• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.230-234
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• 2003

The Bacillus subtilis YvaE protein, the small multidrug resistance (SMR) family (TC #2.A. 7.1), is shown to catalyze efflux of multiple cationic drugs including many disinfectants, when it was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. When the yvaD gene was coexpressed with yvaE gene, the yvaD protein, encoded within a single operon with the yvaE gene, is shown to counteract the action ofYvaE. By ethidium efflux analysis, the cells harvoring a vector with yvaE gene showed a rapid ethidium efflux, compared with the control cells. These results clearly suggest that YvaE mediates drug export from the cell cytoplasm.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.571-579
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• 1997

For the overproduction of pectate lyase (PL), the recombinant plasmid pl2BS fl which has strong promoter from alkali-tolerent Bacillus sp. YA-14 was used. In order to overexpress the pectate lyase by the action of overlapping strong promoter in pl2BS$\Delta$fl, 1.6 kb of PL gene was inserted into pl2BS$\Delta$fl to form pl2BS$\delta$f1-PL and the enzyme was expressed. But decreased expression efficiency of the PL gene was observed and it was due to the presence of the transcription terminator region on the upstream of the PL gene. The transcription terminator of the PL gene in pl2BS$\delta$f1-PL was removed and the resulting plasmid p12BS$\Delta$fl$\Delta$PL was formed. Bacillus subtilis 207-25 harboring the recombinant plasmid, p12BS$\Delta$fl$\Delta$PL, revealed increased expression efficiency with chloramphenicol induction when cat-86 was used as a reporter gene.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.637-643
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• 1991

The inhibitory activity of Lactobacillus plantarum Lp2 isolated from Kimchi was investigated against E. colz, Staphylococcus aureus, Str. faecalis, P. aeruginosa and psycrotrophic strain Pcl. The addition of ether extract from Lp2 culture broth completely inhibited the growth of E, coli, P. aeruginosa and Pc1, but the inhibitory action was weak against S. aureus and Str. faecalis. The inhibitory substance(s), soluble in methanol, acetone and ethyl ether, was active in the pH range of 5 and 6, but the activity was lost above pH 6. The activity was retained after heating at $121^{\circ}C$ for 15 min. By dialysis, the molecular weight of the inhibitory substancek) was estimated under 1000. The TLC analysis of Lp2 ether extract revealed the presence of three bands and the inhibitory activity was found in that of $R_f$ value 0.73.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.678-686
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• 1996

To improve the preservation of Kimchi, we isolated Lactobacillus plantarum lytic enzyme-producing strain from soil, and the enzyme was purified and characterized. From the observation of cultural and morpho- logical characteristics, the isolated strain was identified as Metarrisium anisopliae (Metschn.) Sorok. The enzyme was purified to 75-folds with 40% yields through affinity adsorption and CM-Sephadex C-50 column chromatog- raphy. The optimum pH and temperature for lytic activity are 4.0 and 40$\circ$C, respectively, and the enzyme acitvity is stable between pH 3.0 and 9.0, and up to 50$\circ$C. The enzyme is a monomeric protein with molecular weight of 40,000 daltons by SDS-PAGE and gel filtration. The enzyme is endopeptidase which breaks the peptide linkage of Lactobacillus plantarum peptidoglycan. The lytic action spectra confirmed that Leuconostoc mesenteroides, a useful strain for the fermentation of Kimchi, is not lysed by the enzyme. The enzyme activity is inhibited by N-bromosuccinimide (NBS), which probably indicates the involvement of tryptophan residue in active site of the enzyme, and also inhibited by Ag$^{+}$. The amino acid composition analysis showed that the enzyme contains more acidic amino acids than basic ones, and composition of alanine, glycine, proline and tyrosines was very high.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.405-411
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• 2006

Heterotrimeric GTP binding proteins (G proteins) mediate signal transduction generated by neurotransmitter and hormones. Among G-proteins, Go is classified as a member of the Go/Gi family and the most abundant heterotrimeric G protein in brain. Most of the mechanistic analyses on the activation of Go indicated its action to be mediated by the $G{\beta}{\gamma}$ dimer because downstream effectors for its ${\alpha}$ subunit have not been clearly defined. To determine the downstream effectors of alpha subunits of Go ($Go{\alpha}$), we used yeast two-hybrid system to screen $Go{\alpha}$ interacting partners in cDNA library from the human brain. A brain specific high mobility group box containing protein (BHX), A possible transcription factor, was identified as a $Go{\alpha}$ interacting protein. We confirmed interaction between $Go{\alpha}$ and BHX employing in vitro affinity binding assay. Moreover, active form of $Go{\alpha}$ preferentially interacts with BHX than inactive farm. Our findings indicate that $Go{\alpha}$ could modulate gene expression via interaction with BHX during neuronal or brain development.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.287-293
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• 2009

Phospholipase D (PLD) is an enzyme hydrolyzing phosphatidylcholine to phosphatidic acid (PA) and choline. We investigated the involvement of PLD1 in the uptake of norepinephrine (NE) in PC12 cells, pheochromocytoma cells. NE uptake was specific in PC12 cells because nomifensine, a specific blocker of NE transporter, blocked NE uptake. Inhibition of PLD function in PC12 cells by the treatment of butanol suppressed the NE uptake. In contrast, overexpression of PLD1 in PC12 cells increased NE uptake efficiently. These results suggest that PLD activity is involved in NE uptake. We explored the action mechanism of PLD in NE uptake. PA phosphatase inhibitor, propranolol, blocks the formation of PKC activator diacylglycerol from PA. Propranolol treatment to PC12 cells blocked dramatically the uptake of NE. Specific PKC inhibitors, GF109203X and Ro31-8220, blocked NE uptake. Taken together, we suggest for the first time that PLD1 activity is involved in NE uptake via the activation of PKC.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.233-238
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• 2013

Aspirin is still the mainstay of antiplatelet therapy in the cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease. However, some patients are not responsive to the antithrombotic action of aspirin. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and clinical characteristics of aspirin resistance in patients with cerebral infarction. We tested platelet function in 557 patients who had been treated with aspirin in J general hospital. Platelet function was tested using the multiple electrode platelet aggregometry (MEA). Platelet reactivity was expressed as area under the aggregation curve (AUC, U) and >30 AUC was defined as aspirin resistance. Aspirin resistance was detected in 16.2% patients. There was not any significant differences in age, gender between aspirin resistance and aspirin sensitive patients. WBC was significantly higher in patients with aspirin resistance (P < .05). HDL-cholesterol was significantly higher in patients with aspirin sensitive (P < .05). Aspirin resistance was positive correlation with platelet count (r =.314, P =.003). The prevalence of aspirin resistance in cerebral infarction was 16.2%, and platelet count were related with aspirin resistance.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.341-346
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• 2004

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) or its mRNA expression are increased in acute nephrosis of various types including ischemia/reperfusion injury. This study was undertaken to determine whether pentoxifylline (PTX), an inhibitor of TNF-α production, provides a protective effect against hypoxia-induced cell injury in rabbit renal cortical slices. To induce hypoxia-induced cell injury, renal cortical slices were exposed to 100% N₂ atmosphere. Control slices were exposed to 100% O₂ atmosphere. The cell injury was estimated by measuring lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release and p-aminohippurate (PAH) uptake. Exposure of slices to hypoxia increased the LDH release in a time-dependent manner. However, when slices were exposed to hypoxia in the presence of PTX, the LDH release was decreased. The protective effect of PTX was dose-dependent over the concentrations of 0.05∼1 mM. Hypoxia did not increase lipid peroxidation, whereas an organic hydroperoxide t-butylhydroperoxide (tBHP) resulted in a significant increase in lipid peroxidation. PTX did not affect tBHP-induced lipid peroxidation. Hypoxia decreased PAH uptake, which was significantly attenuated by PTX and glycine. tBHP-induced inhibition of PAH uptake was not altered by PTX, although it was prevented by antioxidant deferoxarnine. The PAH uptake by slices in rabbits with ischemic acute renal failure was prevented by PTX pretreatment. These results suggest that PTX may exert a protective effect against hypoxia-induced cell injury and its effect may due to inhibition of the TNF-α production, but not by its antioxidant action.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.171-177
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• 2009

This study investigated whether increased adiposity is prevented by estrogen replacement in female ovariectomized (OVX) C57BL/6J mice, an animal model of human menopause and whether these metabolic changes reflect the inhibitory action of estrogen on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor $\gamma$ ($PPAR{\gamma}$)-regulated gene expression. Treatment of $17{\beta}$-estradiol for the last one week of the experiment decreased high fat diet-induced body weight gain and white adipose tissue mass compared to OVX control mice. Histological analysis showed that administration of $17{\beta}$-estradiol to mice decreased the size of adipocytes in parametrial adipose tissue versus OVX control mice. In addition, $17{\beta}$-estradiol reduced the adipose expression of $PPAR{\gamma}$ as well as $PPAR{\gamma}$ target genes such as adipocyte fatty acid binding protein and tumor necrosis factor $\alpha$. These results suggest that $17{\beta}$-estradiol may inhibit adiposity through reducing the $PPAR{\gamma}$ activities in female OVX mice.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.193-199
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• 2005

The present study was performed to assess peripheral neural involvement by exposure to hand-arm vibration. Segmental sensory nerve conduction in the median and ulnar nerves were measured in shipyard workers exposed to vibration. The subjects were 47 male adults exposed to hand-arm vibration and 7 healthy male controls. The subjects underwent an extensive bilateral neurophysiological examination. Sensory compound nerve action potential (SNAP) of the median and ulnar nerves in palm-finger and wrist-palm segments were measured by antidromic method. And SNAP of the median and ulnar nerves in wrist-proximal finger and wrist-distal finger segments were measured by orthodromic method. Result of sensory nerve conduction study was abnormal in 31 patients $(66\%)$ and normal in 16 patients $(34\%)$ of subjects. The pathological pattern in the hand-arm vibration exposed group was 13 patients $(28\%)$ of carpal tunnel syndrome, 18 patients $(38\%)$ of distal sensory neuropathy, 7 patients $(15\%)$ of multifocal and 1 patient $(2\%)$ of Guyon syndrome. The present study indicates that vibration-induced nerve impairments exist both in the finger-palm and palm-wrist segment of median and ulnar sensory nerves. The results suggest that segmental sensory nerve conduction study would be useful as objective indication of peripheral nerve impairment induced by the hand-arm vibration.