• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.307-316
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• 2015

Beginning from the recognition of FtsZ as a bacterial tubulin homolog in the early 1990s, many bacterial cytoskeletal elements have been identified, including homologs to the major eukaryotic cytoskeletal elements (tubulin, actin, and intermediate filament) and the elements unique in prokaryotes (ParA/MinD family and bactofilins). The discovery and functional characterization of the bacterial cytoskeleton have revolutionized our understanding of bacterial cells, revealing their elaborate and dynamic subcellular organization. As in eukaryotic systems, the bacterial cytoskeleton participates in cell division, cell morphogenesis, DNA segregation, and other important cellular processes. However, in accordance with the vast difference between bacterial and eukaryotic cells, many bacterial cytoskeletal proteins play distinct roles from their eukaryotic counterparts; for example, control of cell wall synthesis for cell division and morphogenesis. This review is aimed at providing an overview of the bacterial cytoskeleton, and discussing the roles and assembly dynamics of bacterial cytoskeletal proteins in more detail in relation to their most widely conserved functions, DNA segregation and coordination of cell wall synthesis.

• BMB Reports
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• v.43 no.7
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• pp.468-473
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• 2010

Previously, various inhibitors of cell wall synthesis induced the drp35 gene of Staphylococcus aureus efficiently. To determine whether drp35 could be exploited in antistaphylococcal drug discovery, we cloned the promoter of drp35 ($P_d$) and developed different biological assay systems using an engineered S. aureus strain that harbors a chromosomally-integrated $P_d$ - lacZ transcriptional fusion. An agarose-based assay showed that $P_d$ is induced not only by the cell wall-affecting antibiotics but also by rifampicin and ciprofloxacin. In contrast, a liquid medium-based assay revealed the induction of $P_d$ specifically by the cell wall-affecting antibiotics. Induction of $P_d$ by sublethal concentrations of cell wall-affecting antibiotics was even assessable in a microtiter plate assay format, indicating that this assay system could be potentially used for high-throughput screening of new cell wall-inhibiting compounds.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.263-268
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• 2003

Recently, we identified a domain, termed MIRC3-4, for the protein-protein interaction between yeast chitin synthase 3 (CHS3) and chitin synthase 4 (CHS4). In this study, the functional roles of MIRC3-4 were examined at the G1 phase and cytokinesis of the cell cycle by Calcofluor staining and FISH. Some mutations in MIRC3-4 resulted in disappearance of the chitin ring in the early G1 phase, but did not affect chitin synthesis in the cell wall at cytokinesis. The chitin distribution in chs4 mutant cells indicated that CHS4 was involved in the synthesis of chitinring in the G1 phase and in the synthesis of cell wall chitin after cytokinesis, suggesting that Chs4p regulates chitin synthase 3 activity differently in G1 and cytokinesis. Absence of the chitin ring could be caused either by delocalization of Chs3p to the bud-neck or by improper interaction with Chs4p. When mutant cells were immunostained with a Chs3p-specific antibody to discriminate between these two alternatives, the mutated Ch3p was found to localize to the neck in all MIRC3-4 mutants. These results strongly irdicate that Chs4p regulates Chs3p as an activator but not a recruiter.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.395-404
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• 2017

Fungal cell walls and cell membranes are the main targets of antifungals. In this study, we report on the antifungal activity of an ethanol extract from Paeonia lactiflora against Candida albicans, showing that the antifungal activity is associated with the synergistic actions of preventing cell wall synthesis, enabling membrane depolarization, and compromising permeability. First, it was shown that the ethanol extract from P. lactiflora was involved in damaging the integrity of cell walls in C. albicans. In isotonic media, cell bursts of C. albicans by the P. lactiflora ethanol extract could be restored, and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the P. lactiflora ethanol extract against C. albicans cells increased 4-fold. In addition, synthesis of $(1,3)-{\beta}-{\small{D}}-glucan$ polymer was inhibited by 87% and 83% following treatment of C. albicans microsomes with the P. lactiflora ethanol extract at their $1{\times}MIC$ and $2{\times}MIC$, respectively. Second, the ethanol extract from P. lactiflora influenced the function of C. albicans cell membranes. C. albicans cells treated with the P. lactiflora ethanol extract formed red aggregates by staining with a membrane-impermeable dye, propidium iodide. Membrane depolarization manifested as increased fluorescence intensity by staining P. lactiflora-treated C. albicans cells with a membrane-potential marker, $DiBAC_4(3)$ ((bis-1,3-dibutylbarbituric acid) trimethine oxonol). Membrane permeability was assessed by crystal violet assay, and C. albicans cells treated with the P. lactiflora ethanol extract exhibited significant uptake of crystal violet in a concentration-dependent manner. The findings suggest that P. lactiflora ethanol extract is a viable and effective candidate for the development of new antifungal agents to treat Candida-associated diseases.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.209-215
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• 1992

The aims of this sutdy was to investgate the action mechanism of polycation on the $\beta$-glucan synthetase II (GS II) related to cell wall synthesis in suspension cultured carrot cells. In the suspension cultured cells treated with poly-L-Iysine($12{\mu}M$) and poly-L-ornithine ($12{\mu}M$) having ploycationic nature, GS II activity increased about 40% and 50% than that of the control respectively. And similar response was observed when ATP and NaF were treated. On the other hand, ploy-L-lysine and ploy-L-ornithine did nor affect the membrane permeability. Phorbol-12-myrlstate-13-acetate (TPA), activator of protein klnase, increased about 35% and 1-(5-isoquinolinyl sulfonyl)-2-methyl-piperrazine (H-7), inhibitor of protein kinase, decreased about 30% of GSII activity than that of control. These results suggest that polycation plays a role in the cell wall synthesis by increasing GS II activity through phosphorylation.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2007.04a
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• pp.65-73
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• 2007

The objective of this study is to understand how regulatory mechanisms respond to sugar status for more efficient carbon utilization and source-sink regulation in plants. So, we need to identify and characterize many components of sugar-response pathways for a better understanding of sugar responses. For this end, genes responding change of sugar status were screened using Arabidpsis cDNA arrays, and confirmed thirty-six genes to be regulated by sucrose supply in detached leaves by RNA blot analysis. Eleven of them encoding proteins for amino acid metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism were repressed by sugars. The remaining genes induced by sugar supply were for protein synthesis including ribosomal proteins and elongation factors. Among them, I focused on three hydrolase genes encoding putative $\beta$-galactosidase, $\beta$-xylosidase, and $\beta$-glucosidase that were transcriptionally induced in sugar starvation. Homology search indicated that these enzymes were involved in hydrolysis of cell wall polysaccharides. In addition to my results, recent transcriptome analysis suggested multiple genes for cell wall degradation were induced by sugar starvation. Thus, I hypothesized that enzyme for cell wall degradation were synthesized and secreted to hydrolyze cell wall polysaccharides producing carbon source under sugar-starved conditions. In fact, the enzymatic activities of these three enzymes increased in culture medium of Arabidopsis suspension cells under sugar starvation. The $\beta$-galactosidase encoded by At5g56870 was identified as a secretory protein in culture medium of suspension cells by mass spectrometry analysis. This protein was specifically detected under sugar-starved condition with a specific antibody. Induction of these genes was repressed in suspension cells grown with galactose, xylose and glucose as well as with sucrose. In planta, expression of the genes and protein accumulation were detected when photosynthesis was inhibited. Glycosyl hydrolase activity against galactan also increased during sugar starvation. Further, contents of cell wall polysaccharides especially pectin and hemicellulose were markedly decreased associating with sugar starvation in detached leaves. The amount of monosaccharide in pectin and hemicellulose in detached leaves decreased in response to sugar starvation. These results supported my idea that cell wall has one of function to supply carbon source in addition to determination of cell shape and physical support of plant bodies.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 1995

The distribution of RNA in the anther wall of Brassica napus during male gametogenesis was followed by 3H-uridine autoradiography. Silver grain(SG) density was not above background in the anther wall just after microspore was released from tetrad callose wall. Significant accumulation of SGs occurred in tapetum, endothecium, and epidermis before microspore vacuolation. Accumulation of RNA in the tapetal cells was peak before the vaculation occurred in the microspore. With the onset of tapetal senescence at the partially vacuolated microspore stage, SGs decreased and they completely disappeared in the tapetum at the bicelled pollen stage. Accumulation of RNA in the endothecial cells was peak after the microspore mitosis and continued just after the generative cell mitosis. Appreciable SGs also occurred in cells of epidermis from nonvacuolate microspore stage to bicelled pollen stage. During this period, SG density was almost same and was not high as compared with tapetum or endothecium. At tricelled mature pollen stage, no incorporation occurred in anther wall. SGs were found mostly over the nucleouls and chromation of the cell nuclei.

• ALGAE
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.191-203
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• 2018

Fragilariopsis cylindrus is one of the most successful psychrophiles in the Southern Ocean. To investigate the molecular mechanism of biomineralization in this species, we attempted to synchronize F. cylindrus growth, since new cell wall formation is tightly coupled to the cell division process. Nutrient limitation analysis showed that F. cylindrus cultures rapidly stopped growing when deprived of silicate or light, while growth continued to a certain extent in the absence of nitrate. Flow cytometry analysis indicated that deprivation of either silicate or light could effectively arrest the cell cycle of this diatom species at the G1 phase, suggesting that synchrony can be established using either factor. Fluorescence labeling of new cell walls was faintly detectable as early as approximately 6 h after silicon repletion or light irradiation, and labeling was markedly intensified by 18 h. It is revealed that the synthesis of girdle bands begins before valve synthesis in this species, with active valve synthesis occurring during the G2 / M phase. Expression profiling revealed that selective member(s) of the F. cylindrus SIT genes (FcSIT) respond to silicate and light, with a different set of genes being responsive to each factor. The Si / light double depletion experiments demonstrated that expression of one FcSIT gene is possibly correlated to transition to G2 / M phase of the cell cycle, when the valve is actively formed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.371-375
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• 1999

AL072 is a potent anti-Legionella antibiotic produced by Streptomyces strain AL91. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AL072 against Legionella pneumophila was 0.2$\mu$g/ml. Bacterial growth was rapidly inhibited at the dose range between the MIC and 20 times of the MIC when the antibiotic was added at the mid-exponential phase. Ultrastructural changes in L. pneumophila were observed upon treatment with AL072. Under electron microscopical observation, the organisms treated with AL072 exhibited characteristic morphological changes in the cellular outer coat. Also irregular morphological changes, such as the formation of filamentous materials in the cytoplasm, an increase in the size and number of cytoplasmic vacuoles, the extruding of cytoplasmic contents, the formation of spheroplast and ghost cells, and blebbings in the cell wall were observed. Furthermore, immunoelectron microscopical observation of the group treated with the MIC showed that the immune complex attached mainly to the cell wall. The results of these experiments indicate that AL072, like the inhibitors of cell wall synthesis, act selectively on the cell wall of L. pneumophila.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.275-288
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• 1995

The inhibitory effect of cell wall extracts of streptococci, have been investigated to know host-parasite relationship or pathogenesis of abscess formation. Streptococci isolated from the infected root canals were sonicated to get cell wall extracts which have been known as one of the factors of pyogenesis. Lymphocytes separated by density gradient were stimulated with phytohemagglutinin and exposed to cell wall extracts of Streptococcus sanguis, S. mitis, S. uberis, S. mutans (ATCC 10449), and S. faecalis (ATCC 19433). [$^3H$]-thymidine uptake of lymphocytes was analyzed with scintillation counter and lactate dehyrogenase (LD) activity was measured with autochemistry analyzer. S. faeealis had the strongest inhibitory effect. beginning at $100\;{\mu}g/ml$ concentration of sonic extracts. S. sanguis and S. mitis had inhibitory effect at $300\;{\mu}g/ml$, while S. uberis and S. mutans showed no inhibitory, effect on DNA syntheis even at $300\;{\mu}g/ml$. Each streptococci showed different inhibitory effect on the DNA synthesis of lymphocytes, which finding indicated wide spectrum of susceptibility of lymphocytes according to streptococcus spp. There were no significant difference of LD activities between control and each streptococcal extracts. Streptococcal sonic extracts did not affect the morphological findings or number of colonies activated lymphocytes. These finding suggested the inhibitory effect of sonic extract of streptococci to lymphocytes could be detected by DNA synthesis inhibition, not by cellular membrane damage.