• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.723-730
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• 2007

Kinesin is an ATP-driven microtubule motor protein that plays important roles in control of microtubule dynamics, intracellular transport, cell division and signal transduction. The kinesin superfamily is composed of numerous members that are classified into 14 subfamilies. Animal kinesins have been well characterized. In contrast, plant kinesins have not yet to be characterized adequately. Here, a novel plant-specific kinesin gene, GhKCH2, has been cloned from cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) fibers and biochemically identified by prokaryotic expression, affinity purification, ATPase activity assay and microtubule-binding analysis. The putative motor domain of GhKCH2, $M_{396-734}$ corresponding to amino acids Q396-N734 was fused with 6$\times$His-tag, soluble-expressed in E. coli and affinity-purified in a large amount. The biochemical analysis demonstrated that the basal ATPase activity of $M_{396-734}$ is not activated by $Ca^{2+}$, but stimulated 30-fold max by microtubules. The enzymatic activation is microtubule-concentration-dependent, and the concentration of microtubules that corresponds to half-maximum activation was about 11 ${\mu}M$, much higher than that of other kinesins reported. The cosedimentation assay indicated that $M_{396-734}$ could bind to microtubules in vitro whenever the nucleotide AMP-PNP is present or absent. As a plant-specific microtubule-dependent kinesin with a lower microtubule-affinity and a nucleotide-independent microtubule-binding ability, cotton GhKCH2 might be involved in the function of microtubules during the deposition of cellulose microfibrils in fibers or the formation of cell wall.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.44-52
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• 2007

Kinesins, as a kind of microtubule-based motor proteins, have a conserved microtubule-binding site in their motor domain. Here we report that two homologous kinesins in Arabidopsis thaliana, KatB and KatC, contain a second microtubule-binding site in their tail domains. The prokaryotic-expressed N-terminal tail domain of the KatC heavy chain can bind to microtubules in an ATP-insensitive manner. To identify the precise region responsible for the binding, a serious of truncated KatC cDNAs encoding KatC N-terminal regions in different lengths, KatC1-128, KatC1-86, KatC1-73 and KatC1-63, fused to Histidine-tags, were expressed in E. coli and affinity-purified. Microtubule cosedimentation assays show that the site at amino acid residues 74-86 in KatC is important for microtubule-binding. By similarity, we obtained three different lengths of KatB N-terminal regions, KatB1-384, KatB1-77, and KatB1-63, and analyzed their microtubule-binding ability. Cosedimentation assays indicate that the KatB tail domain can also bind to microtubules at the same site as and in a similar manner to KatC. Fluorescence microscopic observations show that the microtubule-binding site at the tail domain of KatB or KatC can induce microtubules bundling only when the stalk domain is present. Through pull-down assays, we show that KatB1-385 and KatC1-394 are able to interact specifically with themselves and with each other in vitro. These findings are significant for identifying a previously uncharacterized microtubule-binding site in the two kinesin proteins, KatB and KatC, and the functional relations between them.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.41 no.12
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• pp.1045-1051
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• 2018

The developmentally regulated GTP binding protein 2 (DRG2) is involved in the control of cell growth and differentiation. Here, we demonstrate that DRG2 regulates microtubule dynamics in HeLa cells. Analysis of live imaging of the plus-ends of microtubules with EB1-EGFP showed that DRG2 deficiency (shDRG2) significantly reduced the growth rate of HeLa cells. Depletion of DRG2 increased 'slow and long-lived' subpopulations, but decreased 'fast and short-lived' subpopulations of microtubules. Microtubule polymerization inhibitor exhibited a reduced response in shDRG2 cells. Using immunoprecipitation, we show that DRG2 interacts with tau, which regulates microtubule polymerization. Collectively, these data demonstrate that DRG2 may aid in affecting microtubule dynamics in HeLa cells.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.27-37
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• 1990

To investigate the changing patterns of microfilament and microtubule arrangement and influence of myocardial cells and colchicine to microfilament and microtubule formation in cardiac endothelial cells the authors carried out indirect immunofluorescence stain for actin and tubulin with supernatant monoclonal antibodies. Secondary antibodies were IgG FITC conjugate. The results were summerized as follows. Fiberform reactions were stronger in the cells with many processes and spread cytoplasm and they became weaker after the endothelial cells formed monolayer. In the endothelial cells cocultured with myocardial cells the fiberform of the microtubule became less visible compared to control group but fiberform of the microtubule maintained strong intensity as endothelial cells formed monolayer. In the group treated with colchicine, there were no visible differences in microfilaments compared to control group but fiberform of microtubule revealed weaker intensity after colchicine treatment. The intensity of microtubule fiberform returned to control level after 2 days.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.885-891
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• 2018

Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) toxin A is known to cause acute gut inflammation in humans and animals by triggering cytoskeletal disorganization in gut epithelial cells. In human colonocytes, toxin A blocks microtubule assembly by directly increasing the enzymatic activity of histone deacetylase-6 (HDAC-6), a tubulin-specific deacetylase, thereby markedly decreasing tubulin acetylation, which is essential for microtubule assembly. Microtubule assembly dysfunction-associated alterations (i.e., toxin A-exposed gut epithelial cells) are believed to trigger barrier dysfunction and gut inflammation downstream. We recently showed that potassium acetate blocked toxin A-induced microtubule disassembly by inhibiting HDAC-6. Herein, we tested whether acetic acid (AA), another small acetyl residue-containing agent, could block toxin A-induced tubulin deacetylation and subsequent microtubule assembly. Our results revealed that AA treatment increased tubulin acetylation and enhanced microtubule assembly in an HT29 human colonocyte cell line. AA also clearly increased tubulin acetylation in murine colonic explants. Interestingly, the AA treatment also alleviated toxin A-induced tubulin deacetylation and microtubule disassembly, and MTT assays revealed that AA reduced toxin A-induced cell toxicity. Collectively, these results suggest that AA can block the ability of toxin A to cause microtubule disassembly-triggered cytoskeletal disorganization by blocking toxin A-mediated deacetylation of tubulin.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.349-360
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• 2018

Autophagy has been studied as a therapeutic strategy for cardiovascular diseases. However, insufficient studies have been reported concerning the influence of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) through autophagy regulation. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of VSMCs on the regulation of autophagy under in vitro conditions similar to vascular status of the equipped micro-tubule target agent-eluting stent and increased release of platelet-derived growth factor-BB (PDGF-BB). Cell viability and proliferation were measured using MTT and cell counting assays. Immunofluorescence using an $anti-{\alpha}-tubulin$ antibody was performed to determine microtubule dynamic formation. Cell apoptosis was measured by cleavage of caspase-3 using western blot analysis, and by nuclear fragmentation using a fluorescence assay. Autophagy activity was assessed by microtubule-associated protein light chain 3-II (LC-II) using western blot analysis. Levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured using $H_2DCFDA$. The proliferation and viability of VSMCs were inhibited by microtubule regulation. Additionally, microtubule-regulated and PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs increased the cleavage of caspase-3 more than only the microtubule-regulated condition, similar to that of LC3-II, implying autophagy. Inhibitory autophagy of microtubule-regulated and PDGF-BB-stimulated VSMCs resulted in low viability. However, enhancement of autophagy maintained survival through the reduction of ROS. These results suggest that the apoptosis of conditioned VSMCs is decreased by the blocking generation of ROS via the promotion of autophagy, and proliferation is also inhibited. Thus, promoting autophagy as a therapeutic target for vascular restenosis and atherosclerosis may be a good strategy.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.205-216
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• 1995

Microtubules와 micrfilaments는 포유동물 난자이 주요한 세포 구조물들로, 이들은 난자의 성숙, 수정 및 배발달시 핵질의 이동과 세포질 분열에 직접 관여하는 것으로 알려져 왔다. 난자내 세포구조물의 정확한 움직임은 정상적인 배 발달을 위해 필수적이다. Microtubules는 $\alpha$, $\beta$- bubulin이 서로 연결되어 이루어져 있으며, 수정시 웅성.자성전핵 움직임과 세포분열시, 유사 및 감수분열시 그 역할을 한다. 생쥐를 제외한 대부분의 동물에서 microbubules의 역할은 수정시 정자가 centrosome을 난자내로 이전하여 sperm aster를 형성함으로써 시작된다고 보고되고 있다. 따라서 정자의 도움없이 배발달이 일어나는 단위발생시 microbubules의 형성은 연구들 사이에 흥미로운 연구대상이 되고 있다. 한편 microfilaments는 세포분열시 세포질을 분할하는 기계적인 역할을 하는 것으로 알려져 있으며, 최근 생쥐 난자에서는 정자의 난자내 융합과 웅성 및 자성 전핵의 이동에 관여한다고 보고되고 있다. 포유동물 난자의 체외성숙, 체외수정을 유도할 때 여러 가지 비정상적인 핵움직임과 세포분열이 관찰되어지고, 낮은 배발달율이 보고되고 있는데, 최근 연구자들은 세포구조물, 즉 microtubules와 microfilaments의 비정상적인 역할에서 기인한다고 보고 있다. 따라서 포유동물 난자의 성숙.수정 및 단위발생시 세포구조물의 움직임과 역할 및 상호관계에 대한 정확한 이해는 체외수정율 및 배발달 향상에 중요한 기초자료로 이용되리라고 본다.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.27-33
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• 2015

In the present study, we investigated the effect of staurosporine on the formation of cellular processes in human gingival fibroblasts and rat astrocytes. Staurosporine caused a rapid induction of process formation in human gingival fibroblasts and rat astrocytes in a concentration dependent manner. The process formation of human gingival fibroblasts and rat astrocytes was prevented by the pretreatment with N-acetylcysteine, suggesting that staurosporine-induced ROS production was responsible for the process formation. Colchicine, a microtubule depolymerizing agent, inhibited the staurosporine-induced process formation, whereas cytochalasin D, an actin filament breakdown agent, failed to suppress the formation of cellular processes. This result indicated that polymerization of microtubule, and not actin filament, was responsible for the formation of cellular processes induced by staurosporine. In support of this hypothesis, Western blot analysis was conducted using anti-tubulin antibody, and the results showed that the amount of polymerized microtubule was increased by the treatment with staurosporine while that of depolymerized beta-tubulin in soluble fraction was decreased. These results indicate that staurosporine induces ROS-mediated, microtubule-dependent formation of cellular processes in human gingival fibroblasts and rat astrocytes.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.1-3
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• 2009

Mitotic spindle mediates the segregation of chromosomes in the cell cycle and the proper function of the spindle is crucial to the high fidelity of chromosome segregation and to the stability of the genome. Nucleation of microtubules (MTs) from centrosomes and chromatin represents two well-characterized pathways essential for the assembly of a dynamic spindle in mitosis. Recently, we identified a third MT nucleation pathway, in which existing MTs in the spindle act as a template to promote the nucleation and polymerization of MTs, thereby efficiently amplifying MTs in the spindle. We will review here our current understanding on the molecular mechanism, the physiological function and the cell-cycle regulation of MT amplification.

• Proceedings of the KSAR Conference
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• 2002.06a
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• pp.49-49
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• 2002

γ - tubulin is an essential, invariant constitutive centrosomal protein, which plays key roles in microtubule patterning and defining the microtubule intrinsic polarity. Although γ-tubulin was also present in cattle oocytes and zygotes, no details have been provided on its recruitment and localization to date. In this study, we determined γ-tubulin distribution chronologically in conjunction with microtubule dynamics during fertilization and parthenogenesis, with a view to understanding the molecular basis of zygotic centrosome reconstitution in cattle. (omitted)