• Mycobiology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.45-55
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• 2006

Although Fursarium oxysporum causes diseases in economically important plant hosts, identification of F. oxysporum formae speciales has been difficult due to confusing phenotypic classification systems. To resolve these complexity, we evaluated genetic relationship of nine formae speciales of F. oxysporum with random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), and translation elongation factor-l alpha ($EF-1{\alpha}$) gene. In addition, the correlation between mycotoxin content of fusaric acid and isolates based on molecular marker data was evaluated using the modified Mantel's test. According to these result, these fusaric acid-producing strains could not identify clearly, and independent of geographic locations and host specificities. However, in the identification of F. oxysporum formae speciales, especially, AFLP analysis showed a higher discriminatory power than that of a the RAPD and $EF-1{\alpha}$ analyses, all three techniques were able to detect genetic variability among F. oxysporum formae speciales in this study.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.79-83
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• 1984

To determine the existence of anti-HLA antibodies finally in 220 human placental extracts to be proved negative antiserum by previous anti-HLA A,B,C antibody screening procedure, the present study was performed by fractionation of immunoglobulins using saturated ammonium sulfate and by simple batch method on DEAE cellulose. Thereafter using known 150 T-lymphocyte panels, complement-dependent microlymphocytotoxicity test was performed to observe the existence of anti-HLA antibodies and the degree of the antibody response of the concentrates. The following results were obtained: 1. Of total 141 placental sera concentrated 45 cases(31.9%) were showed significant anti-HLA A,B,C antibody response after concentration(Excellent, 19(13.5%), Good, 3(2.1%), Weak, 23(16.3%)). 2. Anti-HLA specificities of placental sera obtained after concentration were A2, A24, B13, B27, B44, B51, CN1, C7. 3. A new type C new-1 anti-HLA antibody that is only expressed in Korean people, was obtained. 4. 79 placental sera purrified by simple batch method using DEAE cellulose were showed negative anti-HLA antibody responses.

• Journal of Dental Rehabilitation and Applied Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.29-36
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• 2006

As migraine pain represents a substantial personal and social burden worldwide, there has been a great deal of effort in developing a screening instrument for migraine. Lipton et al(2003) developed and validated the ID Migraine questionnaire, which is a self-administered screener for migraine in primary care, and it is brief and easy to use for a primary care provider. The aim of this study was to determine if the ID Migraine questionnaire could be applied successfully to assess the headache patients with temporomandibular disorders(TMD) and orofacial pain. This study found that nausea, photophobia and headache-related disability had the highest individual sensitivities and specificities, and the performance of the three-item screener was equivalent to that reported in a previous study. Although the sensitivity of the three-item screener in this study (0.58) was lower than in a previous study (0.81), the specificity (0.98) was higher and the positive predictive value was 93.9%. This suggest that the ID Migraine questionnaire is very efficient in this setting. In conclusion, the ID Migraine questionnaire, which is a three-item screener consisting of nausea, photophobia and headache-related disability, is effective as a self-administered report for detecting migraine headaches in patients with temporomandibular disorders(TMD) and orofacial pain.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1996.07a
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• pp.40-47
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• 1996

The promoters of a variety of plant genes are characterized by the presence of TGACG motif-containing sequences. These genes often exhibit quite diverse expression characteristics and in many case the TGACG-motif has been demonstrated to be essential for expression. Here we report the isolation and characterization of a soybean cDNA that encodes a novel basic/leucine zipper (bZIP) protein, STF1, that specifically interacts with Hex (TGACGTGG) and CRE (TGACGTCA) sequences. This protein contains a bZIP motif at C-teminus and an acidic domain at N-terminus. DNA binding specificities, heterodimer formation, and expression characteristics of STF1 were compared with a soybean TGA1 protein, STGA1. The soybean STF1 interacts with TGACG-sequences containing an ACGT core, while STGA1 requires TGACG as a sufficient binding sequence. The flanking sequences to the TGACG motif affected DNA binding of STF1 siginificantly. The STF1 mRNA is found mainly in dark grown soybean seedling with higher expression in apical and elongating hypocotyl, while STGA1 mRNA is highly abundant in roots of light grown plants. Furthermore, we demonstrate that STF1 heterodimerzes with G-box binding factorss (GBFs) which was not observed with TGA1. The fact that STF1 possesses both distinct DNA binding speficities and heterodimerization properties suggest that STF1 belongs to a new family of plant bZIP proteins which recognize the Hex/CRE motif.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.408-412
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• 2008

FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and TERMINAL FLOWER 1 (TFL1) in Arabidopsis are homologous proteins that perform opposite functions: FT is an activator of flowering, and TFL1 is a repressor. It was shown before that change of a single amino acid (His88) of TFL1 to the corresponding amino acid (Tyr) of FT is enough to convert the floral repressor to an activator. However, structural basis of the functional conversion has not been understood. In our molecular dynamics simulations on modified TFL1 proteins, a hydrogen bond present in native TFL1 between the His88 residue and a residue (Asp144) in a neighboring external loop became broken by change of His88 to Tyr. This breakage induced conformational change of the external loop whose structure was previously reported to be another key functional determinant. These findings reveal that the two important factors determining the functional specificities of the floral regulators, the key amino acid (His88) and the external loop, are correlated, and the key amino acid determines the functional specificity indirectly by affecting the conformation of the external loop.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.375-380
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• 2011

Bacillus licheniformis SK-1 naturally produces chitinase 72 (CHI72) with two truncation derivatives at the C-terminus, one with deletion of the chitin binding domain (ChBD), and the other with deletions of both fibronectin type III domain (FnIIID) and ChBD. We constructed deletions mutants of CHI72 with deletion of ChBD (CHI72${\Delta}$ChBD) and deletions of both FnIIID and ChBD (CHI72${\Delta}$FnIIID${\Delta}$ChBD), and studied their activity on soluble, amorphous and crystalline substrates. Interestingly, when equivalent amount of specific activity of each enzyme on soluble substrate was used, the product yield from CHI72-${\Delta}$ChBD and CHI72${\Delta}$FnIIID${\Delta}$ChBD on colloidal chitin was 2.5 and 1.6 fold higher than CHI72, respectively. In contrast, the product yield from CHI72${\Delta}$ChBD and CHI72${\Delta}$FnIIID-${\Delta}$ChBD on ${\beta}$-chitin reduced to 0.7 and 0.5 fold of CHI72, respectively. These results suggest that CHI72 can modulate its substrate specificities through truncations of the functional domains at the C-terminus, producing a mixture of enzymes with elevated efficiency of hydrolysis.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.190-197
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• 1996

The optimal conditions and substrate specificity of whole body esterase (EST) activity, effects of inhibitors (Eserine, Paraoxon, p-HMB, DDVP, DFP) on the enzyme, and ontogenv of the isozymes were determined in Lucilio ilfustris Meisen. The optimal temperature was $45^{\circ}C$ regardless of kind of reacted substrate, $\alpha-naphthyl$ acetate $(\alpha-Nal,$ a.naphthvl butylate $(\alpha-N),$ and Pnaphthyl acetate $(\beta-Na),$ but the optimal pH showed some regioselectivitv to naphthvl group of the esters; PH 7.0 for Iform, pH 7.5 for a-form. The maximum reaction rate was recorded at about 2.5 $\times$ 10's M of PNa and etNa, but 1.0 $\times$ 10'S M of $\alpha-Nb.$ Among the five EST inhibitors tested, DDVP was the most powerful. However, distinction of the relative specificity of inhibitors between three body parts, head, thorax, and abdomen, was shouts, representing differences in the distribution and activity of isozvmes. Of 12 carboxyl-esterases (CE), 8 cholinesterases (ChE) and 2 arvlesterases (ArE) identified based on their inhibitor specificity throughout the development, two larval and prepupal stage specific ChEs, no pupal specific, and 2 CEs.2ChEs. and one ArE adult specific isozvmes were confirmed.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.316-322
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• 2001

Arylsulfate sulfotransferase (ASST) transfers a sulfate group from a phenolic sulfate ester to a phenolic acceptor substrate. In the present study, the gene encoding ASST was cloned from a genomic library copy of Citrobacter freundii, subcloned into the vector pGEM3Zf(-) and sequenced. Sequencing revealed two contiguous open reading frames (ORF1 and ORF2) on the same strand and based on amino acid sequence homologyl they were designated as astA and dsbA, respectively. The amino acid sequence of astA deduced from C. freundii was highly similar to that of the Salmonella typhimurium, Enterobacter amnigenus, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas putida, and Campylobacter jejuni, encoded by the astA genes. However, the ASST activity assay revealed different acceptor specificities. Using p-nitrophenyl sulfate (PNS) as a donor substrate, $\alpha$-naphthol was found to be the best acceptor substrate, followed by phenol, resorcinol, p-acetaminophen, tyramine and tyrosine.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.210-217
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• 2000

A kinetic profile of the catalytic domain of stromelysin-1 (SCD) using the fluorescent peptide substrate has been determined by the stopped-flow technique. The pH profile has a pH optimum of about 5.5 with an extended shoulder above pH 7. Three pKa values, 5.0, 5.7, and 9.8 are found for the free enzyme state and two pH independent Kcat/Km values of 4.1$\times$104 M-1 s-1 and 1.4$\times$104 M-1 s-1 at low and high pH, respectively. The profile is quite different in shape with other MMP family which has been reported, having broad pH optimum with two pKa values. The substrate specificity of SCD towards fluorescent heptapeptide substrates has been also examined by thin layer chromatography. The cleavage sites of the substrates have been identified using reverse-phase HPLC method.SCD cleaves Dns-PLA↓L↓WAR and Dns-PLA↓L↓FAR at two positions. However, the Dns-PLA↓LRAR, Dns-PLE↓LFAR, adn Dns-PLSar↓LFAR are cleaved exclusively at one bond. The double cleavages of Dns-PLALWAR and Dns-PLALFAR by SCD are in marked contrast to the close structurally related matrilysin. A notable feature of SCD catalysis agrees with the structural data that the S1' pocket of SCD is deeper than that of matriysin. The differences observed between SCD and matrilysin may form the basis of understanding the structural relationships and substrate specificities of the MMP family in vivo.

• Proceedings of the Korea Environmental Mutagen Society Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.27-29
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• 2004

Drug transporters play an essential role in the absorption, distribution and elimination of clinical drugs, nutrients and toxicants. The importance of the transporters is exampled by therapeutic failure in cancer chemotherapy that is mainly caused by the overexpression of multidrug resistance (MDR)-related transporters. In addition, the transporters may involve in drug-drug interactions that lead to serious adverse drug responses and some transporters also contribute to inter-individual variation in drug responses. As an effort to understand the mechanism underlying the inter-individual variation of transporters activity, genetic and environmental factors influencing the expression or function of the transporters have extensively explored through last decade. Among them, genetic polymorphism of drug transporter encoding genes has generated much interest since the discovery of functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of MDR1 gene. Besides drug transporters, xenobiotic receptors also modulate drug disposition by regulating the transcription of drug metabolizing enzymes and drug transporters. Among many xenobiotic receptors, pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) are two most well characterized since these receptors show wide substrate specificities and regulate the expression of various enzymes involved in drug disposition. Recently, several functional genetic polymorphisms were reported in PXR coding gene. In the present study, genetic polymorphisms of two drug transporters, MDR1 and BCRP, and two xenobiotic receptors, PXR and CAR, were investigated in Korean population.