• Molecules and Cells
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.41-47
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• 2008

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling is a crucial component of eukaryotic cells; it plays an important role in responses to extracelluar stimuli and in the regulation of various cellular activities. The signaling cascade is evolutionarily conserved in the eukaryotic kingdom from yeast to human. In response to a variety of extracellular signals, MAPK activity is known to be regulated via phosphorylation of a conserved $T{\times}Y$ motif at the activation loop in which both threonine and tyrosine residues are phosphorylated by the upstream kinase. However, the mechanism by which both residues are phosphorylated continues to remain elusive. In the budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Fus3 MAPK is involved in the mating signaling pathway. In order to elucidate the functional mechanism of MAPK activation, we quantitatively profiled phosphorylation of the $T{\times}Y$ motif in Fus3 using mass spectrometry (MS). We used synthetic heavy stable isotope-labeled phosphopeptides and nonphosphopeptides corresponding to the proteolytic $T{\times}Y$ motif of Fus3 and accompanying data-dependent tandem MS to quantitatively monitor dynamic changes in the phosphorylation events of MAPK. Phosphospecific immunoblotting and the MS data suggested that the tyrosine residue is dynamically phosphorylated upon stimulation and that this leads to dual phosphorylation. In contrast, the magnitude of threonine phosphorylation did not change significantly. However, the absence of a threonine residue leads to hyperphosphorylation of the tyrosine residue in the unstimulated condition, suggesting that the threonine residue contributes to the control of signaling noise.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제62권6호
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• pp.712-722
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• 2019

Objective : Although magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) has been used as minimally invasive and effective neurosurgical treatment, it exhibits some limitations, mainly related to acoustic properties of the skull barrier. This study was undertaken to identify skull characteristics that contribute to optimal ultrasonic energy transmission for MRgFUS procedures. Methods : For ex vivo skull experiments, various acoustic fields were measured under different conditions, using five non-embalmed cadaver skulls. For clinical skull analyses, brain computed tomography data of 46 patients who underwent MRgFUS ablations (18 unilateral thalamotomy, nine unilateral pallidotomy, and 19 bilateral capsulotomy) were retrospectively reviewed. Patients' skull factors and sonication parameters were comparatively analyzed with respect to the cadaveric skulls. Results : Skull experiments identified three important factors related skull penetration of ultrasound, including skull density ratio (SDR), skull volume, and incidence angle of the acoustic rays against the skull surface. In clinical results, SDR and skull volume correlated with maximal temperature (Tmax) and energy requirement to achieve Tmax (p<0.05). In addition, considering the incidence angle determined by brain target location, less energy was required to reach Tmax in the central, rather than lateral targets particularly when compared between thalamotomy and capsulotomy (p<0.05). Conclusion : This study reconfirmed previously identified skull factors, including SDR and skull volume, for successful MRgFUS; it identified an additional factor, incidence angle of acoustic rays against the skull surface. To guarantee successful transcranial MRgFUS treatment without suffering these various skull issues, further technical improvements are required.

• 한국음향학회지
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• 제41권5호
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• pp.564-569
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• 2022

인체의 다른 장기들과 달리, 뇌는 혈뇌장벽(Blood-Brain Barrier, BBB)라는 보호 장치가 존재하여 뇌혈관내 물질들이 뇌조직으로 투과되는 것을 제한하는 역할을 한다. 이러한 BBB는 알츠하이머, 뇌종양 등 다양한 뇌질환에 직접적으로 전달이 필요한 약물의 투과까지 제한하기 때문에 치료 효능 검증 및 임상 적용이 어려운 것으로 보고되고 있다. 이러한 문제를 극복하기 위해 비침습적 특성의 집속 초음파(Focused Ultrasound, FUS)를 뇌의 국소 부위에 조사할 경우 마이크로버블의 음향공동화 현상으로 인해 BBB가 일시적으로 개방될 수 있는 기술이 개발되었으며, 해당 기술을 안전성 및 유효성 검증, 약물 전달 효율을 증대시킬 수 있는 다양한 연구가 전 세계적으로 수행되고 있다. 따라서, 본 논문에서는 알츠하이머, 뇌종양 등 뇌질환 치료를 위해 활발히 연구가 진행중인 집속초음파 기반 BBB 개방 기술에 대한 연구 동향을 분석하였다.

• 한국결정성장학회지
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.360-364
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• 1999

The growth of crystals with high melting point$t_{fus}$$\geq$$1600^{\circ}C$ faces the researcher with experimental problems, as the choice of materials that withstand such high t is rather limited. Many metallic construction materials are in this high t range already molten or exhibit at least a drastically reduced mechanical strength. The very few materials with$t_{fus}$$1600^{\circ}C$ as e.g. W, Mo, and partially even Ir are more or less sensitive against oxygen upon heating. Whenever possible, high t crystal growth is performed under inert atmosphere (noble gases). Unfortunately, many oxides are not thermodynamically stable under such conditions, as reduction takes place within such atmosphere. A thoroughly search for suitable growth conditions has to be performed, that are on the one side "oxidative enough" to keep the oxides stable and on the other side "reductive enough" to avoid destruction of constructive parts of the crystal growth assembly. The relevant parameters are t and the oxygen partial pressure${po}_{2}$. The paper discusses quantitatively relevant properties of interesting oxides and construction materials and wasy to forecast theri behavior under growth conditions.

• BMB Reports
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• 제29권4호
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• pp.386-392
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• 1996

A Saccharomyces cerevisiae Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase, PTP1, was expressed from an Escherichia coli expression system and milligram quantities of active PTP1 were purified chromatographically. The substrate specificity of the recombinant PTP1 was probed using synthetic phosphotyrosine-containing peptides corresponding to the regulatory phosphorylation sites of the yeast MAP kinase homologues $Fus3_{176-186}$, $Kss1_{179-189}$, and $Hog1_{170-180}$. Peptide sequences derived from the MAP kinase homologues were chosen arbitrarily as starting points for sequence variation studies even though they are not likely to be candidates for physiological substrates of PTP1. Phosphotyrosyl-$Hog1_{170-180}$ peptide showed a $K_M$ value of 877 ${\mu}M$ and phosphorylated $Kss1_{179-189}$ and $Fus3_{176-186}$ peptides showed lower $K_M$ values of 74 ${\mu}M$ and 51 ${\mu}M$ each. To study the effect of sequence variations of the peptide, amino acids of the undecapeptide $Hog1_{170-180}$ (DPQMTGpYVSTR) were sequentially substituted by an alanine residue. More extensive variations of each amino acid revealed positional importance of each amino acid residue. Based on these results, we derived a peptide sequence (DADEpYDA) that is recognized by PTP1 with an affinity ($K_M$ is 4 ${\mu}M$) significantly higher than that of the peptides derived from the phosphorylation sites of Fus3, Kss1, and Hog1.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제32권10호
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• pp.1344-1354
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• 2022

Laryngeal cancer is one of the highest incidence, most prevalently diagnosed head and neck cancers, making it critically necessary to probe effective targets for laryngeal cancer treatment. Here, real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) and western blot analysis were used to detect gene expression levels in laryngeal cancer cell lines. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and subcellular fractionation assays were used to detect the subcellular location. Functional assays encompassing Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), transwell and wound healing assays were performed to examine the effects of target genes on cell proliferation and migration in laryngeal cancer. The in vivo effects were proved by animal experiments. RNA-binding protein immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pulldown and luciferase reporter assays were used to investigate the underlying regulatory mechanisms. The results showed that KIF26B antisense RNA 1 (KIF26B-AS1) propels cell proliferation and migration in laryngeal cancer and regulates the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway. KIF26B-AS1 also recruits FUS to stabilize TLR4 mRNA, consequently activating the TLR4 signaling pathway. Furthermore, KIF26B-AS1 plays an oncogenic role in laryngeal cancer via upregulating TLR4 expression as well as the FUS/TLR4 pathway axis, findings which offer novel insight for targeted therapies in the treatment of laryngeal cancer patients.

• 한국임상수의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국임상수의학회 2009년도 춘계학술대회
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• pp.266-266
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• 2009

• BMB Reports
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• 제50권9호
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• pp.454-459
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• 2017

Tumor suppressor candidate 2 (Tusc2, also known as Fus1) regulates calcium signaling, and $Ca^{2+}$-dependent nuclear factor of activated T-cells (NFAT) and nuclear factor kappa B ($NF-{\kappa}B$) pathways, which play roles in osteoclast differentiation. However, the role of Tusc2 in osteoclasts remains unknown. Here, we report that Tusc2 positively regulates the differentiation of osteoclasts. Overexpression of Tusc2 in osteoclast precursor cells enhanced receptor activator of nuclear factor ${\kappa}B$ ligand (RANKL)-induced osteoclast differentiation. In contrast, small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of Tusc2 strongly inhibited osteoclast differentiation. In addition, Tusc2 induced the activation of RANKL-mediated $NF-{\kappa}B$ and calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase IV (CaMKIV)/cAMP-response element (CRE)-binding protein CREB signaling cascades. Taken together, these results suggest that Tusc2 acts as a positive regulator of RANKL-mediated osteoclast differentiation.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제24권12호
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• pp.1269-1275
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• 2014

TALEN은 특정유전자를 표적 하여 knock-out 시킬 수 있는 새로운 개념의 유전자 클로닝 방법이다. TALEN 플라스미드에는 DNA binding 도메인과 Fok1 절단효소 기능이 융합되어 있기 때문에, genomic DNA 의 어느 부위라도 결합할 수 있고, 표적 염기서열을 절단하여 유전자 돌연변이를 유도할 수 있다. 본 연구에서 우리는 SETDB1 HMTase 유전자의 단백질 개시코돈 과 프로모터 -25 upstream 부위를 표적 하는 두 종의 TALEN constructs 를 제작하였다. 이를 위하여 두 단계의 클로닝이 진행되었다. 첫 번째는 모듈벡터에서 pFUS배열벡터로 표적서열을 옮겨 콜로니 PCR을 통해 smear밴드와 Esp1 제한 효소를 이용하여 약 1 kb의 insert가 들어 있음을 확인하였다. 두 번째는 배열 벡터로부터 TALEN 발현벡터로 옮기는 과정을 진행하였으며, 염기서열분석을 통해 확인하였다. 그 결과 최초의 고안된 모듈벡터 서열들이 약 100 bp 간격으로 배열되어 있음을 확인하였다. 제작된 TALEN-DBEX2 construct는 transfection을 통해 SETDB1의 발현이 사라지는 것을 확인하였고, T7E1 분석을 통하여 표적부위에서 돌연변이가 발생하였음을 추정할 수 있었다. 한편, TALEN-DBPR25 transfection을 통하여서도 SETDB1의 발현이 감소하는 현상을 확인 하였다. DBEX2, DBPR25를 이입시킨 HeLa 세포에서 세포 형태가 길어지는 현상을 관찰할 수 있었다. 그러므로 단백질 개시코돈 또는 -25 upstream을 표적 하는 TALEN knock-out 방법은 SETDB1 유전자의 기능연구에 매우 유용하다고 사료된다.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.227-238
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• 2012

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are conserved signaling modules in the eukaryotic cells. They are involved in many major cell processes in fungi such as stress responses, vegetative growth, pathogenicity, secondary metabolism and cell wall integrity. In this review, we summarized the advances of research on the MAPK signaling pathways in Alternaria species. As major phytopathogenic fungi, Alternaria species reduce crop production. In contrast to the five MAPK pathways known in yeast, only three MAPK pathways as Fus3/Kss1-type, Hog1-type, and Slt2-type have been characterized in Alternaria. The Fus3/Kss1-type MAPK pathway participates in regulation of vegetative growth, conidiation, production of some cell-wall-degrading enzymes and pathogenicity. The Hog1-type pathway is involved in osmotic and oxidative stress, fungicides susceptibility and pathogenicity. The Slt2-type MAP kinases play an important role on maintaining cell wall integrity, pathogenicity and conidiation. Although recent advances on the MAPK pathways in Alternaria spp. reveal many important features on the pathogenicity, there are many unsolved problems regarding to the unknown MAP kinase cascade components and network among other major signal transduction. Considering the economic loss induced by Alternaria spp., more researches on the MAPK pathways will need to control the Alternaria diseases.