• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.7
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• pp.1216-1222
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• 2017

To develop starters for the production of functional foods or materials, lactic acid bacteria producing ${\gamma}-aminobutyric$ acid (GABA) were screened from jeotgals, Korean fermented seafoods. One isolate producing a high amount of GABA from monosodium $\text\tiny{L}$-glutamate (MSG) was identified as Enterococcus avium by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. E. avium M5 produced $18.47{\pm}1.26mg/ml$ GABA when incubated for 48 h at $37^{\circ}C$ in MRS broth with MSG (3% (w/v)). A gadB gene encoding glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) was cloned and overexpressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) using the pET26b (+) expression vector. Recombinant GAD was purified through a Ni-NTA column and the size was estimated to be 53 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Maximum GAD activity was observed at pH 4.5 and $55^{\circ}C$and the activity was dependent on pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. The $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values of GAD were $3.26{\pm}0.21mM$ and $0.0120{\pm}0.0001mM/min$, respectively, when MSG was used as a substrate. Enterococcus avium M5 secretes a lot of GABA when grown on MRS with MSG, and the strain is useful for the production of fermented foods containing a high amount of GABA.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.585-589
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• 2008

Chronophin is a phosphatase responsible for the dephosphorylation of cofilin, which regulates the rearrangement of actin cytoskeleton. It is also known as a phosphatase for pyrodoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP), an active form of vitamin $B_6$, and maintains the level of PLP in the cytoplasm. Since this phosphatase belongs to a HAD subfamily containing a cap domain, it is expected to undergo a conformational change for the binding of a substrate. However, the crystal structure of chronophin has a disulfide bridge between the cap and core domains preventing a movement of the cap domain against the core domain. It is possible that the disulfide bond between C91 and C221 was formed by an oxidation during the crystallization. Here, we obtained chronophin crystals under a reduced condition and determined the crystal structure. This reduced chronophin does not contain a disulfide bridge and shows a closed conformation like the oxidized form. It implies that an active chronophin binds its substrate under the closed conformation without the disulfide bond and shows a high substrate specificity in the cell.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.12
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• pp.1033-1044
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• 2018

As sessile organisms, plants have evolved to adjust their growth and development to environmental changes. It has been well documented that the crosstalk between different plant hormones plays important roles in the coordination of growth and development of the plant. Here, we describe a novel recessive mutant, mildly insensitive to ethylene (mine), which displayed insensitivity to the ethylene precursor, ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid), in the root under the dark-grown conditions. By contrast, mine roots exhibited a normal growth response to exogenous IAA (indole-3-acetic acid). Thus, it appears that the growth responses of mine to ACC and IAA resemble those of weak ethylene insensitive (wei) mutants. To understand the molecular events underlying the crosstalk between ethylene and auxin in the root, we identified the MINE locus and found that the MINE gene encodes the pyridoxine 5′-phosphate (PNP)/pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate (PMP) oxidase, PDX3. Our results revealed that MINE/PDX3 likely plays a role in the conversion of the auxin precursor tryptophan to indole-3-pyruvic acid in the auxin biosynthesis pathway, in which TAA1 (TRYPTOPHAN AMINOTRANSFERASE OF ARABIDOPSIS 1) and its related genes (TRYPTOPHAN AMINOTRANSFERASE RELATED 1 and 2; TAR1 and TAR2) are involved. Considering that TAA1 and TARs belong to a subgroup of PLP (pyridoxal-5′-phosphate)-dependent enzymes, we propose that PLP produced by MINE/PDX3 acts as a cofactor in TAA1/TAR-dependent auxin biosynthesis induced by ethylene, which in turn influences the crosstalk between ethylene and auxin in the Arabidopsis root.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.319-327
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• 2022

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a multi-functional compound with broad applications for food industry. GABA producing bacteria were isolated from cabbage kimchi. Among them, B737 was the best GABA producer when culture supernatants were analyzed by TLC. B737 was identified as Levilactobacillus brevis by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Its glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) gene was cloned by PCR and the nucleotide sequence determined. B737 GAD consisting of 485 amino acids is the largest in size among GADs reported from LAB so far. gadB from L. brevis B737 was overexpressed in Escherichia. coli BL21(DE3) using pET26b(+).pET26b(+). The recombinant GAD was purified and its size was 55 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Maximum GAD activity was observed at pH 5 and 40℃ and the activity was dependent on pyridoxal 5'-phosphate. K_m and V_max of recombinant GAD were 6.2 ± 0.06 mM and 0.34 ± 0.002 mM/min, respectively. L. brevis B737 can be used as a starter for fermented foods with high GABA contents.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.383-388
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• 2009

The dehydration responsive element binding protein 2C (DREB2C) is a dehydration responsive element/C-repeat (DRE/CRT)-motif binding transcription factor that induced by mild heat stress. Previous experiments established that overexpression of DREB2C cDNA driven by the cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter (35S:DREB2C) resulted in increased heat tolerance in Arabidopsis. We first analyzed the proteomic profiles in wild-type and 35S:DREB2C plants at a normal temperature ($22^{\circ}C$), but could not detect any differences between the proteomes of wild-type and 35S: DREB2C plants. The transcript level of DREB2C in 35S: DREB2C plants after treatment with mild heat stress was increased more than two times compared with expression in 35S:DREB2C plants under unstressed condition. A proteomic approach was used to decipher the molecular mechanisms underlying thermotolerance in 35S:DREB2C Arabidopsis plants. Eleven protein spots were identified as being differentially regulated in 35S:DREB2C plants. Moreover, in silico motif analysis showed that peptidyl-prolyl isomerase ROC4, glutathione transferase 8, pyridoxal biosynthesis protein PDX1, and elongation factor Tu contained one or more DRE/CRT motifs. To our knowledge, this study is the first to identify possible targets of DREB2C transcription factors at the protein level. The proteomic results were in agreement with transcriptional data.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.7 s.87
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• pp.970-975
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• 2007

For the screening of ${\gamma}-aminobutyric$ acid (CABA)-producing bacteria, 86 bacterial strains which produce GABA were isolated from Kimchi and Salted fisk .Among these, three strains designated AML15, AML45-1, AML72 with relatively high GABA productivity were selecled by thin layer chromatography (TLC). To elucidate the relationship between isolated strains and the genus Lactobacillus, their 16S rDNA sequence were examined. The result of their DNA sequences showed 99% similarity with Lactobacillus brevis ATCC 367. On the basis of the these results, isolated strains were identified as Lactobacillus brevis and designated L. brevis AML15. In order to determine the optimum conditions for GABA production, the isolated strains were cultivated in pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) and monosodium glutami. acid (MSG). Results showed that L. brevis AML15 had the highest CABA productivity with 10,424 $nM/{\mu}l$ concentration in MRS broth containing 5% (w/v) MSG and 10 ${\mu}M$ PLP at pH 5.0. The results imply that L. brevis AML15 has the potential to be developed as a strain for GABA hyper-production.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.499-510
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• 2013

Among 25 isolates, Aspergillus fumigatus ASH (JX006238) was identified as a potent producer of homocysteine ${\gamma}$-lyase. The nutritional requirements to maximize the enzyme yield were optimized under submerged (SF) and solid-state fermentation (SSF) conditions, resulting in a 5.2- and 2.3-fold increase, respectively, after the last purification step. The enzyme exhibited a single homogenous band of 50 kDa on SDS-PAGE, along with an optimum pH of 7.8 and pH stability range of 6.5 to 7.8. It also showed a pI of 5.0, as detected by pH precipitation with no glycosyl residues. The highest enzyme activity was obtained at $37-40^{\circ}C$, with a $T_m$ value of $70.1^{\circ}C$. The enzyme showed clear catalytic and thermal stability below $40^{\circ}C$, with $T_{1/2}$ values of 18.1, 9.9, 5.9, 3.3, and 1.9 h at $30^{\circ}C$, $35^{\circ}C$, $40^{\circ}C$, $50^{\circ}C$, and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. Additionally, the enzyme $K_r$ values were 0.002, 0.054, 0.097, 0.184, and 0.341 $S^{-1}$ at $30^{\circ}C$, $35^{\circ}C$, $40^{\circ}C$, $50^{\circ}C$, and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme displayed a strong affinity to homocysteine, followed by methionine and cysteine when compared with non-S amino acids, confirming its potency against homocysteinuria-related diseases, and as an anti-cardiovascular agent and a specific biosensor for homocysteinuria. The enzyme showed its maximum affinity for homocysteine ($K_m$ 2.46 mM, $K_{cat}\;1.39{\times}10^{-3}\;s^{-1}$), methionine ($K_m$ 4.1 mM, $K_{cat}\;0.97{\times}10^{-3}\;s^{-1}$), and cysteine ($K_m$ 4.9 m M, $K_{cat}\;0.77{\times}10^{-3}\;s^{-1}$). The enzyme was also strongly inhibited by hydroxylamine and DDT, confirming its pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) identity, yet not inhibited by EDTA. In vivo, using Swiss Albino mice, the enzyme showed no detectable negative effects on platelet aggregation, the RBC number, aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, or creatinine titer when compared with negative controls.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.322-331
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• 2002

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of vitamin $B_{6}$ intake by normal term delivery pregnant women on the concentration of vitamin $B_{6}$ in the material plasma, the umbilical cord plasma, and the placental tissue. Dietary intake data were obtained from a semi-quantitative frequency questionnaire. The daily mean energy and protein intakes were 2189.5 kcal (93.2% of RDA) and 79.3 g (113.3% of RDA), respectively. The average daily vitamin $B_{6}$ intake was 1.7 mg (91.4% of RDA) for the pregnant women. Their main sources of vitamin $B_{6}$ were cereal & starch (50%), and vegetables & fruits (33%). The pyridoxal phosphate (PLP) concentration of the maternal plasma, the umbilical cord plasma, and the placenta were 16.7 $\pm$ 4.1 nmol/1, 61.3 $\pm$ 19.8 nmol/l and 898.6 $\pm$ 159.2 ng/g, respectively. The PLP level was the highest in the placenta. The PLP level of the maternal plasma was significantly lower than the of the umbilical cord plasma (p < 0.001). The PLP level of maternal plasma correlated positively with that of the placenta (p < 0.0001) and the umbilical cord plasma (p < 0.05). Also the PLP level of the placenta correlated positively with that of the umbilical cord plasma (p < 0.05). These findings indicate that the vitamin $B_{6}$ nutritional status of the fetus is affected by placental vitamin $B_{6}$ levels, and that the placental vitamin B$_{6}$ levels reflect the maternal vitamin $B_{6}$ status. The umbilical cord plasma PLP level showed a positive correlation with the gestational length (p < 0.05). A negative association was observed between the PLP level showed of the umbilical cord plasma and the pregnancy weight gain (p < 0.03). The results suggest that the transfer of PLP from maternal plasma to the placental tissue could be an active transport, white the transfer of PLP from the placenta to the fetus is by means of simple diffusion. Thus, neonatal vitamin $B_{6}$ nutrition is influenced by the maternal nutritional status.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.196-202
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• 2007

Mutations in the cystathionine ${\beta}$-synthase (CBS) gene cause homocystinuria, the most frequent inherited disorder in sulfur metabolism. CBS is the unique enzyme using both heme and pyridoxal 5-phosphate (PLP) for activity. Among the reported 140 mutations, one of the most common disease-causing alterations in human CBS is G307S mutation. To investigate the pathogenic mechanism of G307S by spectroscopic methods, we engineered the full length and the truncated G247S mutation of yeast CBS that is corresponding mutation to human G307S. Yeast CBS does not contain heme and thus gives a merit to study the spectroscopic properties. The UV-visible spectra of the purified full length and the truncated G247S yeast CBSs showed the total absence of PLP in the protein. The absence of PLP in G247S mutation was also confirmed by the PLP-cyanide adduct formation experiment, which was conducted by the incubation of the purified enzyme with KCN. The adducts were detected using a circular dichroism (CD) and a spectrofluorimeter. Radio isotope activity assay of full length and truncated G247S proteins also gave no activity. Our yeast G247S mutation data suggested that G307S might make the distortion of the active site so that cofactor PLP and substrate can not fit inside the active site. Our yeast CBS study addressed the reason why the G307S mutation in human CBS makes the enzyme inactive that consequently leads to severe clinical phenotype.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.119-126
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• 2011

There is a growing recognition of the significance of $H_2S$ as a biological signaling molecule involved in vascular and nervous system functions. In mammals, two enzymes in the transsulfuration pathway, cystathionine ${\beta}$-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine ${\gamma}$-lyase (CGL), are believed to be chiefly responsible for $H_2S$ biogenesis. Genetic inborn error of CGL leads to human genetic disease, cystathioninuria, by accumulating cystathionine in the body. This disease is secondarily associated with a wide range of diseases including diabetes insipidus and Down's syndrome. Although the human CGL (hCGL) overexpression is essential for the investigation of its function, structure, reaction specificity, substrate specificity, and protein-protein interactions, there is no clear report concerning optimum overexpression conditions. In this study, we report a detailed analysis of the overexpression conditions of the hCGL using a bacterial system. Maximum overexpression was obtained in conditions of low culture temperature after inducer addition, performing low aeration during overexpression, and using a low concentration inducer (0.1 mM, IPTG) for induction. Expressed hCGL was purified by His-tag affinity column chromatography and confirmed by Western blot using hCGL antibody and enzyme activity analysis. We also report that the His tag with TEV site attached protein exhibits 76% activity for ${\alpha}-{\gamma}$ elimination reaction with L-cystathionine and 88% for ${\alpha}-{\beta}$ elimination reaction with L-cysteine compared to those of wild type hCGL, respectively. His tag with TEV site attached protein also exhibits a 420 nm absorption maximum, which is attributed to the binding cofactor, pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP).