• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.26 no.9
• /
• pp.1650-1656
• /
• 2016

The SCO0284 gene of Streptomyces coelicolor A3(2) is predicted to encode an α-galactosidase (680 amino acids) belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 27. In this study, the SCO0284 coding region was cloned and overexpressed in Streptomyces lividans TK24. The mature form of SCO0284 (641 amino acids, 68 kDa) was purified from culture broth by gel filtration chromatography, with 83.3-fold purification and a yield of 11.2%. Purified SCO0284 showed strong activity against p-nitrophenyl-α-D-galactopyranoside, melibiose, raffinose, and stachyose, and no activity toward lactose, agar (galactan), and neoagarooligosaccharides, indicating that it is an α-galactosidase. Optimal enzyme activity was observed at 40℃ and pH 7.0. The addition of metal ions or EDTA did not affect the enzyme activity, indicating that no metal cofactor is required. The kinetic parameters V_max and K_m for p-nitrophenyl-α-D-galactopyranoside were 1.6 mg/ml (0.0053 M) and 71.4 U/mg, respectively. Thin-layer chromatography and mass spectrometry analysis of the hydrolyzed products of melibiose, raffinose, and stachyose showed perfect matches with the masses of the sodium adducts of the hydrolyzed products, galactose (M+Na, 203), melibiose (M+Na, 365), and raffinose (M+Na, 527), respectively, indicating that it specifically cleaves the α-1,6-glycosidic bond of the substrate, releasing the terminal D-galactose.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.11 no.6
• /
• pp.1011-1017
• /
• 2001

Streptomyces sp. Y-110 cytochrome P-450, induced by the addition of compactin -Na into the culture medium, was purified from the cell extract to apparent homogeniety, mainly by DEAE-Sepharose, hydroxyapatite, and Mono Q column chromatyography. The sepcific activity of purified enzyme on its substrate, compactin-Na, was determined to be 15 nmol of pravastatin per mg protein. The molecular mass of this enzyme on SDS-PAGE was $37{\pm}0.5$ kDa, pI was 4.5, and its CO difference spectrum showed maximum absorption peaks at 452 and 550nm, respectively. The N-terminal amino acid sequence was determined to be Met>Thr>Cys>Thr>Pro>Val>Thr>Val>The>Gly>Ala>Ala>Gly>Gln>Ile>Gly>Tyr>Ala>Leu. Its apparent $K_m$ on compactin-Na was $1.294{\mu}M{\cdot}min^-1,\;and\;V_{max}\;was\;1.028{\mu}M{\cdot}min^-1$. The maximum substrate concentration ($K_s$) for reaction was $270 {\mu}M$and thus $1/[K_s]$ was $3.7{\mu}M$. These physicochemical characteristics and kinetic behavior of this enzyme were compared and shown to be different from those of Streptomyces cytochrome P-450 enzymes reported, suggesting that this enzyme may be an additional member of the Streptomyces cytochrome P-450 family.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.16 no.11
• /
• pp.1753-1759
• /
• 2006

Paenibacillus sp. HY-8 isolated from the digestive tracts of the longicorn beetle, Moechotypa diphysis, produced an extracellular endoxylanase with a molecular weight of 20 kDa estimated by SDS-PAGE. The xylanase was purified to near electrophoretic homogeneity from the culture supernatant after ammonium sulfate precipitation, gel filtration, and ionexchange chromatography. The purified xylanase exhibited the highest activities at pH 6.0 and $50^{\circ}C$. The $K_m\;and\;V_{max}$ values were 7.2 mg/ml and 16.3 U/mg, respectively, for birchwood xylan as the substrate. Nucleotide sequence of the PCR-cloned gene was determined to have the open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 212 amino acids. The N-terminal amino acid sequence and the nucleotide sequence analyses predicted that the precursor xylanase contained a signal peptide composed of 28 amino acids and a catalytically active 19.9-kDa peptide fragment. The deduced amino acid sequence shared extensive similarity with those of the glycoside hydrolase family 11 of xylanases from other bacteria. The predicted amino acid sequence contained two glutamate residues, previously identified as essential and conserved for active sites in other xylanases of the glycoside hydrolase family 11.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.257-264
• /
• 2009

A $\beta$-agarase gene, agaB34, was functionally cloned from the genomic DNA of a marine bacterium, Agarivorans albus YKW-34. The open reading frame of agaB34 consisted of 1,362 bp encoding 453 amino acids. The deduced amino acid sequence, consisting of a typical N-terminal signal peptide followed by a catalytic domain of glycoside hydrolase family 16 (GH-16) and a carbohydrate-binding module (CBM), showed 37-86% identity to those of agarases belonging to family GH-16. The recombinant enzyme (rAgaB34) with a molecular mass of 49 kDa was produced extracellularly using Escherichia coli $DH5{\alpha}$ as a host. The purified rAgaB34 was a $\beta$-agarase yielding neoagarotetraose (NA4) as the main product. It acted on neoagarohexaose to produce NA4 and neoagarobiose, but it could not further degrade NA4. The maximal activity of rAgaB34 was observed at $30^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.0. It was stable over pH 5.0-9.0 and at temperatures up to $50^{\circ}C$. Its specific activity and $k_{cat}/K_m$ value for agarose were 242 U/mg and $1.7{\times}10^6/sM$, respectively. The activity of rAgaB34 was not affected by metal ions commonly existing in seawater. It was resistant to chelating reagents (EDTA, EGTA), reducing reagents (DTT, $\beta$-mercaptoethanol), and denaturing reagents (SDS and urea). The E. coli cell harboring the pUC18-derived agarase expression vector was able to efficiently excrete agarase into the culture medium. Hence, this expression system might be used to express secretory proteins.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.13 no.3
• /
• pp.195-200
• /
• 2009

Zinc released from excited glutamatergic neurons accelerates amyloid ${\beta}$ (A ${\beta}$) aggregation, underscoring the therapeutic potential of zinc chelation for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Zinc can also alter A ${\beta}$ concentration by affecting its degradation. In order to elucidate the possible role of zinc influx in secretase-processed A ${\beta}$ production, SH-SY5Y cells stably expressing amyloid precursor protein (APP) were treated with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC), a zinc ionophore, and the resultant changes in APP processing were examined. PDTC decreased A ${\beta}$ 40 and A ${\beta}$ 42 concentrations in culture media bathing APP-expressing SH-SY5Y cells. Measuring the levels of a series of C-terminal APP fragments generated by enzymatic cutting at different APP-cleavage sites showed that both ${\beta}$-and ${\alpha}$-cleavage of APP were inhibited by zinc influx. PDTC also interfered with the maturation of APP. PDTC, however, paradoxically increased the intracellular levels of A ${\beta}$ 40. These results indicate that inhibition of secretase-mediated APP cleavage accounts -at least in part- for zinc inhibition of A ${\beta}$ secretion.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.20 no.7
• /
• pp.1069-1076
• /
• 2010

A novel laccase from Tricholoma mongolicum was purified by using a procedure that entailed ion-exchange chromatographies on DEAE-cellulose, CM-cellulose, and Q-Sepharose, and FPLC-gel filtration on Superdex 75. The purified enzyme was obtained with a specific activity of 1,480 U/mg-protein and a final yield of 15%. It was found to be a monomeric protein with a molecular mass of 66 kDa as estimated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Its N-terminal amino acid sequence was GIGPVADLYVGNRIL, similar to some but also different to other mushroom laccases. The optimum pH and temperature for the purified enzyme were pH 2 to pH 3 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. It displayed a low $K_m$ toward 2,7-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazolone-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium salt (ABTS) and high $k_{cat}/K_m$ values. The purified laccase oxidized a wide range of lignin-related phenols, but exerted maximal activity on ABTS. It was significantly inhibited by $Hg^{2+}$ ions, and remarkably stimulated by $Cu^{2+}$ ions. It inhibited HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and proliferation of hepatoma HepG2 cells and breast cancer MCF7 cells with an $IC_{50}$ of 0.65 ${\mu}M$, 1.4 ${\mu}M$, and 4.2 ${\mu}M$, respectively, indicating that it is also an antipathogenic protein.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• v.19 no.4
• /
• pp.345-354
• /
• 2014

In this paper, effects of physical configurations and operating conditions on bubble column performance were analyzed in terms of bubble hydrodynamic and mass transfer parameters. Bubble column with 3 different dimensions and 7 gas diffusers (single / multiple orifice and rigid / flexible orifice) were applied. High speed camera and image analysis program were used for analyzing the bubble hydrodynamic parameters. The local liquid-side mass transfer coefficient ($k_L$) was estimated from the volumetric mass transfer coefficient ($k_La$) and the interfacial area (a), which was deduced from the bubble diameter ($D_B$) and the terminal bubble rising velocity ($U_B$). The result showed that the values of kLa and a increased with the superficial gas velocity (Vg) and the size of bubble column. Influences of gas diffuser physical property (orifice size, thickness and orifice number) can be proven on the generated bubble size and the mass transfer performance in bubble column. Concerning the variation of $k_L$ coefficients with bubble size, 3 zones (Zone A, B and C) can be observed. For Zone A and Zone C, a good agreement between the experimental and the predicted $K_L$ coefficients was obtained (average difference of ${\pm}15%$), whereas the inaccuracy result (of ${\pm}40%$) was found in Zone B. To enhance the high $k_La$ coefficient and absorption efficiency in bubble column, it was unnecessary to generate numerous fine bubbles at high superficial gas velocity since it causes high power consumption with the great decrease of $k_L$ coefficients.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.10 no.4
• /
• pp.199-205
• /
• 2006

The functional expression of potassium $(K^+)$ channels has electrophysiologically been studied in bone cells from several species, however, their identity and regulation of gene expressions in bone cells are not well known. In the present study, to investigate how $K^+$ channel expressions are regulated by estrogen, we measured changes of transcript levels of various $Ca^{2+}$-activated ($K_{Ca}$) and ATP-sensitive $K^+$ channels in rat osteoblastic ROS 17/2.8 cells after treatment with estrogen. Application of 17${\beta}$-estradiol $(E_2)$ for 24 h and 48 h increased mRNA and protein expressions of inwardly rectifying $K^+$ channel (Kir) 6.2 and type 2 small conductance $K_{Ca}$ channel (SK2), respectively. Combined treatment of cells with 17${\beta}-E_2$ and ICI 182,780, a pure antiestrogen, suppressed 17${\beta}-E_2$-induced alterations of SK2 and Kir6.2 mRNA levels. In addition, treatment of cells with U0126, a specific inhibitor of extracellular receptor kinases (ERK)1/2, and SP600125, a specific inhibitor of c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) blocked the enhancing effects of 17${\beta}-E_2$ on SK2 and Kir6.2 protein expressions. On the other hand, blocking of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase had no effect. Taken together, these results indicate that 17${\beta}-E_2$ modulates SK2 and Kir6.2 expressions through the estrogen receptor, involving ERK1/2 and JNK activations.

• Journal of East-West Nursing Research
• /
• v.20 no.2
• /
• pp.103-111
• /
• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the characteristics of life-sustaining treatment and attitudes towards advance directives among geriatric patients. Methods: The elderly participants (N=146) were recruited from a university hospital from October 30, 2012 to March 31, 2013. A questionnaire for collecting data of participants' characteristics, their experiences related to life-sustaining treatment, and attitudes towards advance directives was used. The data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 17. Results: Most participants (84.9%) were in favor of advance directives. Although most of participants wanted to receive CPR for sudden cardiac arrest (78.8%) and pain control medication (74.0%), most preferred to refuse life-sustaining treatments such as tracheostomy (96.6%) or ventilator (87.0%). Participants who had a family or acquaintances with CPR experiences (U=852.00 p=.038), had discussed with their family and acquaintances regarding end-of-life sustaining treatment (t=2.91, p=.004), or made decisions about refusing the life sustaining treatments (t=3.19, p=.002) preferred to have advance directives than those who did not. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggested the potential benefits of educational programs about advance directives for the end-of-life for geriatric patients to make decisions for life-sustaining treatments in advance.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.41 no.3
• /
• pp.188-197
• /
• 2018

Benzidine, a known carcinogen, is closely associated with the development of bladder cancer (BC). Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a critical pathophysiological process in BC progression. The underlying molecular mechanisms of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, especially extracellular regulated protein kinases 5 (ERK5), in regulating benzidine-induced EMT remains unclarified. Hence, two human bladder cell lines, T24 and EJ, were utilized in our study. Briefly, cell migration was assessed by wound healing assay, and cell invasion was determined by Transwell assay. Quantitative PCR and western blot were utilized to determine both gene expressions as well as protein levels of EMT and MAPK, respectively. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was transfected to further determine ERK5 function. As a result, the migration and invasion abilities were enhanced, epithelial marker expression was decreased while mesenchymal marker expression was increased in human BC cell lines. Meanwhile, benzidine administration led to activation of ERK5 and activator protein 1 (AP-1) proteins, without effective stimulation of the Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) or p38 pathways. Moreover, Benzidine-induced EMT and ERK5 activation were completely suppressed by XMD8-92 and siRNAs specific to ERK5. Of note, ERK1/2 was activated in benzidine-treated T24 cells, while benzidine-induced EMT could not be reversed by U0126, an ERK1/2 inhibitor, as indicated by further study. Collectively, our findings revealed that ERK5-mediated EMT was critically involved in benzidine-correlated BC progression, indicating the therapeutic significance of ERK5 in benzidine-related BC.