• BMB Reports
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.65-72
• /
• 2013

In situ detection of RNAs is becoming increasingly important for analysis of gene expression within and between intact cells in tissues. International genomics efforts are now cataloging patterns of RNA transcription that play roles in cell function, differentiation, and disease formation, and they are demon-strating the importance of coding and noncoding RNA transcripts in these processes. However, these techniques typically provide ensemble averages of transcription across many cells. In situ hybridization-based analysis methods complement these studies by providing information about how expression levels change between cells within normal and diseased tissues, and they provide information about the localization of transcripts within cells, which is important in understanding mechanisms of gene regulation. Multi-color, single-molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization (smFISH) is particularly useful since it enables analysis of several different transcripts simultaneously. Combining smFISH with immunofluorescent protein detection provides additional information about the association between transcription level, cellular localization, and protein expression in individual cells.

• Proceeding of EDISON Challenge
• /
• 2014.03a
• /
• pp.409-411
• /
• 2014

Based on the first-principles computations, the nature of the microscopic geometry of the molecule-electrode contacts was addressed. The single-molecule junction was prepared by connecting hexanediothiolate (HDT) to Au(111) electrodes via one, two, and three Au adatoms having coordination number of one (CN1), two (CN2), and, three (CN3), respectively. The contact atomic structure and energy of the stretched Au-HDT-Au junction was observed. The analysis revealed that the contact geometry with lowest coordination number (CN1) is energetically more stable than CN2 and CN3.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.55-57
• /
• 2017

Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) together with MD2, one of the key pattern recognition receptors for a pathogen-associated molecular pattern, activates innate immunity by recognizing lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Gram-negative bacteria. Although LBP and CD14 catalyze LPS transfer to the TLR4/MD2 complex, the detail mechanisms underlying this dynamic LPS transfer remain elusive. Using negative-stain electron microscopy, we visualized the dynamic intermediate complexes during LPS transfer-LBP/LPS micelles and ternary CD14/LBP/LPS micelle complexes. We also reconstituted the entire cascade of LPS transfer to TLR4/MD2 in a total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscope for a single molecule fluorescence analysis. These analyses reveal longitudinal LBP binding to the surface of LPS micelles and multi-round binding/unbinding of CD14 to single LBP/LPS micelles via key charged residues on LBP and CD14. Finally, we reveal that a single LPS molecule bound to CD14 is transferred to TLR4/MD2 in a TLR4-dependent manner. These discoveries, which clarify the molecular mechanism of dynamic LPS transfer to TLR4/MD2 via LBP and CD14, provide novel insights into the initiation of innate immune responses.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.58 no.6
• /
• pp.513-516
• /
• 2014

We measure the conductance of a 4,4'-diaminobiphenyl formed with Ni electrodes using a scanning tunneling microscope-based break-junction technique. For comparison, we use Au or Ag electrodes to form a metal-molecular junction. For molecules that conduct through the highest occupied molecular orbital, junctions formed with Ni show similar conductance as Au and are more conductive than those formed with Ag, consistent with the higher work function for Ni or Au. Furthermore, we observe that the measured molecular junction length that is formed with the Ni or Au electrodes was shorter than that formed with the Ag electrodes. These observations are attributed to a larger gap distance of the Ni or Au electrodes compared to that of the Ag electrodes after the metal contact ruptures. Since our work allows us to measure the conductance of a molecule formed with various electrodes, it should be relevant to molecular electronics with versatile materials.

• Journal of Photoscience
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.87-93
• /
• 2005

A new assay technique to distinguish between pure compounds and the isomeric mixtures has been suggested using single molecule (SM) fluorescence detection technique. Since the number of emission spots in a fluorophorespread film prepared from a genuine dye solution was determined by experimental condition, the deviation of spot numbers from the expected values could be considered to be an indication of lower purity of the sample solution. The lower limit of sample concentration for this assay was determined to be $5{\times}10^{-10}$ M to show uniform number of expected spots within 10% uncertainties in our experimental condition. An individual fluorescence intensity distribution for a mixture of isomers having doubly different emissivities was simulated by adding distributions obtained from Cy3 and nile red (NR) independently. The result indicated that the mixture could be identified from the pure compounds through the difference in the number of Gaussian functions to fit the distribution. This new assay technique can be applied to the purity test for synthetic biofluorophores which are usually prepared in small quantities not enough for classical ensemble assays.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.29 no.8
• /
• pp.1565-1568
• /
• 2008

• Vacuum Magazine
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.4-9
• /
• 2015

A nanopore is a very small hole that can be used as single-molecule detector. The detection principle is based on monitoring the ionic current reduced by passage of a molecule through the nanopore as a voltage is applied across the nanopore. Here, we introduce biological nanopores and solid-state nanopores. Then, research and current trend about nanopore-based DNA biosensor and protein analysis are reviewed.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.29 no.10
• /
• pp.1951-1959
• /
• 2008

Pentamer cluster of azodicarbonamide (ADA) based on the crystalline structure was investigated for the equilibrium structure, the stabilization energies, and the vibrational properties at various levels of the density functional theory. Stretching force constants of N${\cdot}{\cdot}{\cdot}$H or O${\cdot}{\cdot}{\cdot}$H, and angle-bending force constants of N-H${\cdot}{\cdot}{\cdot}$N or N-H${\cdot}{\cdot}{\cdot}$O for intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the pentamer cluster were obtained in 0.2-0.5 mdyn/$\AA$ and 1.6-2.0 mdyn$\AA$, respectively. The geometry of central ADA molecule fully hydrogen bonded with other four molecules shows good coincidence to the crystalline structure except the bond distances of N-H. Calculated Raman and infrared spectra of central ADA molecule in cluster represent well the experimental spectra of ADA obtained in the solid state compared to a single molecule. Detailed structural and vibrational properties of central ADA molecule in the pentamer cluster are presented.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.500-507
• /
• 2016

Single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing allows identification of methylated DNA bases and methylation patterns/motifs at the genome level. Using SMRT sequencing, diverse bacterial methylomes including those of Helicobacter pylori, Lactobacillus spp., and Escherichia coli have been determined, and previously unreported DNA methylation motifs have been identified. However, the methylomes of Xanthomonas species, which belong to the most important plant pathogenic bacterial genus, have not been documented. Here, we report the methylomes of Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines (Xag) strain 8ra and X. campestris pv. vesicatoria (Xcv) strain 85-10. We identified $N^6$-methyladenine (6mA) and $N^4$-methylcytosine (4mC) modification in both genomes. In addition, we assigned putative DNA methylation motifs including previously unreported methylation motifs via REBASE and MotifMaker, and compared methylation patterns in both species. Although Xag and Xcv belong to the same genus, their methylation patterns were dramatically different. The number of 4mC DNA bases in Xag (66,682) was significantly higher (29 fold) than in Xcv (2,321). In contrast, the number of 6mA DNA bases (4,147) in Xag was comparable to the number in Xcv (5,491). Strikingly, there were no common or shared motifs in the 10 most frequently methylated motifs of both strains, indicating they possess unique species- or strain-specific methylation motifs. Among the 20 most frequent motifs from both strains, for 9 motifs at least 1% of the methylated bases were located in putative promoter regions. Methylome analysis by SMRT sequencing technology is the first step toward understanding the biology and functions of DNA methylation in this genus.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.166-173
• /
• 1990

The structure of the anti-inflammatory agent, naproxen sodium was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Crystal of the compound, which was recrystallized from methanol solution, is nomoclinic, space group $P2_1$ with a = 21. 177(6), b = 5.785(2), c = 5.443(2) $\AA, \beta$ = 91.41(3)$\{\circ}$ and Z = 2. The calculated density is 1.346; the observed value is nements based on 1093 reflections ($F\geq3\sigma$(F)) gave the final R value of 0.043. There are of one water per one compound molecule in the crystal. The carboxyl group of the molecule is nearly perpendicular to the naphthalene ring. The molecules are arranged along with the screw axis, and stabilized by five 0...Na type interactions. The molecule retains nearly same dimensions and similar conformation compared to its parent compound, naproxen, except for the torsion angles around C(5)-C(11) bond.