• BMB Reports
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.142-147
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• 2020

Lipid accumulation in white adipose tissue is the key contributor to the obesity and orchestrates numerous metabolic health problems such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and cancer. Nonetheless, the prevention and treatment of obesity are still inadequate. Recently, scientists found that brown adipose tissue (BAT) in adult humans has functions that are diametrically opposite to those of white adipose tissue and that BAT holds promise for a new strategy to counteract obesity. In this study, we evaluated the potential of sinapic acid (SA) to promote the thermogenic program and lipolysis in BAT. SA treatment of brown adipocytes induced the expression of brown-adipocyte activation-related genes such as Ucp1, Pgc-1α, and Prdm16. Furthermore, structural analysis and western blot revealed that SA upregulates protein kinase A (PKA) phosphorylation with competitive inhibition by a pan-PKA inhibitor, H89. SA binds to the adenosine triphosphate (ATP) site on the PKA catalytic subunit where H89 binds specifically. PKA-cat-α1 gene-silencing experiments confirmed that SA activates the thermogenic program via a mechanism involving PKA and cyclic AMP response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling. Moreover, SA treatment promoted lipolysis via a PKA/p38-mediated pathway. Our findings may allow us to open a new avenue of strategies against obesity and need further investigation.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.162-170
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• 1993

Vapor-phase ETBE(ethyl tert-butyl ether) synthesis from TBA(tert-butyl alcohol) and ethanol was carried over solid acid catalysts such as heteropoly acids and proton type zeolites. Heteropoly acids were more active than proton type zeolites and $H_4SiW_{12}O_{40}$ catalyst showed about the same activity as Amberlyst-15 ion exchange resin catalyst used as an industrial catalyst in ETBE synthesis. The catalytic activity of transition metal exchanged heteropoly acids was greatly enhanced, because new acid site was generated with hydrogen reduction. This effect of hydrogen reduction was related to the reduction characteristics of catalysts and the order of reducibility was $Ag^+$>$Cu^{2+}$>$Fe^{2+}$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.128-136
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• 2014

Alginates are linear acidic polysaccharides composed with (1-4)-linked ${\alpha}$-L-guluronic acid and ${\beta}$-Dmannuronic acid. Alginate can be degraded by diverse alginate lyases, which cleave the alginate using a ${\beta}$-elimination reaction and produce unsaturated uronate oligomers. A gene for a polyMG-specific alginate lyase possessing a novel structure was previously identified and cloned from Stenotrophomonas maltophilia KJ-2. Homology modeling of KJ-2 polyMG-specific alginate lyase showed it belongs to the PL6 family, whereas three Azotobacter vinelandii polyMG lyases belong to the PL7 family of polysaccharide lyases. From $^1H$-NMR spectra data, KJ-2 polyMG lyase preferably degraded the M-${\beta}$(1-4)-G glycosidic bond than the G-${\alpha}$(1-4)-M glycosidic bond. Seventeen mutants were made by site-directed mutagenesis, and alginate lyase activity was analyzed. Lys220Ala, Arg241Ala, Arg241Lys, and Arg265Ala lost alginate lyase activity completely. Arg155Ala, Gly303Glu, and Tyr304Phe also lost the activity by 60.7-80.1%. These results show that Arg155, Lys220, Arg241, Arg265, Gly303, and Tyr304 are important residues for catalytic activity and substrate binding.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.2949-2953
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• 2012

The glutathione S transferase (GST) family is a major part of cellular defense mechanisms against endogenous and exogenous substances, many of which have carcinogenic potential. Alteration in the expression level or structure of the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) enzymes may lead to inadequate detoxification of potential carcinogens and consequently contribute to cancer development. A member of the glutathione-S-transferase (GST) family, GSTP1, is an attractive candidate for involvement in susceptibility to carcinogen-associated colorectal cancer. An $Ag{\rightarrow}G$ transition in exon 5 resulting in an Ile105Val amino acid substitution has been identified which alters catalytic efficiency. The present study investigated the possible impact of Ile105Val GSTP1 polymorphism on susceptibility to colorectal cancer. in Jordan We examined 90 tissue samples previously diagnosed with colorectal carcinoma, and 56 non-cancerous colon tissues. DNA was extracted from paraffin embedded tissues and the status of the GSTP1 polymorphism was determined using a polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. No statistically significant differences were found between colorectal cancer cases and controls for the GSTP1 Ile/Ile, Ile/Val and Val/Val genotypes. The glutathione S-transferase polymorphism was not associated with risk in colorectal cancer cases in Jordan stratified by age, sex, site, grade or tumor stage. In conclusion, the GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism is unlikely to affect the risk of colorectal cancer.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.455-461
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• 1994

Each nitrogen and oxygen site isotope enriched the cyclophosphamide metabolite phosphoramide mustard was synthesized. Reaction of N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)phosphoramidic dichloride$[Cl_2P(O)N(CH_2CH_2Cl)_2]$ with benzyl alcohol and ammonia gave N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)phosphorodiamidic acid phenylmethyl ester $[BzO(H_2N)P(O)N(CH_2CH_2Cl)_2]$. Catalytic hydrogenation of this benzyl ester followed by the addition of cyclohexylamine provided PM. Incorporation of $^{15}NH_3$ into this general scheme gave PM with a $^{15}NH_2$ moiety. Glycine-$^{15}N$ was converted to bis(2-chloroethyl)amine-$^{15}N$ hydrochloride which, in turn, provided for N,N-bis(2-chloroethyl)phosphorodiamidic-$^{15}N$ dichloride. Use of this compound in the general synthetic pathway yielded PM CHA with $^{15}N$ in the mustard moiety. $^{17}O$-Enriched PM was generated through the use of benzyl alcohol-$^{17}O$. To obtain the alcohol, labelled benzaldehyde was made by exchange with $^{17}OH_2$ and was then reduced with sodium borohydride.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 2011

Autophagy is a catabolic process involved in the degradation of a cell's own components for cell growth, development, homeostasis, and the recycling of cellular products. Autophagosome is an essential component in the protozoan parasite during differentiation and encystation. The present study identified and characterized autophagy-related protein (Atg) 3, a member of Atg8 conjugation system, in Acanthamoeba castellanii (AcAtg3). AcAtg3 encoding a 304 amino acid protein showed high similarity with the catalytic cysteine site of other E2 like enzymes of ubiquitin system. Predicted 3D structure of AcAtg3 revealed a hammer-like shape, which is the characteristic structure of E2-like enzymes. The expression level of AcAtg3 did not increase during encystation. However, the formation of mature cysts was significantly reduced in Atg3-siRNA transfected cells in which the production of Atg8-phosphatidylethanolamine conjugate was inhibited. Fluorescent microscopic analysis revealed that dispersed AcAtg3-EGFP fusion protein gathered around autophagosomal membranes during encystation. These results provide important information for understanding autophagic machinery through the lipidation reaction mediated by Atg3 in Acanthamoeba.

• BMB Reports
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.436-441
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• 1996

The palmitoyl acyl carrier protein (ACP) specific thioesterase (EC 3.1.2.14) from Iris pseudoacorus was purified and characterized. The thioesterase which was very unstable in relatively high salt concentrations was eluted using a co-gradient of Triton X-100 and low concentration of KCl or Na-phosphate from Q-Sepharose, DEAE-Sepharose, and hydroxyapatite chromatography. SDS-PAGE analysis showed a single band with a molecular weight of 35,000. The native molecular weight of approximately 37,000 was estimated by Sephacryl S-200 chromatography, indicating that the enzyme is a monomer. The thioesterase activity was inhibited about 75% and 50% by N-ethylmaleimide (2 mM) and phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride (2 mM). respectively. The N-ethylmaleimide-inactivation was protected by sodium palmitate but the inactivation with phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride was not protected. Oxidation of thiols by 2 mM 5.5'-dithio-bis-(2-nitrobenzoic acid) resulted in 65% inactivation of the enzyme. These results suggest that a cysteinyl residue is essential to the catalytic reaction of the enzyme. The enzyme activity was increased by sodium citrate and also by $Cu^{2+}$

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.756-764
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• 1997

Ile-224 in I269S mutant horse liver alcohol dehydrogenase isoenzyme S (HLADH-S) was mutated to serine by site-directed mutagenesis in order to study the role of the residue in c oenzyme binding to the enzyme. The specific activity of the I269S and I224S mutant enzyme to ethanol was increased 6-fold and all Michaelis constants($K_a,\;K_b,\;K_p,\;and\;K_q$,/TEX>) were larger than those for the wild-type and I269S enzyme. The substitution decreased the afffinity to coenzymes and increased the specific activity of the enzyme. The mutant enzyme showed the highest catalytic efficiency for octanol among the primary alcohols. But it didn`t have activities on retinoids and 5${\beta}$-cholanic acid-3-one. From these results, it was confirmed that the hydrophobic interaction of Ile-224 residue with coenzyme was related to coenzyme affinity in ADH reaction. The substitution also affected the substrate affinities to the enzyme.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.497-501
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• 1996

A gene coding for triosephosphate isomerase (TPI) from a rat skeletal muscle cDNA library was cloned and its nucleotide sequence was determined. The 1, 348-bp cDNA clone contains 24 bp $5^I$ noncoding region, the entire 750 bp coding region corresponding to a protein of 249 amino acids, $547bp 3^I$ noncoding region and part of a poly(A) tail. It also contains a polyadenylation signal, AATAAA, starting from 17 bp upstream of the poly(A) tail. The calculated molecular weight of rat TPI is 27.8 kDa and the net charge is +4. The deduced amino acid sequence from rat TPI CDNA sequence has 93% and 94% homology with that of mouse and human clones, respectively. The amino acids at the residue of Asn12, Lys14, His96, Glu 166, His96, His101, Ala177, Tyr165, Glu13O, Tyr2O9, and Ser212 in catalytic site are completely identical, confirming that the functional residues in TPI proteins are highly conserved throughout evolution. The most profound characteristic of rat TPI enzyme, compared with other TPIs, is that there are five cysteine substitutions at the residue of 21, 27, 159, 195 and 204. A Glu123 instead of Gly was found in rabbit, rhesus, mouse and human sequences. Through the method of RT-PCR, the mRNA transcription level of TPI gene was found to be different among various tissues and was highest in muscle.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.838-844
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• 2001

The enzyme Fuc aldolase from Methanococcus jannaschii that catalyzes the aldol condensation of DHAP and L-lactaldehyde to give fuculose-1-phosphate was inactivated by DEP. The inactivation was pseudo first-order in the enzyme and DEP, which was biphasic. A pseudo second-order rate constant of 120$M^{-1}min^{-1}$ was obtained at pH 6.0 and $25{\circ}C$. Quantifying the increase in absorbance at 240nm showed that four histidine residues per subunit were modified during the nearly complete inactivation. The statistical analysis and the time course of the modification suggested that two or three histidine residues were essential for activity. The rate of inactivation was dependent on the pH, and the pH inactivation data implied the involvement of the amino acid residue with a $pK_a$ value of 5.7. Fuc aldolase was protected against DEP inactivation by DHAP, indicating that the histidine residues were located at the active site of Fuc aldolase. DL-Glyceraldehyde, as an alternative substrate to L-lactaldehyde, showed no specific protection for the Fuc aldolase.