• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.22 no.12
• /
• pp.1636-1643
• /
• 2012

Enzymatic pre-bleaching by modification of pulp fibers with xylanases is an attractive approach to reduce the consumption of toxic bleaching chemicals in the paper industry. In this study, an alkaliphilic endoxylanase gene was isolated from metagenomic DNA of a structurally stable thermophilic lignocellulose-degrading microbial consortium using amplification with conserved glycosyl hydrolase family 10 primers and subsequent genome walking. The full-length xylanase showed 78% sequence identity to an endo-${\beta}$-1,4-xylanase of Clostridium phytofermentans and was expressed in a mature form with an N-terminal His6 tag fusion in Escherichia coli. The recombinant xylanase Xyn3F was thermotolerant and alkaliphilic, working optimally at $65-70^{\circ}C$ with an optimal pH at 9-10 and retaining >80% activity at pH 9, $60^{\circ}C$ for 1 h. Xyn3F showed a $V_{max}$ of 2,327 IU/mg and $K_m$ of 3.5 mg/ml on birchwood xylan. Pre-bleaching of industrial eucalyptus pulp with no prior pH adjustment (pH 9) using Xyn3F at 50 IU/g dried pulp led to 4.5-5.1% increase in final pulp brightness and 90.4-102.4% increase in whiteness after a single-step hypochlorite bleaching over the untreated pulp, which allowed at least 20% decrease in hypochlorite consumption to achieve the same final bleaching indices. The alkaliphilic xylanase is promising for application in an environmentally friendly bleaching step of kraft and soda pulps with no requirement for pH adjustment, leading to improved economic feasibility of the process.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.423-428
• /
• 2009

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) constitute the first line of cellular defense against oxidative stress in plants. SODs generally occur in three different forms with Cu/Zn, Fe, or Mn as prosthetic metals. We cloned the full-length cDNA of the Thellungiella halophila Cu/Zn-SOD gene ThCSD using degenerate RT-PCR and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE). Sequence analysis indicated that the ThCSD gene (GenBank accession number EF405867) had an open reading frame of 456 bp. The deduced 152-amino acid polypeptide had a predicted molecular weight of 15.1 kDa, an estimated pI of 5.4, and a putative Cu/Zn-binding site. Recombinant ThCSD protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and assayed for SOD enzymatic activity in a native polyacrylamide gel. The SOD activity of ThCSD was inactivated by potassium cyanide and hydrogen peroxide but not by sodium azide, confirming that ThCSD is a Cu/Zn-SOD. Northern blotting demonstrated that ThCSD is expressed in roots, stems, and leaves. ThCSD mRNA levels increased by about 30-fold when plants were treated with sodium chloride (NaCl), abscisic acid (ABA), and indole-acetic acid (IAA) and by about 50-fold when treated with UVB light. These results indicate that ThCSD is involved in physiological pathways activated by a variety of environmental conditions.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.15 no.6 s.73
• /
• pp.916-922
• /
• 2005

Parkin, known as an E3 ubiquitin ligase, has essential role in protein quality control, and its severe dysfunction leads to neurodegenerative disorders. Human Parkin was excessively degraded when expressed in Escherichia coli under the conventional induction condition ($37^{\circ}C$ culture condition with 0.5 mM IPTG). To optimize the induction and culture conditions for recombinant human Parkin and develop a rapid method for the Parkin purification, we expressed Parkin by using PCEX system at the different culture temperatures and IPTC concentrations. The intact Parkin protein was purified to approximately $90\%$ purity with suitable amounts of protein under the optimal culture condition ($25^{\circ}C$E with 0.01 mM IPTG). Additionally, we constructed various parkin plasmids with different tagging systems and investigated their expression patterns in HEK293 cells. We found that the proteolytically sensitive site is localized within a ubiquitin-like domain of Parkin. This study developes a method for generating useful reagents to investigate biochemical properties of Parkin.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
• /
• v.4
• /
• pp.36-41
• /
• 1986

The transformation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae with YIp26, YRp7 and YEp13 was investigated. Transformation frequences of YIp5, YIp26, YRp7 and YEp13 in Escherichia coli HB101 was $5.1{\times}10^{-4}$, $1.5 {\times}10^{-3}$, $1.3{\times}10^{-3}$, $3{\times}10^{-3}$, respectively. When plasmids were used in covalently closed circular form, transformation frequency of YEp13 was $1.2{\times}10^{-4}$ in S. cerevisiae DBY747 and $3.3{\times}10^{-4}$ in S. cerevisiae MC16 and that of YRp7, YIp26 was $3{\times}10^{-6}$, below $6{\times}10^{-8}$ respectively in S. cerevisiae DBY747 by the method of Ito. Cotransformation of YIp26 and YEp13 in linear form increased the frequency of transformation with efficiences 270-fold higher than transformation of YIp26 only in S. cerevisiae DBY747. In cotransformation of YIp5+YEp13 and YIp26+YRp7 with S. cerevisiae DBY747 by Beggs' method. Expression frequency of YIp5+YEp13 and YIp26+YRp7 was $4{\times}10^{-6}$, $1.5{\times}10^{-6}$, respectively. The recombinant plasmid of cotransformant was thought that YIp26 and YEp13, YIp5 and YEp13, and YIp26 and YRp 7 were ligated in vivo in S. cerevisiae DBY747.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.343-349
• /
• 2019

Gul jeotgals (GJs) were prepared using solar salt aged for 3 years. One sample was fermented using starters, such as Bacillus subtilis JS2 and Tetragenococcus halophilus BS2-36 (each $10^6CFU/g$), and another sample was fermented without starters for 49 days at $10^{\circ}C$. Initial counts of bacilli and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in non-starter GJ were found to be $3.20{\times}10^2$ and $7.67{\times}10^1CFU/g$ on day 0, and increased to $1.37{\times}10^3$ and $1.64{\times}10^6CFU/g$ on day 49. Those of starter GJ were found to be $2.10{\times}10^5$ and $3.30{\times}10^7CFU/g$ on day 49, indicating the growth of starters. The pH values of GJ were $5.93{\pm}0.01$ (non-starter) and $5.92{\pm}0.01$ (starter) on day 0 and decreased to $5.78{\pm}0.01$ (non-starter) and $5.75{\pm}0.01$ (starter) on day 49. Amino-type nitrogen (ANN) production increased continuously during fermentation, and $407.19{\pm}15.85$ (non-starter) and $398.04{\pm}13.73$ (starter) mg% on day 49. Clone libraries of 16S rRNA genes were constructed from total DNA extracted from non-starter GJ on days 7, 21, and 42. Nucleotide sequences of Escherichia coli transformants harboring recombinant pGEM-T easy plasmid containing 16S rRNA gene inserts from different bacterial species were analyzed using BLAST. Uncultured bacterium was the most dominant group and Gram - bacteria such as Acidovorax sp., Afipia sp., and Variovorax sp. were the second dominant group. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (day 7), Bacillus velezensis (day 21 and 42), and Bacillus subtilis (day 42) were observed, but no lactic acid bacteria were detected. Acidovorax and Variovorax species might play some role in GJ fermentation. Further studies on these bacteria are necessary.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.29-36
• /
• 2011

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that causes various infections on urinary track, cornea, respiratory track, and burn wound site, and mainly relies on quorum sensing (QS) for its virulence. To control the infectivity of P. aeruginosa, we previously synthesized the structural analogues of a major QS signal, N-3-oxododecanoyl homoserine lactone (3OC12-HSL) to use as a QS inhibitor. Two of them (5b and 5f) had been confirmed to have an inhibitory effect on LasR, a major QS signal receptor of P. aeruginosa in the screening by the recombinant Escherichia coli reporter. To further evaluate these compounds, we tested their efficacy to control the QS and virulence of P. aeruginosa. Unlike the result from E. coli reporter, both 5b and 5f failed to affect the LasR activity in P. aeruginosa, but instead they selectively affected the activity of QscR, another 3OC12-HSL receptor of P. aeruginosa. Interestingly, their effect on QscR was complex and opposite to what we obtained with E. coli system. Both 5b and 5f enhanced the QscR activity at the low concentration range (< 10 ${\mu}m$), but high concentration of 5f (${\approx}$1 mM) strongly inhibited QscR. While 5b and 5f didn't affect the production of proteases, the key virulence factor, they significantly reduced the biofilm formation that is important in mediating chronic infections. Especially, 5f inhibited the initial attachment of P. aeruginosa, rather than the biofilm maturation. Based on our results, we suggest that 5f can be applied for an anti-biofilm agent without increasing virulence of P. aeruginosa.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.443-448
• /
• 1996

In order to investigate the function of xylA promoter(Pxyl) as regulatory region Pxyl-lacZ fusion gene was constructed by the insertion of xylA promoter to the multiple cloning site of upstream of lacZ gene in a multicopy numbered plasmid pMC1403 containing promoterless lac operon, which was designated pMCX191, and Pxyl-lacZ fragment from pMCX191 was inserted to low copy numbered plasmid pLG339, designated pLGX191. The expressions of ${\beta}-galactosidase$ in these recombinant plasmids containing Pxyl-lacZ fusion gene were induced strongly by the addition of xylose, repressed by the addition of 0.2% glucose in the presence of xylose. The catabolite repressions were derepressed by the addition of 1 mM cAMP as same as native xylA gene. The fragment of xylA promoter was partially deleted from the upstream of xylA promoter by exonuclease III to investigate the regulation site of xylA promoter and the degrees of deletion derivatives of xylA promoter were analyzed by the DNA base sequencing. By the investigations of the induction by xylose, repression by glucose and derepression by cAMP on xylose isomerase production, the regulation site of xylA promoter may be located in segment between -165 and -59 bp upstream from the initiation site of xylA translation.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.115-119
• /
• 2005

Replacement of valine by tryptophan or tyrosine at position $\alpha$96 of the $\alpha$ chain ($\alpha$96Val), located in the ${\alpha}_1{\beta}_2$ subunit interface of hemoglobin leads to low oxygen affinity hemoglobin, and has been suggested to be due to the extra stability introduced by an aromatic amino acid at the $\alpha$96 position. The characteristic of aromatic amino acid substitution at the $\alpha$96 of hemoglobin has been further investigated by producing double mutant r Hb ($\alpha$42Tyr$\rightarrow$ Phe, $\alpha$96Val$\rightarrow$Trp). r Hb ($\alpha$42Tyr$\rightarrow$Phe) is known to exhibit almost no cooperativity in binding oxygen, and possesses high oxygen affinity due to the disruption of the hydrogen bond between $\alpha$42Tyr and $\beta$99Asp in the ${\alpha}_1{\beta}_2$ subunit interface of deoxy Hb A. The second mutation, $\alpha$96Val$\rightarrow$Trp, may compensate the functional defects of r Hb ($\alpha$42Tyr$\rightarrow$Phe), if the stability due to the introduction of trypophan at the $\alpha$96 position is strong enough to overcome the defect of r Hb ($\alpha$42Tyr$\rightarrow$Phe). Double mutant r Hb ($\alpha$42Tyr$\rightarrow$Phe, $\alpha$96Val$\rightarrow$Trp) exhibited almost no cooperativity in binding oxygen and possessed high oxygen affinity, similarly to that of r Hb ($\alpha$42Tyr$\rightarrow$Phe). $^1$H NMR spectroscopic data of r Hb ($\alpha$42Tyr$\rightarrow$Phe, $\alpha$96Val$\rightarrow$Trp) also showed a very unstable deoxy-quaternary structure. The present investigation has demonstrated that the presence of the crucible hydrogen bond between $\alpha$42Tyr and $\beta$99Asp is essential for the novel oxygen binding properties of deoxy Hb ($\alpha$96Val$\rightarrow$Trp).

• Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.38 no.1
• /
• pp.55-62
• /
• 1995

To understand the molecular structure of Korean garlic viruses, cDNA cloning of virus genomic RNA was attempted. Virus particles were isolated from virus-infected garlic leaves and a cDNA library was constructed from garlic virus RNA. One of these clones, S81, selected by random sequencing has been identified as a member of potexvirus group other than potyvirus and carlavirus. The clone is 873 bp long contains most of the coat protein (CP) coding region and 3'-noncoding region including poly(A) tail. A putative polyadenylation signal sequence (AAUAAA) and the hexanucleotide motif (ACUUAA), a replicational cis-acting element conserved in the 3'-noncoding region of potexvirus RNAs are noticed. The clone S81 shows about 30-40% identity in both nucleotide and amino acid sequences with CPs of potexviruses. The genome size of the virus was analysed to be 7.46 knt by Northern blot analysis, which was longer than those of other potexviruses. The open reading frame encoding CP was expressed as a fusion protein (S81CP) in Escherichia coli and the recombinant protein was purified by immobilized metal binding affinity chromatography. Polyclonal antibody was raised against S81CP in rabbit to examine the occurrence of garlic potexvirus in Korean garlic plants by immunoblot analysis. Two virus protein bands of Mr 27,000 and 29,000 from garlic leaf extract of various cultivars reacted with the antibody. It was shown that Mr 27,000 band might not be a degradation product of Mr 29,000 band, suggesting that two types of potexvirus different in size of coat protein could exist in Korean garlic plants.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.824-831
• /
• 2021

1, 2-Octanediol galactoside (OD-gal) has been synthesized from 1, 2-octanediol (OD), as a safer cosmetic preservative, using recombinant Escherichia coli β-galactosidase (β-gal). To confirm the molecular structure of synthesized OD-gal, mass spectrometry and NMR (¹H- and ¹³C-) spectroscopy of OD-gal were carried out. In the reaction mixture, a sodium adduct ion of OD-gal (m/z=331.1732) was identified using mass spectrometry analysis. In addition, ¹H NMR spectrum of OD-gal showed multiple peaks corresponding to the galactosyl group, which is evidence of galactosylation on OD. Downfield proton peaks at δ_H 4.39 ppm and multiple peaks from δ_H 3.98~3.55 ppm were indicative of galactosylation on OD. Up field proton peaks at δ_H 1.52~1.26 ppm and 0.89 ppm showed the presence of CH₂ and CH₃ protons of OD. ¹³C NMR spectrum revealed the presence of 24 carbons suggestive of α- and β-anomers of OD-gal. Among 14 carbon peaks from each anomer, the 4 peaks at δ_C 31.4, 29.0, 22.3, and 13.7 ppm were assigned to be overlapped showing only 24 peaks out of a total of 28 peaks. The mass value from mass spectrometry analysis of OD-gal, and ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectral data were in good agreement with the expecting structure of OD-gal. Finally, we identified a galactose molecule from the hydrolysate of OD-gal using β-gal. We are expecting that through future study it will eventually be able to develop a safe cosmetic preservative.