• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.606-610
• /
• 2010

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) play vital roles in protein biosynthesis of living organisms and are interesting antibacterial drug targets. In order to find out new inhibitor candidate molecules as antibacterial agent, the binding modes of the candidate molecules were investigated at the active sites of aaRSs by molecular docking study. The docking simulations were performed with 48 compounds from four different scaffolds into the eight different aaRSs. The results show that scaffolds 3 and 4 compounds have consistently better binding capabilities, specifically for HisRS (E. coli) and IleRS (S. aureus). The binding modes of the best compounds with the proteins were well compatible with those of two ligands in crystal structures. Therefore, we expect that the final compounds we present may have reasonable aaRS inhibitory activity.

• Journal of the Korea Computer Graphics Society
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.35-39
• /
• 2008

A computer supported collaborative system provides with a shared virtual workspace over the Internet where its remote users cooperate in order to achieve their goals by overcoming problems caused by distance and time. VRMMS (Virtual Reality Molecular Modeling System) [1] is a VR based collaborative system where biologists can remotely participate in and exercise molecular modeling tasks such as viewing three dimensional structures of molecular models, confirming results of molecular simulations and providing with feedbacks for the next simulations. Biologists can utilize VRMMS in executing molecular simulations. However, first-time users and beginners need to spend some time for studying and practicing in order to skillfully manipulate molecular models and the system. The best way to resolve the problem is to have a face-to-face session of teaching and learning VRMMS. However, it is not practically recommended in the sense that the users are remotely located. It follows that the learning time could last longer than desired. In this paper, we propose to use Second Life [2] combining with VRMMS for removing the problem. It can be used in building a shared workplace over the Internet where molecular simulations using VRMMS can be exercised, taught, learned and practiced. Through the web, users can collaborate with each other using VRMMS. Their avatars and tools of molecular simulations can be remotely utilized in order to provide with senses of 'being there' to the remote users. The users can discuss, teach and learn over the Internet. The shared workspaces for discussion and education are designed and implemented in Second Life. Since the activities in Second Life and VRMMS are designed to realistic, the system is expected to help users in improving their learning and experimental performances.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.35 no.5
• /
• pp.1323-1328
• /
• 2014

Molecular structures of the various conformational stereoisomers of 2,8,14,20-cyanophenyl pyrogallol[4]arenes 1 were optimized using the mPW1PW91 (hybrid Hartree-Fock density functional) calculation method. The total electronic and Gibbs free energies and the normal vibrational frequencies of the different structures from three major conformations (CHAIR, TABLE, and 1,2-Alternate) of the four stereoisomers [1(rccc), 1(rcct), 1(rctt), and 1(rtct)] were analyzed. The mPW1PW91/6-31G(d,p) calculations suggested that $1(rcct)_{1,2-A}$, 1(rctt)CHAIR, and $1(rtct)_{CHAIR}$ were the more stable conformations of the respective stereoisomers. Hydrogen bonding is the primary factor for the relative stabilities of the various conformational isomers, and maximizing the ${\pi}-{\pi}$ interaction between the cyanophenyl rings is the secondary factor. The calculated IR spectra of the more stable conformers [$1(rctt)_{CHAIR}$, $1(rcct)_{1,2-A}$, $1(rtct)_{CHAIR}$] were compared with the experimental IR spectrum of $1(rtct)_{CHAIR}$.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
• /
• v.9 no.2
• /
• pp.207-211
• /
• 1999

$Si/Si_{1-x}Ge_x$ MODFET structures, incorporating linearly-graded buffer layers have been grown by GaS Source Molecular Beam Epitaxy. The growth temperature of the graded layers has not significantly changed the distribution of misfit dislocation. However, the surface undulation and surface defects were increased with increasing growth temperature. In $Si/Si_{1-x}Ge_x$ MODFET structures, the densities of misfit dislocations near the Si-active layers were considerably reduced in comparison with the region of graded layers. The electron mobility of $Si/Si_{1-x}Ge_x$ MODFET structure has increased with lowering the growth temperature.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.145-149
• /
• 2000

GroEL is a typical molecular chaperone. GroEL synthesis patterns at various culture temperatures in Escherichia coli were investigated in this study. No significant differences in the amount of GroEL produced from the chromosome were found at 30 and 37$^{\circ}C$. However, GroEL production increased 3.4-fold at 42$^{\circ}C$. GroEL synthesis was not transient but continuous at 42$^{\circ}C$, although most heat shock gene expression is known to be transient. To understand the role of the groEL structural gene, a groE promoter-lacZ fusion was constructed. Interestingly , while transcriptional fusion is not thermally inducible, it is inducible by ethanol, suggesting that the secondary structure of the groEL transcript is involved in thermal regulation of the groEL gene. Secondary structures of groE mRNA at 37 and 42$^{\circ}C$ were compared using the computer program RNAdraw. Distinct structures at the two temperatures were found, and these structures may be related to a high level of GroEL expression at 42$^{\circ}C$.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.118-122
• /
• 2011

Most widely used secondary structure assignment methods such as DSSP identify structural elements based on N-H and C=O hydrogen bonding patterns from X-ray or NMR-determined coordinates. Secondary structure assignment algorithms using limited $C{\alpha}$ information have been under development as well, but their accuracy is only ~80% compared to DSSP. We have hereby developed SABA (Secondary Structure Assignment Program Based on only Alpha Carbons) with ~90% accuracy. SABA defines a novel geometrical parameter, termed a pseudo center, which is the midpoint of two continuous $C{\alpha}s$. SABA is capable of identifying $\alpha$-helices, $3_{10}$-helices, and $\beta$-strands with high accuracy by using cut-off criteria on distances and dihedral angles between two or more pseudo centers. In addition to assigning secondary structures to $C{\alpha}$-only structures, algorithms using limited $C{\alpha}$ information with high accuracy have the potential to enhance the speed of calculations for high capacity structure comparison.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.458-463
• /
• 1995

Two apparent rho-independent transcription terminator structures within the coding sequence of aceK have been destroyed to access their roles in the differential expression between aceA and aceK in the glyoxylate bypass operon of E. coli. The effect of mutations on the expression of aceK was evaluated in two different ways: one by maxicell labeling and the other by lacZ fusion gene construction. The maxicell labeling experiment with the mutant operon clones has failed, like that of the wild type operon clone, to visibly show isocitrate dehrogenase (IDH) kinase/phosphatase, the product of aceK, on the autoradiogram of a protein gel. When the same mutations were introduced into an aceK::lacZ fusion gene to quantitatively evaluate the mutational effect, the activity of ${\beta}-galactosidase$ in neither of the mutant versions of the fusion gene was elevated significantly enough to explain the degree of polarity observed in this region. Thus, we conclude that neither of these intragenic, apparent rho-independent transcription terminator structures, which have long been suspected as a major determinant in the down regulation of aceK, really act as a premature transcriptional terminator.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.2
• /
• pp.170-176
• /
• 2012

Genetic diversities, population genetic structures and demographic histories of the thread-sail filefish Stephanolepis cirrhifer were investigated by nucleotide sequencing of 336 base pairs of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region in 111 individuals collected from six populations in Korean coastal waters. A total of 70 haplotypes were defined by 58 variable nucleotide sites. The neighbor-joining tree of the 70 haplotypes was shallow and did not provide evidence of geographical associations. Expansion of S. cirrhifer populations began approximate 51,000 to 102,000 years before present, correlating with the period of sea level rise since the late Pleistocene glacial maximum. High levels of haplotype diversities ($0.974{\pm}0.029$ to $1.000{\pm}0.076$) and nucleotide diversities (0.014 to 0.019), and low levels of genetic differentiation among populations inferred from pairwise population FST values (-0.007 to 0.107), support an expansion of the S. cirrhifer population. Hierarchical analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed weak but significant genetic structures among three groups ($F_{CT}$ = 0.028, p<0.05), and no genetic variation within groups (0.53%; $F_{SC}$ = 0.005, p = 0.23). These results may help establish appropriate fishery management strategies for stocks of S. cirrhifer and related species.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.28 no.2
• /
• pp.207-210
• /
• 2007

To identify structural or functional common subunit(s) in the CP1 (editing) domains of class Ia tRNA synthetases, five available structures were compared and analyzed. Through the sequence alignments and structural overlapping of the CP1 domains, three conserved regions were identified near the amino acid binding site in the editing domain. Structural overlapping of the three subunits clearly showed the existence of three common structural subunits in all of the five editing RS structures. Based on the established experimental results and our modeling results, it is proposed that subunits 1 and 3 accommodate the incoming amino acid binding, while subunit 2 contributes to the interactions with the adenosine ring of the A76 to stabilize the overall tRNA binding. Since these subunits are critical for the editing reaction, we expect that these key structures should be conserved through the most class Ia editing RSs.

• Proceedings of the Membrane Society of Korea Conference
• /
• 2003.05a
• /
• pp.79-83
• /
• 2003