• BMB Reports
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.443-447
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• 1997

We have developed a novel method for assays of spermidine and spermine synthase (aminopropyltransferase) activities using antibody against 5'-deoxy-5'-methylthioadenosine (MTA). A new assay is reported here which is based on the observation that MTA is formed as a stoichiometric by-product of the spermidine and spermine synthases reactions. In order to determine MTA, a radioimmunoassay method with sensitivity and rapidity was used. (Lee and Cho, 1997). In this assay, adenine must be added in the reaction mixture, since it effectively inhibits the action of MTA phosphorylase by which MTA is metabolized. This assay is a improvement in term of sensitivity and time saving, compared to the currently used methods. It has a level of sensitivity (100 fmol) sufficient to monitor aminopropyltransferase activities in incubations containing as little as $10{\mu}g$ protein prepared from rat tissue homogenate. The results obtained showed that this method is particularly useful for cultured cells with low enzyme concentration. Moreover, this assay has the advantage which allows studies using alternative substrates (other amines). Spermidine synthase activity was high in rat liver, but low in rat kidney. The activity of spermine synthase was in most rat tissues very low as compared to that of spermidine synthase, but was high in brain.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.164-171
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• 2020

Transgenic Alstroemeria plants resistant to Alstroemeria mosaic virus (AlMV) were generated through RNA-mediated resistance. To this end, the friable embryogenic callus (FEC) of Alstroemeria was induced from the leaf axil tissue and transformed with a DNA fragment containing the coat protein gene and 3'-nontranslated region of AlMV through an improved particle bombardment system. The bar gene was used as a selection marker. More than 300 independent transgenic FEC lines were obtained. Among these, 155 lines resistant to phosphinothricin (PPT) were selected under low stringent conditions. After increasing the stringency of PPT selection, 44 transgenic lines remained, and 710 somatic embryos from these lines germinated and developed into shoots. These transgenic shoots were then transferred to the greenhouse and challenged with AlMV. In total, 25 of the 44 lines showed some degree of resistance. PCR analysis confirmed the presence of the viral sequence. Virus resistance was observed at various levels. Establishment of an efficient transformation system for Alstroemeria will allow inserting transgenes into this plant to confer resistance to viral and fungal pathogens. Accordingly, this is the first report on the production of a transgenic virus-resistant Alstroemeria and lays the foundation for alternative management of viral diseases in this plant.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1787-1795
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• 2015

The transition from primary to secondary metabolism in antibiotic-producing Streptomyces correlates with expression of genes involved in stress responses. Consequently, regulatory pathways that regulate specific stress responses are potential targets to manipulate to increase antibiotic titers. In this study, genes encoding key proteins involved in regulation of the osmotic stress response in Streptomyces avermitilis, the industrial producer of avermectins, are investigated as targets. Disruption of either osaB_Sa, encoding a response regulator protein, or osaC_Sa, encoding a multidomain regulator of the alternative sigma factor SigB, led to increased production of both oligomycin, by up to 200%, and avermectin, by up to 37%. The mutations also conditionally affected morphological development; under osmotic stress, the mutants were unable to erect an aerial mycelium. In addition, we demonstrate the delivery of DNA into a streptomycete using biolistics. The data reveal that information on stress regulatory responses can be integrated in rational strain improvement to improve yields of bioactive secondary metabolites.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.100-108
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• 2007

$\beta$-Glucosidase from Laetiporus sulphureus among the enzymes related to lignocellulosic biomass degradation to sugars for using alternative bioethanol production was characterized. The highest activity of $\beta$-glucosidase was obtained on cellobiose at shaking culture. For the characterization and purification of $\beta$-glucosidase culture solution was concentrated and then purified by FPLC using ion exchange and size exclusion column. According to the results of SDS-PAGE, native PAGE and microfluidic system of purified enzyme, protein band was observed at about 132 kDa. Optimal pH and temperature of purified $\beta$-glucosi-dase were 5.0 and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. In the kinetic properties of $\beta$-glucosidase on various substrates such as sophorose, gentiobiose and cellobiose, $K_m$ was 0.81, 1.07 and 1.70 mM, respectively.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.2 no.4
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• pp.183-188
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• 2002

Gradual attrition of telomere to a critical short length elicits successive cellular response of cellular senescence and crisis. Cancer cells evade this process by maintaining functional telomeres via one of two known mechanisms of telomere maintenance. The first and most frequent mechanism involves reactivation of enzyme activity of telomerase, a ribonucleoprotein complex mainly via transcriptional up-regulation of TERT, a catalytic subunit of telomerase complex. The second mechanism utilizes telomerase-independent way termed ALT (for Alternative Lengthening of Telomere), which possibly involves recombination pathways. Thus master key for cellular immortalization is supposed to possess adequate telomere reserves. Indeed, telomerase can alone induce the immortalization under culture on feeder cell layers without generally known inactivation mechanism of tumor suppressor genes. Including this phenomena, this review will focus on telomerase and telomere-associated proteins, thereby implication of these proteins for cellular immortalization processes.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.435-438
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• 2006

In eukaryotes, ER stress induces UPR (unfolded protein response) via IRE1 activation which sends a molecular signal for XBP1 mRNA splicing in the cytosol. During this mRNA splicing, 23 nt removed in which contains PstI site and then resulting XBP1 product is not digested with PstI restriction enzyme. In this study, using this XBP1 mRNA splicing mechanism, the effect of heat shock on thyrocytes is studied, because heat shock response in the thyrocytes needs more study to understand thyroid physiology under alternative environments. ER inducible drugs (tunicamycin, DTT, $Ca^{2+}$ ionopore A23187, BFA) induce ER stress in the thyrocytes. From 3 hours after heat shock, ER stress is induced and which is reversible when heat shock is without. While $Ca^{2+}$ ionopore A23187 is reversible from ER stress by washing out the drug, thapsigagin is irreversible. Other ER inducible drugs are not so sensitive to ER stress repairing. XBP1 mRNA splicing in a cell is very available method to detect ER stress. It needs only a small quantity of total RNA and processing also very easy.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.507-516
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• 2005

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have been isolated and characterized from tissues and organisms representing virtually every kingdom and phylum. Their amino acid composition, amphipathicity, cationic charge, and size allow them to attach to and insert into membrane bilayers to form pores by 'barrel-stave', 'carpet' or 'toroidal-pore' mechanisms. Although these models are helpful for defining mechanisms of AMP activity, their relevance to resolving how peptides damage and kill microorganisms still needs to be clarified. Moreover, many AMPs employ sophisticated and dynamic mechanisms of action to carry out their likely roles in antimicrobial host defense. Recently, it has been speculated that transmembrane pore formation is not the only mechanism of microbial killing by AMPs. In fact, several observations suggest that translocated AMPs can alter cytoplasmic membrane septum formation, reduce cell-wall, nucleic acid, and protein synthesis, and inhibit enzymatic activity. In this review, we present the structures of several AMPs as well as models of how AMPs induce pore formation. AMPs have received special attention as a possible alternative way to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. It may be possible to design synthetic AMPs with enhanced activity for microbial cells, especially those with antibiotic resistance, as well as synergistic effects with conventional antibiotic agents that lack cytotoxic or hemolytic activity.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.46 no.11
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• pp.1131-1134
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• 2003

The ketogenic diet is a high-fat, low-protein, low-carbohydrate diet developed in the 1920s for the treatment of difficult-to-control seizures. Despite advances in both the pharmacotherapy and the surgery of epilepsy, many children continue to have difficult-to-control seizures. In this situation, a ketogenic diet should be considered as an alternative therapy. However, less attention has been paid to associated adverse events in the ketogenic diet. We report a case of infantile spasm associated with acute renal failure, lipoid pneumonitis and kwashiorkor after ketogenic diet. A better understanding of this adverse event profile will allow the pediatric neurologist to have a true informed consent discussion with the care giver when considering initiation of the ketogenic diet.

• BMB Reports
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.405-413
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• 2016

Tau proteins, which stabilize the structure and regulate the dynamics of microtubules, also play important roles in axonal transport and signal transduction. Tau proteins are missorted, aggregated, and found as tau inclusions under many pathological conditions associated with neurodegenerative disorders, which are collectively known as tauopathies. In the adult human brain, tau protein can be expressed in six isoforms due to alternative splicing. The aberrant splicing of tau pre-mRNA has been consistently identified in a variety of tauopathies but is not restricted to these types of disorders as it is also present in patients with non-tau proteinopathies and RNAopathies. Tau mis-splicing results in isoform-specific impairments in normal physiological function and enhanced recruitment of excessive tau isoforms into the pathological process. A variety of factors are involved in the complex set of mechanisms underlying tau mis-splicing, but variation in the cis-element, methylation of the MAPT gene, genetic polymorphisms, the quantity and activity of spliceosomal proteins, and the patency of other RNA-binding proteins, are related to aberrant splicing. Currently, there is a lack of appropriate therapeutic strategies aimed at correcting the tau mis-splicing process in patients with neurodegenerative disorders. Thus, a more comprehensive understanding of the relationship between tau mis-splicing and neurodegenerative disorders will aid in the development of efficient therapeutic strategies for patients with a tauopathy or other, related neurodegenerative disorders.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.1770-1774
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• 2000

Extended use of porcine blood in food ingredients depends on the decolorization of red blood cell concentrates and the modification of its functional properties. The purpose of this study is to compare the relative effect of cation ion exchanger for decolorization of porcine red blood globin. The globin extract is freeze-dried for determination of various functional properties, such as solubility, emulsion capability and foaming ability. Since the isoelectric point of blood globin is located at pH 6.8, which is the neutral pH ranges (6-8), so its functionalities are inferior around these pHs. This weakness has been the main reason, which limit the extended use of blood globin in food industry. Acetylation and succinylation of blood globin can be an alternative way to improve its functionalities. These results may provide new information to understand the decolorization mode by cation ion exchanger for the blood globin. With chemical, the functionalities of blood globin could be obviously improved. The above findings could enable food industry to extend the use of blood globin as a food ingredient.