• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.227-237
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• 2021

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a cardioprotectant and potential cardiovascular therapeutic agent. Human cardiac fibroblasts (HCFs) are important determinants of myocardial structure and function. Large-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channel is a potential therapeutic target for cardiovascular disease. We investigated whether CO modulates BK channels and the signaling pathways in HCFs using whole-cell mode patch-clamp recordings. CO-releasing molecules (CORMs; CORM-2 and CORM-3) significantly increased the amplitudes of BK currents (IBK). The CO-induced stimulating effects on IBK were blocked by pre-treatment with specific nitric oxide synthase (NOS) blockers (L-NG-monomethyl arginine citrate and L-NG-nitroarginine methyl ester). 8-bromo-cyclic GMP increased IBK. KT5823 (inhibits PKG) or ODQ (inhibits soluble guanylate cyclase) blocked the CO-stimulating effect on IBK. Moreover, 8-bromo-cyclic AMP also increased IBK, and pre-treatment with KT5720 (inhibits PKA) or SQ22536 (inhibits adenylate cyclase) blocked the CO effect. Pre-treatment with N-ethylmaleimide (a thiol-alkylating reagent) also blocked the CO effect on IBK, and DL-dithiothreitol (a reducing agent) reversed the CO effect. These data suggest that CO activates IBK through NO via the NOS and through the PKG, PKA, and S-nitrosylation pathways.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.154-159
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• 2022

Protein S-glutathionylation is a reversible post-translational modification on cysteine residues forming a mixed disulfide with glutathione. S-glutathionylation, not only protects proteins from oxidation but also regulates the functions of proteins involved in various cellular signaling pathways. In this study, we developed a method for the detection of S-glutathionylated proteins (ProSSG) using eosin-glutathione (E-GSH) and mouse glutaredoxin 1 (mGrx1). ProSSG was efficiently and specifically labeled with E-GSH to form ProSSG-E via thiol-disulfide exchange. ProSSG-E was readily luminescent allowing the detection of ProSSG with semi-quantitative determination. In addition, a deglutathionylation enzyme mGrx1 specifically released E-GSH from ProSSG-E, which increased fluorescence allowing a sensitive determination of ProSSG levels. Application of the method to the adipocyte differentiation of 3T3-L1 cells showed specific detection of ProSSG and its increase upon differentiation induction, which was consistent with the result obtained by conventional immunoblot analysis, but with greater specificity and sensitivity.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.17-23
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• 2021

High mobility group protein B1 (HMGB1) is a highly conserved, non-histone, chromatin associated nuclear protein encoded by HMGB1 gene. HMGB1 proteins may be general co-factors in Hox-mediated transcriptional activation that facilitate the access of Hox proteins to specific DNA targets. It is unclear that the exact binding interface of Hoxc9DBD and HMGB1. To identify the interface and binding affinity of Hoxc9DBD and HMGB1 A-box, the paramagnetic probe, MTSL was used in NMR titration experiment. It is attached to the N-terminal end of HMGB1 A-box by reaction with thiol groups. The backbone assignment of HMGB1 A-box was achieved with 3D NMR techinques. The ¹⁵N-labeled HMGB1 A-box was titrated with MTSL-labeled Hoxc9DBD respectively. Based on the chemical shift changes we can identify the interacting residues and further map out the binding sites on the protein structure. The NMR titration result showed that the binding interface of HMGB1 A-box is around loop-1 between helix-1 and helix-2. In addition, the additional contacts were found in N- and C-terminus. The N-terminal arm region of Hoxc9DBD is the major binding region and the loop between helix1 and helix2 is the minor binding region.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.414-418
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• 1999

A novel gene for malonyl-CoA decarboxylase was discovered in the mat operon, which encodes a set of genes involved in the malonate metabolism of Rhizobium trifolii (An and Kim, 1998). The subunit mass determined by SDS-PAGE was 53 kDa, which correspond to the deduced mass from the sequence data. The molecular mass of the native enzyme determined by field flow fractionation was 208 kDa, indicating that R. trifolii malonyl-CoA decarboxylase is homotetrameric. R. trifolii malonyl-CoA decarboxylase converted malonyl-CoA to acetyl-CoA with a specific activity of 100 unit/mg protein. Methylmalonyl-CoA was decarboxylated with a specific activity of 0.1 unit/mg protein. p-Chloromercuribenzoate inhibited this enzyme activity, suggesting that thiol group(s) is(are) essential for this enzyme catalysis. Database analysis showed that malonyl-CoA decarboxylase from R. trifolii shared 32.7% and 28.1% identity in amino acid sequence with those from goose and human, respectively, and it would be located in the cytoplasm. However, there is no sequence homology between this enzyme and that from Saccharopolyspora erythreus, suggesting that malonyl-CoA decarboxylases from human, goose, and R. trifolii are in the same class, whereas that from S. erythreus is in a different class or even a different enzyme, methylmalonyl-CoA decarboxylase. According to the homology analysis, Cys-214 among three cysteine residues in the enzyme was found in the homologous region, suggesting that the cysteine was located at or near the active site and plays a critical role in catalysis.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.21 no.3 s.54
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• pp.275-282
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• 2006

In order to get insight into the mechanism of cadmium (Cd)-induced brain injury, we investigated the effects of Cd on the induction of COX-2 in bEnd.3 mouse brain endothelial cells. Cd induced COX-2 expression and $PGE_2$ release, which were attenuated by thiol-reducing antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) indicating oxidative components might contribute to these events. Indeed, Cd increased cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) level and DNA binding activity of nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB), an oxidative stress sensitive transcription factor. Cd-induced $PGE_2$ production and COX-2 expression were significantly attenuated by Bay 11 7082, a specific inhibitor of NF-kB and by SB203580, a specific inhibitor of p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK). These data suggest that Cd induces COX-2 expression through activation of NF-kB and p38 MAPK, the oxidative stress-sensitive signaling molecules, in brain endothelial cells.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.1003-1013
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• 2021

Thioredoxin (TRX) protein is an antioxidant responsible for reducing other proteins by exchanging cysteine thiol-disulfide and is also known for its anti-allergic and anti-aging properties. On the other hand, epidermal growth factor (EGF) is an important material used in the cosmetics industry and an essential protein necessary for dermal wound healing facilitated by the proliferation and migration of keratinocytes. EGF also assists in the formation of granulation tissues and stimulates the motility of fibroblasts. Hence, genetically modified soybeans were developed to overexpress these industrially important proteins for mass production. A single-dose oral-toxicity-based study was conducted to evaluate the potential toxic effects of TRX and EGF proteins, as safety assessments are necessary for the commercial use of seed-specific protein-expressing transgenic soybeans. To achieve this rationale, TRX and EGF proteins were mass purified from recombinant E. coli. The single-dose oral-toxicity tests of the TRX and EGF proteins were carried out in six-week old male and female Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) mice. The initial evaluation of the single-dose TRF and EGF treatments was based on monitoring the toxicity signatures and mortality rates among the mice, and the resultant mortality rates did not show any specific clinical symptoms related to the proteins. Furthermore, no significant differences were observed in the weights between the treatment and control groups of male and female ICR mice. After 14 days of treatment, no differences were observed in the autopsy reports between the various treatment and control groups. These results suggest that the minimum lethal dose of TRX and EGF proteins is higher than the allowed 2,000 mg·kg^-1 limit.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.433-444
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• 1996

We describe a novel approach to evaluate quantitatively the amounts of denatured proteins in cells upon heat exposure. A thiol compound, diamide [azodicarboxylic acid bis (dimethylamide)] causes protein cross-linking with exposed sulfyhydryl residues of denatured proteins. Since denatured proteins expose normally well-hidden sulfhydryl groups, these will be preferentially cross-linked by diamide. Thus diamide acts to 'trap' denatured proteins. We observed that protein aggregates (high molecular weight protein aggregates, HMA) appeared on SDS-polyacrylamide gels run under non-reducing conditions and that the amount of HMA can be quantified by scanning the gels using a gas flow counter. Heating cells followed by a fixed dose of diamide exposure resulted in HMA increases in a heat-dose dependent manner, demonstrating that the quantitation of HMA could serve as a measure of heat-denatured proteins. We compared thermotolerant and nontolerant cells and found decreased HMA in tolerant cells upon heat treatment. As an attempt to examine the kinetics of protein renaturation (or 'repair'), we measured the amounts of aggregates formed by the addition of diamide at various times after heat shock. Such experiments demonstrate an equally rapid disappearance of HMA in previously unheated and in thermotolerant cells. Levels of HMA in tolerant cells increased significantly after electroporation of HSP70 specific mAbs, suggesting an involvement of HSP70 in reducing HMA levels in thermotolerant cells upon heat exposure. Immunoprecipitation studies using anti-HSP70 antibody indicated an association of HSP70 with heat-denatured proteins. Our results suggest that heat induces protein denaturation, and that elevated level of HSP70 present in thermotolerant cells protects them by reducing the level of protein denaturation rather than by facilitating the 'repair' (or degradation) process.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.238-243
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• 2011

Organic/inorganic hybrid materials have a lot of interest in various areas due to their fascinating properties. To control the location and dispersion of inorganic nanoparticles within polymer matrix. thiol-terminated polymeric ligands have been widely used to tune the surface property of nanoparticles. However, the specific binding between the thiol functional group and metal is unstable with increasing temperature. To archive the thermally-stable Au nanoparticles, we previously synthesized various UV-crosslinkable polymeric ligands, which have different compositions of polar, UV-crosslinkable azide unit comparing to non-polar 스티렌 units. After crosslinking the Au nanoparticles, it was found that the nanoparticles had superb stability at high temperature (above $180^{\circ}C$). In this work, we used thermally-stable Au nanoparticles to control the location within the polymer matrix. By changing the amount of polar azide units in the polymeric ligands, we could precisely control the location of nanoparticles from one domain to the interface of block copolymer templates.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.272-277
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• 2007

The physiological responses of microorganisms to specific nutrient limitation can be regulated at the transcriptional levels. In this study, in order to develop the Pichia pastoris-derived promoter inducible by nutrient-limited condition, we constructed cDNA libraries using RT-PCR of total RNA from P. pastoris in steady-states of phosphate-limited chemostat with different dilution rates. Various genes were detected from cDNA library. Among these genes, the gene encoding putative sodium/phosphate ($Na^+$/Pi) symporter (NPS), high affinity transporter of phosphate, was detected. It was observed that expression of NPS increased in a manner specific to phosphate-limited condition through Northern blot. Therefore, it is thought that the promoter from NPS gene may have the potential as auto-inducible promoter by phosphate-limited culture condition without inducer.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.72.2-73
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• 2003

We found a soybean (Glycine max) cultivar 561 that was strongly resistant to a virulent bacterial strain of a Pseudomonas spp. Further identification revealed that the Pseudomonas spp. was a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Furthermore we identified specific genes involved in the resistance of soybean 561 and analyzed the pattern of gene expression against the Pseudomonas infection using differential-display reverse transcription PCR (DDRT-PCR). More than 126 cDNA fragments representing mRNAs were induced within 48 hours of bacteria inoculation. Among them, 28 cDNA fragments were cloned and sequenced. Twelve differentially displayed clones with open reading frames had unknown functions. Sixteen selected cDNA clones were homologous to known genes in the other organisms. Some of the identified cDNAs were pathogenesis-related genes (PR genes) and PR-like genes. These cDNAs included a putative calmodulin-binding protein, an endo-1,3-1,4-b-D-glucanase, a b-1,3-endoglucanase, a b-1,3-exoglucanase, a phytochelatin synthetase-like gene, a thiol pretense, a cycloartenol synthase, and a putative receptor-like sorineithreonine protein kinase. Among them, we found that four genes were putative pathogenesis-related genes (PR) induced significantly by the p. aeruginosa infection. These included a calmodulin-binding protein gene, a b-1,3-endoglucanase gene, a receptor-like sorine/threonine protein kinase gene, and pS321 (unknown function). These results suggest that the differentially expressed genes may mediate the strong resistance of soybean 561 to Pseudomonas aeruoginosa.