• BMB Reports
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• 제35권2호
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• pp.155-164
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• 2002

The structural aspects of ervatamin B have been studied in different types of alcohol. This alcohol did not affect the structure or activity of ervatamin B under neutral conditions. At a low pH (3.0), different kinds of alcohol have different effects. Interestingly, at a certain concentration of non-fluorinated, aliphatic, monohydric alcohol, a conformational switch from the predominantly $\alpha$-helical to $\beta$-sheeted state is observed with a complete loss of tertiary structure and proteolytic activity. This is contrary to the observation that alcohol induces mostly the $\alpha$helical structure in proteins. The O-state of ervatamin B in 50% methanol at pH 3.0 has enhanced the stability towards GuHCl denaturation and shows a biphasic transition. This suggests the presence of two structural parts with different stabilities that unfold in steps. The thermal unfolding of ervatamin B in the O-state is also biphasic, which confirms the presence of two domains in the enzyme structure that unfold sequentially. The differential stabilization of the structural parts may also be a reflection of the differential stabilization of local conformations in methanol. Thermal unfolding of ervatamin B in the absence of alcohol is cooperative, both at neutral and low pH, and can be fitted to a two state model. However, at pH 2.0 the calorimetric profiles show two peaks, which indicates the presence of two structural domains in the enzyme with different thermal stabilities that are denatured more or less independently. With an increase in pH to 3.0 and 4.0, the shape of the DSC profiles change, and the two peaks converge to a predominant single peak. However, the ratio of van't Hoff enthalpy to calorimetric enthalpy is approximated to 2.0, indicating non-cooperativity in thermal unfolding.

• 한국결정학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국결정학회 2002년도 정기총회 및 추계학술연구발표회
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• pp.24-24
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• 2002

HtrA (high temperature requirement A), a periplasmic heat shock protein, is known to have molecular chaperone function at low temperatures and proteolytic activity at elevated temperatures. To investigate the mechanism of functional switch to pretense, we have determined the crystal structure of the N-terminal protease domain (PD) of HtrA from Thermotoga maritima. HtrA PD shares the same fold with chymotrypsin-like serine professes. However, crystal structure suggests that HtrA PD is not an active pretense at current state since its active site is not formed properly and blocked by an additional helical lid. On the surface of the lid, HtrA PD has hydrophobic patches that could be potential substrate binding sites for molecular chaperone activity. Present structure suggests that the activation of the proteolytic function of HtrA PD at elevated temperatures might occur by the conformational change.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.569-575
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• 2006

The 530 stem-loop is a 46 nucleotide stem-loop structure found in all small-subunit ribosomal RNAs. Phylogenetic and mutational studies by others suggest the requirement for Watson-Crick interactions between the nucleotides 505-507 and 524-526 (530 pseudoknot), which are highly conserved. To examine the nature and functional significance of these interactions, a random mutagenesis experiment was conducted in which the nucleotides in the proposed pseudoknot were simultaneously mutated and functional mutants were selected and analyzed. Genetic analysis revealed that the particular nucleotide present at each position except 524 was not exclusively critical to the selection of functional mutants. It also indicated that basepairing interactions between the positions 505-507 and 524-526 were required for ribosomal function, and much weaker base-pairing interactions than those of the wild-type also allowed high ribosomal function. Our results support the hypothesis that the 530 pseudoknot structure may undergo a 'conformational switch' between folded and unfolded states during certain stages of the protein synthesis process by interacting with other ligands present in its environment.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.752-760
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• 2004

Nitrogenase 촉매에서 Fe-단백질을 포함하는 [4Fe-4S] 클라스터의 기능은 기질의 결합과 환원 자리를 포함하는 MoFe-단백질로 핵산 의존 전자 주개로 작용하는 것이다. 이러한 방법의 Fe-단백질의 기능은 Mofe-단백질과 상호작용을 위해 적합한 구조를 갖추며 전자 전달을 위한 추진력을 제공하기 위해 산화 환원 퍼텐셜을 변화시키는 능력에 의존한다. Nitrogenase Fe-단백질에 MgADP가 결합한 (혹은 떨어진) 구조적 정보는 핵산 결합 자리로부터 MoFe-단백질과의 결합력을 조절하기 위한 장거리 상호작용 메커니즘을 제시한다. 스위치 I과 II의 두 가지 경로가 뉴클레오티드의 신호전달 메커니즘을 담당한다. MgADP가 결합된 Fe-단백질의 구조는 Fe 단백질이 핵산과 결합할 때 관찰되는 [4Fe-4S] 클라스터의 생물리학적 특성 변화의 기초를 제공한다. 스위치, I과 II의 핵산 의존 신호전달 경로에서 특정 아미노산이 치환된 nitrogenase Fe-단백질의 구조들이 X-선 회절법에 의해서 결정되었다. 이들 경로는 아미노산 치환 연구, 구조 분석, 유사한 핵산 의존 신호전달 경로에 이용된 다른 단백질 등에 의해서도 분석되었다. 이들 경로가 거대분자 착물 형성과 분자간 전자 전달을 위한 MgADP 결합과 가수분해의 신호전달 경로로의 타당성이 조사되었다. 이러한 결과는 nitrogenase Fe 단백질과 MoFe-단백질 착물에서 Fe-단백질의 변이와 상호작용의 생물리학적 및 생화학적 특성을 위한 기초적 자료를 제공할 것이다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제20권12호
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• pp.1777-1783
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• 2010

식물체는 대사과정의 부산물로서 또는 생물학적으로 피해를 줄 수 있는 다양한 종류의 외부 스트레스에 직면했을 활성산소(Reactive Oxygen Species, ROS)를 생산한다. 이러한 oxidative 스트레스로부터 자신들을 보호하기 위하여 식물세포들은 다양한 종류의 항산화 단백질들을 보유하고 있다. 하지만 이들의 작용기작은 여전히 자세히 밝혀지지 않았다. Peroxiredoxins (Prxs)은 식물체에 광범위하게 존재하는 thiol-을 함유한 항산화 단백질로 N-말단에 존재하는 cysteine 잔기를 이용하여 hydrogen peroxide를 환원한다. 이러한 과정에서 peroxiredoxins의 활성부위인 cysteine 잔기는 선택적으로 cysteine sulfinic acid로 산화됨으로써 peroxidase activity의 불활성화를 일으킨다. 이러한 산화과정은 비가역적으로 일어난다. 최근 발견된 진핵생물들에 잘 보존된 sulphiredoxin (Srx1)이라 불리는 단백질은 cysteine-sulphinic acid를 환원시키는 기능을 지닌다. 본 논문에서는 애기장대에 존재하는 Prxs와 Srx의 기능에 대하여 서술할 예정이다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.176-183
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• 2012

Eukaryotic translation termination is governed by eRF1 and eRF3. eRF1 recognizes the stop codons and then hydrolyzes peptidyl-tRNA. eRF3, which facilitates the termination process, belongs to the GTPase superfamily. In this study, the effect of the MC domain of eRF1a (eRF1aMC) on the GTPase activity of eRF3 was analyzed using fluorescence spectra and high-performance liquid chromatography. The results indicated eRF1aMC promotes the GTPase activity of eRF3, which is similar to the role of eRF1a. Furthermore, the increased affinity of eRF3 for GTP induced by eRF1aMC was dependent on the concentration of $Mg^{2+}$. Changes in the secondary structure of eRF3C after binding GTP/GDP were detected by CD spectroscopy. The results revealed changes of conformation during formation of the eRF3C GTP complex that were detected in the presence of eRF1a or eRF1aMC. The conformations of the eRF3C eRF1a GTP and eRF3C eRF1aMC GTP complexes were further altered upon the addition of $Mg^{2+}$. By contrast, there was no change in the conformation of GTP bound to free eRF3C or the eRF3C eRF1aN complex. These results suggest that alterations in the conformation of GTP bound to eRF3 is dependent on eRF1a and $Mg^{2+}$, whereas the MC domain of eRF1a is responsible for the change in the conformation of GTP bound to eRF3 in Euplotes octocarinatus.