• BMB Reports
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.1-36
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• 2000

Acetohydroxyacid synthase (EC 4.1.3.18) catalyses the first reaction in the pathway for synthesis of the branched-chain amino acids. The enzyme is inhibited by several commercial herbicides and has been subjected to detailed study over the last 20 to 30 years. Here we review the progress that has been made in understanding its structure, regulation, mechanism, and inhibition.

• 한방재활의학과학회지
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.31-45
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• 2020

Objectives In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of a 70% ethanol extract of Maneung-hwan (MEH), which is prescribed by practitioners of oriental medicine for use against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods The antibacterial activity of MEH against MRSA strains was evaluated using the disc diffusion method, broth microdilution method (minimal inhibitory concentration, MIC), checkerboard dilution test, and time-kill test. The mechanism of action of MEH was investigated by bacteriolysis using detergents or ATPase inhibitors Additionally, mRNA and protein expression were investigated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot assay, respectively. Results The MIC of MEH was 25~1,600 ㎍/mL against all the tested bacterial strains. We showed that MEH extract exerts strong antibacterial activity. In the checkerboard dilution test, the fractional inhibitory concentration index of MEH in combination with antibiotics indicated synergism or partial synergism against S. aureus. The time-kill study indicated that the growth of the tested bacteria was considerably inhibited after a 24-h treatment with MEH and selected antibiotics. To measure the cell membrane permeability, MEH (3.9 ㎍/mL) was combined with Triton X-100 (TX) at various concentrations N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodimide (DCCD) was also tested as an ATPase inhibitor. TX and DCCD cooperation against S. aureus exhibited synergistic action. Accordingly, the antimicrobial activity of MEH in the context of cell membrane rupture and ATPase inhibition was assessed. Additionally, the expression of genes and proteins associated with resistance was reduced after exposing MRSA to MEH. Conclusions These results suggest that MEH possesses antibacterial activity and acts as a potential natural antibiotic against MRSA.

• BMB Reports
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• 제41권5호
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• pp.376-381
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• 2008

The discovery of RNA silencing inhibition by virus encoded suppressors or low temperature leads to concerns about the stability of transgenic resistance. RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) has been previously characterized to be essential for transgene-mediated RNA silencing. Here we showed that low temperature led to the inhibition of RNA silencing, the loss of viral resistance and the reduced expression of host RdRp homolog (NtRdRP1) in transgenic T4 progeny with untranslatable potato virus Y coat protein (PVY-CP) gene. Moreover, RNA silencing and the associated resistance were differently inhibited by potato virus X (PVX) and tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infections. The increased expression of NtRdRP1 in both PVX and TMV infected plants indicated its general role in response to viral pathogens. Collectively, we propose that biotic and abiotic stress factors affect RNA silencing-mediated resistance in transgenic tobacco plants and that their effects target different steps of RNA silencing.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제28권12호
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• pp.1079-1095
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• 1995

Recently endogenous digitalis-like substances were found in the blood of various cardiovascular diseases and they have been considered one of the causes of evoking hypertension. However, the mechanism of endogenous digitalis-like substances-induced hypertension is not clarified yet. Therefore, the effects of Na-K pump inhibition on the contractility of vascular smooth muscle[conduit and resistant artery were investigated, using organ bath and bioassay experiment. Aortic and carotid arterial rings[conduit artery and the branches of brachial and superior mesenteric artery[resistant artery were used to find the effect of Na-K pump inhibition. The results obtained were as followes;The magnitudes of contractions induced by norepinephrine, serotonin, or acetylcholine in all these arteries were significantly increased by the inhibition of Na-K pump. The increased contractile responses to these agonists, especially to serotonin, were much more prominant in resistant arteries. Nitroprusside-induced relaxations were attenuated by Na-K pump inhibition and there were no significant differences in the effects of Na-K pump inhibition on nitroprusside-induced relaxations of these blood vessels. Endothelium-dependent relaxation was suppressed by the inhibition of Na-K pump, especially by the administration of ouabain, and this inhibitory effect was much more prominent in the branches of superior mesenteric artery, compared with other arteries. In the branches of superior mesenteric arteries, endothelium-dependent relaxation was completely blocked by ouabain. The release of EDRF was partially suppressed by Na-K pump inhibition.From the above results, it is suggested that the hypertension due to the increase in vascular resistance can be evoked by the inhibition of Na-K pump and endogenous digitalis-like substances induce hypertension through this mechanism.

• BMB Reports
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.227-231
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• 1995

In order to figure out the relationships between structural features and biological activity of the host-specific HC-toxin in maize, structurally related cyclic tetrapeptides, chlamydocin and CYL-2 were isolated, and their biological activities in maize were examined. Biological activities of preparations were determined by root growth inhibition and electrolyte leakage bioassays. Chlamydocin and CYL-2 showed toxicities to maize. However, the toxicities of these compounds were non-specific. Thus, the precise peptide ring structure of HC-toxin apparently does not play an important role in toxicity, while resistance of maize to HC-toxin is based on a precise ring conformation.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제4권4호
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• pp.337-340
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• 2000

The photosynthetic and stomatal responses of several woody plants (Powlonia coreana, Firmiana simplex, Quercus acutissima Q. variabilis and Q. serrata) to SO$_2$ were investigated in order to understand their ecophysiological tolerance to $SO_2$ Of the plants, P, coreana showed the largest reduction in its photosynthesis in response to exposure of 0.4 ppm $SO_2$ for 20 h. Fumigation of 0.7 ppm $SO_2$ for 20 h caused complete leaf necrosis of P. coreana and f simplex, which made them unavailable for the measurement of photosynthesis. Q. variabilis exhibited the smallest reduction in photosynthesis following exposure of 0.7 ppm $SO_2$ for 20 h. Both stomatal- and non-stomatal inhibition of the plants by $SO_2$ were determined according to equations by lkeda et at. (1992). When exposed to 0.4 ppm $SO_2$ for 20 h, F. simplex and P. coreana showed the lowest stomatal and non-stomatal inhibition, respectively, while Q. variabilis and Q. serrata exhibited the lowest stomatal and non-stomatal inhibition, respectively, in response to 0.7 ppm $SO_2$ for 20 h. The data are discussed with regard to resistance mechanisms of other plants to $SO_2$ exposure and implications for restoration of declined Korean forests.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제9권4호
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• pp.260-275
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• 2018

The corrosion inhibition of cast iron in 1 M HCl by Phenanthroline (Phen) was investigated using potentiodynamic polarization (PDP) curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), surface analysis and theoretical calculations. It is found that Phen exhibits high inhibition activity towards the corrosive action of HCl and its adsorption obeys the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model. The results showed that inhibition efficiency increases with Phen concentration up to a maximum value of 96% at 1.4 mM, and decreases slightly with the increase in temperature. The free adsorption energy value indicates that Phen adsorbs on cast iron surface in 1 M HCl via a simultaneous physisorption and chemisorption mechanism. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and FTIR analysis confirmed the formation of a protective film on cast iron surface, resulting in the improvement of its corrosion resistance in the studied aggressive solution. Quantum chemical calculations at the DFT level were achieved to correlate electronic structure parameters of Phen molecules with their adsorption mode.

• BMB Reports
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• 제56권8호
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• pp.451-456
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• 2023

Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are an essential component of the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). They trim ubiquitin from substrate proteins, thereby preventing them from degradation, and modulate different cellular processes. Ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14) is a DUB that has mainly been studied for its role in tumorigenesis in several cancers. In the present study, we found that the protein levels of USP14 were remarkably higher in gastric cancer tissues than in the adjacent normal tissues. We also demonstrated that the inhibition of USP14 activity using IU1 (an USP14 inhibitor) or the inhibition of USP14 expression using USP14-specific siRNA markedly reduced the viability of gastric cancer cells and suppressed their migratory and invasive abilities. The reduction in gastric cancer cell proliferation due to the inhibition of USP14 activity was a result of the increase in the degree of apoptosis, as evidenced by the increased expression levels of cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved PARP. Furthermore, an experiment using the USP14 inhibitor IU1 revealed that the inhibition of USP14 activity suppressed 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) resistance in GC cells. Collectively, these findings indicate that USP14 plays critical roles in gastric cancer progression and suggest its potential to serve as a novel therapeutic target for gastric cancer treatment.

• 대한수의학회지
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.75-81
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• 2008

The rapid evolution of antibiotic resistance in Staphylococcus (S.) aureus is of considerable concern. Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains are especially one of the greatest public concerns since the treatment of infections is more difficult when encountering resistance. In this study, we conducted a nationwide survey on the antimicrobial resistance of S. aureus isolated from raw meat samples collected from 16 countries, including Korea, and investigated the prevalence of MRSA as a possible source of human infection. Of 1,984 meat samples, S. aureus was isolated from 218 (11.0%) samples consisting of 23 (12.1%) from domestic meat and 195 (10.9%) from imported meat. The isolation rates of poultry meat, pork and beef were 12.8%, 7.0% and 10.0%, respectively. With regard to imported meat, the incidence varied from 4.8% to 16.6% from 13 countries, with the exception of Austria and Poland. In a resistance test to 20 antimicrobial agents, one hundred and eighty-four isolates (84.4%) were resistant to one or more antimicrobial agents tested. Especially, 17 (7.8%), 124 (56.9%) and 28 (12.8%) isolates showed a resistance to 3, 2 and 1 drugs, respectively. One isolate originating from domestic beef was resistant to 7 drugs. Another isolate originating from imported poultry meat showed resistance to oxacillin and methicillin by the disk diffusion test and minimal inhibition concentration methods, but showed negative for detection of the mecA gene.

• 한국동물위생학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.134-143
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• 1992

The present study was conducted to investigate the biochemical characteristics and anti-biotic resistance of Escherichia coli(E. coli) isolated from piglets with diarrhea in Kyongbuk province during the Period from February to November 1991. 368 E. coli strains were isolated from 382 piglets with diarrhea and the biochemical and cultural reaction were compared with the classification criteria of Edwards and Ewing. Tetracycline and sulfadimethoxine were found to be highly ineffective at in vitro inhibition of the E. coli of piglets origin. The majority of E. coli were susceptible to amikacin, chloramphenicol and gentamicine. 89 (89.0%) of 100 strains of E. coil were resistant to one or more drugs. The organisms resistant to 20 or 3 drugs were 54(60.6%) of 89 strains, whereas 16(17.9%) strains were found to be resistant to one drug. 55(61.8%) out of 89 drug resistance strains carried R factors($R^+$) which were transfer-able to the recipients by conjugation.