• BMB Reports
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• 제42권12호
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• pp.840-845
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• 2009

Mitogen- and stress-activated protein kinase (MSK1) palys a crucial role in the regulation of transcription downstream of extracellular-signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2) and mitogen-activated protein kinase p38. MSK1 can be phosphorylated and activated in cells by both ERK1/2 and p38$\alpha$. In this study, Casein Kinase 2 (CK2) was identified as a binding and regulatory partner for MSK1. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, MSK1 was found to interact with the CK2$\beta$ regulatory subunit of CK2. Interactions between MSK1 and the CK2$\alpha$ catalytic subunit and CK2$\beta$ subunit were demonstrated in vitro and in vivo. We further found that CK2$\alpha$ can only interact with the C-terminal kinase domain of MSK1. Using site-directed mutagenesis assay and mass spectrometry, we identified five sites in the MSK1 C-terminus that could be phosphorylated by CK2 in vitro: Ser757, Ser758, Ser759, Ser760 and Thr793. Of these, Ser757, Ser759, Ser760 and Thr793 were previously unknown.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.186-190
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• 2014

본 논문에서는 삼세기(Shaggy sea raven, Hemitripterus villosus)를 실험 재료로 선택하여 Carbonic Anhydrase Isozymes (CAs) 중의 하나인 CA III에 대한 연구를 SDS-PAGE, Isoelectric Focusing (IEF), Western blot analysis의 방법을 통하여 진행하였다. SDS-PAGE와 Western blot 결과 삼세기 아가미, 혈액, 장, 간, 신당, 근육, 심장조직에서 CA III의 분자량인 30 kDa의 band가 확인되었다. 삼세기의 근육과 아가미에 대한 등전점 전기영동(IEF)과 Western blot analysis 결과 pI 7.0 부근에서 band가 형성되는 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 특히 SDS-PAGE와 IEF 실험결과 삼세기의 아가미 조직에서 CA III의 발현량이 다른 조직들에 비하여 우세하게 나타났다. 이는 아가미가 다른 조직들과 달리 어류의 생체기관 중 유일하게 외부와 직접 접촉이 가능한 조직으로서 활성산소에 대한 손상을 최소화하기 위한 것으로 사료된다.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권2호
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• pp.152-161
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• 2015

CodY is a highly conserved protein in low G+C gram-positive bacteria that regulates genes involved in sporulation and stationary-phase adaptation. Bacillus thuringiensis is a grampositive bacterium that forms spores and parasporal crystals during the stationary phase. To our knowledge, the regulatory mechanism of CodY in B. thuringiensis is unknown. To study the function of CodY protein in B. thuringiensis, BMB171codY^- was constructed in a BMB171 strain. A shuttle vector containing the ORF of cry1Ac10 was transformed into BMB171 and BMB171codY^-, named BMB171cry1Ac and BMB171codY^-cry1Ac, respectively. Some morphological and physiological changes of codY mutant BMB171codY^-cry1Ac were observed. A comparative proteomic analysis was conducted for both BMB171codY^-cry1Ac and BMB171cry1Ac through two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and MALDI-TOF-MS/MS analysis. The results showed that the proteins regulated by CodY are involved in microbial metabolism, including branched-chain amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and energy metabolism. Furthermore, we found CodY to be involved in sporulation, biosynthesis of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate, growth, genetic competence, and translation. According to the analysis of differentially expressed proteins, and physiological characterization of the codY mutant, we performed bacterial one-hybrid and electrophoretic mobility shift assay experiments and confirmed the direct regulation of genes by CodY, specifically those involved in metabolism of branched-chain amino acids, ribosomal recycling factor FRR, and the late competence protein ComER. Our data establish the foundation for in-depth study of the regulation of CodY in B. thuringiensis, and also offer a potential biocatalyst for functions of CodY in other bacteria.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• 제42권8호
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• pp.673-681
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• 2009

Diabetes mellitus is a multifactorial disease. Particularly, diabetic nephropathy is a serious complication for diabetic patients, yet the precise mechanisms that underline the initial stage of diabetic renal inflammation remain unknown. However, oxidative stress induced by hyperglycemia in diabetes is implicated in diabetic renal disease. We hypothesized that dietary supplementation of antioxidants either VCE (0.5% VC + 0.5% VE) or Comb (0.5% VC + 0.5% VE + 2.5% N-acetylcysteine) improves acute diabetic renal inflammation through modulation of blood glucose levels and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses. Experimental animals (5.5 weeks old female ICR) used were treated with alloxan (180 mg/kg) once. When fasting blood glucose levels were higher than 250 mg/dL, mice were divided into 3 groups fed different levels of antioxidant supplementation, DM (diabetic mice fed AIN 93G purified rodent diet); VCE (diabetic mice fed 0.5% vitamin C and 0.5% vitamin E supplemented diet); Comb (diabetic mice fed 0.5% vitamin C, 0.5% vitamin E and 2.5% N-acetylcysteine supplemented diet), for 10 days and then sacrificed. Body weights were measured once a week and blood glucose levels were monitored twice a week. Lipid peroxidation products, thiobarbituric acid reacting substances were measured in kidney. NF-${\kappa}B$ activation was indirectly demonstrated by pI${\kappa}B$-${\alpna}$ and expressions of selective inflammatory and oxidative stress markers including antioxidant enzymes were also determined. Dietary antioxidant supplementation improved levels of blood glucose as well as kidney lipid peroxi-dation. Dietary antioxidant supplementation improved NF-${\kappa}B$ activation and protein expression of HO-1, but not mRNA expression levels in diabetic mice fed Comb diet. In contrast, the mRNA and protein expression of CuZnSOD was decreased in diabetic mice fed Comb diet. However, antioxidant supplementation did not improve mRNA and protein expressions of IL-$1{\beta}$ and MnSOD in diabetic mice. These findings demonstrate that acute diabetic renal inflammation was associated with altered inflammatory and antioxidant responses and suggest that antioxidant cocktail supplementation may have beneficial effects on early stage of diabetic nephropathy through modulation of blood glucose levels and antioxidant enzyme expressions.

• BMB Reports
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.500-506
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• 2005

HOX11 encodes a homeodomain-containing transcription factor which directs the development of the spleen during embryogenesis. While HOX11 expression is normally silenced through an unknown mechanism in all tissues by adulthood, the deregulation of HOX11 expression is associated with leukemia, such as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The elucidation of regulatory elements contributing to the molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of HOX11 gene expression is of great importance. Previous reports of HOX11 regulatory elements mainly focused on the 5'-flanking region of HOX11 on the chromosome related to transcriptional control. To expand the search of putative cis-elements involved in HOX11 regulation at the post-transcriptional level, we analyzed HOX11 mRNA 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) and found an AU-rich region. To characterize this AU-rich region, in vitro analysis of HOX11 mRNA 3'UTR was performed with human RNA-binding protein HuR, which interacts with AU-rich element (ARE) existing in the 3'UTR of many growth factors' and cytokines' mRNAs. Our results showed that the HOX11 mRNA 3'UTR can specifically bind with human HuR protein in vitro. This specific binding could be competed effectively by typical ARE containing RNA. After the deletion of the AU-rich region present in the HOX11 mRNA 3'UTR, the interaction of HOX11 mRNA 3'UTR with HuR protein was abolished. These findings suggest that HOX11 mRNA 3'UTR contains cis-acting element which shares similarity in the action pattern with RE-HuR interactions and may involve in the post-transcriptional regulation of the HOX11 gene.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제5권5호
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• pp.397-405
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• 2001

The ryanodine receptor, a $Ca^{2+}$ release channel of the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), is responsible for the rapid release of $Ca^{2+}$ that activates cardiac muscle contraction. In the excitation-contraction coupling cascade, activation of SR $Ca^{2+}$ release channel is initiated by the activity of sarcolemmal $Ca^{2+}$ channels, the dihydropyridine receptors. Previous study showed that the relaxation defect of diabetic heart was due to the changes of the expressional levels of SR $Ca^{2+}$ATPase and phospholamban. In the diabetic heart contractile abnormalities were also observed, and one of the mechanisms for these changes could include alterations in the expression and/or activity levels of various $Ca^{2+}$ regulatory proteins involving cardiac contraction. In the present study, underlying mechanisms for the functional derangement of the diabetic cardiomyopathy were investigated with respect to ryanodine receptor, and dihydropyridine receptor at the transcriptional and translational levels. Quantitative changes of ryanodine receptors and the dihydropyridine receptors, and the functional consequences of those changes in diabetic heart were investigated. The levels of protein and mRNA of the ryanodine receptor in diabetic rats were comparable to these of the control. However, the binding capacity of ryanodine was significantly decreased in diabetic rat hearts. Furthermore, the reduction in the binding capacity of ryanodine receptor was completely restored by insulin. This result suggests that there were no transcriptional and translational changes but functional changes, such as conformational changes of the $Ca^{2+}$ release channel, which might be regulated by insulin. The protein level of the dihydropyridine receptor and the binding capacity of nitrendipine in the sarcolemmal membranes of diabetic rats were not different as compared to these of the control. In conclusion, in diabetic hearts, $Ca^{2+}$ release processes are impaired, which are likely to lead to functional derangement of contraction of heart. This dysregulation of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration could explain for clinical findings of diabetic cardiomyopathy and provide the scientific basis for more effective treatments of diabetic patients. In view of these results, insulin may be involved in the control of intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in the cardiomyocyte via unknown mechanism, which needs further study.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.129-137
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• 2009

$Ca^{2+}$은 다양한 자극과 빛, biotic, abiotic 스트레스, 호르몬 등의 반응에 대한 세포내 2차 신호전달물질로써 중요한 역할을 한다. $Ca^{2+}$의 반응자들은 특정 물질과 경로를 활성화함으로써 신호전달 기능을 한다고 알려져 있는 $Ca^{2+}$ 결합 단백질들이다. 이들 단백질 중, calmidulin (CaM)은 식물과 동물의 특정 단백질의 활성을 조절하는 것으로 잘 알려져 왔다. 특히, 식물은 다양한 CaM 유전자와 특징적인 protein kinase와 전사인자를 포함한 많은 종류의 CaM 관련 단백질들을 가지고 있다. 이로 인해서 식물은 주변의 여러 가지 신호등을 인지할 수 있을 뿐만 아니라 변화된 환경에 적응할 수 있는 것이다. 하지만, 대부분의 CaM이나 이들과 관련된 단백질들의 기능은 최근 활발히 연구되고 있지만 아직 많은 작용 기작이 연구의 대상이 되고 있다. 따라서 CaM의 기능을 좀 더 이해한다면 식물의 환경적 자극에 대한 반응과 식물의 성장과 발달에 있어서 CaM의 역할을 규명하는데 도움을 줄 수 있을 것으로 기대된다. 본 논문은 $Ca^{2+}$-CaM의 신호전달 시스템과, CaM과 관련된 단백질들, 그리고 식물의 biotic, abiotic 스트레스에 대한 외부 자극의 반응에 있어서 CaM의 작용에 대해 기술하였다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제20권11호
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• pp.1617-1624
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• 2010

$\alpha$-MSH는 세포내 cAMP를 증폭시켜 멜라닌세포의 증식과 색소 증가에 관여한다. 본 연구에서는 $\alpha$-MSH로 자극한 B16F10 세포에서 세신추출물의 hypopigmenting 효과를 조사하고 그 억제기전에 대하여 조사하였다. 세신추출물은 $\alpha$-MSH에 의해 유도된 tyrosinase 활성과 멜라닌생성을 효과적으로 억제시켰으며, 이는 tyrosinase 발현을 조절하는 전사인자인 MITF의 발현억제와 연관성이 있었다. 즉 세신추출물은 MEK/ERK와 PI3K/Akt의 활성화를 통하여 MITF를 조절함으로서 $\alpha$-MSH에 의해 유도되는 tyrosinase, TRP-1, Dct 등 멜라닌생성관련 단백질을 억제함으로서 멜라닌생성을 저해하는 것으로 사료된다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제25권4호
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• pp.473-480
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• 2015

진핵세포의 소포체는 분비를 담당하는 첫 번째 기관이다. 대부분의 분비단백질과 막 형성단백질은 소포체에서 세포질/핵으로 전달되는 신호전달에 의한 번역후수식에 의해서 소포체를 통해서 분비된다. 그 결과 완전하게 접 힘이 일어난 단백질만 세포 밖으로 분비된다. 소포체내에서 완전하게 접힘이 일어나지 않아 축적된 단백질은 세 포내스트레스(소포체스트레스)가 되어 unfolded protein response (UPR)시스템을 작동시킨다. UPR을 작동시키는 3종류의 소포체막단백질은 inositol requiring 1 (IRE1), PKR-like ER kinase (PERK), activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6)이 존재한다. 최근에 새로운 종류의 ATF6이 동정되었다. 이들은(Luman, OASIS, BBF2H7, CREBH, CREB4) 공통적으로 소포체막관통영역, 전사활성영역, bZIP영역을 가지며 특이조직과 세포내기관에서 기능을 가 진다. 현재로서는 OASIS family의 정확한 분자기전 설명은 어렵지만, 본 리뷰에서 이들 분자신호를 포괄적으로 소개할 것이다

• 생명과학회지
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• 제23권12호
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• pp.1509-1515
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• 2013

'지질독성'이라는 용어는 근육과 같은 지방세포가 아닌 조직에서 여분의 지질 축적이 어떻게 세포의 기능저하와 괴사를 유도하는지를 설명하는데 사용되어 왔다. 고지방을 투여한 근세포 배양에서 지질독성이 확인된 바는 있지만, 생체 내 시험에서, 특히 지질독성에 의해 대사적으로 영향을 받는 Type-I 근육에서 이러한 결과가 확인된 바는 없다. 이 연구의 목적은 고지방식이가 쥐의 Type-I 근육의 형태학적 변화와 세포사멸 단백질 발현에 어떠한 영향을 미치는지를 밝히는 것이다. 이를 위해 6주간 고지방식이와 일반식이를 섭취한 쥐의 Type-I 근육 내 지질축적, 염증반응, 핵 침윤현상, cleaved PARP 단백질 발현을 각각 Oil Red O staining, H & E staining, Western blot 을 이용하여 비교 분석하였다. 6주 후 고지방식이 집단에서 지질축적, 염증반응, 핵 침윤현상, cleaved PARP 단백질 발현이 일반식이 집단에서 유의하게 증가하였다. Type-I 근육량은 일반식이 집단에 비해서 고지방식이 집단에서 낮은 경향을 보였으나 통계적으로 유의하지는 않았다. 이러한 결과는 고지방 식이가 지질독성에 의해 Type-I 근육의 세포괴사를 유도한다는 것을 의미하며, 이는 고지방 섭취가 직접적으로 근 감소증과 관련이 있음을 시사한다.