• Proceedings of the Microbiological Society of Korea Conference
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• 한국미생물학회 2005년도 International Meeting of the Microbiological Society of Korea
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• pp.64-66
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• 2005

Photosynthetic microbes possess a wealth of photoactive proteins including chlorophyll-based pigments, phototropin-related blue light receptors, phytochromes, and cryptochromes. Surprisingly, recent genome sequencing projects discovered additional photoactive proteins, retinal-based rhodopsins, in cyanobacterial and algal genera. Most of these newly found rhodopsin genes and retinal synthase have not been expressed and their functions are unknown. Analysis of the Anabaena and Chlamyrhodopsin with retinal synthase revealed that they have sensory functions, which, based on our work with haloarchaeal rhodopsins, may use a variety of signaling mechanisms. Anabaena rhodopsin is believed to be sensory, shown to interact with a soluble transducer and the putative function is either chromatic adaptation or circadian rhythm. Chlamydomonas rhodopsins are involved in phototaxis and photophobic responses based on electrical measurements by RNAi experiment. In order to analyze the protein, we developed a sensory rhodopsin expression system in E. coli. The opsin in E. coil bound endogenous all-trans retinal to form a pigment and can be observed on the plate. Using this system we could identify retinal synthase in Anabaena PCC 7120. We conclude that Anabaena D475 dioxygenase functions as a retinal synthase to the Anabaena rhodopsin in the cell.

• BMB Reports
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• 제41권1호
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• pp.86-91
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• 2008

The full-length cDNA of CaAbsi1 encodes a presumptive protein of 134 amino acid residues that has homology to a putative zinc finger protein in its C-terminus. The deduced amino acid sequence has 50% homology to Oryza sativa NP001049-274, the function of which is unknown. Expression of CaAbsi1 was reduced in response to inoculation of non-host pathogens. On the other hand it was induced one hour after exposure to high concentrations of NaCl or mannitol, and six hours after transfer to low temperature. Induction also occurred in response to oxidative stress, methyl viologen, hydrogen peroxide and abscisic acid. Our results suggest that CaAbsi1 plays a role in multiple responses to wounding and abiotic stresses.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.308-313
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• 2014

Activator protein-1 (AP-1) is an inducible transcription factor that contributes to the generation of chronic inflammation in response to oxidative and electrophilic stress. Previous studies have demonstrated that the PI3K/Akt1 pathway plays an important role in the transcriptional regulation of AP-1 expression. Although the histone post-translational modifications (PTMs) are assumed to affect the AP-1 transcriptional regulation by the PI3K/Akt pathway, the detailed mechanisms are completely unknown. In the present study, we show that heterochromatin 1 gamma ($HP1{\gamma}$) plays a negative role in TPA-induced c-Jun and c-Fos expression. We show that TPA-induced Akt1 directly phosphorylates $HP1{\gamma}$, abrogates its suppressive function and increases the interaction between histone H3 and 14-3-$3{\varepsilon}$. Collectively, these our data illustrate that the activation of PI3K/Akt pathway may play a permissive role in the recruitment of histone readers or other coactivators on the chromatin, thereby affecting the degree of AP-1 transcription.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.465-468
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• 1995

Matrix assisted laser desorption ionization in mass spectrometry is a fast and accurate method to determine the molecular weight of natural and synthetic polymers. Unknown peptides such as elastase inhibitor and $\small{D}$-hydantoinase were analyzed using sinapinic acid as matrix and their molecular weights were compared with the results from protein sequencer and gel filtration chomatography, respectively. Synthetic polymers such as polyethyleneglycol, polypropyleneglycol, polydimethylsiloxane, and polystyrene were analyzed using matrices such as 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid, 4-hdroxyazobenzenecarboxylic acid, and 2-nitrophenyl octyl ether. Average molecular weights of polystyrene were compared with molecular weights by gel permeation chromatography.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.71-76
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• 2002

Ginseng has been used as a traditional medicine with various therapeutic effects. However, it is still unknown which component of this plant is effective at promoting wound healing. Recently, ginsenoside $Rb_2$ has been reported to improve wound healing. In this study, to investigate the reported wound healing effect of the ginsenoside $Rb_2$, cell morphology and protein factors involved in epidermal formation were evaluated by immunshemical and immunoblotting analysis. $Rb_2$ stimulated epidermal cell proliferation, and the cell showed a 1.5-fold increase in thymidine uptake compared to the control (p<0.05, n=3). Futheremore $Rb_2$, was found to stimulate epidermis formation in a dose-dependent manner in raft culture, and to dose dependently enhance the expressions of protein factors related to cell proliferation, namely, epidermal growth factor and its receptor, fibronectin and its receptor, keratin 5/14, and collagenase 1 (p<0.05, n=3~9). It is believed that ginsenoside $Rb_2$, enhances epidermal cell proliferation by upregulating the expressions of these proliferation-related factors.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• 제19권4호
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• pp.161-170
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• 1976

Since caffeine inhibits the active uptake of Ca by the sarcoplasmic reticulum, the action of caffeine on the fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum of rabbit skeletal muscle was studied. Caffeine seemed not to bind tightly to the sarcoplasmic reticulum. The determination of sulfhydryl content of the fragmented sarcoplasmic reticulum, however, suggested that caffeine in some unknown manner influences the protein moiety and thereby increases the sulfhydryl content. The inhibition of Ca uptake by caffeine therefore might be considered as due to the result of this change in protein sulfhydryl content.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.167-174
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• 2009

To identify genes involved in rice Pi5-mediated disease resistance to Magnaporthe oryzae, we compared the proteomes of the RIL260 rice strain carrying the Pi5 resistance gene with its susceptible mutants M5465 and M7023. Proteins were extracted from the leaf tissues of both RIL260 and the mutant lines at 0, 24, and 48 h after M. oryzae inoculation and separated by two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE). Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) analysis identified eight proteins that were differently expressed between the resistant and susceptible plants (three down- and five up-regulated proteins in the mutants). The down-regulated proteins included a triosephosphate isomerase (spot no. 2210), a 2,3-bisphosphoglycerate-independent phosphoglycerate mutase (no. 3611), and an unknown protein (no. 4505). In addition, the five up-regulated proteins in the mutants were predicted to be a fructokinase I (no. 313), a glutathione S-transferase (no. 2310), an atpB of chloroplast ATP synthase (no. 3616), an aminopeptidase N (no. 3724), and an unknown protein (no. 308). These results suggest that proteomic analysis of rice susceptible mutants is a useful method for identifying novel proteins involved in resistance to the M. oryzae pathogen.

• BMB Reports
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• 제45권3호
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• pp.153-158
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• 2012

Geft is a guanine nucleotide exchange factor, which can specifically activate Rho family of small GTPase by catalyzing the exchange of bound GDP for GTP. Geft is highly expressed in the excitable tissue as heart and skeletal muscle and plays important roles in many cellular processes, such as cell proliferation, migration, and cell fate decision. However, the in vivo role of Geft remains unknown. Here, we generated a Geft conditional knockout mouse by flanking exons 5-17 of Geft with loxP sites. Cre-mediated deletion of the Geft gene in heart using Mef2c-Cre transgenic mice resulted in a dramatic decrease of Geft expression. Geft knockout mice develop normally and exhibit no discernable phenotype, suggesting Geft is dispensable for the development of the second heart field in mouse. The Geft conditional knockout mouse will be a valuable genetic tool for uncovering the in vivo roles of Geft during development and in adult homeostasis.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.237-244
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• 2011

Ski protein is implicated in proliferation/differentiation in a variety of cells. We had previously reported that Ski protein is present in granulosa cells of atretic follicles, but not in preovulatory follicles, suggesting that Ski has a role in apoptosis of granulosa cells. The alternative fate of granulosa cells other than apoptosis is to differentiate to luteal cells, however, it is unknown whether Ski is expressed and has a role in granulosa cells undergoing luteinization. Thus, the aim of the present study was to examine whether the initiation of luteinization with luteinizing hormone (LH) directly regulates expression of Ski in the luteinized granulosa and luteal cells after ovulation by in vitro models. RT-PCR and real time PCR analysis respectively revealed that LH had no effect on c-Ski mRNA expression in the cultured granulosa cells regardless of LH treatment. Though Ski protein is absent in granulosa cells of preovulatory follicle, its mRNA (c-Ski) was expressed and the level was unchanged even after LH surge. Taken together, these results demonstrated that Ski protein expression is induced in granulosa cells upon luteinization, and suggested that its expression is regulated post-transcriptionally. Moreover, expression of mRNA of Arkadia, an E3 ubiquitin ligases, in luteinizing granulosa cells in vivo was assessed by realtime-PCR. The levels of Arkadia mRNA expression were unchanged during follicular growth and postovulatory luteinization. These findings suggest that Ski protein level may be regulated during luteinization at translational and/or post-translational level but not by Arkadia.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.525-547
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• 1989

Hemorrhagic tendency observed in open heart surgery patients has been attributed, among other causes, to increased fibrinolytic activity during extracorporeal circulation. But the exact mechanism of enhanced fibrinolytic activity which occurs during extracorporeal circulation is still unknown. So, we studied and compared the changes of parameters of fibrinolytic and protein C system according to time obtained from the plasma of 31 adult open heart surgery patients[EGG group] and 10 adult general thoracic surgery patients[control group], in order to confirm the hypothesis that the activated protein C system might affect the fibrinolytic system during extracorporeal circulation. In ECC group, the nature of the enhanced fibrinolytic activity that evolved during extracorporeal circulation was characterized by significant increase in fibrin degradation products[P < 0.01] and significant decrease in plasminogen and alpha2-antiplasmin[P < 0.05, P < 0.01] in spite of adequate amount of heparin administration. These changes were most pronounced in the early phase of extracorporeal circulation and normalized after termination of extracorporeal circulation. The results of these observations were the same after volume correction with the value of hematocrit. The change of volume corrected protein C ratio during extracorporeal circulation revealed similar pattern to those of plasminogen and alpha2-antiplasmin [P < 0.01], but volume corrected ratio of free protein S showed significant increase after the commencement of extracorporeal circulation then decreased after extracorporeal circulation. Although the above mentioned changes occur similarly in both bubble type oxygenator-used and membrane oxygenator-used patients groups, but the degree of decrease was more severe in membrane oxygenator-used patients group [P < 0.01] and showed much slower recovery to reach to the preextracorporeal circulation level. These results confirm the hypothesis that the enhanced fibrinolysis during extracorporeal circulation might be caused by the activation of protein C system and the activation is possibly linked to the appearance of thrombin from contact activation of blood after wide exposure to the synthetic surfaces of extracorporeal circuit. Key words: Extracorporeal circulation, Enhanced fibrinolysis, Protein C system.