• BMB Reports
• /
• 제43권7호
• /
• pp.485-490
• /
• 2010

Neurotrophins regulate many aspects of neuronal function through activation of the high affinity Trk receptors. Shc family proteins are implicated in the coupling of RTK to the Ras/mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling cascade. Here we report that the fourth Shc family member, ShcD, associates with TrkB receptor and regulates BDNF-induced MAPK activation. Yeast two-hybrid assay and Co-IP experiments demonstrate ShcD interacts with TrkB in a kinase-activity-dependent manner. Confocal analysis shows ShcD cololizes well with TrkB in transfected 293T cells. Subsequent mapping experiments and mutational analysis indicate that both PTB and SH2 domains are capable of binding to TrkB and PTB domain binds to TrkB NPQY motif. Furthermore, ShcD is involved in BDNF-induced MAPK activation. In summary, we demonstrate that ShcD is a substrate of TrkB and mediates TrkB downstream signaling pathway.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제44권4호
• /
• pp.262-266
• /
• 2011

The aac(6')-Ib gene is the most prevalent gene that encodes aminoglycoside-modifying enzymes and confers resistance to tobramycin, kanamycin, and amikacin. The aac(6')-Ib-cr variant gene can induce resistance against aminoglycoside and fluoroquinolone simultaneously. Two main methods, sequence analysis and the restriction enzyme method, can detect the aac(6')-Ib-cr variant in clinical strains. We collected the 85 strains that were believed to be aac(6')-Ib positive from clinical isolates. Among them, 38 strains were the wild-type; the remaining 47 strains were the aac(6')-Ib-cr variant. Of these 47 strains, 19 simultaneously harbored aac(6')-Ib and aac(6')-Ib-cr. Our study aims to report the characteristics of the 19 strains that simultaneously harbored both genes. This study is the first investigation published in Korea of strains that included both aac(6')-Ib and aac(6')-Ib-cr variant.

• 한국작물학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 한국작물학회 2017년도 9th Asian Crop Science Association conference
• /
• pp.175-175
• /
• 2017

To understand molecular mechanisms underlying adaptation of plant cells to saline stress and stress memory, we developed Arabidopsis callus suspension-cultured cells adapted to high salt. Adapted cells to high salt exhibited enhanced tolerance compared to control cells. Moreover, the salt tolerance of adapted cells was stably maintained even after the stress is relieved, indicating that the acquired salt tolerance of adapted cells was memorized. In order to characterize metabolic responses of plant cells during adaptation to high salt stress as well as stress memory, we compared metabolic profiles of salt-adapted and stress-memorized cells with control cells by using NMR spectroscopy. A principle component analysis showed clear metabolic discrimination among control, salt-adapted and stress-memorized cells. Compared with control cells, metabolites related to shikimate metabolism such as tyrosine, and flavonol glycosides, which are related to protective mechanism of plant against stresses were largely up-regulated in adapted cell lines. Moreover, coniferin, a precursor of lignin, was more abundant in salt-adapted cells than control cells. Cell morphology analysis using transmission electron microscopy indicated that cell wall thickness of salt-adapted cells was significantly induced compared to control cells. Consistently, salt adapted cells contained more lignin in their cell walls compared to control cells. The results provide new insight into mechanisms of plant adaptation to saline stress as well as stress memory in metabolic level.

• 한국물환경학회지
• /
• 제24권6호
• /
• pp.682-689
• /
• 2008

The purpose of this study was to find out the variation between molecular size distribution (MSD) of natural organic matter (NOM) in raw waters after different water treatment processes like conventional process (coagulation, flocculation, filtration) followed by advanced oxidation process (ozonation, GAC adsorption). The MSD of NOM of Suji pilot plant were determined by Liquid Chromatography-Organic Carbon Detection (LC-OCD) which is a kine of high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with nondispersive infrared (NDIR) detector and $UV_{254}$ detector. Five distinct fractions were generally separated from water samples with the Toyopearl HW-50S column, using 28 mmol phosphate buffer at pH 6.58 as an eluent. Large and intermediate humic fractions were the most dominant fractions in surface water. High molecular weight (HMW) matter was clearly easier to remove in coagulation and clarification than low molecular weight (LMW) matter. Water treatment processes removed the two largest fractions almost completely shifting the MSD towards smaller molecular size in DW. No more distinct variation of MSD was observed by ozone process after sand filtration but the SUVA value were obviously reduced during increase of the ozone doses. UVD results and HS-Diagram demonstrate that ozone induce not the variation of molecular size of humic substance but change the bond structure from aromatic rings or double bonds to single bond. Granular activated carbon (GAC) filtration removed 8~9% of organic compounds and showed better adsorption property for small MSD than large one.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• 제51권3호
• /
• pp.327-334
• /
• 2013

Vaccination is considered a promising alternative for controlling tick infestations. Haemaphysalis longicornis midgut proteins separated by SDS-PAGE and transferred to polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) membrane were screened for protective value against bites. The western blot demonstrated the immunogenicity of 92 kDa protein (P92). The analysis of the P92 amino acid sequence by LC-MS/MS indicated that it was a H. longicornis paramyosin (Hl-Pmy). The full lenghth cDNA of Hl-Pmy was obtained by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) which consisted of 2,783 bp with a 161 bp 3' untranslated region. Sequence alignment of tick paramyosin (Pmy) showed that Hl-Pmy shared a high level of conservation among ticks. Comparison with the protective epitope sequence of other invertebrate Pmy, it was calculated that the protective epitope of Hl-Pmy was a peptide (LEEAEGSSETVVEMNKKRDTE) named LEE, which was close to the N-terminal of Hl-Pmy protein. The secondary structure analysis suggested that LEE had non-helical segments within an ${\alpha}$-helical structure. These results provide the basis for developing a vaccine against biting H. longicornis ticks.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• 제2권2호
• /
• pp.67-74
• /
• 2004

Cells consistently face stressful conditions, which cause them to modulate a variety of intracellular processes and adapt to these environmental changes via regulation of gene expression. Hyperosmotic and oxidative stresses are significant stressors that induce cellular damage, and finally cell death. In this study, oligonucleotide microarrays were employed to investigate mRNA level changes in cells exposed to hyperosmotic or oxidative conditions. In addition, since heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) is one of the most inducible stress proteins and plays pivotal role to protect cells against stressful condition, we performed microarray analysis in HSP70-overexpressing cells to identify the genes expressed in a HSP70-dependent manner. Under hyperosmotic or oxidative stress conditions, a variety of genes showed altered expression. Down­regulation of protein phosphatase1 beta (PP1 beta) and sphingosine-1-phosphate phosphatase 1 (SPPase1) was detected in both stress conditions. Microarray analysis of HSP70-overexpressing cells demonstrated that diverse mRNA species depend on the level of cellular HSP70. Genes encoding Iysyl oxidase, thrombospondin 1, and procollagen displayed altered expression in all tested conditions. The results of this study will be useful to construct networks of stress response genes.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
• /
• 제43권4호
• /
• pp.666-675
• /
• 2019

Background: Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) has been widely used as an herbal medicine to normalize and strengthen body functions. Although many researchers have focused on the biological effects of KRG, more studies on the action mechanism of red ginseng are still needed. Previously, we investigated the proteomic changes of the rat spleen while searching for molecular signatures and the action mechanism of KRG. The proteomic analysis revealed that differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were involved in the increased immune response and phagocytosis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the biological activities of KRG, especially the immune-enhancing response of KRG. Methods: Rats were divided into 4 groups: 0 (control group), 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/kg administration of KRG powder for 6 weeks, respectively. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation was performed with Q-Exactive LC-MS/MS to compare associated proteins between the groups. The putative DEPs were identified by a current UniProt rat protein database search and by the Gene Ontology annotations. Results: The DEPs appear to increase the innate and acquired immunity as well as immune cell movement. These results suggest that KRG can stimulate immune responses. This analysis refined our targets of interest to include the potential functions of KRG. Furthermore, we validated the potential molecular targets of the functions, representatively LCN2, CRAMP, and HLA-DQB1, by Western blotting. Conclusion: These results may provide molecular signature candidates to elucidate the mechanisms of the immune response by KRG. Here, we demonstrate a strategy of tissue proteomics for the discovery of the molecular function of KRG.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• 제9권3호
• /
• pp.45-48
• /
• 2002

Microbial rhodopsins, photoactive 7-transmembrane helix proteins that use retinal as their chromophore, were observed initially in the Archaea and appeared to be restricted to extreme halophilic environments. Our understanding of the abundance and diversity of this family has been radically transformed by findings over the past three years. Genome sequencing of cultivated microbes as well as environmental genomics have unexpectedly revealed archaeal rhodopsin homologs in the other two domains of life as well, namely Bacteria and Eucarya. Organisms containing these homologs inhabit such diverse environments as salt flats, soil, freshwater, and surface and deep ocean waters, and they comprise a broad phylogenetic range of microbial life, including haloarchaea, proteobacteria, cyanobacteria, fungi, and algae. Analysis of the new microbial rhodopsins and their expression and structural and functional characterization reveal that they fulfill both ion transport and sensory functions in various organisms, and use a variety of signaling mechanisms. We have obtained the first crystallographic structure for a photosensory member of this family, the phototaxis receptor sensory rhodopsin II (SRII, also known as phoborhodopsin) that mediates blue-light avoidance by the haloarchaeon Natronobacterium pharaonis. The structure obtained from x-ray diffraction of 3D crystals prepared in a cubic lipid phase reveals key features responsible for its spectral tuning and its sensory function. The mechanism of SRII signaling fits a unified model for transport and signaling in this widespread family of phototransducers.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제57권4호
• /
• pp.200-205
• /
• 2024

We conducted a comprehensive series of molecular biological studies aimed at unraveling the intricate mechanisms underlying the anti-fibrotic effects of triamcinolone acetonide (TA) when used in conjunction with fully covered self-expandable metal stents (FCSEMS) for the management of benign biliary strictures (BBS). To decipher the molecular mechanisms responsible for the anti-fibrotic effects of corticosteroids on gallbladder mucosa, we conducted a comprehensive analysis. This analysis included various methodologies such as immunohisto-chemistry, ELISA, real-time PCR, and transcriptome analysis, enabling us to examine alterations in factors related to fibrosis and inflammation at both the protein and RNA levels. Overall, our findings revealed a dose-dependent decrease in fibrosis-related signaling with higher TA concentrations. The 15 mg of steroid treatment (1X) exhibited anti-fibrosis and anti-inflammatory effects after 4 weeks, whereas the 30 mg of steroid treatment (2X) rapidly reduced fibrosis and inflammation within 2 weeks in BBS. Transcriptomic analysis results consistently demonstrated significant downregulation of fibrosis- and inflammation-related pathways and genes in steroid-treated fibroblasts. Use of corticosteroids, specifically TA, together with FCSEMS was effective for the treatment of BBS, ameliorating fibrosis and inflammation. Our molecular biological analysis supports the potential development of steroid-eluted FCSEMS as a therapeutic option for BBS in humans resulting from various surgical procedures.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• 제16권16호
• /
• pp.7111-7115
• /
• 2015

Background: The aim of the meta-analysis was to derive a more precise assessment of the association between p16 promoter methylation and thyroid cancer risk. Materials and Methods: The PubMed, Web of Science databases and Chinese CNKI were searched for relevant articles. Ultimately, seventeen case-control studies were included with a total of 804 thyroid cancer cases and 487 controls analysis by R Software (R version 3.1.2) including meta. Crude odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated using the random-effects model which were used to assess the strength of relationship between p16 methylation and lung carcinogenesis. Funnel plots were carried out to evaluate publication bias. Results: The meta-analysis results showed that the frequency of p16 promoter methylation in cancer tissue/blood was significantly higher than that normal tissue/blood (OR=5.46, 95%CI 3.12-9.55, P<0.0001) by random effects model with small heterogeneity. Conclusions: Thus, p16 promoter methylation may be associated with thyroid cancer risk.