• Journal of Plant Biology
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.173-179
• /
• 1987

The effect of polyamine, Ca2+ and calmodulin on GS ($\beta$-glucan synthetase) activity was studied in Daucus carota root. The Ca2+ is shown to have no effect on the GS activity whereas the GS II activity is increased in response to increase in concentration of the Ca2+. When the protoplasts are cultured, for 4 days, the GS II activity increases as a tunction of time and reachs a maximum after 3 days at a time when the network of cellulose microfibrils is known to be synthesized. The effect of the Ca2+ and 1mM spermine on the GS II activity turns out to be synergistic, especially more synergistic at lower concentration of the Ca2+. The GS II activity seems to be enhanced by the Ca2+. The GS II activity in the protoplast treated by the calcium channel blocker, verapamil, turns out to be lower than that of the control. Cumulative results suggest that the Ca2+ stimulates the cell wall regeneration via enhancement of the GS II activity responsible for synthesizing the cell wall component throught synergistic effect with spermine.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.51 no.1
• /
• pp.25-38
• /
• 2023

Three fungal strains belonging to the class Sordariomycetes were isolated from soil collected on Jeju Island and Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea. They were identified as Diaporthe endophytica (KNU-JJ-1809), Faurelina indica (KNU-JJ-1830), and Trichoderma ivoriense (KNU-4-KH1). KNU-JJ-1809 produced beta conidia that were straight, curved, hyaline, smooth-walled, with a diameter of 16.5-25.0×0.6-1.7 ㎛. The conidia of strain KNU-JJ-1830 were hyaline to light green, thin, clavate, round, truncate base, had guttules at both ends, with a diameter of 2.5-5.2×1.7-3.8 ㎛. The conidia of strain KNU-4-KH1 were oblong or ellipsoidal, smooth-walled, greenish, with a diameter of 2.2-4.4×2.2-3.6 ㎛. Internal transcribed spacer regions, partial large subunit, translation elongation factor 1-alpha, β-tubulin, and calmodulin genes were used to confirm the strains, and their cultural and morphological characteristics. To our knowledge, this is the first report on D. endophytica, F. indica, and T. ivoriense in Korea.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.315-319
• /
• 1998

Gastric smooth muscle of cats was used to investigate the involvement of protein kinase in vanadate-induced contraction. Vanadate caused a contraction of cat gastric smooth muscle in a dose-dependent manner. Vanadate-induced contraction was totally inhibited by 2 mM EGTA and 1.5 mM $LACI_3$ and significantly inhibited by $10\mu$M verapamil and $1\mu$M nifedipine, suggesting that vanadate-induced contraction is dependent on the extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ concentration, and the influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ was mediated through voltage-dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channel. Both protein kinase C inhibitor and tyrosine kinase inhibitor significantly inhibited the vanadate-induced contraction and the combined inhibitory effect of two protein kinase inhibitors was greater than that of each one. But calmodulin antagonists did not have any influence on the vanadate-induced contraction. On the other hand, both forskolin ($1\mu$M) and sodium nitroprusside ($1\mu$M) significantly inhibited vanadate-induced contraction. Therefore, these results suggest that both protein kinase C and tyrosino kinase are involved in the vanadate-induced contraction which required the influx of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ in cat gastric smooth muscle, and that the contractile mechanism of vanadate may be different from that of agonist binding to its specific receptor.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.55 no.12
• /
• pp.627-632
• /
• 2022

Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) is a secreted protein that acts as an antagonist of the canonical WNT/β-catenin pathway, which regulates osteoblast differentiation. However, the role of DKK1 on osteoblast differentiation has not yet been fully clarified. Here, we investigate the functional role of DKK1 on osteoblast differentiation. Primary osteoprogenitor cells were isolated from human spinal bone tissues. To examine the role of DKK1 in osteoblast differentiation, we manipulated the expression of DKK1, and the cells were differentiated into mature osteoblasts. DKK1 overexpression in osteoprogenitor cells promoted matrix mineralization of osteoblast differentiation but did not promote matrix maturation. DKK1 increased Ca⁺ influx and activation of the Ca⁺/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II Alpha (CAMK2A)-cAMP response element-binding protein 1 (CREB1) and increased translocation of p-CREB1 into the nucleus. In contrast, stable DKK1 knockdown in human osteosarcoma cell line SaOS2 exhibited reduced nuclear translocation of p-CREB1 and matrix mineralization. Overall, we suggest that manipulating DKK1 regulates the matrix mineralization of osteoblasts by Ca⁺-CAMK2A-CREB1, and DKK1 is a crucial gene for bone mineralization of osteoblasts.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
• /
• v.22 no.2
• /
• pp.155-162
• /
• 2018

3-(2-Carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP), a competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, produces rapid antidepressant-like effects in animal models of depression. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these behavioral actions remain unknown. Here, we demonstrate that CPP rapidly stimulates histone deacetylase (HDAC) 5 phosphorylation and nuclear export in rat hippocampal neurons. These effects are accompanied by calcium/calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) and protein kinase D (PKD) phosphorylation. Behavioral experiments revealed that viral-mediated hippocampal knockdown of HDAC5 blocked the antidepressant effects of CPP in stressed animals. Taken together, our results imply that CPP acts via HDAC5 and suggest that HDAC5 is a common regulator contributing to the antidepressant actions of NMDA receptor antagonists such as CPP.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.77-82
• /
• 2012

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is an important cellular fuel sensor. Its activation requires phosphorylation at Thr-172, which resides in the activation loop of the ${\alpha}1$ and ${\alpha}2$ subunits. Several AMPK upstream kinases are capable of phosphorylating AMPK at Thr-172, including LKB1 and CaMKK${\beta}$ ($Ca^{2+}$/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase${\beta}$). AMPK has been implicated in the regulation of physiological signals, such as in the inhibition of cholesterol fatty acid, and protein synthesis, and enhancement of glucose uptake and blood flow. AMPK activation also exhibits several salutary effects on the vascular function and improves vascular abnormalities. AMPK is modulated by numerous hormones and cytokines that regulate the energy balance in the whole body. These hormone and cytokines include leptin, adiponectin, ghrelin, and even thyroid hormones. Moreover, AMPK is activated by several drugs and xenobiotics. Some of these are in being clinically used to treat type 2 diabetes (e.g., metformin and thiazolidinediones), hypertension (e.g., nifedipine and losartan), and impaired blood flow (e.g., aspirin, statins, and cilostazol). I reviewed the precise mechanisms of the AMPK activation pathway and AMPK-modulating drugs.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.43 no.8
• /
• pp.671-685
• /
• 2020

The regulator of calcineurin (RCAN) was first reported as a novel gene called DSCR1, encoded in a region termed the Down syndrome critical region (DSCR) of human chromosome 21. Genome sequence comparisons across species using bioinformatics revealed three members of the RCAN gene family, RCAN1, RCAN2, and RCAN3, present in most jawed vertebrates, with one member observed in most invertebrates and fungi. RCAN is most highly expressed in brain and striated muscles, but expression has been reported in many other tissues, as well, including the heart and kidneys. Expression levels of RCAN homologs are responsive to external stressors such as reactive oxygen species, Ca²⁺, amyloid β, and hormonal changes and upregulated in pathological conditions, including Alzheimer's disease, cardiac hypertrophy, diabetes, and degenerative neuropathy. RCAN binding to calcineurin, a Ca²⁺/calmodulin-dependent phosphatase, inhibits calcineurin activity, thereby regulating different physiological events via dephosphorylation of important substrates. Novel functions of RCANs have recently emerged, indicating involvement in mitochondria homeostasis, RNA binding, circadian rhythms, obesity, and thermogenesis, some of which are calcineurin-independent. These developments suggest that besides significant contributions to DS pathologies and calcineurin regulation, RCAN is an important participant across physiological systems, suggesting it as a favorable therapeutic target.

• Animal cells and systems
• /
• v.15 no.2
• /
• pp.95-106
• /
• 2011

The transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) cation channel, a member of the TRP vanilloid subfamily, is expressed in a broad range of tissues. Nitric oxide (NO) as a gaseous signal mediator shows a variety of important biological effects. In many instances, NO has been shown to exhibit its activities via a protein S-nitrosylation mechanism in order to regulate its protein functions. With functional assays via site-directed mutagenesis, we demonstrate herein that NO induces the S-nitrosylation of TRPV4 $Ca^{2+}$ channel on the $Cys^{853}$ residue, and the S-nitrosylation of $Cys^{853}$ reduced its channel sensitivity to 4-${\alpha}$ phorbol 12,13-didecanoate and the interaction between TRPV4 and calmodulin. A patch clamp experiment and $Ca^{2+}$ image analysis show that the S-nitrosylation of $Cys^{853}$ modulates the TRPV4 channel as an inhibitor. Thus, our data suggest a novel regulatory mechanism of TRPV4 via NO-mediated S-nitrosylation on its $Cys^{853}$ residue.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.58-68
• /
• 2018

Sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea) is used as a nitrogen-fixing green manure in Korea to improve soil quality, reduce soil erosion, and suppress weeds and nematodes. In 2014, wilting sunn hemp plants were observed in green manure-cultivated fields in Wanju, Korea. Leaves of the infected plants began yellowing, starting with the lower leaves, eventually leading to their death. Moreover, a number of dark perithecia were observed on the wilting stems. Six isolates were obtained from these perithecia by single spore isolation. Based on their morphological characteristics, the isolates were identified as Fusarium udum (teleomorph: Gibberella indica). Macroconidia were slightly curved with almost hooked apical cell, and microconidia were formed on false heads by monophialides. Chlamydospores were produced abundantly in the hyphae, either singly or in clusters. To confirm the identification, multilocus sequence analysis was conducted using translation elongation factor 1 alpha (TEF), calmodulin (CAL), and histone 3 (HIS3). The sequences of TEF, CAL, and HIS3 showed 94.4~96.2%, 99.7%, and 99.6~99.8% similarity to the reference sequences of F. udum in NCBI GenBank, respectively. Pathogenicity was tested on sunn hemp and two soybean cultivars using the inoculation method of soil drenching with spore suspension. The wilting symptoms were observed only in sunn hemp and one cultivar of soybean (cv. Teagwang) after 14~21 days of inoculation. This is the first report of wilt disease in sunn hemp caused by Fusarium udum in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
• /
• v.29 no.2
• /
• pp.243-250
• /
• 1995

A possible potentiation between cholecystokinin (CCK) and secretin in amylase secretion from isolated rat pancreatic acini was investigated. Combined treatment of acini with secretin and CCK at low concentrations, which are known to be physiological, resulted in enzyme secretion larger than the arithmetic sum of their separate effects. Such a potentiating effect also occurred between secretin and A23187 (Ca ionophore), between forskolin (adenylate cyclase activator) and CCK, and between forskolin and A23187. Staurosporin (protein kinase C inhibitor) and W7 (calmodulin antagonist) inhibited markedly the potentiated amylase release induced by the agonists, but KT5720 (protein kinase A inhibitor) did not affect the potentiated amylase release. Therefore, we concluded that the action of CCK in a physiological concentration is potentiated by secretin in a physiological concentration range and vice versa, and that the intracellular mechanism necessary for the potentiation is associated with $Ca^{2+}$. However, it is uncertain what mechanisms are involved in potentiation of amylase release after CAMP and $Ca^{2+}$.