• BMB Reports
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• 제47권10호
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• pp.563-568
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• 2014

Human genome projects have enabled whole genome mapping and improved our understanding of the genes in humans. However, many unknown genes remain to be functionally characterized. In this study, we characterized human chromosome 4 open reading frame 34 gene (hC4orf34). hC4orf34 was highly conserved from invertebrate to mammalian cells and ubiquitously expressed in the organs of mice, including the heart and brain. Interestingly, hC4orf34 is a novel ER-resident, type I transmembrane protein. Mutant analysis showed that the transmembrane domain (TMD) of hC4orf34 was involved in ER retention. Overall, our results indicate that hC4orf34 is an ER-resident type I transmembrane protein, and might play a role in ER functions including $Ca^{2+}$ homeostasis and ER stress.

• BMB Reports
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.196-200
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• 1998

Zeins, maize storage proteins, are retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) during the subcellular targeting process without the ER retention signal. Circumstantial data indicate that the 27K zein is an ER transmembrane protein. The potential transmembrane domain may permit the 27K zein to remain in the ER. This study investigated the potential transmembrane feature by employing alkaline extraction, proteinase K digestion, and surface biotinylation on isolated intact protein bodies. These assays consistently support the possibility of the 27K zein as a transmembrane protein. The 27K zein polypeptide was shown to be associated with alkali-stripped membranes. The polypeptide was digested by proteinase K to a smaller fragment. According to surface biotinylation, the 27K zeins was labeled to the exclusion of other classes of zeins. This study, therefore, concludes that the 27K zein has an ER transmembrane domain, which may serve as an anchor for zeins' ER retention.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제11권5호
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• pp.415-422
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• 2001

Many secreted proteins have disulfide bonds that are important for their structure and function. Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI, EC 5.3.1.4.), an enzyme that catalyzes the formation and rearrangement of thiol/disulfide exchange reactions, is a resident of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The subcellular localization and its function as catalyst of disulfide bond formation in the biosynthesis of secretory and cell membrane proteins suggest that PDI plays a key role in the secretory pathway. We have isolated a cDNA encoding protein disulfide isomerase from Bombyx mori(bPDI). It has been characterized under ER stress conditions (dominantly induced by calcium ionophore A23187, tunicamycin and DTT), which is known to cause an accumulation of unfolded proteins in the ER. Furthermore, It has also been examined for tissue distribution(pronounced at the fat body), hormonal regulation (juvenile hormone, insulin and juvenile +transferrin; however, it is not effected by transferrin alone), and the effect of exogenous bacteria (peak at 16 h after infection) on the bPDI mRNA expression. The results suggest that bPDI is a member of the ER stress protein group, and it may play an important role in exogenous bacterial infection in fat body, and that homones regulate its expression.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제29권9호
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• pp.949-954
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• 2019

세포막 단백질의 topology는 막단백질의 중요한 특징이다. 우리는 이전에 C4orf32단백질을 클로닝 하였으나, 이 단백질의 세포내 위치나 topology는 알지 못했다. 이번 연구를 통해 C4orf32는 세포내에서 소포체에 위치되는 막단백질임을 알게 되었다. C4orf32의 topology를 알기 위해 protease protection assay, fluorescence protease protection (FPP) assay, FRB/rapamycin/FKBP system을 활용하였다. Protease protection assay와 FPP assay를 적용한 결과 C-말단에 GFP를 붙인 C4orf32-GFP의 경우 GFP가 소포체의 세포질 표면에 위치함을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한, FRB/rapamycin/FKBP시스템을 이용한 실험에서 rapamycin이 처리되지 않은 경우는 mRFP-FKBP가 세포질에 위치하다가 rapamycin이 처리되면 C4orf32-GFP-FR가 위치하는 소포체로 이동함을 확인할 수 있었다. 이러한 사실은 C4orf32의 C-말단이 소포체의 세포질쪽 면에 위치한다는 사실을 말해준다. 이러한 연구를 통해 C4orf32는 Type I 소포체 막단백질에 속한다는 사실을 확인할 수 있었다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.613-615
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• 2011

ERp29는 endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen에 존재하는 단백질로 protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) family에 속한다. 비록 관련 연구 결과는 조금 있지만 정확한 생물학적인 기능은 아직 분명하지 않지만, 분비단백질과정과 단백질 folding에 관여하는 것으로 알려 지고 있다. ERp29의 기능 연구를 위하여 yeast two-hybrid screening/GST pull-down assay방법을 사용하여 ERp29-결합단백질인 ADP-ribosylation factor 5 (ARF5)를 동정하였다. 이들의 결합은 정상적인 세포생리상태에서는 결합하지만 ER stress 상태에서는 떨어졌다. 이 결과는 ERp29의 기능 연구를 위하여 하나의 실마리를 제공할 것이다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제23권8호
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• pp.1050-1056
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• 2013

Streptococcus pneumoniae는 전 세계적으로 급성 호흡기 질환 높은 사망률 나타내며, 정상인의 비인후부에 존재하여 호흡기 감염을 통해 폐렴, 수막염, 중이염, 패혈증, 복막염, 골수염 등을 일으킨다. 그러나 S. pneumoniae가 폐 조직에 침입하는 분자적 메커니즘과 혈류를 통한 침입은 많은 연구에도 불구하고 아직 명확하게 알려지지 않았다. 그러므로 본 실험에서는 S. pneumoniae D39의 감염 및 침입에 대한 분자 메카니즘을 알고자 사람의 폐암상피 세포 유래 A549 세포를 이용하여 감염 후 시간의 경과에 따라 변화되는 A549 세포의 모양을 관찰하였으며, 또한 숙주세포의 단백질 패턴 변화를 조사하였다. 일부 A549 세포는 감염 후 2 시간부터 세포의 모양이 둥근형태로 변화된 것으로 관찰되었으며, 감염 3 시간째에는 세포의 모양이 둥글며 filopodia가 아주 잘 발달하였다. 감염 4 시간에 도달하게 되면 거의 모든 A549 세포가 둥글며 잘 발달된 filopodia를 형성하였다. 감염 후 각 시간 별 A549 세포의 총 단백질들을 추출하여 시간의 경과에 따라 특이적으로 양 적인 변화를 나타내는 단백질을 MALDI-TOF 분석법을 사용하여 동정하였다. Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 감염 후 시간에 따라 변화하는 단백질 중 대다수가 특이하게도 molecular chaperone에 속하는 단백질들이었다. 대표적인 cytosol chaperone인 Hsp90과 Hsp70의 경우 감소하는 패턴을 나타낸 반면에 endoplasmic reticulum (ER)에 존재하는 chaperone인 Grp94와 Grp78 (BiP)은 감염 후 점차 증가하는 패턴을 나타내었다. ER chaperone인 Grp94와 Grp78의 증가는 ER stress signaling pathway와 관련 있는 것으로 알려져 있어, S. pneumoniae D39의 감염에 의한 이들 단백질의 변화 패턴을 ER stress를 유발 시켰을 때와 비교하였다. Tunicamycin 또는 thapsigargin으로 처리하여 ER stress를 유발시킨 A549 세포의 형태는 변화하지 않았으며 흡착세포의 형태를 유지하였다. 그러나 Western blot을 통한 molecular chaperone의 분석 결과는 S. pneumoniae D39 감염의 경우와 일치하였다. 본 연구에서 얻은 결과는 S. pneumoniae D39의 감염은 A549 세포의 형태적 변화를 유발하며 또한 molecular chaperone 증가와 감소를 유발한다는 것을 보여주며, 특이적으로 Grp94와 Grp78이 증가되는 것으로 보아 S. pneumoniae D39 감염은 A549 세포 내 ER stress를 유발한다고 생각된다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제42권9호
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• pp.552-560
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• 2009

Cyclooxygenases (COX-1 and COX-2) are ER-resident proteins that catalyze the committed step in prostanoid synthesis. COX-1 is constitutively expressed in many mammalian cells, whereas COX-2 is usually expressed inducibly and transiently. Abnormal expression of COX-2 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammation and various cancers; therefore, it is subject to tight and complex regulation. Differences in regulation of the COX enzymes at the posttranscriptional and posttranslational levels also contribute significantly to their distinct patterns of expression. Rapid degradation of COX-2 mRNA has been attributed to AU-rich elements (AREs) at its 3’UTR. Recently, microRNAs that can selectively repress COX-2 protein synthesis have been identified. The mature forms of these COX proteins are very similar in structure except that COX-2 has a unique 19-amino acid (19-aa) segment located near the C-terminus. This C-terminal 19-aa cassette plays an important role in mediation of the entry of COX-2 into the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) system, which transports ER proteins to the cytoplasm for degradation by the 26S proteasome. A second pathway for COX-2 protein degradation is initiated after the enzyme undergoes suicide inactivation following cyclooxygenase catalysis. Here, we discuss these molecular determinants of COX-2 expression in detail.

• BMB Reports
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• 제35권5호
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• pp.518-523
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• 2002

Nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA), an inhibitor of lipoxygenase, inhibits the secretion of proteins and causes the redistribution of resident Golgi proteins into the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). In this study, the effect of NDGA on lipoprotein lipase (LPL) secretion was investigated in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, and compared with those of brefeldin A (BFA), a well-known fungal metabolite that exhibits similar ER-Golgi redistribution. Both BFA and NDGA blocked secretions of LPL. In the presence of BFA, the active and dimeric LPL was accumulated in adipocytes. After endoglycosidase H (endo H) digestion, the proportion of LPL subunits with partially endo H-sensitive oligosaccharide was significantly increased with BFA. However, in the presence of NDGA, the cellular LPL became inactive, and only the endo H-sensitive fraction of the LPL subunit was observed. An increase of the aggregated forms was observed in the fractions of the sucrose-density gradient ultracentrifugation. These properties of LPL in the NDGA-treated cells were similar to those of LPL that is retained in ER, and the effects of NDGA could not be reversed by BFA. These results indicate that the inhibitory mechanism of NDGA on the LPL secretion is functionally different from the ER-Golgi redistribution that is induced by BFA.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권9호
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• pp.1453-1458
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• 2006

PKR-like endoplasmic reticulum (ER) kinase (PERK) is a type I transmembrane ER-resident protein containing a cytoplasmic catalytic domain with a Ser/Thr kinase activity, which is most closely related to the eukaryotic translation initiation factor-$2{\alpha}$ ($eIF2{\alpha}$) kinase PKR involved in the antiviral defense pathway by interferon. We cloned and expressed the PERK C-terminal kinase domain (cPERK) in Escherichia coli. Like PERK activation in cells under ER stress, wild-type cPERK underwent autophosphorylation when overexpressed in E. coli, whereas the cPERK(K621M) with a methionine substitution for the lysine at amino acid 621 lost the autophosphorylation activity. The activated form cPERK which was purified to near homogeneity, formed an oligomer and was able to trans-phosphorylate specifically its cellular substrate $eIF2{\alpha}$. Two-dimensional phosphoamino acids analysis revealed that phosphorylation of cPERK occurs at the Ser and Thr residues. The functionally active recombinant cPERK, and its inactive mutant should be useful for the analysis of biochemical functions of PERK and for the determination of their three-dimensional structures.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제31권4호
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• pp.323-333
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• 2015

As sessile organisms, plants are exposed to persistently changing stresses and have to be able to interpret and respond to them. The stresses, drought, salinity, chemicals, cold and hot temperatures, and various pathogen attacks have interconnected effects on plants, resulting in the disruption of protein homeostasis. Maintenance of proteins in their functional native conformations and preventing aggregation of non-native proteins are important for cell survival under stress. Heat shock proteins (HSPs) functioning as molecular chaperones are the key components responsible for protein folding, assembly, translocation, and degradation under stress conditions and in many normal cellular processes. Plants respond to pathogen invasion using two different innate immune responses mediated by pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) or resistance (R) proteins. HSPs play an indispensable role as molecular chaperones in the quality control of plasma membrane-resident PRRs and intracellular R proteins against potential invaders. Here, we specifically discuss the functional involvement of cytosolic and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) HSPs/chaperones in plant immunity to obtain an integrated understanding of the immune responses in plant cells.