• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.99-104
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• 2018

Streptococcus pneumoniae is one of the major pathogens in community-acquired diseases, and it contains several factors that promote its pathogenesis, including pneumolysin (PLY). PLY is a member of the cholesterol-dependent cytolysin family, which attacks cholesterol-containing membranes, thereby forming ring-shaped pores. Thus, it is a major key target for vaccines against pneumococcal disease. We cloned the PLY gene from S. pneumoniae D39 and inserted it into the pQE-30 vector. Recombinant PLY (rPLY) was overexpressed in Escherichia coli M15 and purified by $Ni^{2+}$ affinity chromatography. Similarly, a PLY-EGFP fusion gene was produced by inserting the EGFP gene at the 3' end of the PLY gene in the same vector, and the recombinant protein was purified. Sodium dodecyl sulfate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) showed that both recombinant proteins were purified. rPLY exhibited significant hemolytic activity against 1% human red blood cells (RBCs). Complete hemolysis was obtained at 500 ng/ml, and 50% hemolysis was found with a 240 ng/ml concentration. In contrast, rPLY-EGFP did not show hemolytic activity. However, rPLY-EGFP did bind the RBC membrane, indicating that rPLY-EGFP lost hemolytic activity via EGFP fusion, while retaining its membrane-binding ability. These data suggest that PLY's C terminus is important for its hemolytic activity. Therefore, these two recombinant proteins can be extremely useful for investigating the toxin mechanism of PLY and cell damage during pneumonia.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.834-839
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• 2004

To improve and oil degrading activity, the lipase gene from Pseudomonase sp. was transformed into Klebsiella sp. KCL-l, an oil degrading bacterium. The selected trasformant was named as a KCL-1/pET-Lip. The surface tension of culture broth of KCL-1/pET-Lip was decreased to 33 dyne/cm from 55 dyne/cm using 4% (v/v) soybean oil as sole carbon source. The surface tension were 44 and 37.5 dyne/cm, to 2% (w/v) glucose and 4% (v/v) kerosene medium, respectively. The emulsification activity of the biosurfactant solution containing lipase of KCL-l/pET-Lip improved better than wild type KCL-l. The soybean oil was most efficient carbon source and substrate for surface activity and emulsification activity of KCL-1/pET-Lip. The expression of lipase was confirmed by SDS-PAGE.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1156-1162
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• 2011

Equine coital exanthema caused by equine herpesvirus type 3 (EHV-3) is a venereal disease which seriously drops horse reproduction rates. Here, we isolated EHV-3 from infected horses and investigated their biological characteristics. Initial cytopathic effects such as rounding of cells were detected 48 hours post infection of the virus into RK-13 cells. The infected cells were going to detach from the surface of culture flasks 72 hours post infection. The type of isolated viruses from swabbed samples was EHV-3 by PCR analysis. Glycoprotein G (gG) of isolated EHV-3 has a 99.25 percent similarity rate to that of EHV-3 334/74 control strain. The isolated EHV-3 was named Georo strain. Georo strain consisted of four major proteins including 145 kD, 60 kD, 45 kD and 40 kD, as shown by SDS-PAGE analysis. We hope the newly isolated Georo strain of EHV-3 can be used for studying various aspects of Korean equine coital exanthema.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1424-1431
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• 2009

Shrimp Jeot-Gal is a popular traditional Korean fermented seafood and has been used for seasoning. We isolated a bacterium showing strong extra-cellular fibrinolysis and chitinase activity from shrimp Jeot-Gal and the strain was designated SC082. SC082 was identified as Bacillus licheniformis by 16S rRNA sequence homology search. B. licheniformis SC082 exhibited optimum temperature, pH, and salt concentration at $37^{\circ}C$, pH 7.0, and 6%, respectively. Substrate specificity of the culture supernatant from B. licheniformis SC082 was detected in fibrin, skim milk, and chitin plate. The fibrinolytic activity was highly maintained up to $50^{\circ}C$ at a pH of 7.0 for 3 hr and was stable up to pH 9.0 at $37^{\circ}C$ for 3 hr. The chitinase activity was remarkably induced by addition of 1.0% colloidal chitin and the pH and temperature optima of the enzyme were 5.0 and $45^{\circ}C$, respectively. In sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and zymogram analysis, this strain produced three fibrinolytic isozymes and two chitinase isozymes. The approximate molecular weights of the putative fibrinolytic enzymes were 23.0, 62.0, and 72.0 kDa and those of the chitinases were 62.0 and 55.0 kDa, respectively. The antioxidant activity of SC082 was also measured by using 2,2-diphenyl-l-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) free radical. The DPPH radical scavenging was slightly increased in a dose-dependent manner.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 1997

It is well known that the zona pellucidae of mouse oocytes become "hardened" when they are allowed to mature in vitro in the absence of serum components. To see if oocytes already undergone meiotic resumption in vivo exhibit similar zona hardening, hardening of ZP of cumulus-enclosed oocytes(CEOs) was examined after culture in vitro since their release from follicles various hours after hCG injection. When CEOs matured in vivo for 3h or longer were subjected to culture in vitro for 14h with BSA alone, zona hardening was significantly reduced compared to those cultured in vitro from the begining of maturation. However, when CEOs matured in vivo for 5h were freed from cumulus cells and then cultured in vitro with BSA alone, little reduction of zona hardening was observed. Preincubation of CEOs for 5h with fetuin, one of the well known inhibitor of in vitro zone hardening, did not prevent zona hardening during its subsequent culture of CEOs for 14h without fetuin. However, when CEOs precultured with both fetuin and PMSG for 5h and then further cultured with BSA alone for 14h, zona hardening was dramatically reduced. Under these conditions, the expansion of cumulus cell was observed. In addition, CEOs cultured with both BSA and dbcAMP to prevent their meiotic resumption showed a significant increase of zona hardening. Whether the observed zona hardening was correlated with the conversion of ZP2 to $ZP2_{f}$ was examined. Zona pellucida, isolated from CEOs matured for 5h in vivo and then further cultured with BSA alone was subjected to SDS-PAGE. Most of ZP2 molecules from these CEOs did not undergo conversion from ZP2 to $ZP2_{f}$. From these results, it is concluded that CEOs undergone meiotic resumption in vivo do not exhibit zona hardening when they were subsequently cultured in vitro without serum components. It appears that cumulus cells play an important role in this phenomenon.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.14-14
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• 2010

Plastid proteomics are essential organelles present in virtually all cells in plants and green algae. Plastids are responsible for the synthesis and storage of key molecules required for the basic architecture and functions of plant cells. The proteome of plastid, and in particular of chloroplast, have received significant amounts of attention in recent years. Various fractionation and mass spectrometry (MS) techniques have been applied to catalogue the chloroplast proteome and its sub-organelles compartments. To better understanding the function of the lumenal sub-organelles within the thylakoid network, we have carried out a systematical analysis and identification of the lumenal proteins in the thylakoid of wheat by using Tricine-SDS-PAGE, and LTQ-ESI-FTICR mass spectrometry followed by SWISS-PROT database searching. We isolation and fractionation these membrane from fully developed wheat leaves using a combination of differential and gradient centrifugation couple to high speed ultra-centrifuge. After collecting all proteins to eliminate possible same proteins, we estimated that there are 407 different proteins including chloroplast, chloroplast stroma, lumenal, and thylakoid membrane proteins excluding 20 proteins, which were identified in nucleus, cytoplasm and mitochondria. A combination of these three programs (PSORT, TargetP, TMHMM, and TOPPRED) was found to provide a useful tool for evaluating chloroplast localization, transit peptide, transmembranes, and also could reveal possible alternative processing sites and dual targeting. Finally, we report also sub-cellular location specific protein interaction network using Cytoscape software, which provides further insight into the biochemical pathways of photosynthesis. The present work helps understanding photosynthesis process in wheat at the molecular level and provides a new overview of the biochemical machinery of the thylakoid in wheat.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.17-17
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• 2010

Ethylene, known as a stress hormone regulate wide developmental processes including germination, root hair initiation, root and shoot primordial formation and elongation, leaf and flower senescence and abscission, fruit ripening. The acceleration of ethylene biosynthesis in plant associated with environmental and biological stresses. 1-Aminocycloprophane-1-carboxlyate deaminase(ACCD) is an enzyme that cleaves ACC into and ammonia, a precursor of the plant hormone ethylene. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) having ACCD can decrease endogenous ACC level of tissue, resulting in reduced production of ethylene in plants. ACC deaminse was a key enzyme for protect stressed plants from injurious effects of ethylene. ACCD gene was encoded from Pseudomonas flourescens, PGPR and was cloned in Escherichia coli. We expressed the recombinant ACCD(rACCD) containing 357 amino acids with molecular weight 39 kDa that revealed by SDS-PAGE and western blot. The rACCD was purified by Ni-NTA purification system. The active form of rACCD having enzyme activity converted ACC to a-ketobutyrate. The optimal pH for ACC deaminase activity was pH 8.5, but no activity below pH 7.0 and a less severe tapering activity at base condition resulting in loss of activity at over pH 11. The optimal temperature of the enzyme was $30^{\circ}$ and a slightly less severe tapering activity at 15 - 30$^{\circ}$, but no activity over $35^{\circ}$. P. flourescens ACC deaminase has a highly conserved residue that plays in allowing substrate accessibility to the active sites. The enzymatic properties of this rACCD will provide an important reference for analysis of newly isolated ACCD and identification of newly isolated PGPR containing ACCD.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.269-279
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• 2000

Alfalfa mosaic alfamoviruses(AIMV) were isolated from infected potato (Solanum tuberosum) and azuki bean (Paseolus angularis) in Korea. Two AIMV isolated from potatoes were named as strain KR (AIMV-KR1 and KR2) and AIMV isolated from azuki bean was named as strain Az (AIMV-Az). Each isolated AIMV strain was characterized by using their host ranges, symptom developments, serological relations and nucleotide sequence analysis of coat protein (CP) gene. Strains KR1, KR2, and Az were readily transmitted to 20 of 22 inoculated plant species including bean, cowpea, tomato, tobacco, and potato. AIMV-KR1 and KR2 produced the typical symptoms like chlorotic or necrotic spots in Chenopodium quinoa and Solanum tuberosum cv. Superior. AIMV-Az caused bright yellow mosaic symptom and leaf malformation in Nicotiana glauca, which were different from the common mosaic symptom caused by AIMV-KR1 and KR2. Electron microscope observation of purified virus showed bacilliform virions containing a single-stranded plus-strand RNAs of 3.6, 2.6, 2.0 and 0.9 kbp in length, respectively, similar in size and appearance to those of Alfamovirus. In SDS-PAGE, the coat protein of the two viruses formed a consistent band that estimated to be about 24kDa. The CP genes of the AIMV strains, KR1, KR2, and Az have been amplified by RT-PCR using the specific primers designed to amplify CP gene from viral RNA-3, cloned and sequenced. Computer aided analysis of the amplified cDNA fragment sequence revealed the presence of a single open reading frame capable of encoding 221 amino acids. The nucleotide and peptide sequence of viral CP gene showed that strain KR1, KR2, and Az shared highest nucleotide sequence identities with AIMV strain 425-M at 97.7%, 98.2%, and 97.2%, respectively. CP gene sequences of two strains were almost identical compared with each other. Altogether, physical, serological, biological and molecular properties of the purified virus.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.161-168
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• 1997

The present study was designed to estimate the seroprevalence of NLVs among diarrheagenic children and in healthy adults in Seoul and its vicinity with the use of an EIA and an Western blot (WB) based on recombinant Norwalk virus capsid protein (rNV) and crude virus preparations as antigen. Seroconversion was observed in 34 (83%) of 41 tested using the EIA and in 21 (54%) of 39 using the WB, suggesting that the NLVs with epitopes common to rNV are prevalent in Seoul area. Diarrheal children who were known to have been infected with several other strains of the NLVs showed no significant antibody response to the rNV. Infection with rNV occurred earlier in life: primary infections with rNV were common before the age of 6 months and over 91 % of children had evidence of infection by that age by the EIA. Since the amount of the NLV antigens available for seroepidemiologic surveys is limited, we tried to detect NLV antibody by using crude virus preparations as antigen. One crude virus preparation of a child whose stool yielded genetically distinct NLV revealed the presence of the plural number of bands upon SDS-PAGE, but precipitated only one band (62 kDa) after the WB with a serum (collected 10 days after the onset of symptoms) of another diarrheal child. The WB assay we present in this report revealed that the NLVs are prevalent among Korean population and that the sera contained antibody to a single major structural protein, with molecular sizes of 58 to 62 kDa, compatible with the sizes reported for the Norwalk virus and Snow Mountain agent proteins, respectively. When the results of the WB were compared with those obtained by the EIA, the EIA antibody assay was sensitive enough to detect an antibody rise of as much as 4096-fold but not as specific as the WB. The WB assay presented in this paper will provide a powerful tool to elucidate not only antigenic structures of the NL Vs but also seroepidemiology of the NLV infection. The availability of an unlimited source of antigen will enable a large scale serologic studies that will greatly increase our understanding of the role of NLVs in human enteric illness.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.231-239
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• 2002

Proteomics is an emerging powerful tool in studying protein expression and function. At present study, proteomics was employed to evaluate the antigenicity among Escherichia coli O157:H7 strains using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and immunoblotting, SDS-PAGE and immunblotting analysis revealed no big differences among E coli O157:H7 strains. 2-DE analysis, however, revealed common antigens as well as specific antigens. The immunoblotting analysis revealed 20 common antigenic spots among E coli O157:H7 strains. In addition, there were 3 and 13 spots as common antigens between ATCC 43894 and KSC 109, and between ATCC 43894 and ACH 5, respectively. Antigenic spots specific for individual strain were also identified as 15, 8 and 22 for ATCC 43894, ACH 5 and KSC 109, respectively. The common antigens would be useful by employing either vaccine development or diagnosis marker, or both, whereas the specific antigens of individual strains would be applicable for epidemiological study. This study suggest that proteome analysis, representative as 2-DE, is valuable tool in exploring the E. coli antigenicity.