• Title/Summary/Keyword: Molecular Recognition

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Preparation of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers Using Photocross-linkable Polyphosphazene and Selective Rebinding of Amino Acids

  • Lee, Seung-Cheol;Chang, Ji-Young
    • Macromolecular Research
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    • v.17 no.7
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    • pp.522-527
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    • 2009
  • A photocrosslinkable polyphosphazene was used for molecular imprinting. We synthesized polyphosphazene (3) having urea groups for complexation with N-carbobenzyloxyglycin (Z-Gly-OH, template) and chalcone groups for cross-linking reaction. As substituents, 4-hydroxycha1cone (1) and N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-N'-ethylurea (2) were prepared. Choloro groups of poly(dichlorophosphazene) were replaced by the sequential treatment with sodium salts of compounds 1 and 2, and trifluoroethanol. The template molecule was complexed with the urea groups on the polymer chains via hydrogen bonding. A thin polymer film was prepared by casting a solution of the complex of polymer 3 and the template in dimethylformamide on a quartz cell and irradiated with 365 nm UV light to yield a cross-linked film with a thickness of about $16{\mu}m$. The template molecules in the film were removed by Soxhlet extraction with methanol/acetic acid. The control polymer film was prepared in the same manner for the preparation of the imprinted polymer film, except that the template and triethylamine were omitted. In the rebinding test, the imprinted film exhibited much higher recognition ability for the template than the control polymer. We also investigated the specific recognition ability of the imprinted polymer for the template and its structural analogues. The rebinding tests were conducted using Z-Glu-OH, Z-Asp($O^tBu$)-OH, and Z-Glu-OMe. The imprinted film showed higher specific recognition ability for the template and the lowest response for Z-Asp($O^tBu$)-OH.

Localization of F plasmid SopB protein and Gene silencing via protein-mediated subcellular localization of DNA

  • Kim Sook-Kyung;James C. Wang
    • Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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    • 2000.10a
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    • pp.15-23
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    • 2000
  • The subcellular localization of the SopB protein, which is encoded by the Escherichia coli F plasmid and is involved in the partition of the single-copy plasmid, was directly visualized through the expression of the protein fused to the jellyfish green fluorescent protein (GFP). The fusion protein was found to localize to positions close but not at the poles of exponentially growing cells. Examination of derivatives of the fusion protein lacking various regions of SopB suggests that the signal for the cellular localization of SopB resides in a region close to its N terminus. Overexpression of SopB led to silencing of genes linked to, but well-separated from, a cluster of SopB-binding sites termed sopC. In this SopB-mediated repression of sopC-linked genes, all but the N-terminal 82 amino acids of SopB can be replaced by the DNA-binding domain of a sequence-specific DNA -binding protein, provided that the sopC locus is also replaced by the recognition sequence of the DNA-binding domain. These results suggest a mechanism of gene silencing: patches of closely packed DNA-binding protein is localized to specific cellular sites; such a patch can capture a DNA carrying the recognition site of the DNA -binding domain and sequestrate genes adjacent to the recognition site through nonspecific binding of DNA.

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Function of mORF1 Protein as a Terminal Recognition Factor for the Linear Mitochondrial Plasmid pMLP1 from Pleurotus ostreatus

  • Kim, Eun-Kyoung;Roe, Jung-Hye
    • Journal of Microbiology
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    • v.37 no.4
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    • pp.229-233
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    • 1999
  • The mitochondrial plasmid pMLP1 from a white-rot fungus, Pleurotus ostreatus, is a double-stranded DNA containing 381 bp terminal inverted repeat (TIR) whose 5'-ends are covalently bound by terminal proteins. The plasmid contains two major open reading frames (ORFs), encoding putative DNA and RNA polymerases, and a minor ORF encoding a small, highly basic protein. To identify the DNA binding activity that recognizes the TIR region of pMLP1, gel retardation assays were performed with mitochondrial extracts. A specific protein binding to a region between 123 and 248 nt within TIR was observed. We examined whether the gene product of mORF1 bindes to this region specifically. E. coli cell extract which contains an overproduced mORF1 protein formed a complex specific to the region between 123 and 248 nt. Inclusion of mORF1 protein in the specific complex formed between P. ostreatus mitochondrial extract and TIR was confirmed by a supershift assay using polyclonal antibodies against the mORF1 protein. Our result suggest that the product of mORF1 may function as a terminal region recognition factor (TRF), recognizing an internal region in TIR.

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An Anti-apoptotic Protein Human Survivin is a Direct Inhibitor of Caspase-3 and -7

  • Sejeong Shin;Oh, Byung-Ha
    • Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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    • 2001.06a
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    • pp.34-34
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    • 2001
  • Survivin, an apoptosis inhibitor/cell-cycle regulator, is critically required for suppression of apoptosis and ensuring normal cell division in the G2/M phase of the cell cycle. It is highly expressed in a cell cycle-regulated manner and localizes together with caspase-3 on microtubules within centrosomes. Whether survivin is a physiologically relevant caspase inhibitor has been unclear due to the difficulties with obtaining correctly folded survivin and finding right conditions for inhibition assay.(omitted)

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Structural Studies of G Protein-Coupled Receptors

  • Zhang, Dandan;Zhao, Qiang;Wu, Beili
    • Molecules and Cells
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    • v.38 no.10
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    • pp.836-842
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    • 2015
  • G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest and the most physiologically important membrane protein family that recognizes a variety of environmental stimuli, and are drug targets in the treatment of numerous diseases. Recent progress on GPCR structural studies shed light on molecular mechanisms of GPCR ligand recognition, activation and allosteric modulation, as well as structural basis of GPCR dimerization. In this review, we will discuss the structural features of GPCRs and structural insights of different aspects of GPCR biological functions.

Synthesis of a small molecular cage consisting of three aminomethyl pyrroles and its selective fluoride recognition

  • Nam Jung, Heo;Hye Jin, Han;Jaewon, Choi;Sung Kuk, Kim
    • Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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    • v.26 no.4
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    • pp.40-45
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    • 2022
  • A small cage-like molecule (2) composed of three aminomethyl pyrroles and two hexa-substituted benzenes has been prepared by reduction of its iminopyrrole analogue (1) using NaBH4. It was revealed by 1H NMR spectroscopic analyses that cage molecule 2 strongly binds the fluoride anion in polar DMSO-d6 relative to CDCl3. Compared to that of compound 1, the lowered affinity of 2 for the fluoride anion is attributable to its increased electron density resulting from the production of thesecondary amine groups.

Mass Spectrometry-based Hair Metabolomics for Biomarker Discovery

  • Lee, Yu Ra;Hong, Jongki;Chung, Bong Chul
    • Mass Spectrometry Letters
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    • v.13 no.1
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    • pp.2-10
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    • 2022
  • Metabolomics makes it possible to analyze the interrelationships between various signaling molecules based on the metabolic pathways involved by using high-resolution devices. This approach can also be used to obtain large-scale metabolic information to identify the relevant pathways for disease diagnosis and prognosis and search for potential biomarkers. In the fields of medicine and forensics, hair analysis is used to detect various metabolites in the body. Hair can be harvested readily in a noninvasive manner and is easier to transport and store than blood and urine. Another advantage from a forensic viewpoint is that hair reflects all the components of body fluids. In addition, because of the unique coating structure of hair, it can be used for measurements without changing or destroying its adsorbed components. In this review, the pretreatments for hair analysis, instrumental conditions and clinical applications are discussed. Especially, the clinical use of hair metabolomics in the diagnosis of various diseases and the limitations of the technique are described.

Ionic Recognition with Quinone-Derivatized Calixarenes in Solution and at Self-Assembled Monlayers

  • Kim Hasuck;Kang Sun Kil;Chung Taek Dong
    • Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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    • v.3 no.2
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    • pp.69-71
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    • 2000
  • Redox-active calix[4]arenes with carboxylic acid and disulfide groups were prepared and spontaneous deposition on silver and gold surfaces was observed. Owing to their unusual structure, the calix[4]arenes exhibit selective affinity fur alkaline earth metal ions in aqueous media. When annular ionophores are immobilized on the surface, voltammetric and spectroscopic studies show the entrapment of metal ions. Furthermore, it was possible to reversibly capture and remove the ions using strong chelating agents such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA).

Molecular Genetics of Emericella nidulans Sexual Development

  • Han, Kap-Hoon
    • Mycobiology
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    • v.37 no.3
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    • pp.171-182
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    • 2009
  • Many aspergilli that belongs to ascomycetes have sexuality. In a homothallic or self-fertile fungus, a number of fruiting bodies or cleistothecia are formed in a thallus grown from a single haploid conidia or ascospores. Genome-sequencing project revealed that two mating genes (MAT) encoding the regulatory proteins that are necessary for controlling partner recognition in heterothallic fungi were conserved in most aspergilli. The MAT gene products in some self-fertile species were not required for recognition of mating partner at pheromone-signaling stage but required at later stages of sexual development. Various environmental factors such as nutritional status, culture conditions and several stresses, influence the decision or progression of sexual reproduction. A large number of genes are expected to be involved in sexual development of Emericella nidulans (anamorph: Aspergillus nidulans), a genetic and biological model organism in aspergilli. The sexual development process can be grouped into several development stages, including the decision of sexual reproductive cycle, mating process, growth of fruiting body, karyogamy followed by meiosis, and sporulation process. Complicated regulatory networks, such as signal transduction pathways and gene expression controls, may work in each stage and stage-to-stage linkages. In this review, the components joining in the regulatory pathways of sexual development, although they constitute only a small part of the whole regulatory networks, are briefly mentioned. Some of them control sexual development positively and some do negatively. Regarding the difficulties for studying sexual differentiation compare to asexual one, recent progresses in molecular genetics of E. nidulans enlarge the boundaries of understanding sexual development in the non-fertile species as well as in fertile fungi.