• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.11
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• pp.771-777
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• 2008

Calmodulin (CaM) proteins, members of the EF-hand family of $Ca^{2+}$-binding proteins, represent important relays in plant calcium signals. Here, OsCam1-1 was isolated by PCR amplification from the rice genome. The gene contains an ORF of 450 base pairs with a single intron at the same position found in other plant Cam genes. A promoter region with a TATA box at position-26 was predicted and fused to a gus reporter gene, and this construct was used to produce transgenic rice by Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. GUS activity was observed in all organs examined and throughout tissues in cross-sections, but activity was strongest in the vascular bundles of leaves and the vascular cylinders of roots. To examine the properties of OsCaM1-1, the encoding cDNA was expressed in Escherichia coli. The electrophoretic mobility shift when incubated with $Ca^{2+}$ indicates that recombinant OsCaM1-1 is a functional $Ca^{2+}$-binding protein. In addition, OsCaM1-1 bound the CaMKII target peptide confirming its likely functionality as a calmodulin.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.188-195
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• 2000

In order to understand molecular events during silk synthesis and provide genetic resources for molecular breeding, we had analyzed the cDNA library constructed from the posterior silkgland of Antheraea yamamai and partially sequenced 276 randomly selected genes from the cDNA library. Database comparisons of the expressed sequence tags (ESTs) revealed that 26 non-redundant clones showed a high similarity with previously identified genes. Among them, 17 clones exhibited a homology with previously identified insect genes and 9 clones were identical to genes that were previously identified from other organisms. A functional categorization showed that silk synthesis-defense- or stress-related genes, as well as genes involved in the metabolic pathways and in the transcriptional or translational apparatus are represented. In this report, the clone (AY479) which had high similarity with fibroin from A. pernyi was particularly analyzed in detail. The AY479 clone was carboxyl terminal region of fibroin. The 472 bp cDNA has 123 amino acids that shared 85% homology with the fibroin from A. pernyi and its deduced peptide had unique feature, that is, sites of alanine rich residues.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.7
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• pp.684-694
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• 2018

Upregulation of human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) expression is an important factor in the cellular survival and cancer. Although growing evidence suggests that hTERT inhibits cellular apoptosis by telomere-independent functions, the mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Here, we show that hTERT contains a BH3-like motif, a short peptide sequence found in BCL-2 family proteins, and interacts with anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins MCL-1 and BCL-xL, suggesting a functional link between hTERT and the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis. Additionally, we propose that hTERT can be categorized into the atypical BH3-only proteins that promote cellular survival, possibly due to the non-canonical interaction between hTERT and antiapoptotic proteins. Although the detailed mechanisms underlying the hTERT BH3-like motif functions and interactions between hTERT and BCL-2 family proteins have not been elucidated, this work proposes a possible connection between hTERT and BCL-2 family members and reconsiders the role of the BH3-like motif as an interaction motif.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.36-50
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• 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the biological potential of functional food, i.e., specific peptides obtained from the hydrolysis of milk protein, by assessing their antioxidant and antibacterial properties. For the preparation of casein hydrolysates, commercial enzymes were added to 10% casein solution in a 1:200 (w/v) ratio, and samples were collected each hour. Based on the assessment of the degree of hydrolysis (DH) of casein hydrolysates, it was observed that the concentration of all enzymatic hydrolysates increased rapidly from 30 to 40 minutes. However, no change was observed in their concentrations after 150 minutes. Protamex® and Neutrase® exhibited the highest DH when compared to other enzymes. Furthermore, SDS-PAGE was performed for analyzing the proteolytic pattern of each enzyme, except for Flavourzyme®, and peptides in the size range of 20-25 kDa were identified. Subsequently, peptides produced by two enzymes were isolated using a preparative liquid chromatography system. Overall, NF3, NF4, PF5, and PF6 showed higher antioxidant potential than other peptide fractions. Moreover, NF7 and PF3 exhibited the highest antibacterial activity. In this study, we evaluated the biological potential of novel casein-derived peptides that may find application in the food and healthcare industry.

• Proceedings of the Botanical Society of Korea Conference
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• 1995.06a
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• pp.67-78
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• 1995

Monoclonal antibodies (MoAbs) are a highly diversified class of proteins with major research and commercial applications such as diagnostics and therapeutics. Currently, the dominant method for producing MoAbs is through the hybridoma technique. However, this technique is slow, tedious, labor intensive, and expensive. The production of MoAbs in cultured transgenic plant cells can offer some advantages over that in the over that in the mammalian systems. The media to cultivate plant cells are well defined and inexpensive. Contamination by bacteria or fungi is easily monitored in plant tissue cultures. Furthermore, these contaminants are usually not potent pathogens to human beings. In our interdisciplinary research efforts, heavy chain monoclonal antibody (HC MAb) was inserted into Ti plasmid vector and transferred into A. tumefaciens for the transformation in tobacco cells. It was found that 76% of the transformants produced HC MAb. The presence of HC MAb in the cell membrane fraction indicated that the signal peptide was functional and efficient. The change of the HC MAb concentration during a batch culture followed a similar trend as dry cell concentration, indicating that the production of HC MAb was growth related. The long-term repeated subcultures of 11 cell lines showed that there was no obvious trend of neither the decrease nor the increase of the productivity with the repeated subcultures.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.233-241
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• 2016

DCs, like the sensory neurons, express vanilloid receptor 1 (VR1). Here we demonstrate that the VR1 agonists, capsaicin (CP) and resiniferatoxin (RTX), enhance antiviral CTL responses by increasing MHC class I-restricted viral antigen presentation in dendritic cells (DCs). Bone marrow-derived DCs (BM-DCs) were infected with a recombinant vaccinia virus (VV) expressing OVA (VV-OVA), and then treated with CP or RTX. Both CP and RTX increased MHC class I-restricted presentation of virus-encoded endogenous OVA in BM-DCs. Oral administration of CP or RTX significantly increased MHC class I-restricted OVA presentation by splenic and lymph node DCs in VV-OVA-infected mice, as assessed by directly measuring OVA peptide SIINFEKL-K^b complexes on the cell surface and by performing functional assays using OVA-specific CD8 T cells. Accordingly, oral administration of CP or RTX elicited potent OVA-specific CTL activity in VV-OVA-infected mice. The results from this study demonstrate that VR1 agonists enhance anti-viral CTL responses, as well as a neuro-immune connection in anti-viral immune responses.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.2.1-2.13
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• 2019

The enhanced differentiation and activation of osteoclasts (OCs) in the inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and gout causes not only local bone erosion, but also systemic osteoporosis, leading to functional disabilities and morbidity. The induction and amplification of NFATc1, a master regulator of OC differentiation, is mainly regulated by receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) ligand-RANK and calcium signaling which are amplified in the inflammatory milieu, as well as by inflammatory cytokines such as TNFα, IL-1β and IL-6. Moreover, the predominance of CD4⁺ T cell subsets, which varies depending on the condition of inflammatory diseases, can determine the fate of OC differentiation. Anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies which are critical in the pathogenesis of RA can bind to the citrullinated vimentin on the surface of OC precursors, and in turn promote OC differentiation and function via IL-8. In addition to adaptive immunity, the activation of innate immune system including the nucleotide oligomerization domain leucine rich repeat with a pyrin domain 3 inflammasome and TLRs can regulate OC maturation. The emerging perspectives about the diverse and close interactions between the immune cells and OCs in inflammatory milieu can have a significant impact on the future direction of drug development.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.80-88
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• 2003

In order to establish the enzymatic hydrolysis system improving of taste and flavor in the preparation of soy protein hydrolysates using the enzymes with excellent hydrolytic ability and different hydrolysis pattern of soy protein, Degree of hydrolysis(DH) and surface hydrophobicity under the optimal conditions of enzyme reaction, hydrolysis patterns by the SDS electrophoresis and sensory evaluation of soy protein hydrolysates by enzyme reactions were investigated. Four enzyme reactions were highly activated at pH 7.0, 45$^{\circ}C$ under the optimal conditions. As result of changes on the pattern of soy-protein hydrolysates by SDS-electrophoresis, high molecular peptides of hydrolysates by No. 5(Mucor circinelloides M5) and No. 16(Bacillus megaterium B16) enzymes were slowly decrease and 66KD band of these were remained after 3hours reaction. Production of low molecular peptides of hydrolysates by No. 4(Aspergillus oryzae M4) and No. 95(Bacillus subtilis YG 95) enzymes were remarkably detected during the proceeding reactions. As results of HPLC analysis, low molecular peptides of 15∼70KD were mainly appeared during the proceeding enzyme reactions. And, the more DH was increased, the more SDS-surface hydrophobicity was decreased. Hydrolysates by No. 4 enzyme was not only the highest DH of all hydrolysates, but the strongest bitter taste in a sensory evaluation. Sweat taste among the hydrolysates showed little difference. But, when combinative enzymes were treated, combinative enzyme of No. 4(Aspergillus oryzae M4)and No. 16(Bacillus megaterium B16) showed the strongest sweat taste. In conclusion, we assumed that it will be possible to prepare the hydrolysates having functionality when soy-protein were hydrolyzed by these specific enzymes.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2020

Background: Classical acupuncture is being used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To explore the biological response to acupuncture, a network-based analysis was performed on gene expression data collected from an animal model of RA treated with acupuncture. Methods: Gene expression data were obtained from published microarray studies on blood samples from rats with collagen induced arthritis (CIA) and non-CIA rats, both treated with manual acupuncture. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis was performed to identify gene clusters expressed in association with acupuncture treatment time and RA status. Gene ontology and pathway analyses were applied for functional annotation and network visualization. Results: A cluster of 347 genes were identified that differentially downregulated expression in association with acupuncture treatment over time; specifically in rats with CIA with module-RA correlation at 1 hour after acupuncture (-0.27; p < 0.001) and at 34 days after acupuncture (-0.33; p < 0.001). Functional annotation showed highly significant enrichment of porphyrin-containing compound biosynthetic processes (p < 0.001). The network-based analysis also identified a module of 140 genes differentially expressed between CIA and non-CIA in rats (p < 0.001). This cluster of genes was enriched for antigen processing and presentation of exogenous peptide antigen (p < 0.001). Other functional gene clusters previously reported in earlier studies were also observed. Conclusion: The identified gene expression networks and their hub-genes could help with the understanding of mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of RA, as well understanding the effects of acupuncture treatment of RA.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.99-110
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• 2020

Purpose: The rice germ fraction is a better source of protein, lipid, and fiber than the rice endosperm. Furthermore, the rice germ is rich in bioactive phytochemicals such as γ-aminobutyric acid, tocopherols, tocotrienols, phytic acid, and so on. In this study, the phytosterol content and antioxidant activity of Keunnunjami germ (KG) or normal rice germ supplement were investigated in healthy adult rats. Methods: In vitro, quantitative assessment of phytosterols, including β-sitosterol, campesterol, cycloartenol, and stigmasterol, was performed. Comparative antioxidant activities of 2 rice germs were measured based on DPPH radical scavenging activity, reducing power, and ABTS radical scavenging capacity. In vivo, male Spraque-Dawley rats (30-weeks-old) were randomly assigned a diet of normal control (NC, AIN-93M diet), AIN-93M diet supplemented with normal rice germ 3% (NG3), or AIN-93M diet supplemented with KG 3% (KG3) and fed for 8 weeks. Results: KG contained significantly higher campesterol and stigmasterol contents and antioxidant activity than normal rice germ. The KG3 group exhibited significantly lower body weight gain as well as inguinal and total white adipose tissue weights. There were no significant differences in plasma glucose, insulin, C-peptide, or homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance level among the 3 groups. The plasma tumor necrosis factor-α concentration was significantly lower while leptin, advanced oxidation protein products, and interleukin-6 showed downward trends in the KG3 group. In addition, the superoxide dismutase level of the KG3 group was significantly higher compared to the NC and NG3 groups. Conclusion: This study indicates that KG can be considered as a valuable source of phytosterol components. Lastly, KG has strong antioxidant properties and may have potential to ameliorate elevation of proinflammatory cytokine production with age.