• BMB Reports
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• 제34권1호
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• pp.15-20
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• 2001

One of the innate immune reactions in invertebrates is the pro-phenoloxidase (pro-PO) activation system that is involved in the generation of superoxide, melanin synthesis, and the subsequent sequestration of foreign matter entering the hemocoel of the invertebrates. However, the molecular mechanism of this biological reaction is still obscure. To expand our understanding of the biological roles of the pro-PO activation system in invertebrates, we performed a yeast two-hybrid screening by using three regions of pro-PO as bait and a yeast two-hybrid cDNA library from Tenebrio molitor larvae as prey We isolated a novel partial cDNA clone that encodes a glycine-rich protein that interacted with the active phenoloxidase (termed phenoloxidase interacting protein, POIP). POIP consists of two domains: One is an N-terminal unique domain and the other is a C-terminal glycine-rich domain. The C-terminal glycine-rich domain showed sequential homology with those of insect antifungal proteins. Also, the yeast two-hybrid screen in a reverse orientation (using POIP as bait) yielded PO, suggesting that the PO-POIP interaction is specific. By using a 315 bP PCR fragment of the N-terminal unique region of POIP, we cloned the full-length cDNA of POIP from the Tenebruo cDNA library constructed by using E. coli injected larvae. The interaction analysis between PO, and a truncated fragment lacking the N-terminal unique region of POIP, indicated that the N-terminal unique region is necessary for interaction between PO and POIP. The expression level of the POIP mRNA is increased by bacterial injection into T. molitor larvae. This suggests that POIP might be engaged in the humoral defense reaction.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권10호
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• pp.1605-1612
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• 2006

Interleukin (IL)-18, a member of the family of IL-l cytokine, is one of the principal inducers of $interferon-{\gamma}(IFN-{\gamma})$ in T lymphocytes and natural killer cells. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of IL-18 on the expression of chemokine IP-10 (CXCL-10) mRNA in mouse peritoneal macrophages. IL-18 had very weak direct effect or synergistic effect with IL-12 on the expression of IP-10 mRNA in C57BL/6 mouse peritoneal macrophages. However, IL-18 pretreatment was found to playa cooperative role in the expression of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IP-10 mRNA. For the expression of LPS-induced IP-10 mRNA, the synergistic effect was detected after 16 h of IL-18 pretreatment prior to LPS stimulation. The expression level of CD14 in cells stimulated with LPS was not changed by IL-18 pretreatment, and the level of $IFN-{\gamma}$ production during IL-18 pretreatment plus LPS stimulation was barely discernible ($0.36{\pm}0.31pg/ml$). Namely, the synergistic effect of IL-18 pretreatment was not related to a change of LPS receptor, CD14 expression, and the production of $IFN-{\gamma}$ by the interaction between IL-18 and LPS. The synergistic effect of IL-18 pretreatment on the expression of LPS-induced IP-10 was related to not NF-kB but AP-1 activation, and associated with the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, one of the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. These results provide useful information that may elucidate the mechanisms underlying the effect of IL-18 on the expression of IP-10 mRNA.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.387-397
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• 2016

Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of microtubule-associated protein tau are a pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has been known to be involved in the pathogenesis of AD. However, the exact role of ER stress in tau pathology has not yet been clearly elucidated. In present study, the possible relationship between tau pathology and ER stress was examined in terms of sorcin, which is a calcium binding protein and plays an important role in calcium homeostasis. Our previous yeast two hybrid study showed that sorcin is a novel tau interacting protein. Caspase-3-cleaved tau (T4C3) showed significantly increased tau-sorcin interaction compared to wild type tau (T4). Thapsigargin-induced ER stress and co-expression of constitutively active $GSK3{\beta}$ ($GSK3{\beta}-S9A$) also exhibited significantly increased tau-sorcin interactions. T4C3-expressing cells showed potentiated thapsigargin -induced apoptosis and disruption of intracellular calcium homeostasis compared to T4-expressing cells. Overexpression of sorcin significantly attenuated thapsigargin-induced apoptosis and disruption of calcium homeostasis. In contrary, siRNA-mediated knock-down of sorcin showed significantly increased thapsigargin-induced apoptosis and disruption of calcium homeostasis. These data strongly suggest that sequestration of sorcin by aberrant forms of tau compromises the function of sorcin, such as calcium homeostasis and cellular resistance by ER stress, which may consequently result in the contribution to the progression of AD.

• 약학회지
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• 제56권6호
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• pp.358-363
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• 2012

Nemo-like kinase (NLK), an evolutionarily conserved serine/threonine protein kinase, plays an important role in wide variety of developmental events. NLK phosphorylates T-cell factor/lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) transcriptional complex and suppresses wnt signaling pathway through inhibition of ${\beta}$-catenin/TCF complex interaction. However, the function of NLK in gastric carcinogenesis has not been investigated. In the present study, we have examined whether the NLK gene is involved in the development and/or progression of gastric cancers. NLK expression was analyzed by immunohistochemical staining in 153 advanced gastric cancer specimens. Immunhistochemical analysis showed increased expression of NLK in 91 (59.5%) out of 153 gastric cancer specimens. Statistically, there was no significant relationship between altered expression of NLK protein and clinicopathological parameters, including tumor differentiation, location, lymph node metastasis. We identified that mRNA and protein expression of NLK was significantly up-regulated in human gastric cancer tissues compare to corresponding normal gastric tissues. In addition, we found that human gastric cancer cell lines exhibited relatively high expression of NLK, as compared with normal gastric cells. The results of this study suggest that aberrant regulation of NLK may contribute to the development or progression of gastric cancers and serve as a potential biomarker for advanced gastric cancer patients.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제32권6호
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• pp.584-588
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• 2016

Several Bacillus species were isolated from rice field soils, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that Bacillus cereus was the most abundant. A strain named BC1 showed antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani. Bacteriophages infecting strain BC1 were isolated from the same soil sample. The isolated phage PK16 had an icosahedral head of $100{\pm}5nm$ and tail of $200{\pm}5nm$, indicating that it belonged to the family Myoviridae. Analysis of the complete linear dsDNA genome revealed a 158,127-bp genome with G + C content of 39.9% comprising 235 open reading frames as well as 19 tRNA genes (including 1 pseudogene). Blastp analysis showed that the proteins encoded by the PK16 genome had the closest hits to proteins of seven different bacteriophages. A neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree based on the major capsid protein showed a robust clustering of phage PK16 with phage JBP901 and BCP8-2 isolated from Korean fermented food.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제26권8호
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• pp.963-969
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• 2016

Kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs)은 세포 내 소기관이나 단백질복합체를 미세소관을 따라 운반하는 모터단백질이다. Kinesin 1은 경쇄단위체(light chain subunit)를 통하여 결합함으로써 세포 내 소기관, 신경소포, 신경전달물질수용체, 신호전달단백질, mRNA 등 다양한 운반체를 운반하는 KIFs의 한 종류이다. Kinesin light chains (KLCs)은 모터기능이 없는 단위체로서 kinesin heavy chains (KHCs) 이량체와 결합하여 kinesin 1을 구성한다. KLCs은 여러 단백질과 결합하지만 아직 결합단백질이 충분히 밝혀지지 않았다. 본 연구에서 KLC1의 tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) 영역과 결합하는 단백질을 분리하기 위하여 효모 two-hybrid 탐색을 수행한 결과 Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome의 원인단백질이며 액틴 세포골격 조절단백질인 WASP/WAVE family의 하나인 WAVE1을 분리하였다. WAVE1은 KLC1의 TPR 영역을 포함한 부위와 결합하지만 KHCs인 KIF5A, KIF5B, KIF5C와는 결합하지 않았다. 또한 KLC1은 WAVE1의 C-말단에 존재하는 verprolin/cofilin/acidic (VCA) 도메인과 결합하였으며, 다른 WAVE isoform인 WAVE2와 WAVE3과도 결합하였다. HEK-293T 세포에 WAVE1과 KLC1을 동시에 발현시켰을 때 두 단백질이 세포 내에서 같은 부위에 존재하며, WAVE1을 면역침강한 결과 KLC1뿐만 아니라 KIF5B가 같이 침강함을 확인하였다. 이러한 결과들은 kinesin 1이 WAVE 단백질복합체 혹은 WAVE로 덮여있는 운반체를 운반함을 시사한다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제27권10호
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• pp.1191-1198
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• 2017

세포 내 소기관들과 소포들은 세포 내에서 미세소관을 따라 적절한 구획으로 수송된다. 이러한 세포 내 수송과정은 분자 모터단백질인 kinesin과 dynein에 의하여 이루어진다. Kinesin 1은 오징어 축삭돌기 세포질로부터 처음 분리되었으며 2개의 중쇄단위체(KHCs, 또는 KIF5s) 및 이와 결합하는 경쇄단위체(KLCs)의 복합체를 형성한다. KIF5s는C-말단 고리 영역을 통해 많은 다양한 단백질과 결합하는데, 아직 그 결합단백질들은 충분히 밝혀지지 않았다. 본 연구에서는 KIF5A 결합단백질을 분리하기 위하여 효모 two-hybrid 탐색을 수행하여 스트레스 과립형성과 mRNP 위치결정에 관여하는 Ras-GTPase-activating protein (GAP) Src homology3 (SH3)-domain-binding protein 2 (G3BP2)를 분리하였다. G3BP2는 KIF5A의 C-말단 고리 영역에 존재하는 73개 아미노산을 포함하는 영역과 결합하였다. 그러나 G3BP2는 KIF5B, KIF5C, KLC1, KIF3A와는 결합하지 않았다. KIF5A는 G3BP2의 arginine-glycine-glycine(RGG)/Gly-rich 도메인과 결합하지만 G3BP1과는 결합하지 않았다. HEK-293T세포에 G3BP2와 KIF5A를 발현하여 면역침강한 결과 G3BP2와 KIF5A는 같이 침강하였다. 또한 HEK-293T 세포 내의 전체에서 두 단백질은 같은 부위에 존재하였다. 이러한 결과들은 세포 내에서 G3BP2는 KIF5A와 결합하는 결합단백질로 확인 되었다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제33권7호
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• pp.531-537
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• 2023

세포 내 수송 및 축삭 수송은 kinesin 및 cytoplasmic dynein과 같은 미세소관 의존성 모터단백질에 의해 운반된다. Kinesin은 미세소관을 따라 미세소관의 플러스 쪽 끝으로 이동하고, dynein은 미세소관의 마이너스 쪽 끝으로 이동한다. Kinesin-1은 kinesin superfamily protein (KIF)중에서 처음으로 확인된 kinesin으로, 카복실(C)-말단 영역과 cargo간 결합을 통해 세포내 소기관, 신경전달물질 수용체 및 mRNA-단백질 복합체를 포함한 다양한 cargo의 세포내 수송 기능을 수행한다. Kinesin-1은 다양한 cargo들을 수송하지만, kinsin-1과 cargo 사이를 매개하는 어댑터/스캐폴더 단백질은 아직 완전히 확인되지 않았다. KIF5A의 C-말단 영역과 상호 작용하는 어댑터 단백질을 규명하기 위해 효모 2-하이브리드 스크리닝을 하여, cyclin-dependent kinase 2-associated protein 1 (CDK2AP1)를 확인하였다. CDK2AP1은 KIF5A의 C-말단 영역에 결합하고 KIF3A, KIF5B, KIF5C 및 kinesin light chain 1 (KLC1)과는 결합하지 않았다. CDK2AP1의 C-말단 영역은 KIF5A와의 결합에 필수적이었다. HEK-293T 세포에 CDK2AP1 및 kinesin-1은 동시 발현하여 면역침강하면 CDK2AP1 및 kinesin-1은 같이 면역침강하였다. 그리고 CDK2AP1 및 kinesin-1은 세포내에서도 같은 위치에 발현하였다. 이러한 결과들은 KIF5A-CDK2AP1결합은 kinesin-1이 cargo를 운반할 때 kinesin-1과 cargo 사이를 연결하는 어댑터 단백질 역할을 시사한다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제25권6호
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• pp.631-637
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• 2015

Streptmyces avidinii에서 발현되는 Streptavidin은 vitamin H인 d-biotin 4분자에 결합하며 해리상수(Kd)가 10⁻¹⁵ M를 나타내는 아주 강한 비공유결합이다. 이러한 streptavidin과 biotin 상호간의 강한 결합력은 수많은 생물체 분자들의 탐지 및 특징을 연구하는데 응용되어져 왔으므로 Escherichia coli에서 수용성 streptavidin의 기능적 발현에 대한 연구는 매우 유용하다. 즉 Escherichia coli에서 streptavidin을 발현시키기 위해 streptavidin유전자를 T7 RNA polymerase/T7 promoter를 이용하는 pET-22b 플라스미드로 클로닝하였다. 또한 N-말단에 pelB leader를 포함하여 발현된 streptavidin의 periplasmic space로 운반하여 수용성 단백질형태의 분비를 촉진하였으며 C-말단에는 6개의 polyhistidine tags를 두어 정제하는데 사용되었다. 정제된 streptavidin단백질은 10-20 mg/ml 의 높은 회수율을 나타내었으며 SDS-PAGE에서 가열하는 경우 변성되어 17 kD인 monomer형태를, 가열하지 않는 경우에는 68 kDa으로 원래의 tetramer형태를 나타내었다. 따라서 streptavidin의 tetramer 구조는 비공유결합에 의해 이루어짐을 알 수 있었다. Size-exclusion chromatography에 의한 streptavidin의 구조 역시 tetramer를 재확인할 수 있었다. 정제된 수용성 streptavidin은 Westernblot실험에서 biotinylation된 단백질을 탐지하였으며 이 결과는 정제된 streptavidin이 biotin에 결합하는 기능이 존재함을 나타내었다. 이상의 모든 결과를 종합해보면 본 연구에서 구축된 발현시스템을 통하여 발현된 streptavidin은 높은 회수율을 나타내어 대량생산이 가능하였으며 자연상태의 streptavidin과 동일한 homotetramer를 형성하고 biotin에 결합할 수 있는 기능을 나타내었다.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제34권6호
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• pp.975-984
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• 2021

Objective: Inbreeding depression of reproduction is a major concern in the conservation of native chicken genetic resources. Here, based on the successful development of strongly inbred (Sinb) and weakly inbred (Winb) Langshan chickens, we aimed to evaluate inbreeding effects on reproductive traits and identify candidate genes involved in inbreeding depression of reproduction in Langshan chickens. Methods: A two-sample t-test was performed to estimate the differences in phenotypic values of reproductive traits between Sinb and Winb chicken groups. Three healthy chickens with reproductive trait values around the group mean values were selected from each of the groups. Differences in ovarian and hypothalamus transcriptomes between the two groups of chickens were analyzed by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Results: The Sinb chicken group showed an obvious inbreeding depression in reproduction, especially for traits of age at the first egg and egg number at 300 days (p<0.01). Furthermore, 68 and 618 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained in the hypothalamus and ovary between the two chicken groups, respectively. In the hypothalamus, DEGs were mainly enriched in the pathways related to vitamin metabolism, signal transduction and development of the reproductive system, such as the riboflavin metabolism, Wnt signaling pathway, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction and focal adhesion pathways, including stimulated by retinoic acid 6, serpin family F member 1, secreted frizzled related protein 2, Wnt family member 6, and frizzled class receptor 4 genes. In the ovary, DEGs were significantly enriched in pathways associated with basic metabolism, including amino acid metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycosaminoglycan degradation. A series of key DEGs involved in folate biosynthesis (gamma-glutamyl hydrolase, guanosine triphosphate cyclohydrolase 1), oocyte meiosis and ovarian function (cytoplasmic polyadenylation element binding protein 1, structural maintenance of chromosomes 1B, and speedy/RINGO cell cycle regulator family member A), spermatogenesis and male fertility (prostaglandin D2 synthase 21 kDa), Mov10 RISC complex RNA helicase like 1, and deuterosome assembly protein 1) were identified, and these may play important roles in inbreeding depression in reproduction. Conclusion: The results improve our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms underlying inbreeding depression in chicken reproduction and provide a theoretical basis for the conservation of species resources.