• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.276-282
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• 2007

Protein phosphorylation is one of the major mechanisms by which eukaryotic cells transduce extracellular signals into intracellular responses. Calcium/calmodulin ($Ca^{2+}/CaM$)-dependent protein phosphorylation has been implicated in various cellular processes, yet little is known about $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs) in plants. From an Arabidopsis expression library screen using a horseradish peroxidase-conjugated soybean calmodulin isoform (SCaM-1) as a probe, we isolated a full-length cDNA clone that encodes AtCK (Arabidopsis thaliana calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase). The predicted structure of AtCK contains a serine/threonine protein kinase catalytic domain followed by a putative calmodulin-binding domain and a putative $Ca^{2+}$-binding domain. Recombinant AtCK was expressed in E. coli and bound to calmodulin in a $Ca^{2+}$-dependent manner. The ability of CaM to bind to AtCK was confirmed by gel mobility shift and competition assays. AtCK exhibited its highest levels of autophosphorylation in the presence of 3 mM $Mn^{2+}$. The phosphorylation of myelin basic protein (MBP) by AtCK was enhanced when AtCK was under the control of calcium-bound CaM, as previously observed for other $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinases. In contrast to maize and tobacco CCaMKs (calcium and $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinase), increasing the concentration of calmodulin to more than $3{\mu}M$ suppressed the phosphorylation activity of AtCK. Taken together our results indicate that AtCK is a novel Arabidopsis $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinase which is presumably involved in CaM-mediated signaling.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.157-167
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• 1987

Benzyl alcohol is known to have dual effect on the red blood cell shape change. At low concentration up to 50 mM benzyl alcohol transformed the shape from discocyte to stomatocyte by preferent binding to the inner hemileaflet, however, at higher concentratransformed the shape from discocyte to stomatocyte by preferential binding to the inner monolayer, however, at higher concentration above 50 mM benzyl alcohol transformed to echinocyte by affecting both monolayers. These results suggest that the effect of benzyl alcohol on the red blood cell shape and $Ca^{++}$ transport across cardiac cell membranes to assess the effects of the drug on the structures and functions of the biological cell membranes. The results are as follows: 1) Benzyl alcohol up to 40 mM caused progressive stomatocytic shap change of the red blood cell but above 50 mM benzyl alcohol caused echinocytic shape change. 2) Benzyl alcohol up to 40 mM inhibited both osmotic hemolysis and osmotic volume change of the red blood cell in hypotonic and hypertonic NaCl solutions, respectively. 3) Benzyl alcohol inhibited both Bowditch Staircase and Wood-worth Staircase phenomena at rat left auricle. 4) Benzyl alcohol at concentration of 5 mM increased $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity of red blood cell ghosts slightly but above S mM benzyl alcohol inhibited the $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity. 5) Benzyl alcohol at concentrations of 5 mM and 10 mM increased $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity slightly at rat gastrocnemius muscle S.R. but above 10 mM benzyl alcohol inhibited the $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ activity. Above results indicate that benzyl alcohol inhibit water permeability and $Ca^{++}$ transport across cell membranes in part via effects on the fluidity and transition temperatures of the bulk lipid by preferential intercalation into cytoplasmic monolayer and in part via other effect on the conformational change of active sites of the $Ca^{++}-ATPase$ molecule extended in cytoplasmic face.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.680-686
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• 2010

Silk sericin protein was hydrolyzed by seven proteolytic enzymes in order to examine the effectiveness of the hydrolysates in binding calcium. The amino acid nitrogen content of hydrolysates from Flavourzyme was higher than that for other enzymes, and its calcium binding capacity showed a dose-dependent increase. We examined the effects of calcium binding peptide from sericin hydolysates on the bioavailability of Ca-deficient rats. Three-week-old male rats were fed an Ca-deficient diet for three weeks. Rats were divided into four groups (DD: non-treated group on calcium deficient diet; DD+MC: milk-calcium treated group; DD+OC: organic calcium made using sericin hydolysates; and DD+IC: inorganic calcium ($CaCl_2$). After oral administration of calcium supplements for one week, the calcium content of the serum and liver were significantly higher in DD+OC ($101.7{\mu}g$/mL and $49.3{\mu}g$/mL) and DD+MC ($83.6{\mu}g$/mL and $42.8{\mu}g$/mL) than DD ($86.3{\mu}g$/mL and $43.4{\mu}g$/mL). The alkaline phosphatase (ALP) content in the treated groups was significantly lower than DD, but no significant difference among groups was shown. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels did not show any significant difference between groups. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were significantly reduced compared to the DD group. In conclusion, binding calcium to peptides from sericin hydrolysates seems to improve its bioavailability, and to hasten the cure of calcium deficiency in experimental rats.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.220-227
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• 2004

In N-type $Ca^{2＋}$ channels, the mechanism of inactivation - decline of inward current during a depolarizing voltage step- is still controversial between voltage-dependent inactivation and $Ca^{2＋}$ -dependent inactivation. In the previous paper we demonstrated that fast component of inactivation of N-type calcium channels does not involve classic $Ca^{2＋}$ -dependent mechanism and the slowly inactivating component could result from a $Ca^{2＋}$ -dependent process. However, there should be signal transduction pathway which enhances inactivation no matter what the inactivation mechanism is. We have investigated the effect of phosphorylation on calcium channels of rat sympathetic neurons. Intracellular dialysis with the phosphatase inhibitors okadaic acid markedly enhanced the inactivation. The rapidly inactivating component is N-type calcium current, which is blocked by $\omega$-conotoxin GVIA. Staurosporine, a nonselective protein kinase inhibitor, prevented the action of okadaic acid, suggesting that protein phosphorylation is involved. More specifically lavendustin C, inhibitor of CaM kinase II, prevented the action of okadaic acid, suggesting that calmodulin dependent pathway is involved in inactivation process. It is not certain to this point whether phosphorylation process is inactivation itself. Molecular biological research regarding binding site should be followed to address the question of how the divalent cation binding site is related to phoshorylation process.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1393-1400
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• 2021

Acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) fermentation by the anaerobic bacterium Clostridium acetobutylicum has been considered a promising process of industrial biofuel production. Phosphotransbutyrylase (phosphate butyryltransferase, PTB) plays a crucial role in butyrate metabolism by catalyzing the reversible conversion of butyryl-CoA into butyryl phosphate. Here, we report the crystal structure of PTB from the Clostridial host for ABE fermentation, C. acetobutylicum, (CaPTB) at a 2.9 Å resolution. The overall structure of the CaPTB monomer is quite similar to those of other acyltransferases, with some regional structural differences. The monomeric structure of CaPTB consists of two distinct domains, the N- and C-terminal domains. The active site cleft was formed at the interface between the two domains. Interestingly, the crystal structure of CaPTB contained eight molecules per asymmetric unit, forming an octamer, and the size-exclusion chromatography experiment also suggested that the enzyme exists as an octamer in solution. The structural analysis of CaPTB identifies the substrate binding mode of the enzyme and comparisons with other acyltransferase structures lead us to speculate that the enzyme undergoes a conformational change upon binding of its substrate.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2017

Objectives : In this study, the roles of Interleukin (IL)-4 and Signal transducer and activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), which have been reported to play a role in the pathogenesis of inflammation and cancer, were evaluated in snake venom toxin (SVT)-induced apoptosis. Methods : Inflammation was induced in human HaCaT kerationocytes, by lipopolysaccharide (LPS; $1{\mu}g/mL$) or tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), followed by treatment with SVT (0, 1, or $2{\mu}g/mL$). Cell viability was assessed by MTT assays after 24 h, and the expression of levels of IL-4, STAT6, and the apoptosis-related proteins p53, Bax, and Bcl-2 were evaluated by western blotting. Electro mobility shift assays (EMSAs) were performed to evaluate the DNA binding capacity of STAT6. Results : MTT assays showed that inflammation-induced growth of HaCaT cells following LPS or TNF-${\alpha}$ stimulation was inhibited by SVT. Western blot analysis showed that p53 and Bax, which promote apoptosis, were increased, whereas that of Bcl-2, an anti-apoptotic protein, was decreased in a concentration-dependent manner in LPS- or TNF-${\alpha}$-induced HaCaT cells following treatment with SVT. Moreover, following treatment of HaCaT cells with LPS, IL-4 concentrations were increased, and treatment with SVT further increased IL-4 expression in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blotting and EMSAs showed that the phosphorylated form of STAT6 was increased in HaCaT cells in the context of LPS- or TNF-${\alpha}$-induced inflammation in a concentration-dependent manner, concomitant with an increase in the DNA binding activity of STAT6. Conclusion : SVT can effectively promote apoptosis in HaCaT cells in the presence of inflammation through a pathway involving IL-4 and STAT6.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.39-50
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• 1990

The one event on signalling mechanism is the cleavage by adenyl cyclase of ATP into second messenger, cyclic AMP. The other transfer system of inositol metabolism. it is widely recognized that hydrolysis of the minor membrane lipid phosphoinositide bisphosphate($PIP_2$) initiated by occupation of certain receptors and catalyzed by phospholipase C, lead to toe generation of the two intracellular messengers, inositol triphosphate($IP_3$) and diacylglycerol(DG). $IP_3$ is converted to inositol tetrakisphosphate($IP_4$) by $IP_3$ kinase. In the present study, it is that purification of calmodulin is used by phenyl-Sepharose CL-4B chromatography. it's molecular weigh, 17.000 in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. In order to observe the affinity between calmodulin (CaM)-Affigel 15 and $IP_3$ kinase, and isolated $IP_3$ kinase, was applied in CaM-Affigel with $Ca^{2+}$ equilibirum buffer and EGTA equilibirum buffer. We compared with binding and elution effect of $IP_3$ kinase in several condition of buffer. In affinity of binding. $Ca^{2+}$ equilibrium buffer was in the most proper condition. and elution, CaM/$Ca^{2+}$ buffer(CE1 10.36, CE2 12. 76pM/min/mg of protein) was effected much more than EGTA buffer(E2 1.48, E3 2.43pM/min/mg of protein), but CaM/$Ca^{2+}$ stimulate the activity of $IP_3$ kinase. And then, several detergents such as sodium deoxycholate, tween 20. cholic acid, polyethylene glycol, chaps were applied. The 0.2% chaps buffer(E2 23.19, E3 8.05pM/min/mg of protein) was the most effective in elution of $IP_3$ kinase.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2002.06b
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• pp.56-56
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• 2002

Muscle contraction and relaxation are regulated by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)-mediated $Ca^{2＋}$ release and $Ca^{2＋}$ uptake. The SR functions are closely related with the proteins residing in the SR such as ryanodine receptor, $Ca^{2＋}$-ATpase, calsequestrin, triadin and junctin. In an effort to further identify important functional SR proteins, experiments of sucrose-density gradient of SR fractionation, concanavalin A treatment, 2D gel electrophoresis, $^{45}$ Ca$^{2+}$ overlay, Strains-all staining, and peptide finger printing (PFP) were carried out.(omitted)d)

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 1996.07a
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• pp.17-17
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• 1996

Annexin I is a member of the annexin family of calcium dependent phospholipid binding proteins and has anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting phospholipase A$_2$ (PLA$_2$). Recent X-ray crystallographic study of annexin I identified six Ca$\^$2+/ binding sites, which was different types (type II, III) from the well-known EF-hand motif (type I). (omitted)

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.207-213
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• 2007

This study was carried out to examine gene expression altered in endometrium of Korean cattle (Hanwoo) with endometritis using microarray. In this study, 4,560 diferentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the endometrium of Hanwoo. Of 4,560 DEGs, 2,026 genes were up-regulated, while 2,536 genes were down-regulated in endometritis. Of them, top 10 regulated genes were listed. Filamin A, pancreatic anionic trypsinogen, Rho GDP dissociation inhibitor alpha, collagen type VI alpha 1, butyrate response factor 2, aggrecanses-2, annexin 14, aminopeptidease A, orphan transporter v7-3, and epithelial stromal interaction 1 were up-regulated, while MHC class II antigen, integrin-binding sialoprotein, uterine milk protein precursor, down-regulated in colon cancer 1, glycoprotein 330, dickkopf-1, cfh protein, $Ca^{2+}-dependent$ secretion activator, UL16 binding protein 3, and proenkephalin were down-regulated in the endometritis. Our results suggest that these genes could be useful biomarkers for diagnosis Hanwoo's endometritis.