• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.265-276
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• 1998

In an attempt to evaluate the function of MAP kinase of porcine oocytes and to develop a method of assessment for kinase activity, we used MBP as a substrate to detect the MAP kinase activity of porcine oocytes matured in in vitro. The MAP kinase which had lower activity during the first 20 hours of culture started to show an increased amount of activity at 25 hours at which a collapse in nuclear membrane was induced. Significant (P<0.05) a, pp.ared at 30 hours of being cultured. The gel phosphorylation method, MBP which has been known to be a substrate for kinase such as cdc2 kinase, was phosphorylated at two positions corresponding to ERK 1 (44kDa) and ERK2 (42 kDa) which are known as mammalian MAP kinase. The existence of MARKK and MAP kinase were identified with western blotting at 0 hour culture of immature GV oocytes. The amount of those proteins did not increase during 40 hours of culture, which suggest that the increase of MAP kinase activity was caused by phosphorylaton rather than due to change in protein amount. MAPKK and MAP kinase were shown to be dephosporylated with deactivated at M 1 stage by inhibition of protein synthesis with cycloheximide added at the strat following the cultrue. We have reulsts that indicate the existedence of MAP kinase cascade which was activated simultaneously with start of porcine oocyte maturation (GVBD).

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 1988

A cytosine deaminase from the cell-free extract of an isolate was examined after ethyl alcohol reactionation. The enzyme catalyzed the conversion of 5-fluorocytosine to 5-fluorouracil by the possession of specificity to the substrate. The optimum temperature and storage time on the stability of the enzyme were at below $50^{\circ}C$ and near 2 days in tris-HCl buffer. The maximum activity was also presented ar 9.0 in pH and $45^{\circ}C$ in temperature. The pHs and temperatures for the enzyme activity ranged from 8.5-9.5 and from 40-$50^{\circ}C$, respectively. the presence of $Ag^{+}, Hg^{2+}, Zn^{2+}$ in the reaction mixture resulted in the marked inhibition in the activity, but 1mM of $Fe^{3+}, K^{+}$, or $Na^{+}$ increased the enzyme activity. The enzyme preparation was vot affected by inhibitors used except N-ethylmaleimide of 1 and 10mM, and considerably activated by 1mM of pyrophosphate and 10mM of phosphate.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.103-109
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• 2018

Calcium ions are involved in the regulation of diverse cellular processes. Fourteen genes encoding calcium binding proteins have been identified in Dictyostelium. CBP7, one of the 14 CBPs, is composed of 169 amino acids and contains four EF-hand motifs. Here, we investigated the roles of CBP7 in the development and cell migration of Dictyostelium cells and found that high levels of CBP7 exerted a negative effect on cells aggregation during development, possibly by inhibiting chemoattractant-directed cell migration. While cells lacking CBP7 exhibited normal development and chemotaxis similar that of wild-type cells, CBP7 overexpressing cells completely lost their chemotactic abilities to move toward increasing cAMP concentrations. This resulted in inhibition of cellular aggregation, a process required for forming multicellular organisms during development. Low levels of cytosolic free calcium were observed in CBP7 overexpressing cells, which was likely the underlying cause of their lack of chemotaxis. Our results demonstrate that CBP7 plays an important role in cell spreading and cell-substrate adhesion. cbp7 null cells showed decreased cell size and cell-substrate adhesion. The present study contributes to further understanding the role of calcium signaling in regulation of cell migration and development.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.715-723
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• 2016

This study investigated the effect of high concentration of free ammonia on microalgal growth and substrate removal by applying real wastewater nitrogen ratio. To test of this, the conditions of free ammonia 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 mg-N/L are compared. After 3 days of incubation, algal growth of Chlorella vulgaris and carbon removal rate are respectively lower in the reactors of FA 12, 15 mg-N/L compared to the others. This indicates that the high concentration of free ammonia, in this case, above 12 mg-N/L, has negative effect on algal growth and metabolic activity. Also, high concentration of free ammonia causes the proton imbalance, ammonium accumulation in algae and has toxicity for these reasons. So, we have to consider free ammonia in applying the microalgae to wastewater treatment system by the way of diluting wastewater or controlling pH and temperature.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2001

To gain further insight into the relationship between structure and function of glutathione S-transferase (GST), the four cysteine mutants, C14S, C47S, C101S and C169S, of human GST P1-1 were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to electrophoretic homogeneity by affinity chromatography on immobilized glutathione (GSH). The catalytic activities of the four mutant enzymes were characterized with five different substrates as well as by their binding to four different inhibitors. Cys14 seems to participate in the catalytic reaction of GST by stabilizing the conformation of the active-site loop, not in the GSH binding directly. The substitution of Cys47 with serine significantly reduces the affinity of GSH binding, although it does not prevent GSH binding. On the other hand, the substitution of Cys101 with serine appears to change the binding affinity of electrophilic substrate by inducing a conformational change of the $\alpha-helix$ D. Cys169 seems to be important for maintaining the stable conformation of the enzyme. In addition, all four cysteine residues are not needed for the steroid isomerase activity of human glutathione S-transferase P1-1.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.251-260
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• 2017

Platelet activation is essential at the sites of vascular injury, which leads to hemostasis through adhesion, aggregation, and secretion process. However, potent and continuous platelet activation may be an important reason of circulatory disorders. Therefore, proper regulation of platelet activation may be an effective treatment for vascular diseases. In this research, inhibitory effects of cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) on platelet activation were determined. As the results, cordycepin increased cAMP and cGMP, which are intracellular $Ca^{2+}$-antagonists. In addition, cordycepin reduced collagen-elevated $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization, which was increased by a cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) inhibitor (Rp-8-Br-cAMPS), but not a cGMP-protein kinase (PKG) inhibitor (Rp-8-Br-cGMPS). Furthermore, cordycepin increased $IP_3RI$ ($Ser^{1756}$) phosphorylation, indicating inhibition of $IP_3$-mediated $Ca^{2+}$ release from internal store via the $IP_3RI$, which was strongly inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cAMPS, but was not so much inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cGMPS. These results suggest that the reduction of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization is caused by the cAMP/A-kinase-dependent $IP_3RI$ ($Ser^{1756}$) phosphorylation. In addition, cordycepin increased the phosphorylation of VASP ($Ser^{157}$) known as PKA substrate, but not VASP ($Ser^{239}$) known as PKG substrate. Cordycepin-induced VASP ($Ser^{157}$) phosphorylation was inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cAMPS, but was not inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cGMPS, and cordycepin inhibited collagen-induced fibrinogen binding to ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$, which was increased by Rp-8-Br-cAMPS, but was not inhibited by Rp-8-Br-cGMPS. These results suggest that the inhibition of ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$ activation is caused by the cAMP/A-kinase-dependent VASP ($Ser^{157}$) phosphorylation. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that inhibitory effects of cordycepin on platelet activation were due to inhibition of $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ mobilization through cAMP-dependent $IP_3RI$ ($Ser^{1756}$) phosphorylation and suppression of ${\alpha}IIb/{\beta}_3$ activation through cAMP-dependent VASP ($Ser^{157}$) phosphorylation. These results strongly indicated that cordycepin might have therapeutic or preventive potential for platelet activation-mediated disorders including thrombosis, atherosclerosis, myocardial infarction, or cardiovascular disease.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.565-583
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• 2011

Objectives : This study investigated the biochemical mechanisms of anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of the water extract of Dan-Seon-Tang (DST) in human leukemia U937 cells. Methods : U937 cells were exposed to DST and growth inhibition was measured by MTT assay. Results : Exposure of U937 cells to DST resulted in the growth inhibition in a concentration-dependent manner. This inhibitory effect was associated with morphological changes and apoptotic cell death such as formation of apoptotic bodies, increased populations of apoptotic-sub G1 phase and induction of DNA fragmentation. The induction of apoptotic cell death in U937 cells by DST was associated with up-regulation of death receptor 4 (DR4) and down-regulation of Bid, surviving and cellular inhibition of apoptosis protein-2 (cIAP-2) expression. DST treatment also induced the proteolytic activation of caspase-3, caspase-8 and caspase-9, and a concomitant degradation of caspase-3 substrate proteins such as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), phospholipase (PLC)-${\gamma}1$, ${\beta}$-catenin and DNA fragmentation factor 45/inhibotor of caspase activated DNAse (DFF45/ICAD). Furthermore, apoptotic cell death by DST was significantly inhibited by caspase-3 specific inhibitor z-DEVD-fmk, demonstrating the important role of caspase-3. Conclusions : These findings suggest that herb prescription DST may be a potential chemotherapeutic agent for the control of human leukemia U937 cells; further study is needed to identify the active compounds.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.681-684
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• 2001

Pseudomonas sp. F721 isolated from soil produced a substance related in seeds germination inhibition. Addition of phytohormone, and GA (gibberellin acid) in the culture broth elevated production of the germination inhibition substance. The production of the substance was optimized in the culture conditions of $35^{\circ}C$, pH 9.0, 150 rpm, 48 hr, glucose 0.5% (w/v), and innoculation ratio 1.0% (v/v). The physical and chemical stability of the substance in the variety of pH ranging from 2.0 to 12.0 and from freezing to $100^{\circ}C$ were shown. The germination inhibition substance suppressed 90% of germination compared with that of the control experiment in a few days.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.487-492
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• 2005

The baculovirus/insect cell expression system is of great value in the study of structure-function relationships in mammalian glucose-transport proteins by site-directed mutagenesis and for the large-scale production of these proteins for mechanistic and biochemical studies. Spodoptera frugiperda Clone 21 (Sf2l) cells grow well on TC-100 medium that contains $0.1\%$ D-glucose as the major carbon source, strongly suggesting the presence of endogenous glucose transporters. However, very little is known about the properties of the endogenous sugar transporter(s) in Sf2l cells, although a saturable transport system for hexose uptake has been previously revealed in the Sf cells. In order to further examine the substrate and inhibitor recognition properties of the Sf2l cell transporter, the ability of hexoses to inhibit 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2dGlc) transport was investigated by measuring inhibition constants $(K_i)$. The $K_i's$ for reversible inhibitors were determined from plots of uptake versus inhibitor concentration. Transport was effectively inhibited by D-mannose and D-glucose. Of the hexoses tested, L-glucose had the least effect on 2dGlc transport in the Sf2l cells, indicating that the transport is stereoselective. Unlike the human HepG2 type glucose transport system, D-mannose had a somewhat greater affinity for the Sf2l cell transporter than D-glucose, implying that the hydroxyl group at the C-2 position is not necessary for strong binding. However, epimerization at the C-4 position of D-glucose (D-galactose) resulted in a dramatic decrease in affinity of the hexose for the Sf2l cell transporter. Such a lowering of affinity might be the result of the involvement of the C-4 hydroxyl in hydrogen bonding. It is therefore suggested that Sf2l cells were found to contain an endogenous sugar transport activity that in several aspects resembles the human HepG2 type glucose transporter, although the insect and human transporters do differ in their affinity for cytochalasin B.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1141-1146
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• 2004

Lonicera japonica Thunb.(Caprifoliaceae) has long been known as an anti-inflammatory. In the present study, the effect of water fraction of Lonicera japonica (LJ) on trypsin-induced mast cell activation was examined. HMC-1 cells were stimulated with trypsin (100 nM) in the presence or absence of LJ (10, 100, and 1000 $\mu$ g/mL). TNF-$\alpha$ and tryptase production were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and reverse transcription-PCR. Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation was assessed by Western blot. Trypsin activity was measured by using Bz-DL-Arg-p-nitroanilide (BAPNA) as substrate. LJ (10, 100, and 1000 $\mu$g/mL) inhibited TNF-$\alpha$ secretion in a dose-dependent manner. LJ (10, 100, and 1000 $\mu$g/mL) also inhibited TNF-$\alpha$ and tryptase mRNA expression in trypsin-stimulated HMC-1. Furthermore, LJ inhibited trypsin-induced ERK phosphorylation. However, LJ did not affect the trypsin activity even 1000 $\mu$g/mL. These results indicate that LJ may inhibit trypsin-induced mast cell activation through the inhibition of ERK phosphorylation than the inhibition of trypsin activity.