• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.44 no.4 s.140
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• pp.321-330
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• 2006

The pathogenic mechanism of granulomatous amebic encephalitis (GAE) and amebic keratitis (AK) by Acanthamoeba has yet to be clarified. Pretense has been recognized to play an important role in the pathogenesis of GAE and AK. In the present study, we have compared specific activity and cytopathic effects (CPE) of purified 33 kDa serine proteinases from Acanthamoeba strains with different degree of virulence (A. healyi OC-3A, A. lugdunensis KA/E2, and A. castelianii Neff). Trophozoites of the 3 strains revealed different degrees of CPE on human corneal epithelial (HCE) cells. The effect was remarkably reduced by adding phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (PMSF), a serine proteinase inhibitor. This result indicated that PMSF-susceptible proteinase is the main component causing cytopathy to HCE cells by Acanthamoeba. The purified 33 kDa serine proteinase showed strong activity toward HCE cells and extracellular matrix proteins. The purified proteinase from OC-3A, the most virulent strain, demonstrated the highest enzyme activity compared to KA/E2, an ocular isolate, and Neff, a soil isolate. Polyclonal antibodies against the purified 33 kDa serine proteinase inhibit almost completely the proteolytic activity of culture supernatant of Acanthamoeba. In line with these results, the 33 kDa serine proteinase is suggested to play an important role in pathogenesis and to be the main component of virulence factor of Acanthamoeba.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.178-182
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• 2008

Although the number of patients with Acanthamoeba keratitis has increased dramatically since the widespread use of contact lens, it is still very hard to cure the disease. The proteases from the Acanthamoeba were reported to play important role in the pathogenesis of keratitis. In this study, the inhibitors for extracellular serine proteases of A. castellanii were screened from the extracts of 230 mushroom samples collected from various regions of Korea. The mushrooms were extracted with methanol and water ($65^{\circ}C$). Filtered and concentrated extracts (0.3 mg/ml) were preincubated with proteases before addition of peptide substrate N-succinyl-ala-ala-pro-phe p-anilide. The selected extracts showing strong inhibitory effects were characterized. Although inhibition with single extract was not so high enough, the complete inhibition was achieved with combination of two extracts. The selected extract showed little effect on other serine proteases such as thrombin (human and bovine) and on general protease such as protease K.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.7 s.87
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• pp.948-955
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• 2007

Neutrophils play a key role as a first line of defense and are known to acquire the characteristics of dendritic cells (DCs) under the appropriate conditions. The spontaneous apoptosis of neutrophils was delayed by treatment with 4-(2-aminoethyl) benzensulfonylfluoride (AEBSF), a serine protease inhibitor. AEBSF inhibited both caspase-3 and serine protease activities, whereas ZVAD-fmk, a pancaspase inhibitor, inhibited only caspase-3 activity. The life span of neutrophils was prolonged up to 5 days by AEBSF in the presence or absence of granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor(CM-CSF). DC surface markers, such as CD80, CD83, and MHC class ll were not expressed on neutrophils treated with AEBSF alone. CM-CSF failed to prolong the survival time of neutrophils up to3 days but increased the expression levels of DC markers on neutrophils in the presence of AEBSF. Expression levels of DC markers were the highest on neutrophils treated with CM-CSF and AEBSF for 3 days. AEBSF and CM-CSF-treated neutrophils stimulated proliferation of T cells in the presence of a superantigen, Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) but produced $interferon-{\gamma}$ ($IFN{\gamma}$) in the absence of SEB. These results suggest that the inhibition of serine protease activity prolonged the life span of human neutrophils and combined treatment of neukophils with CM-CSF and serine protease inhibitor induced differentiation of neutrophils into DC-like cells.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.187-193
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• 2012

Serine proteases are major insect enzymes involved in the digestion of dietary proteins and in the process of blood meal digestion. In this study, cDNA was constructed using the whole body of Laccotrephes japonensis. The flanking sequences of the 5- and 3- end of this gene were characterized by RACE-PCR. Sequence analysis showed that this gene contained a 963-bp ORF encoding 320 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence showed 62% identity with the Creontiades dilutus serine protease, 58% with the Lygus lineolaris trypsin precursor, and 54% with the Triatoma infestans salivary trypsin. To assess the expression of the L. japonensis serine protease (JGsp), the JGsp gene was cloned into a baculovirus transfer vector, pBac-1, and expressed in Sf9 cells (Spodoptera frugiperda). SDS-PAGE and western blot analysis have shown that the JGsp recombinant protein was a monomer with a molecular weight of about 32 kDa. Recombinant JGsp has shown activity in the protease enzyme assay using gelatin as a substrate.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2007

Though higher plants car not metabolize D-amino acid, many prokaryotes and eukaryotes have the D-amino acid metabolism. Therefore, we transformed tobacco plants with D-amino acid oxidase (DAO), which can metabolize D-amino acid, and confirmed that transgenic tobacco plants might metabolize D-amino acid. Transgenic tobacco plants were survived a high concentration of D-serine, however non-transgenic plants were not grown on D-serine medium. From Southern and Northern blot analysis, transgenic tobacco plants selected on D-serine medium were confirmed by insert and expression of transgene. $T_{1}$ tobacco seeds derived $T_{0}$ tobacco plants selfing were grown on D-serine medium and showed normal phenotype compared to wild tobacco plants. Transgenic tobacco plants displayed the metabolic capability of D-serine. Therefore, we suggested that DAO is useful selectable marker gene for plant transformation.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.140-146
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• 1998

Hypoglycemic action of brazilin was found to be based on the improvement of peripheral glucose utility, and this action might be correlated with the insulin action pathway. In the present study we investigated the effect of brazilin on the insulin receptor autophosphorylation, protein kinase C (PKC), protein phosphatase and insulin receptor serine kinase in order to confirm whether the hypoglycemic mechanism is concerned with insulin action pathway. Brazilin was found to inhibit PKC and insulin receptor serine kinase, which are involved in the regulation of insulin signal pathway. But any significant effect was not shown on insulin receptor tyrosine kinase activity, autophosphorylation and phosphatase activity. These findings suggest that brazilin might enhance insulin receptor function by decreasing serine phosphorylation, which might mediate hypoglycemic effect of brazilin.

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.455-461
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• 1996

A serine proteinase was purified from Acanthamoeba culbertsoni by 41~80% ammonium sulfate fractionation, ion exchange chromatography, affinity chromatography and gel filtration chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 108.0 kDa by gel filtration chromatography and 54.0 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Therefore, the purified enzyme seemed to be a dimer. Isoelectric point was 4.5. The enzyme activity was highly inhibited by the serine proteinase inhibitors diisopropyl fluorophosphate (OFP) and phenylmethyl sulfonylfluoride (PMSF). It had a narrow pH optimum of 6.5~7.5 with a maximum at pH 7.0. These data suggested that the purified enzyme was a neutral serine proteinase. Optimal temperature was $37^{\circ}C$. It was stable for at least 16 h at $4^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$, but it was rapidly inactivated at $65^{\circ}C$ The activity of the purified enzyme was not influenced significantly by $Mg^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$ or $Ca^{2+}$. However, the enzyme activity was highly inhibited by $Hg^{2+}$ The enzyme degraded type I collagen and fibronectin, but not BSA, hemoglobin, lysozyme, immunoglobulin A or immunoglobulin G.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.119-125
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• 1990

A Potent inhibitor of trypsin and other various serine proteases including chymotrypsin, elastase, kallikrein, plasmin and subtilisin, has been purified to homogeneity from chick skeletal muscle by convendonal chromatographic procedures. The Inhibitor has an apparent molecular weight of 66, 000 dalton as determined by gel filtration. When the purified inhibitor was electrophoresed in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate, there appeared rwo protein bands having molecular weights of 66, 000 and 64, 000 dalton. The 64, 000 dalton protein seems to be the product of 66, 000 dalton protein by a lin'ited proteolysis during the purification procedure or in viuo. Thus, it seems to consist of a single polypeptide. The inhibitor appeared to be glycoprotein and have an isoelectric point of 7.4. It contains relatively large amount (8.33 mole%) of cysteine residues.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.189-196
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• 2003

In order to evaluate the possible roles of secretory proteases in the pathogenesis of amoebic keratitis, we purified and characterized a serine protease secreted by Acanthamoeba lugdunensis KA/E2, isolated from a Korean keratitis patient The ammonium sulfate-precipitated culture supernatant of the isolate was purified by sequential chromatography on CM-Sepharose, Sephacryl S-200, and mono Q-anion exchange column. The purified 33 kDa protease had a pH optimum of 8.5 and a temperature optimum of $55^{\circ}C$. Phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride and 4-(2-Aminoethyl)-benzenesulfonyl-fluoride, both serine protease specific inhibitors, inhibited almost completely the activity of the 33 kDa protease whereas other classes of inhibitors did not affect its activity. The 33 kDa enzyme degraded various extracellular matrix proteins and serum proteins. Our results strongly suggest that the 33 kDa serine protease secreted from this keratopathogenic Acanthamoeba play important roles in the pathogenesis of amoebic keratitis, such as in corneal tissue invasion, immune evasion and nutrient uptake.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.564-567
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• 2000

The use of amino acid derivatives as building blocks in peptide synthesis is increasingly being recognized as a potential route for the development of pharmaceutical agents. Side chain protection of polyfunctional amino acids such as Ser, Thr, Tyr is viewed as being particularly important. Although these derivatives are commercially listed, they are expensive and not widely available. We describe here a practical large-scale synthesis of t-butyl introduced D-serine, one of the building blocks of zoladex, a peptide drug.