• Molecules and Cells
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.306-316
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• 2022

Chronic stress contributes to the risk of developing depression; the habenula, a nucleus in epithalamus, is associated with many neuropsychiatric disorders. Using genome-wide gene expression analysis, we analyzed the transcriptome of the habenula in rats exposed to chronic restraint stress for 14 days. We identified 379 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that were affected by chronic stress. These genes were enriched in neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, the cAMP (cyclic adenosine monophosphate) signaling pathway, circadian entrainment, and synaptic signaling from the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis and responded to corticosteroids, positive regulation of lipid transport, anterograde trans-synaptic signaling, and chemical synapse transmission from the Gene Ontology analysis. Based on protein-protein interaction network analysis of the DEGs, we identified neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, circadian entrainment, and cholinergic synapse-related subclusters. Additionally, cell type and habenular regional expression of DEGs, evaluated using a recently published single-cell RNA sequencing study (GSE137478), strongly suggest that DEGs related to neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and trans-synaptic signaling are highly enriched in medial habenular neurons. Taken together, our findings provide a valuable set of molecular targets that may play important roles in mediating the habenular response to stress and the onset of chronic stress-induced depressive behaviors.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.207-218
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• 2023

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has a poor prognosis and high metastasis and recurrence rates. Although extracts of Alnus hirsuta (Turcz. ex Spach) Rupr. (AH) have been demonstrated to possess potential anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer activities, the underlying mechanism of AH in HCC treatment remains to be elucidated. We investigated the effects and potential mechanisms of AH on migration and invasion of Hep3B cells. Within the non-cytotoxic concentration range, AH significantly inhibited motility and invasiveness of Hep3B cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibitory effects of AH on cell invasiveness are associated with tightening of tight junctions (TJs), as demonstrated by an increase in transepithelial electrical resistance. Immunoblotting indicated that AH decreased levels of claudins, which form major components of TJs and play key roles in the control and selectivity of paracellular transport. Furthermore, AH inhibited the expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 and simultaneously increased the levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2. These effects were related to inactivation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway in Hep3B cells. Therefore, AH inhibits migration and invasion of Hep3B cells by inhibiting the activity of MMPs and tightening TJs through suppression of claudin expression, possibly by suppressing the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2016.02a
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• pp.429-429
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• 2016

Organolead halide perovskite have attracted much attention over the past three years as the third generation photovoltaic due to simple fabrication process via solution process and their great photovoltaic properties. Many structures such as mesoporous scaffold, planar heterojunction or 1-D TiO2 or ZnO nanorod array structures have been studied to enhance performances. And the photovoltaic performances and carrier transport properties were studied depending on the cell structures and shape of perovskite film. For example, the perovskite cell based on TiO2/ZnO nanorod electron transport materials showed higher electron mobility than the mesoporous structured semiconductor layer due to 1-D direct pathway for electron transport. However, the reason for enhanced performance was not fully understood whether either the shape of perovskite or the structure of TiO2/ZnO nanorod scaffold play a dominant role. In this regard, for a clear understanding of the shape/structure of perovskite layer, we applied anodized aluminum oxide material which is good candidate as the inactive scaffold that does not influence the charge transport. We fabricated vertical one dimensional (1-D) nanostructured methylammonium lead mixed halide perovskite (CH3NH3PbI3-xClx) solar cell by infiltrating perovskite in the pore of anodized aluminum oxide (AAO). AAO template, one of the common nanostructured materials with one dimensional pore and controllable pore diameters, was successfully fabricated by anodizing and widening of the thermally evaporated Al film on the compact TiO2 layer. Using AAO as a scaffold for perovskite, we obtained 1-D shaped perovskite absorber, and over 15% photo conversion efficiency was obtained. I-V measurement, photoluminescence, impedance, and time-limited current collection were performed to determine vertically arrayed 1-D perovskite solar cells shaped in comparison with planar heterojunction and mesoporous alumina structured solar cells. Our findings lead to reveal the influence of the shape of perovskite layer on photoelectrical properties.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1055-1062
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• 2014

We investigated the expression of cucumber genes involved in lipid mobilization and metabolism during cotyledon development to compare gene activity and to study the direction of carbon (acetyl unit) transport between glyoxysomes and mitochondria. The core metabolic pathway involving 10 genes was examined in four intracellular compartments: glyoxysomes (peroxisomes), mitochondria, chloroplasts, and cytosol. Additionally, we tested the early germination response of dark-grown seedlings and the immediate light response for a further 3 days. According to the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), 3-L-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase 2 (Thio2), isocitrate lyase (ICL), and malate synthase (MS), the genes involved in storage lipid mobilization showed a similar and consistent pattern of gene expression in seedling development. Furthermore, coordinate expression of the A BOUT DE SOUFFLE (BOU) gene with ICL and MS during seedling emergence pointed to a possible secondary route of acetyl unit (acetyl-CoA) transport between peroxisomes and mitochondria in cucumber. The expression of the BOU gene was light dependent, as shown by BOU activity in Arabidopsis, suggesting that the dark condition also results in weak membrane biogenesis. In addition, several genes were active throughout the development of the green cotyledon, even during senescence. In conclusion, this study summarizes oil-seed germination and gene expression during cucumber cotyledon development and proposes an additional route for acetyl unit transport.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.84-96
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• 1992

This study was carried out to examine the $H^+$ transport mechanism by observing the properties of cellular membrane having an ${\alpha}$ type of carbonic anhydrase (CA)-containing cells in turtle urinary bladder. The urinary bladder consists of a heterogenous population of cells. As a result of fine observation with traditional thin-section electron microscopy. the bladder epithelium has three different cell types on mucosal surface. They are a basal cell, a granular cell and a third type of CA-rich cell. The CA-rich cells are divided into two distinct smaller groups within them and called them ${\alpha}$ type and ${\beta}$ type of CA cells. The ${\alpha}$ type of CA cells are responsible for the proton secretion using the proton pumps on the apical plasma membrane, while the ${\beta}$ type of CA cells secrete bicarbonate via an oppositely-directed proton pumps in their basolateral plasma membrane. After performing the freeze-fracture technique, it was shown that there were distributed a large number of intramembranous particles having a special structure on the apical membrane of ${\alpha}$ type of CA-rich cells in the process of their $H^+$ secretion. In turtle bladder ${\alpha}$ type of CA-rich cells, this particle was the only prominent structure in the apical membrane. These intramembrane rod-shaped particles probably represent the integral membrane components of the proton pump. This result may explain that carbonic anhydrase within epithelial cell of urinary bladder takes part in formation of $H^+$ and bicarbonate, that active transport of $H^+$ is done, and that the reabsorption of bicarbonate suggests transport mechanism containing $H^+$ secretion. However, it seems that more studies are required for considering their regular transport pathway.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.455-462
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• 2004

Change in ${\beta}$-tubulin nucleic acid and protein sequences was the only known difference between Haemonchus contortus fenbendazole (FBZ)-resistant and -susceptible isolates. This change was sufficient to determine the pathologic effect induced by FBZ treatment. This research was initiated to investigate further differences from these two isolates. Since ${\beta}$-tubulin is involved in formation of microtubule, which has functions in secretory vesicle transport, DNase activities from excretory/secretory products (ESP) of the two isolates were compared, based on pH, sensitivity to DNase inhibitors, molecular masses and production of 3'-OH. The most significant difference detected was that a 38.5 kDa DNase activity was identified from ESP of H. contortus FBZ-susceptible isolates but not from those of H. contortus FBZ-resistant isolates. However, it was shown that the 38.5 kDa DNase is expressed with similar level of activity in intestine and whole worm of H. contortus FBZ-resistant and -susceptible isolates. This result demonstrated that the secretory transport pathway of the 38.5 kDa DNase was inhibited by unknown mechanisms, which may be related with ${\beta}$-tubulin sequence change in FBZ-resistant isolates. Other DNases of 34, 36 and 37 kDa were detected from ESP of both H. contortus FBZ-resistant and -susceptible isolates. Overall DNase activities found from ESP of these two isolates were not inhibited by 10 mM EDTA at pH 5.0, but largely inhibited by pH 7.0. In addition, DNase activities in two isolates produced DNA fragments with mixtures of 3'- hydroxyls (OH) and 3'-phosphates (P) at each pH although the 3'-end labeling ratios at pH 5.0 and 7.0 were shown different. Identification of inhibition of the 38.5 kDa DNase secretion in FBZ-resistant isolates suggests existence of further differences, in addition to ${\beta}$-tubulin sequence change, in two isolates. This shows complex effect of FBZ on H. contortus biological mechanisms.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.75.2-75.2
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• 2013

Atomic layer deposition (ALD), utilizing self-limiting surface reactions, could offer promising perspectives for future efficient energy conversion devices. The capabilities of ALD for surface/interface modification and construction of novel architectures with sub-nanometer precision and exceptional conformality over high aspect ratio make it more valuable than any other deposition methods in nanoscale science and technology. In the context, a variety of researches on fabrication of active materials for energy conversion applications by ALD are emerging. Among those materials, one-dimensional nanotubular titanium dioxide, providing not only high specific surface area but also efficient carrier transport pathway, is a class of the most intensively explored materials for energy conversion systems, such as photovoltaic cells and photo/electrochemical devices. The monodisperse, stoichiometric, anatase, TiO2 nanotubes with smooth surface morphology and controlled wall thickness were fabricated via low-temperature template-directed ALD followed by subsequent annealing. The ALD-grown, anatase, TiO2 nanotubes in alumina template show unusual crystal growth behavior which allows to form remarkably large grains along axial direction over certain wall thickness. We also fabricated dye-sensitized solar cells (DSCs) introducing our anatase TiO2 nanotubes as photoanodes, and studied the effect of blocking layer, TiO2 thin films formed by ALD, on overall device efficiency. The photon convertsion efficiency ~7% were measured for our TiO2 nanotubebased DSCs with blocking layers, which is ~1% higher than ones without blocking layer. We also performed open circuit voltage decay measurement to estimate recombination rate in our cells, which is 3 times longer than conventional nanoparticulate photoanodes. The high efficiency of our ALD-grown, anatase, TiO2 nanotube-based DSCs may be attributed to both enhanced charge transport property of our TiO2 nanotubes photoanode and the suppression of recombination at the interface between transparent conducting electrode and iodine electrolytes by blocking layer.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.37-45
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• 2020

Objectives : Mitochondria are typically known as intracellular double membrane-bound structures that supply energy for intracellular metabolism including Krebs cycle and beta-oxidation. Also, acupuncture has been known to stimulate the flow of energy. To explore the effect of acupuncture on the mitochondrial respiratory chain activities in rat's heart and kidneys, the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes I to IV were observed. Methods : The rats were divided into 11 groups; Normal (no acupuncture treatment and under anesthesia for 10 min), heart meridian five-transport-points (acupuncture treatment at HT9, HT8, HT7, HT4 and HT3 under anesthesia for 10 min), and kidney meridian five-transport-points (acupuncture treatment at KI1, KI2, KI3, KI7 and KI10 under anesthesia for 10 min). All rats were sacrificed and the heart and kidneys were examined for the changes of respiratory chain activities. Results : Acupuncture at HT7 increased the activity of succinate dehydrogenase; acupuncture at KI2 increased the activity of ubiquinol cytochrome C oxidoreductase; and acupuncture at HT9, HT8, HT3 and KI1 increased activities of cytochrome C oxidase. Conclusions : Acupuncture assists mitochondrial repiratory chain activity via the Cytochrome C oxidase signaling pathway in heart and kidney of rats.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.973-983
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• 2019

It is well known that iron is critical for bacterial growth and pathogenic virulence. Due to chemical similarity, $Ga^{3+}$ competes with $Fe^{3+}$ for binding to compounds that usually bind $Fe^{3+}$, thereby interfering with various essential biological reactions. In our present study, gallium(III) nitrate [$Ga(NO_3)_3$] could repress the growth of V. splendidus Vs without complete inhibition. In the presence of $Ga(NO_3)_3$, the secretion of homogentisic acid-melanin (HGA-melanin) in V. splendidus Vs cells could be increased by 4.8-fold, compared to that in the absence of $Ga(NO_3)_3$. HGA-melanin possessed the ability to reduce $Fe^{3+}$ to $Fe^{2+}$. In addition, HGA-melanin increased the mRNA levels of feoA and feoB, genes coding Fe2+ transport system proteins to 1.86- and 6.1-fold, respectively, and promoted bacterial growth to 139.2%. Similarly, the mRNA expression of feoA and feoB was upregulated 4.11-fold and 2.71-fold in the presence of $640{\mu}M$ $Ga(NO_3)_3$, respectively. In conclusion, our study suggested that although $Ga(NO_3)_3$ could interfere with the growth of V. splendidus Vs, it could also stimulate both the production of $Fe^{3+}$-reducing HGA-melanin and the expression of feoA and feoB, which facilitate $Fe^{2+}$ transport in V. splendidus Vs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.44-54
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• 2019

Geldanamycin and its derivatives, inhibitors of heat shock protein 90, are considered potent anticancer drugs, although their biosynthetic pathways have not yet been fully elucidated. The key step of conversion of 4,5-dihydrogeldanamycin to geldanamycin was expected to catalyze by a P450 monooxygenase, Gel16. The adequate bioconversions by cytochrome P450 mostly rely upon its interaction with redox partners. Several ferredoxin and ferredoxin reductases are available in the genome of certain organisms, but only a few suitable partners can operate in full efficiency. In this study, we have expressed cytochrome P450 gel16 in Escherichia coli and performed an in vitro assay using 4,5-dihydrogeldanamycin as a substrate. We demonstrated that the in silico method can be applicable for the efficient mining of convenient endogenous redox partners (9 ferredoxins and 6 ferredoxin reductases) against CYP Gel16 from Streptomyces hygroscopicus. The distances for ligand FDX4-FDR6 were found to be $9.384{\AA}$. Similarly, the binding energy between Gel16-FDX4 and FDX4-FDR6 were -611.88 kcal/mol and -834.48 kcal/mol, respectively, suggesting the lowest distance and binding energy rather than other redox partners. These findings suggest that the best redox partners of Gel16 could be NADPH ${\rightarrow}$ FDR6 ${\rightarrow}$ FDX4 ${\rightarrow}$ Gel16.