protease and porcine pepsin was tested. A proteomic approach using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and an MS/MS analysis was applied to visualize and identify the proteins that were resistant to enzyme digestion. Among the 150 protein spots tested, 42 proteins were assigned functions. Due to the lack of genomic databases, 41% of the identified proteins were grouped as hypothetical. However, 12% of them were well-known allergens, including AraH. The remainder were grouped as storage, enzymes, and binding proteins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.410-416
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• 2008

The gene SfXyn10, which encodes a protease-resistant xylanase, was isolated using colony PCR screening from a genomic library of a feather-degrading bacterial strain Streptomyces fradiae var. k11. The full-length gene consists of 1,437bp and encodes 479 amino acids, which includes 41 residues of a putative signal peptide at its N terminus. The amino acid sequence shares the highest similarity (80%) to the endo-1,4-${\beta}$-xylanase from Streptomyces coelicolor A3, which belongs to the glycoside hydrolase family 10. The gene fragment encoding the mature xylanase was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant protein was purified to homogeneity by acetone precipitation and anion-exchange chromatography, and subsequently characterized. The optimal pH and temperature for the purified recombinant enzyme were 7.8 and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme showed stability over a pH range of 4.0-10.0. The kinetic values on oat spelt xylan and birchwood xylan substrates were also determined. The enzyme activity was enhanced by $Fe^{2+}$ and strongly inhibited by $Hg^{2+}$ and SDS. The enzyme also showed resistance to neutral and alkaline proteases. Therefore, these characteristics suggest that SfXyn10 could be an important candidate for protease-resistant mechanistic research and has potential applications in the food industry, cotton scouring, and improving animal nutrition.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.8
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• pp.694-704
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• 2020

HslUV is a bacterial heat shock protein complex consisting of the AAA+ ATPase component HslU and the protease component HslV. HslV is a threonine (Thr) protease employing the N-terminal Thr residue in the mature protein as the catalytic residue. To date, HslUV from Gram-negative bacteria has been extensively studied. However, the mechanisms of action and activation of HslUV from Gram-positive bacteria, which have an additional N-terminal sequence before the catalytic Thr residue, remain to be revealed. In this study, we determined the crystal structures of HslV from the Gram-positive bacterium Staphylococcus aureus with and without HslU in the crystallization conditions. The structural comparison suggested that a structural transition to the symmetric form of HslV was triggered by ATP-bound HslU. More importantly, the additional N-terminal sequence was cleaved in the presence of HslU and ATP, exposing the Thr9 residue at the N-terminus and activating the ATP-dependent protease activity. Further biochemical studies demonstrated that the exposed N-terminal Thr residue is critical for catalysis with binding to the symmetric HslU hexamer. Since eukaryotic proteasomes have a similar additional N-terminal sequence, our results will improve our understanding of the common molecular mechanisms for the activation of proteasomes.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.295-302
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• 1998

The RNA genome of poliovirus encodes a long polyprotein precursor and this polyprotein is cleaved proteolytically by viral protease to yield mature proteins. The mature proteins derived from the P1 polyprotein precursor are the component of capsids. To further delineate the process of capsid assembly and encapsidation, in a first attempt, a cell line which expresses the authentic P1 polyprotein was established. CV-1 cells were transfected with the pRCRSVS1P1 plasmid DNA which contains 5'ncr sequences, whole authentic capsid gene of poliovirus and neomycin resistance gene. These cells were treated with G418 for 3 months, and eventually G418 resistant cells were selected and formed colonies. Each colony was picked and grown in the media containing G418. DNA analysis indicated that 1 of 13 neomycin resistant cell lines (R2-18) contains whole poliovirus P1 capsid gene segment which was incorporated into the genome. Immuneprecipitation of cell lysates with sera from rabbit immunized with inactivateded Sabin type 1 particles demonstrated the constitutive expression of the poliovirus P1 capsid protein from R2-18.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.99-109
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• 2022

This study is the first report on production and characterization of the enzyme from an Ornithinibacillus species. A 4.2-fold increase in the extracellular protease (called L9^T) production from Ornithinibacillus caprae L9^T was achieved through the one-factor-at-a-time approach and response surface methodological optimization. L9^T protease exhibited a unique protein band with a mass of 25.9 kDa upon sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. This novel protease was active over a range of pH (4-13), temperatures (30-80℃) and salt concentrations (0-220 g/l), with the maximal activity observed at pH 7, 70℃ and 20 g/l NaCl. Proteolytic activity was upgraded in the presence of Ag⁺, Ca²⁺ and Sr²⁺, but was totally suppressed by 5 mM phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, which suggests that this enzyme belongs to the serine protease family. L9^T protease was resistant to certain common organic solvents and surfactants; particularly, 5 mM Tween 20 and Tween 80 improved the activity by 63 and 15%, respectively. More importantly, L9^T protease was found to be effective in dehairing of goatskins, cowhides and rabbit-skins without damaging the collagen fibers. These properties confirm the feasibility of L9^T protease in industrial applications, especially in leather processing.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.239-247
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• 2003

In Korea, a local soybean (Glycine max) genotype 56l. was found to be strongly resistant to a virulent bacterial strain of a Pseudomonas sp. SN239. Specific genes involved in the resistance of the soybean genotype 561 were identified and the pattern of gene expression against the Pseudomonas infection was analyzed using differential-display reverse transcription PCR (DDRT-PCR). More than 126 cDNA fragments representing mRNAs were induced within 48 hours of bacteria inoculation. Among them, 28 cDNA fragments were cloned and sequenced. Twelve differentially displayed clones with open reading frames had unknown functions. Sixteen selected cDNA clones were homologous to known genes of other organisms. Some of the identified cDNAs were pathogenesis-related (PR) genes and PR-like genes. These cDNAs included a putative calmodulin-binding protein; an endo-l,3-1,4-$\bate$-D-glucanase; a $\bate$-1,3-endoglucanase; a $\bate$-1,3-exoglucanase; a phytochelatin synthetase-like gene; a thiol protease; a cycloartenol synthase; and a putative receptor-like serine/threonine protein kinase. Among them, four genes were found to be putative PR genes induced significantly by the Pseudomonas infection. These included a calmodulin-binding protein gene, a $\bate$-1,3-endoglucanase gene, a receptor-like serine/threonine protein kinase gene, and pS321 (unknown function). These results suggest that the differentially expressed genes may mediate the strong resistance of soybean 561 to the strain SN239 of Pseudomonas sp.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.34-42
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• 2014

Soy and fermented soy are popular and recognized as a health food among Koreans. Since soy proteins are known to be protease resistant, even to pepsin and pancreatin, it is hypothesized that soy proteins may interact with the intestinal tract and trigger certain physiological reactions. To test this hypothesis, mice were fed diets supplemented with soy, Chunkukjang, or casein. The differentially expressed proteins were analyzed using 2-D gels and identified by peptide mass fingerprinting using mass spectrometry. The majority of the differentially expressed proteins could be functionally grouped into metabolic enzymes and calcium-binding proteins. The differential protein expression by the soy-fed groups was also verified based on a representative protein, tropomyosin, using a Western blotting analysis. In addition, the soy-fed groups exhibited a taller villi structure. Therefore, this study suggests that soy proteins can be an effective nutrient and physiological stimulant for the intestines.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.55-58
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• 2002

The reaction center Dl protein of photosystem II is the target of photodamage by excess illumination. The Dl protein is damaged by reactive oxygen species generated by photochemical reactions and then degraded by specific proteolytic enzymes. We found that the Dl protein also cross-links with the surrounding polypeptides, such as D2 and CP43 in isolated thylakoids or photosystem II-enriched membranes from spinach under the illumination with strong visible light. The cross-linking was observed in spinach leaf discs as well when they were illuminated at higher temperature (40°C). It was also shown that the cross-linked products are digested efficiently by a protease(s) in the stroma. Thus the cross-linking/digestion processes of the Dl protein seem to comprise a new pathway in the turnover of the photodamaged Dl protein. It should be noted, however, that the cross-linked products of the Dl protein and CP43 induced by endogenous cationic radicals in the donor-side photoinhibition are resistant to proteolytic digestion. Accumulation of these cross-linked products in the thylakoids may lead to the decay of the function of chloroplasts and finally to the death of plant cells. Thus, we suggest that the quality control of photosystem II, especially removal of the cross-linked products of the Dl protein, is crucial for the survival of chloroplasts under the light stress.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.88-94
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• 2008

Three different protein extraction methods-phenol extraction, trichloroacetic acid (TCA) precipitation, and desalting/TCA precipitation-were compared to determine the optimal reproducible high resolution 2-dimensional (2-D) electrophoresis for each chungkugjang, doenjang, and kochujang samples. The soluble proteins from Chungkugjang extracted by phenol were separated with high reproducibility and resolution, and gained 1.75- to 3-fold more protein spots on 2-D gel than those from the other methods. On the contrary, the extracted proteins from doenjang and kochujang treated by desalting/TCA precipitation method showed about 1.5- to 3.3-fold more protein spots on 2-D gel. Using the established methods, the changes in the protein profiles of the fermented soy foods were monitored during the fermentation period by 2-DE. One of the major proteins in soy, $\beta$-conglycinin $\alpha$-subuint, and some proteins with unknown functions were localized on 2-D gel as the protease-resistant proteins throughout the fermentation period of doenjang. Changes in the protein profile monitored by the established methods can provide basic information on unfolding the mechanisms of the generation of biofunctional activity in the fermented soy foods.