• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.263-272
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• 2007

Nebulin is a giant actin binding protein (600-900 kDa) which is specific to skeletal muscle. This protein is known to regulate thin filaments length in sarcomere as a molecular template. The C-terminus of nebulin is located in the Z-disc of muscle sarcomere and is bound to other proteins such like myopalladin, titin, archvillin, and desmin. The N-terminus of nebulin binds to tropomodulin at the pointed ends of the thin filaments. In recent research, nebulin not only found in brain but also expressed in heart, stomach, and liver. So, the roles of nebulin in non-muscle tissue have been studied. However, lack of information or studies on nebulin binding proteins and nebulin function in brain are available so far. Therefore, the current study have investigated a novel binding partner of Nebulin C-terminus by using yeast two-hybrid screening with human brain cDNA library. Nebulin C-terminus, containing simple repeats, serine rich and SH3 domain, interacts with osteonectin C-terminal region. The specific interaction of nebulin and osteonectin were confirmed in vitro by using GST pull-down assay and reconfirmed in vivo by using transfected COS-7 cells with EGFP-tagged nebulin and DsRed-tagged osteonectin. Consequently, this study identified SH3 domain in nebulin C-terminus specifically binds to extracellular Ca-binding (EeC domain in osteonectin. Also, nebulin C-terminus fusion protein colocalized with osteonectin EC domain fusion protein in transfected COS-7 cells. The current study found the interaction between nebulin and osteonectin in human brain for the first time and suggested the nebulin in brain may be associated with osteonectin, as a regulator of cell cycle progression and mitosis.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.10-17
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• 2020

Kinesin-1 is microtubule-dependent plus-end direct molecular motor protein essential for intracellular transport. It is a member of the kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs) which transport cargo, including organelles, vesicles, neurotransmitter receptors, cell-signaling molecules, and protein complexes through interaction between its light chain subunit and the cargo. Kinesin light chain 1 (KLC1) is a non-motor subunit that associates with the kinesin heavy chain (KHC). Although KLC1 interacts with many different adaptor proteins and scaffolding proteins, its binding proteins have not yet been fully identified. We used the yeast two-hybrid assay to identify proteins that interact with the tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain of KLC1, and found an interaction between KLC1 and EH domain-binding protein 1 like 1 (EHBP1L1). EHBP1L1 bound to the region containing all six TPR repeats of KLC1 and did not interact with KIF5B (a motor protein of kinesin 1) or KIF3A (a motor protein of kinesin 2) in the yeast two-hybrid assay. The carboxyl-terminus of the coiled-coil domain of EHBP1L1 is essential for interaction with KLC1. However, another EHBP1L1 isoform, EHBP1, did not interact with KLC1 in the yeast two-hybrid assay. KLC1 interacted with GST-EHBP1L1 and its coiled-coil domain but not with GST only. When co-expressed in HEK-293T cells, EHBP1L1 co-localized with KLC1 and co-immunoprecipitated with KLC1 and KIF5B but not KIF3A. These results suggest that kinesin 1 motor protein may transport EHBP1L1-associated cargo in cells.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.259-266
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• 2015

The regulation of flowering time has crucial implications for plant fitness. MicroRNA156 (miR156) represses the floral transition in Arabidopsis thaliana, but the mechanisms regulating its transcription remain unclear. Here, we show that two AGAMOUS-like proteins, AGL15 and AGL18, act as positive regulators of the expression of MIR156. Small RNA northern blot analysis revealed a significant decrease in the levels of mature miR156 in agl15 agl18 double mutants, but not in the single mutants, suggesting that AGL15 and AGL18 co-regulate miR156 expression. Histochemical analysis further indicated that the double mutants showed a reduction in MIR156 promoter strength. The double mutants also showed reduced abundance of pri-miR156a and pri-miR156c, two of the primary transcripts from MIR156 genes. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that AGL15 directly associated with the CArG motifs in the MIR156a/c promoters. AGL18 did not show binding affinity to the CArG motifs, but pull-down and yeast two-hybrid assays showed that AGL18 forms a heterodimer with AGL15. GFP reporter assays and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) showed that AGL15 and AGL18 co-localize in the nucleus and confirmed their in vivo interaction. Overexpression of miR156 did not affect the levels of AGL15 and AGL18 transcripts. Taking these data together, we present a model for the transcriptional regulation of MIR156. In this model, AGL15 and AGL18 may form a complex along with other proteins, and bind to the CArG motifs of the promoters of MIR156 to activate the MIR156 expression.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.404-409
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• 2008

The brown-rot basidiomycete Fomitopsis palustris is known to degrade crystalline cellulose (Avicel) and produce three major cellulases, exoglucanases, endoglucanases, and ${\beta}$-glucosidases. A gene encoding endoglucanase, designated as cel12, was cloned from total RNA prepared from F. palustris grown at the expense of Avicel. The gene encoding Cel12 has an open reading frame of 732 bp, encoding a putative protein of 244 amino acid residues with a putative signal peptide residing at the first 18 amino acid residues of the N-terminus of the protein. Sequence analysis of Cel12 identified three consensus regions, which are highly conserved among fungal cellulases belonging to GH family 12. However, a cellulose-binding domain was not found in Cel12, like other GH family 12 fungal cellulases. Northern blot analysis showed a dramatic increase of cel12 mRNA levels in F. palustris cells cultivated on Avicel from the early to late stages of growth and the maintenance of a high level of expression in the late stage, suggesting that Cel12 takes a significant part in endoglucanase activity throughout the growth of F. palustris. Adventitious expression of cel12 in the yeast Pichia pastoris successfully produced the recombinant protein that exhibited endoglucanase activity with carboxymethyl cellulose, but not with crystalline cellulose, suggesting that the enzyme is not a processive endoglucanase unlike two other endoglucanases previously identified in F. palustris.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.290-294
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• 2002

The present work describes the improvement of an erythritol-producing strain to lower the formation of glycerol, which is a characteristic by-product of the strain and could cause difficulties in the recovery and purification of the final product. The yeast-like fungi Moniliella suaveolens var. nigra, isolated previously in the same laboratory from beehives, was mutated by exposing it to a 4 g/L NTG solution. From a total of 2000 mutated strains, Em6j30-14 was selected as the one having the most desirable properties. Cultivating the strain for seven days in 300 mL flasks containing 30 mL of a 400 g/L glucose medium resulted in an erythritol yield of 43%. The glycerol yield was 5%, which is a value 50% lower as compared with the wild type. However, attempts to reproduce the above results in a 5L-fermenter failed, resulting in a similar erythritol concentration but a much higher formation of glycerol. Possible reasons for such a different behaviour could be oxygen limitation or the aggregation of cells, but the exact mechanism could not yet be identified. Foam formation, which is another major problem in large-scale fermentation, tended to be much lower for the mutant strain.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.928-937
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• 2016

S-Nitrosoglutathione reductase (GSNOR) metabolizes S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) and has been shown to play important roles in regulating cellular signaling and formulating host defense by modulating intracellular nitric oxide levels. The enzyme has been found in bacterial, yeast, mushroom, plant, and mammalian cells. However, to date, there is still no evidence of its occurrence in filamentous fungi. In this study, we cloned and investigated a GSNOR-like enzyme from the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. The enzyme occurred in native form as a homodimer and exhibited low thermal stability. GSNO was an ideal substrate for the enzyme. The apparent K_m and k_cat values were 0.55 mM and 34,100 min^-1, respectively. Substrate binding sites and catalytic center amino acid residues based on those from known GSNORs were conserved in this enzyme, and the corresponding roles were verified using site-directed mutagenesis. Therefore, we demonstrated the presence of GSNOR in a filamentous fungus for the first time.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.322-324
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• 2014

Candidiasis caused by Candida albicans is a localized mucocutaneous disease. It occurs worldwide in various kinds of animals. A 7-year-old male spotted seal weighing 98 kg showed facial skin lesions. The present case was characterized by erythematous, thickened, and alopecic skin lesions in the periocular region and on the commissure of the lower lip. For diagnosis, skin scraping and culture of samples from the facial skin lesions were done. Colonies were cream-colored and glistening after 3 days of culture on Sabouraud dextrose agar. Typical yeast-like cells were observed by microscopic inspection after Gram staining. Recovery was achieved with itraconazole (1 mg/kg SID) for 7 days, repeated three times at 2-week intervals.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.134-142
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• 1989

In exopolysaccharide fermentation by Aureobasidium pulluans, the effects culture conditions (concentration of nitrogen, potassium phosphate, dissolved oxygen, and initial pH) on the production of exopolysaccharide and the appearance of melanin pigment were investigated. The results are as follows. (1) The specific growth rate and the specific production rate of exopolysaccharide were inhibited by substrate when the carbon source concentration higher than $50g\;/\;{\ell}$ and the cell growth increased with increases of nitrogen source but exopolysaccharide production decreased with the nitrogen concentration when it become greater than $1\;g\;/\;{\ell}$. (2) The maximum cell growth and the maximum exopolysaccharide production were obtained at initial pH values of 3.0 and 7.5 respectively. As the initial pH increased, the yeast-like cells increased and the increased of dissolved oxygen increased the cell growth and exopolysaccharide production. (3) As the concentration of dissolved oxygen is increased or the concentration of nitrogen source is decreased, the period of melanin pigment appearance becomes shorter and the melanin pigment never appeared when the initial pH was less than 3.0 or the potassium phosphate was not added.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.539-543
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• 1998

Hrp1, of Schizosaccharomyces pombe, is a new member of the SW12/SNF2 protein family that contains a chromodomain and a DNA binding domain as well as ATPase/7 helicase domains. This configuration suggests that Hrp1 could be a homolog of mouse CHD1, which is thought to function in altering the chromatin structure to facilitate gene expression. To understand the enzymatic nature of Hrp1 we purified the 6-Histidine-tagged Hrp1 protein (6$\times$His-Hrp1) to homogeneity from a S. pombe Hrp1-overexpressing strain and hen examined its biochemical properties. We demonstrate that the purified 6$\times$His-Hrp1 protein exhibited a DNA-binding activity with a moderate preference to the (A＋T)-rich tract in double-stranded NA via a minor groove interaction. However, we failed to detect any intrinsic DNA helicase activity from the purified Hrp1 like other SW12/SNF2 proteins. These observations suggest that the DNA binding activities of Hrp1 may be involved in the remodeling of the chromatin structure with DNA-dependent ATPase. We propose that Hrp1 may function in heterochromatins as other proteins with a chromo- or ATPase/helicase domain and play an important role in the determination of chromatin architecture.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.489-493
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• 1988

To obtain a new yeast strain that is able to efficiently produce ethanol from starch, the glucoamylase gene of Saccharomyces diastaticus was transformed into S. cerevisiae without a cloning vector. The competent cells of S. cerevisiae, induced by the treatment of Li$_2$SO$_4$, were transformed with the partial BamHI-digests of chromosomal DNA of S. diastaticus, and the transformants were selected by their abilities to utilize and ferment starch. The transformants, which appeared at a frequency of 8.5$\times$10$^{-7}$, were able to withstand up to 800 ppm of copper sulfate like the recipient and retained the phenotypic expression of the recipient with the exception of the acquisition of STA gene and MAL gene, as regards fermentation of carbohydrates. The enzymatic properties of glucoamylases produced by transformants were very similar to those produced by S. diastaticus as based on optimium pH and temperature.