• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.27-31
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• 2001

Previous biochemical assays and a structural model indicated that the dimer interface of the Hin recombinase is composed of the two a-helices. To elucidate the structure and function of the helix, amino acids in the N-terminal end of the helix, where the two helices contact most, were randomized, and inversion-incompetent mutants were selected. To investigate why the mutants lost their inversion activities, the DNA binding, hix-pairing, invertasome formation, and DNA cleavage activities were assayed using in vivo and in vitro methodologies. Results indicated that the mutants could be divided into 4 classes based on their DNA binding activity. We proposed that the a-helices might place a DNA binding motif of Hin properly to the minor DNA groove of the recombination site. All the mutants except the non-binders were able to perform hix-pairing and invertasome formation, suggesting that the dimer interface is not involved in the process of hix-pairing or invertasome formation. The inversion-incompetent phenotype of the binders was caused by the inability of mutants to perform the DNA cleavage activity. The less binders exhibited wild-type level of hix-pairing activity because the hix-pairing activity overcomes the DNA binding defect of the less binders. This phenotype of the less binders suggests that the binding domains of Hin could mediate Hin-Hin interaction during hix-pairing..

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.180-180
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• 1996

Previous studies have shown that kainic acid (KA) causes an elevation of hippocampal proenkephalin mRNA level. However, the role of proto-oncogene products, such as c-Fos, c-Jun and Fra proteins in the regulation of KA-induced proenkephalin mRNA increase in the hippocampus has not been well characterized. Thus, in the present study, the effect of cycloheximide (CHX) on KA-induced proenkephalin mRNA and immediate early gene products induction was examined. After pretreating with either vehicle or CHX (20 mg/kg, s.c.) for 30 min, KA (10 mg/kg) was administered s.c. The animals were sacrificed 1,2, or 8 hrs after KA administration. Total RNA and were isolated for Northern blot assay, and proteins were isolated for Western and electrophoretic gel-shift assays. First, we found that CHX inhibited KA-induced proenkephalin mRNA increase without altering intracellular proenkephalin protein level. Secondly, Western blot assays showed that KA increased c-Fos, c-Jun and Fra proteins at 1,2, and 8 hrs and CHX inhibited these immediate early gene products. Finally, electrophoretic gel shift assays revealed that KA increased both AP-1 and ENKCRE-2 DNA binding activities. Furthermore, CHX attenuated KA-induced AP-1 and ENKCRE-2 DNA binding activities. Both AP-1 and ENKCRE-2 DNA binding activities were abolished by cold AP-1 or ENKCRE-2 oligonucleotides, and further reduced by antibodies against c-Fos or c-Jun. Antibody against CREB reduced ENKCRE-2, but not AP-1, DNA binding activity. Our results suggest that on-going protein synthesis is required for elevation of hippocampal proenkephalin mRNA level induced by KA. All c-Fos, c-Jun, and Fra proteins appears to be involved in the regulation of hippocampal proenkephalin mRNA level induced by KA (This study was supported by a grant from KOSEF).

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.570-575
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• 1998

To develop a cotton derivatives with prolonged antimicrobial activities, homosulfamine (Hs) was coupled to cotton xanthate (CX) via chelate bond in the presence of Cu(II) ion by one- and two-bath processes. In one-bath process, CX was treated with Cu(II)-Hs solution. In two-bath process, CX was treated with Cu(II) ion solution to produce CX-Cu(II) complex, which was isolated and treated in turn with Hs solution. Effects of concentration, Cu(II)/Hs ratio, and pH on the binding of Hs were investigated at $10{\circ}C$ . In one-bath process, binding of hs took place readily with optimum pH around 5-6. the amount of binding increased to give a maximum within 5 min and decreased slowly to establish an equilibrium withhin an hour. In two-bath process, binding of Hs was much lower than that of one-bath process. Release of Hs from CX-Cu(II)-Hs was investigated by batch and flow method. antimicrobial activiteis of CX-Cu(II)-Hs was investigated by batch and flow method. Antimicrobial activities of CX-Cu(II)-Hs were tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli and it showed prolonged activity compared to that of free Hs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1686-1689
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• 2003

The ability of ten probiotic bacteria to bind a common food carcinogen aflatoxin $G_1$,$G_2$ and $B_2$ was assessed. The strains were incubated in vitro with aflatoxins and the toxin residues in the supernatant were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. The aflatoxin $G_1$ binding capacity of the strains was found to strain dependent, most efficient binding of AF$G_1$ was observed by L. acidophilus CU028 and L. brevis CU06 which bound approximately 50%. L. acidophilus CU028 was capable of bind approximately 67% of AF$G_2$, difference in their binding ability showed statistical significance (p>0.05). L. acidophilus CU028 and L. helveticus CU 631 were the best binders and the strains were observed to possess variable AF$B_2$-binding ability in the range was from 38.0% to 55.9%. Lactobacillus acidophilus CU028 was the best common binders of the three types of food carcinogen aflatoxins. The application of binding phenomenon in the removal of mycotoxins from contaminated feeds is urgently needed to improve the safety of feeds.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.7
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• pp.444-453
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• 2022

Multivalent macromolecular interactions underlie dynamic regulation of diverse biological processes in ever-changing cellular states. These interactions often involve binding of multiple proteins to a linear lattice including intrinsically disordered proteins and the chromosomal DNA with many repeating recognition motifs. Quantitative understanding of such multivalent interactions on a linear lattice is crucial for exploring their unique regulatory potentials in the cellular processes. In this review, the distinctive molecular features of the linear lattice system are first discussed with a particular focus on the overlapping nature of potential protein binding sites within a lattice. Then, we introduce two general quantitative frameworks, combinatorial and conditional probability models, dealing with the overlap problem and relating the binding parameters to the experimentally measurable properties of the linear lattice-protein interactions. To this end, we present two specific examples where the quantitative models have been applied and further extended to provide biological insights into specific cellular processes. In the first case, the conditional probability model was extended to highlight the significant impact of nonspecific binding of transcription factors to the chromosomal DNA on gene-specific transcriptional activities. The second case presents the recently developed combinatorial models to unravel the complex organization of target protein binding sites within an intrinsically disordered region (IDR) of a nucleoporin. In particular, these models have suggested a unique function of IDRs as a molecular switch coupling distinct cellular processes. The quantitative models reviewed here are envisioned to further advance for dissection and functional studies of more complex systems including phase-separated biomolecular condensates.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.36-42
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• 1997

To investigate effects of ginseng total saponin (GTS) on the ethylcholine aziridnium ion (AF64A) -induced glutamatergic nervous system, rats were pretreated with the infusion of AF64A (3 nmole) into lateral ventricle and were posttreated with 50 mg/kg of GTS, i.p., for 1 week. Twenty four hours after the last administration, rats were sacrificed and the levels of glutamate and taurine, [$^3$H]dizocilpine ([$^3$H]MK801) binding sites and glutamine synthetase activity were assessed in striatum, hippocampus and frontal cortex. The levels of striatal glutamate after GTS treatment in rats were decreased. And the levels of glutamate were decreased in striatum and frontal cortex and increased in hippocampus by the infusion of AF64A. However, the AF64A-induced changes of glutamate were returned to the control level by the administration of GTS in striatum, frontal cortex and hippocampus. After the infusion of AF64A, the level of taurine was decreased in striatum and increased in hippocampus. GTS administrations in the AF64A-treated rats restored to the control level of taurine in the decreased striatal level of taurine, but not in the elevated level of hippocampal taurine. The specific [$^3$H]MK801 binding sites in hippocampus was significantly decreased but not in striatum and frontal cortex after the administration of AF64A. Although GTS itself did not affect the specific [$^3$H]MK801 binding sites, GTS administrations in the AF64A-treated rats did decrease the binding sites of (\`H)Mk801 in all examined regions. The activities of striatal glutamine synthetase were decreased after GTS treatment. The activities of striatal glutamine synthetase (GS) were decreased in AF64A-treated groups. However, the decreased striatal GS activities by AF64A were returned to the control level by GTS treatment. Furthermore, GTS administrations in the AF64A-treated rats increased the hippocampal GS activities. The results indicatethat GTS may adjust the levels of glutamate and taurine constantly and may induce increase in AF64A-induced decrease of GS activity. Thus, it suggests that GTS may antagonize changes in central glutamatergic nervous system induced by AF64A. Also it suggests that the actions of GTS may differently affect in the disease state.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2002

Endocrine disruptors (EDs) are the chemicals that affect endocrine systems through activation or inhibition of steroid hormone response. It is necessary to have a good system to evaluate rapidly and accurately endocrine-disrupting activities of suspected chemicals and their degradation products. The key targets of EDs are nuclear hormone receptors, which bind to steroid hormones and regulate their gene transcription. We constructed a co-expression system of Gal4p DNA binding domain (DBD)- ligand binding domain of human estrogen receptor $\alpha$ or $\beta$, and Gal4p transactivation domain (TAD)-co-activator AIB-1, SRC-1 or TIF-2 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae with a chromosome-integrated lacZ reporter gene under the control of CYC1 promoter and Gal4p binding site (GAL4 upstream activating sequence, GAL4$_{UAS}$). Expression of this reporter gene was dependent on the presence of estrogen or EDs in the culture medium. We found that the two-hybrid system with combination of the hER$\beta$ LBD and co-activator SRC-1 was most effective in the xenoestrogen-dependent induction of reporter activity. The extent of transcriptional activation by those chemicals correlated with their estrogenic activities measured by other assay systems, indicating that this assay system is efficient and reliable for measuring estrogenic activity. The data in this research demonstrated that the yeast detection system using steroid hormone receptor and co-activator is a useful tool for identifying chemicals that interact with steroid receptors.s.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.369-375
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• 2008

Polygonatum cyrtonema Lectin (PCL), which is classified as a monocot mannose-binding lectin, has received great regards for its uniquely biological activities and potentially medical applications in cancer cells. This paper was initially aimed to study apoptosis of PCL on Hela cells. Thus, 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) method was carried out. Through observation of cell morphologic changes and Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity-based cytotoxicity assays, PCL induced HeLa cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. To further gain structural basis, multiple alignments, homology modeling and docking experiments were performed to analyze the correlation between its biological activities and mannose-binding sites. Eventually, considering docking data, chemical modification properties on the three mannose-binding sites were analyzed by a series of biological experiments (e.g., hemagglutinating and mitogenic activity assays, fluorescence and Circular Dichrosim (CD) spectroscopy) to profoundly identify the role of some key amino acids in the structure-function relationship of PCL.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.293-301
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• 2001

Genetically modified organism (GMO) using recombinant DNA technique has been exponentially increased, however there are still arguments for the safety of GM foods. The objective of this research was to compare the allergens of GM soybean(Roundup Ready$^{TM}$) with conventional soybeans. Each soybean extracts were prepared as crude extracts, heated extracts, and as heated and simulated gastric quid (SGF)-digested samples to characterize the stability of allergens to physicochemical treatment. Positive sera from 20 soybean-sensitive patients and control sera from 5 normal subjects were used to identify the endogenous allergens in soybeans. Specific-IgE binding activities to each soybean preparations were evaluated by ELISA and immunoblot technique. In ELISA result, IgE binding activities of positive sera to soy crude extracts generally showed two fold higher mean value than those of control sera, how-ever there was no significant difference between GM soybean and natural soybean varieties. Extracted proteins form each of the soybean preparations were separated with SDS-PAGE. The band pattern of GM soybean was very similar to those of natural soybean varieties. Immunoblots for the different soybeans revealed no differences in IgE-binding protein patterns, moreover, disclosed five prominent IgE-binding bands (75, 70, 50, 44 and 34 kDa) in crude extracts, four (75, 70, 44 and 34 kDa) in heated preparations, one (50 kDa) in heated and SGF-digested preparations. These IgE binding bands were consistent with previously reported results on the soybean. These results indicate that GM soybean (Roundup Ready$^{TM}$) is no different from natural soybean in terms of its allergen.gen.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.9-15
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• 2003

The modification of CYP2El activity is a matter of considerable interest because of its role in the metabolic activation of a variety of environmental toxicants. In the present study, the time-course of changes in human CYP2El activities was determined following treatment with solvents (acetone, dimethylsulphoxide or pyridine) using intact HepG2 cells transfected by human CYP2El. Hydroxylation of chlorzoxazone was used for the measurement of CYP2El activity. CYP2E1 protein level was increased upon cultivation of cells in the presence of the solvents for 24 hr. Determination of CYP2El activities after 24 ht cultivation with the solvents demonstrated that acetone or dimethylsulphoxide increased, whereas pyridine inhibited the activities. This differential effect of the solvents on CYP2El activities persisted to subsequent 24 ht. Competitive inhibition study suggested that pyridine has stronger binding affinity to CYP2E1 than acetone or dimethylsulphoxide. These results demonstrate that different binding affinity of the solvents to CYP2El plays important role in determining real CYP2El activity in intact cells after exposure to the solvents. Present study would be helpful in precise understanding of human CYP2El-mediated toxicity.