• 미생물학회지
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• 제45권4호
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• pp.291-299
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• 2009

본 연구에서는 Human HtrA3 (HtrA3)의 효소활성을 분자수준에서 연구하기 위해 HtrA간의 상동성과 기존에 알려진 maturation site들을 비교 분석하여 예상 mature HtrA3인 M1-HtrA3와 M2-HtrA3를 발현하는 construct를 제작하였다. pGEX system을 통해 Top10 균주에서 발현, 정제한 M1-HtrA3 단백질은 $10{\mu}g$/L를 정제할 수 있었으며 발현량 대비 1%를 회수할 수 있었다. M2-HtrA3는 M1보다 5배 가량 많은 양을 정제할 수 있었으며 발현량 대비 회수율은 3배 정도 더 높았다. $\beta$-Casein을 이용한 in vitro cleavage test를 통해 M1, M2 form 모두 protease 활성을 갖는 것을 확인하였다. 또한, $\beta$-casein cleavage를 통해 HtrA serein protease들 간의 상대적인 활성을 비교한 결과, HtrA3와 HtrA2는 HtrA1보다 약 2배 더 높은 proteolytic cleavage 활성을 보였다. 본 연구에서 정립한 protease 활성을 지닌 HtrA3의 제작과 정제 조건은 HtrA3의 substrate를 탐색을 용이하게 할 수 있을 것이며, HtrA3 연관된 질환의 발병기전과 세포 신호전달을 이해하는 연구에 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제39권2호
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• pp.103-110
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• 2007

The High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactor (HTGR) possesses inherent safety features and is recognized as a representative advanced nuclear system for the future. Based on the success of the HTR-10, the long-time operation test and safety demonstration tests were carried out. The long-time operation test verifies that the operation procedure and control method are appropriate for the HTR-10 and the safety demonstration test shows that the HTR-10 possesses inherent safety features with a great margin. Meanwhile, two new projects have been recently launched to further develop HTGR technology. One is a prototype modular plant, denoted as HTR-PM, to demonstrate the commercial capability of the HTGR power plant. The HTR-PM is designed as $2{\times}250$ MWt, pebble bed core with a steam turbine generator that serves as an energy conversion system. The other is a gas turbine generator system coupled with the HTR-10, denoted as HTR-10GT, built to demonstrate the feasibility of the HTGR gas turbine technology. The gas turbine generator system is designed in a single shaft configuration supported by active magnetic bearings (AMB). The HTR-10GT project is now in the stage of engineering design and component fabrication. R&D on the helium turbocompressor, a key component, and the key technology of AMB are in progress.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제18권4호
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• pp.522-529
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• 2008

High-temperature requirement A2(HtrA2)는 대장균에서 42도 노출 시 세포 보호 기능을 하는 단백질인 HtrA의 human homologue로 동정되었다 현재까지 human HtrA2는 미토콘드리아에 존재하는 serine protaese로 세포사멸 기능에 관여하는 것으로 알려져 있으나, 그 생리적 기능 및 mammalian 세포 내에서 heat shock에 대한 보호기능에 대해서 명확히 알려진 바가 없다. 최근 HtrA2 유전자가 결실된 mouse embryonic fibroblast (MEF)가 보고되어 세포 내 HtrA2의 기능 연구가 가능해 졌으나, 이 세포에 대한 정보가 많은 부분 밝혀져 있지 않다. 생리기능연구를 위해서는 자체의 특성들에 대한 조사가 선행되어야 차후 기능연구가 가능할 것이다. 본 연구는 $HtrA2^{+/+}$, $HtrA2^{-/-}$ MEF 세포주를 확보하고, 두 세포주의 성장속도, 세포 형태 및, heat shock에 의한 세포사멸 정도를 측정하였다. 우선 $HtrA2^{+/+}$, $HtrA2^{-/-}$ MEF 세포주에서 HtrA2의 발현 유무를 PCR과 IB로 확인하였고, fractionation을 통해 $HtrA2^{+/+}$ 세포주에서만 HtrA2가 미토콘드리아에 위치함을 확인하였다. 두 세포에서 형태학적인 차이가 있음을 Coomassie staining으로 확인하였고, 성장속도 또한 $HtrA2^{-/-}$ 세포주가 1.4배 빠름을 확인하였다. 현재까지 보고되지 않은 HtrA2의 고온에 대한 반응연구를 위해 본 연구에서는 heat shock 자극에서 세포사멸을 측정하여, 기존에 알려진 세포사멸자극에서와 동일하게 heat shock에 의해서도 세포사멸이 야기됨을 확인하였다. $HtrA2^{+/+}$와 $HtrA2^{-/-}$ MEF 세포주를 이용한 연구에 있어, HtrA2 유무에 따른 세포의 생리학적 특징을 제공하였고, 향후 heat shock에 의한 세포사멸에서의 HtrA2 기능연구를 위한 중요한 기본 정보를 제공함으로써 HtrA2의 기능을 심도있게 연구하는데 사용할 수 있는 좋은 자료가 될 것이다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.571-578
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• 2006

Mitochondrial serine protease로 알려진 human HtrA2 (hHtrA2)는 apoptosis 유도 과정에서 중요한 역할을 담당하고 있을 뿐만 아니라 hHtrA2가 motor neuron degeneration과 관련이 있다는 최근 연구 결과가 있으나, hHtrA2의 생리적 기능은 아직 명확하게 밝혀져 있지 않다. 이와 같이 생체내에서 필수적인 업무를 담당하는 hHtrA2의 기능을 심도 있게 연구하기 위해서는 적절한 동물모델 시스템이 필요하나 이에 대한 연구도 미흡한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 hHtrA2의 기능 분석을 위한 기본적인 실험으로 zebrafish라는 동물모델을 선택하여 hHtrA2의 발현 시스템을 정립하였다. 먼저 zebrafish에 hHtrA2를 발현시키기 위하여 zebrafish에서 일반적으로 사용되는 발현 시스템인 pCS2+ vector에 hHtrA2와 GFP를 cloning하고 plasmid를 HEK293 cell에 transfection한 후, hHtrA2-GFP fusion 단백질의 발현을 immunoblot과 immunofluorescence staining assay로 확인한 바 약 64 kDa의 hHtrA2 단백질의 발현을 확인할 수 있었다. Zebrafish에서 hHtrA2-GFP fusion 단백질의 발현양상은 immunofluorescence microscope으로 확인하였다. hHtrA2-GFP DNA와 mRNA를 zebrafish embyro에 microinjection하여 두 가지 component의 발현을 비교 분석한 결과, DNA는 dot 형태로 mRNA는 몸 전체에 퍼져보이는 형태로 발현 양상의 차이는 있었으나 둘 다 zebrafish embryo에서 잘 발현되는 것을 알 수 있다. 다음 DNA를 주 component로 microinjection하여 zebrafish embryo에서 발현을 확인한 결과 hHtrA2는 72 hpf 까지 발현이 지속되는 것을 확인하였다. 본 연구에서 정립한 hHtrA2의 zebrafish 발현 조건은 앞으로 zebrafish에서 hHtrA2의 생리적 기능을 심도있고 정확하게 연구하는 데 있어 기본적인 자료로 활용 할 수 있을 것이다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제38권3호
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• pp.266-274
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• 2005

High temperature requirement A (HtrA) and its homologues constitute the HtrA familiy proteins, a group of heat shock-induced serine proteases. Bacterial HtrA proteins perform crucial functions with regard to protein quality control in the periplasmic space, functioning as both molecular chaperones and proteases. In contrast to other bacterial quality control proteins, including ClpXP, ClpAP, and HslUV, HtrA proteins contain no regulatory components or ATP binding domains. Thus, they are commonly referred to as ATP-independent chaperone proteases. Whereas the function of ATP-dependent chaperone-proteases is regulated by ATP hydrolysis, HtrA exhibits a PDZ domain and a temperature-dependent switch mechanism, which effects the change in its function from molecular chaperone to protease. This mechanism is also related to substrate recognition and the fine control of its function. Structural and biochemical analyses of the three HtrA proteins, DegP, DegQ, and DegS, have provided us with clues as to the functional regulation of HtrA proteins, as well as their roles in protein quality control at atomic scales. The objective of this brief review is to discuss some of the recent studies which have been conducted regarding the structure and function of these HtrA proteins, and to compare their roles in the context of protein quality control.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제16권7호
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• pp.1133-1140
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• 2006

E. coli HtrA (High temperature requirement protein A)의 human homologue 중 하나인 HtrA1은 IGFBP를 절단하여 IGF의 활동을 조절하는 serine protease으로 알려졌다. HtrA1의 serine protease 활성이 여러 질병의 발병 mechanism과 연관성을 가진 것으로 예상되고 있지만, 이런 상관관계를 밝히기 위해서 기본적으로 필요한 다량의 HtrA1 단백질의 발현 및 정제조건과 HtrA1 serine protease의 최적 활성조건이 확립되어 있지 않은 상황이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 pGEX 시스템을 이용하여 E. coli에서 mature HtrA1인 ${\Delta}149(WT)$와 catalytic site mutant인 ${\Delta}149(S328A)$를 85%의 순도로 1 liter 배양 시, 정제된 단백질을 각각 $400{\mu}g,\;520{\mu}g$ 얻을 수 있는 발현조건을 정립하였다. 또한 HtrA1 serine protease 활성은 protease의 농도와 substrate와의 반응시간에 dependent하며, substrate와의 반응온도가 $42^{\circ}C$일 때 최적의 serine protease활성을 나타내는 것을 알 수 있었다. 특히 $200{\mu}M$의 HtrA1 serine protease를 $37^{\circ}C$에서 3시간 반응 시켰을 때, substrate로 사용한 ${\beta}-casein$의 약 50%가 절단되는 것을 관찰하였다. 따라서 이 반응조건에 사용한 HtrA1의 양을 1 unit으로 하여 HtrA1의 serine protease활성을 여러 조건에서 비교 분석할 수 있다 본 연구에서 정립한 mature HtrA1을 다량으로 얻을 수 있는 발헌 및 정제조건과 serine protease 최적 활성조건은 HtrA1의 serine protease 활성과 생물학적 기능의 상관관계를 이해하는데 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.716-722
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• 2006

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is physiologically important in regulating cellular homeostasis and apoptotic cell death, and its mutations are the cause of familial amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (FALS). Mitochondrial serine protease HtrA2 has a pro-apoptotic function and has known to be associated with neurodegenerative disorders. To investigate the relationship between genes associated with apoptotic cell death, such as HtrA2 and SOD1, we utilized the pGEX expression system to develop a simple and rapid method for purifying wild-type and ALS-associated mutant SOD1 proteins in a suitable form for biochemical studies. We purified SOD1 and SOD1 (G93A) proteins to approximately 90% purity with relatively high yields (3 mg per liter of culture). Consistent with the result in mammalian cells, SOD1 (G93A) was more insoluble than wild-type SOD1 in E. coli, indicating that research on the aggregate formation of SOD1 may be possible using this pGEX expression system in E. coli. We investigated the HtrA2 serine protease activity on SOD1 to assess the relationship between two proteins. Not only wild-type SOD1 but also ALS-associated mutant SOD1 (G93A) were cleaved by HtrA2, resulting in the production of the 19 kDa and 21 kDa fragments that were specific for anti-SOD1 antibody. Using protein gel electrophoresis and immunoblot assay, we compared the relative molecular masses of thrombin-cleaved GST-SOD1 and HtrA2-cleaved SOD1 fragments and can predict that the HtrA2-cleavage sites within SOD1 are the peptide bonds between leucine 9-lysine 10 (L9-K10) and glutamine 23-lysine 24 (Q23-K24). Our study indicates that SOD1 is one of the substrate for HtrA2, suggesting that both HtrA2 and SOD1 may be important for modulating the HtrA2-SOD1-mediated apopotic cell death that is associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorder.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제25권5호
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• pp.497-503
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• 2017

Recent reports claimed that glucosylsphingosine (GS) is highly accumulated and specifically evoking itch-scratch responses in the skins of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. However, it was unclear how GS can trigger itch-scratch responses, since there were no known molecular singling pathways revealed yet. In the present study, it was verified for the first time that GS can activate mouse serotonin receptor 2a (mHtr2a) and 2b (mHtr2b), but not 2c (mHtr2c) that are expressed in HEK293T cells. Specifically, effects of GS on all mouse serotonin receptor 2 subfamily were evaluated by calcium imaging techniques. The GS-induced intracellular calcium increase was dose-dependent, and antagonists such as ketanserin (Htr2a antagonist) and RS-127445 (Htr2b antagonist) significantly blocked the GS-induced responses. Moreover, the proposed GS-induced responses appear to be mediated by phospholipase C (PLC), since pretreatment of a PLC inhibitor U-73122 abolished the GS-induced responses. Additionally, the GS-induced calcium influx is probably mediated by endogenous TRPC ion channels in HEK293T cells, since pretreatment of SKF-96365, an inhibitor for TRPC, significantly suppressed GS-induced response. In conclusion, the present study revealed for the first time that GS can stimulate mHtr2a and mHtr2b to induce calcium influx, by utilizing PLC-dependent pathway afterwards. Considering that GS is regarded as a pruritogen in AD, the present study implicates a novel GS-induced itch signaling pathway.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.83-91
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• 2020

Tryptamines are monoamine alkaloids with hallucinogenic properties and are widely abused worldwide. To hasten the regulations of novel substances and predict their abuse potential, we designed and synthesized four novel synthetic tryptamine analogs: Pyrrolidino tryptamine hydrochloride (PYT HCl), Piperidino tryptamine hydrochloride (PIT HCl), N,N-dibutyl tryptamine hydrochloride (DBT HCl), and 2-Methyl tryptamine hydrochloride (2-MT HCl). Then, we evaluated their rewarding and reinforcing effects using the conditioned place preference (CPP) and self-administration (SA) paradigms. We conducted an open field test (OFT) to determine the effects of the novel compounds on locomotor activity. A head-twitch response (HTR) was also performed to characterize their hallucinogenic properties. Lastly, we examined the effects of the compounds on 5-HTR1a and 5-HTR2a in the prefrontal cortex using a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay. None of the compounds induced CPP in mice or initiated SA in rats. PYT HCl and PIT HCl reduced the locomotor activity and elevated the 5-HTR1a mRNA levels in mice. Acute and repeated treatment with the novel tryptamines elicited HTR in mice. Furthermore, a drug challenge involving a 7-day abstinence from drug use produced higher HTR than acute and repeated treatments. Both the acute treatment and drug challenge increased the 5-HTR2a mRNA levels. Ketanserin blocked the induced HTR. Taken together, the findings suggest that PYT HCl, PIT HCl, DBT HCl, and 2-MT HCl produce hallucinogenic effects via 5-HTR2a stimulation, but may have low abuse potential.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.307-318
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• 2009

KAERI (Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute) has developed the GAMMA+ code for a thermo-fluid and safety analysis of a VHTR (Very High Temperature Gas-Cooled Reactor). A key safety issue of the VHTR design is to demonstrate its inherent safety features for an automatic reactor power trip and power stabilization during an anticipated transient without scram (ATWS) accident such as a loss of forced cooling by a trip of the helium circulator (LOFC) or a reactivity insertion by a control rod withdrawal (CRW). This paper intends to show the ATWS assessment capability of the GAMMA+ code which can simulate the reactor power response by solving the point-kinetic equations with six-group delayed neutrons, by considering the reactivity changes due to the effects of a core temperature variation, xenon transients, and reactivity insertions. The present benchmark calculations are performed by using the safety demonstration experiments of the 10 MW high temperature gas cooled-test module (HTR-10) in China. The calculation results of the power response transients and the solid core temperature behavior are compared with the experimental data of a LOFC ATWS test and two CRW ATWS tests by using a 1mk-control rod and a 5mk-control rod, respectively. The GAMMA+ code predicts the power response transients very well for the LOFC and CRW ATWS tests in HTR-10.