• Animal cells and systems
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.139-144
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• 2005

The attractant (orange light) or repellent (white light) signal is transmitted from SRI (Sensory Rhodopsin I) via protein-protein interaction with its transducer Htrl (Halobacterial Transducer for Sensory Rhodopsin I) which in turn controls a cytoplasmic phospho-transfer pathway that modulates flagella motor switching in Halobacterium salinarum. Some mutations in both SRI and Htrl showed an unusual mutant phenotype called inverted signaling, in which the cell produces a repellent response to normally attractant light. Twelve mutations at the Glutamate 56 (E56) position in the second transmembrane helix of Htrl were introduced by site-specific random mutagenesis. Almost all E56 mutants showed orange-light inverted responses in pH and temperature-dependent manners except E56D and E56Y. Except for these two mutants, all mutants accelerated the $S_{373}$ decay compared to wild-type at $18^{\circ}C$. This supported that there is an interaction between SRI and the second transmembrane of Htrl. Also a structural model of Htrl based on the Tar crystal structure and the secondary structure prediction program proposed the E56 residue to be in the middle of the proton channel. The most important observation is that the E56 mutant provides the evidence that this residue is very sensitive for signal relay, which can be explained by the open and closed conformations of the channel (A and R conformations) in SRI, as was postulated by the unified conformational shuttling model for transport and signaling.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제22권3호
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• pp.328-335
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• 2006

Imperatoxin A ($IpTx_a$), a 3.7 kDa peptide from the African scorpion Pandinus imperator, is an agonist of the skeletal muscle ryanodine receptor (RyR1). In order to study the structure of the toxin and its effect on RyR1, $IpTx_a$ cDNA was PCR-amplified using 3 pairs of primers, and the toxin was expressed in E. coli. The toxin was further purified by chromatography, and various point mutants in which basic amino acids were substituted by alanine were prepared by site-directed mutagenesis. Studies of single channel properties by the planar lipid bilayer method showed that the recombinant $IpTx_a$ was identical to the synthetic $IpTx_a$ with respect to high-performance liquid chromatography mobility, amino acid composition and specific effects on RyR1. Mutations of certain basic amino acids ($Lys^{19}$, $Arg^{23}$, and $Arg^{33}$) dramatically reduced the capacity of the peptide to activate RyRs. A subconductance state predominated when $Lys^8$ was substituted with alanine. These results suggest that some basic amino acid residues in $IpTx_a$ are important for activation of RyR1, and that $Lys^8$ plays an important role in regulating the gating mode of RyR1.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제44권10호
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• pp.723-735
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• 2021

Spemann organizer is a center of dorsal mesoderm and itself retains the mesoderm character, but it has a stimulatory role for neighboring ectoderm cells in becoming neuroectoderm in gastrula embryos. Goosecoid (Gsc) overexpression in ventral region promotes secondary axis formation including neural tissues, but the role of gsc in neural specification could be indirect. We examined the neural inhibitory and stimulatory roles of gsc in the same cell and neighboring cells contexts. In the animal cap explant system, Gsc overexpression inhibited expression of neural specific genes including foxd4l1.1, zic3, ncam, and neurod. Genome-wide chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and promoter analysis of early neural genes of foxd4l1.1 and zic3 were performed to show that the neural inhibitory mode of gsc was direct. Site-directed mutagenesis and serially deleted construct studies of foxd4l1.1 promoter revealed that Gsc directly binds within the foxd4l1.1 promoter to repress its expression. Conjugation assay of animal cap explants was also performed to demonstrate an indirect neural stimulatory role for gsc. The genes for secretory molecules, Chordin and Noggin, were up-regulated in gsc injected cells with the neural fate only achieved in gsc uninjected neighboring cells. These experiments suggested that gsc regulates neuroectoderm formation negatively when expressed in the same cell and positively in neighboring cells via soluble factors. One is a direct suppressive circuit of neural genes in gsc expressing mesoderm cells and the other is an indirect stimulatory circuit for neurogenesis in neighboring ectoderm cells via secreted BMP antagonizers.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.123-134
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• 2019

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is an endogenous lysophospholipid with signaling properties outside of the cell and it signals through specific G protein-coupled receptors, known as $LPA_{1-6}$. For one of its receptors, $LPA_1$ (gene name Lpar1), details on the cis-acting elements for transcriptional control have not been defined. Using 5'RACE analysis, we report the identification of an alternative transcription start site of mouse Lpar1 and characterize approximately 3,500 bp of non-coding flanking sequence 5' of mouse Lpar1 gene for promoter activity. Transient transfection of cells derived from mouse neocortical neuroblasts with constructs from the 5' regions of mouse Lpar1 gene revealed the region between -248 to +225 serving as the basal promoter for Lpar1. This region also lacks a TATA box. For the region between -761 to -248, a negative regulatory element affected the basal expression of Lpar1. This region has three E-box sequences and mutagenesis of these E-boxes, followed by transient expression, demonstrated that two of the E-boxes act as negative modulators of Lpar1. One of these E-box sequences bound the HeLa E-box binding protein (HEB), and modulation of HEB levels in the transfected cells regulated the transcription of the reporter gene. Based on our data, we propose that HEB may be required for a proper regulation of Lpar1 expression in the embryonic neocortical neuroblast cells and to affect its function in both normal brain development and disease settings.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제20권9호
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• pp.1332-1338
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• 2010

사람 신경모세포종 세포주 SH-SY5Y에서 Fenretinide (FenR)에 의한 GD3합성효소(hST8Sia I)의 발현증가기작을 규명하게 위하여 hST8Sia I의 프로모터 활성을 조사해 본 결과 -1146에서 -646영역에서 FenR에 의한 활성증가를 나타내었다. 또한 부위특이적 변이의 분석은 -731에서 -722영역에 위치한 전사인자 NF-kB 결합부위가 hST8Sia I의 FenR에 의한 활성증가에 중요하게 관여하고 있음을 나타내었다. FenR에 의한 hST8Sia I 유전자의 발현유도에 포함된 신호전달기작을 전사인자 단백질의 항체를 이용하여 조사해 본 결과 FenR처리에 의해 세포질에서는 인산화된 AKT단백질 수준의 증가가 관찰되었고 핵내에서는 NF-kB의 p65단백질의 증가가 관찰되었다. 이러한 결과들은 FenR에 의한 hST8Sia I 유전자의 발현증가는 AKT신호전달경로에 의해 활성화된 NF-kB의 핵내로 이동하여 hST8Sia I 유전자의 프로모터에 결합함으로서 전사가 촉진되어 일어난다는 것을 나타낸다.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제52권4호
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• pp.455-462
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• 2016

Pseudomonas aeruginosa P-5 균주는 홀수개의 탄소수를 갖는 지방산으로부터 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV)와 medium-chain-length (MCL) 3-hydroxyalkanoates (3HAs) 단위체로 구성된 popolyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) 공중합체를 생산하는 특이한 성질을 갖고 있다. 이 균주가 갖고 있는 2개의 MCL-PHA synthases ($PhaC1_{P-5}$와 $PhaC2_{P-5}$)의 탄소길이에 따른 기질특이성을 비교하기 위하여 각각의 유전자를 PHA 생합성능이 결여된 돌연변이주 Pseudomonas putida GPp104에 도입하고 발현시킨 결과, $PhaC2_{P-5}$는 3HV와 MCL 3HAs로 이루어진 공중합체를 생산하지만 $PhaC1_{P-5}$는 단지 MCL 3HAs로 구성된 공중합체를 생산하였다. 이는 $PhaC2_{P-5}$가 $PhaC1_{P-5}$과는 달리 보다 짧은 탄소길이의 3-hydroxyvaleryl Co-A를 기질로 인지하여 합성반응에 이용할 수 있음을 보여주는 것이다. 또한 $PhaC2_{P-5}$의 효소활성 및 기질특이성의 변화를 유도하기 위하여 위치지정 돌연변이생성을 수행하고 P. putida GPp104과 다른 PHA 생합성능 결여 돌연변이주인 Ralstonia eutropha $PHB^-4$에서 발현시킨 결과, $PhaC2_{P-5}$ 내 두 개 아미노산의 치환(Ser326Thr과 Gln482Lys)이 공중합체의 3HV 함량을 크게 증진시키는 효과를 보였다. 두 개 아미노산이 모두 치환된 $PhaC2_{P-5}$ 유전자($phaC2_{P-5}QKST$)를 갖는 P. putida GPp104를 nonanoic acid가 탄소원으로 함유된 배지에서 배양하였을 때, 모균주에 비해 공중합체 함량과 공중합체 내 3HV 함량이 각각 2.5배 및 3.5배 증가하였다. 따라서 $phaC2_{P-5}QKST$를 포함하는 재조합 균주는 개량된 물성의 신규PHAs 생산에 유용할 것으로 기대된다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.30-42
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• 2008

The disease-specific (dsp) region and the hypersensitive response and pathogenicity (hrp) genes, including the hrpW, $hrpN_{Ep}$, and hrpC operons have previously been sequenced in Erwinia pyrifoliae WT3 [Shrestha et al. (2005a)]. In this study, the remaining hrp genes, including the hrpC, hrpA, hrpS, hrpXY, hrpL and hrpJ operons, were determined. The hrp genes cluster (ca. 38 kb) was comprised of eight transcriptional units and contained nine hrc (hrp conserved) genes. The genetic organization of the hrp/hrc genes and their orientation for the transcriptions were also similar to and collinear with those of E. amylovora, showing ${\geq}80%$ homologies. However, ORFU1 and ORFU2 of unknown functions, present between the hrpA and hrpS operons of E. amylovora, were absent in E. pyrifoliae. To determine the HR active domains, several proteins were prepared from truncated fragments of the N-terminal and the C-terminal regions of $HrpN_{Ep}$ protein of E. pyrifoliae. The proteins prepared from the N-terminal region elicited HR, but not from those of the C-terminal region indicating that HR active domains are located in only N-terminal region of the $HrpN_{Ep}$ protein. Two synthetic oligopeptides produced HR on tobacco confirming presence of two HR active domains in the $HrpN_{Ep}$. The HR positive N-terminal fragment ($HN{\Delta}C187$) was further narrowed down by deleting C-terminal amino acids and internal amino acids to investigate whether amino acid insertion region have role in faster and stronger HR activity in $HrpN_{Ep}$ than $HrpN_{Ea}$. The $HrpN_{Ep}$ mutant proteins $HN{\Delta}C187$ (D1AIR), $HN{\Delta}C187$ (D2AIR) and $HN{\Delta}C187$ (DM41) retained similar HR activation to that of wild-type $HrpN_{Ep}$. However, the $HrpN_{Ep}$ mutant protein $HN{\Delta}C187$ (D3AIR) lacking third amino acid insertion region (102 to 113 aa) reduced HR when compared to that of wild-type $HrpN_{Ep}$. Reduction in HR elicitation could not be observed when single amino acids at different positions were substituted at third amino acids insertion region. But, substitution of amino acids at L103R, L106K and L110R showed reduction in HR activity on tobacco suggesting their importance in activation of HR faster in the $HrpN_{Ep}$ although it requires further detailed analysis.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제39권8호
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• pp.594-602
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• 2016

Alkyl hydroperoxide reductase subunit C from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 (PaAhpC) is a member of the 2-Cys peroxiredoxin family. Here, we examined the peroxidase and molecular chaperone functions of PaAhpC using a site-directed mutagenesis approach by substitution of Ser and Thr residues with Cys at positions 78 and 105 located between two catalytic cysteines. Substitution of Ser with Cys at position 78 enhanced the chaperone activity of the mutant (S78C-PaAhpC) by approximately 9-fold compared with that of the wild-type protein (WT-PaAhpC). This increased activity may have been associated with the proportionate increase in the high-molecular-weight (HMW) fraction and enhanced hydrophobicity of S78C-PaAhpC. Homology modeling revealed that mutation of $Ser^{78}$ to $Cys^{78}$ resulted in a more compact decameric structure than that observed in WT-PaAhpC and decreased the atomic distance between the two neighboring sulfur atoms of $Cys^{78}$ in the dimer-dimer interface of S78C-PaAhpC, which could be responsible for the enhanced hydrophobic interaction at the dimer-dimer interface. Furthermore, complementation assays showed that S78C-PaAhpC exhibited greatly improved the heat tolerance, resulting in enhanced1 survival under thermal stress. Thus, addition of Cys at position 78 in PaAhpC modulated the functional shifting of this protein from a peroxidase to a chaperone.

• KSBB Journal
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.188-199
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• 2001

10%의 $\alpha-(1\rightarrow3)$가지 결합을 갖고 $\alpha-(1\rightarrow6)$으로 연결된 댁스트란을 합성하는 텍스트란수크라제를 coding하는 유전자 (dsCB)를 Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-742CB로부터 분리하여 염기서열과 아미노산 서열을 결정하였다. dsCB가 포항된 6 6.lkb띄 DNA fragment는 4,536 bp의 염기로 구성된 하나의 open reading 잔ame(ORF)를 가지고 있었다. 추정된 아미노산 서열은 ORF의 698벤째 nucleotide 위치에 있는 start codon (ATG)으로부터 5,223번째 위치에 있는 slop codon(TAA)까지 였다. 구조 유전자의 아마노산은 1,5087H로 구성되고 분자량의 계산값은 168.6 kDa었고 non-denatured SDS-PAGE를 이용하여 활성 band툴 분석한 결과 170 kDa이었다. pDSCB를 까지고 있는 재조합 E. coli는 2 % sucrose배치에서 세포외로 댁스트란수크라제를 생산하였으며, soluble과 insoluble 텍스트 란을 생산하였다. 텍스트란수크라체의 효소 촉매작용에 관여 하는 것으로 얄려져있는 conserved region의 아미노산 중 Asp-492를 Asparagine으로 바꾸고자 point mutation을 시도하였고, 결과로 얻어친 D492N은 돌연변이 이전의 균에 비하여 활성이 1.6배 감소함을 확인하였다.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.102-108
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• 1994

ABF1(Autonomously replicating sequence Binding Factor 1)은 효모 genome에서 $RTCRYN_5ACG$의 염기 서열을 가지고 있는 promoter, mating-type silencer, ARS에 결합하는 DNA binding 단백질이다. E. coli 에서 ABF1 유전자를 발현하기 위하여, ABF1 유전자를 pMAL-c2 벡터에 cloning하였다.(pMAHW). pMAHW를 E. coli에 형질전환하여, ABF1 융합단백질을 발현시키고, amylose resin affinity chromatography에 의하여 분리하였다. Factor Xa protease를 이용하여 분리된 융합단백질로부터 maltose binding protein을 잘라낸 후에 gel retardation analysis 방법으로 분리된 ABF1이 ARS1에 결합하는 능력을 지니고 있음을 확인하였다. DNA 결합에 관련된 부위를 찾기 위하여, 비전형적인 zinc finger motif가 위치하는 자리에서 pMAHW의 ABF1 유전자에 His-61을 다른 아미노산으로 치환하였다. DNA binding 부위로 추정되는 ABF1 단백질의 중간지역에 Leu-353, Leu-360를 다른 아미노산으로 치환하였다. Site-specific mutagenesis 를 통해 만들어진 mutant를 gel retardation analysis와 complementation test를 통해서 비전형적인 zinc finger motif이외에 다른 DNA binding motif가 있는 것을 알 수 있었다.