• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.137-145
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• 2011

Hsp33, a prokaryotic molecular chaperone, exerts holdase activity in response to oxidative stress. In this study, the stepwise conformational change of Hsp33 upon oxidation was monitored by NMR. In order to overcome its high molecular weight (33 kDa as a monomer and 66 kDa as a dimer), spectra were simplified using a selectively [$^{15}N$]His-labeled protein. All of the eight histidines were observed in the TROSY spectrum of the reduced Hsp33. Among them, three peaks showed dramatic resonance shifts dependent on the stepwise oxidation, indicating a remarkable conformational change. The results suggest that unfolding of the linker domain is associated with dimerization, but not entire region of the linker domain is unfolded.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.12
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• pp.816-820
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• 2011

There is a broad range of different small heat shock proteins (sHSPs) that have diverse structural and functional characteristics. To better understand the functional role of mitochondrial sHSP, NtHSP24.6 was expressed in Escherichia coli with a hexahistidine tag and purified. The protein was analyzed by non-denaturing PAGE, chemical cross-linking and size exclusion chromatography and the $H_6NtHSP24.6$ protein was found to form a dimer in solution. The in vitro functional analysis of $H_6NtHSP24.6$ using firefly luciferase and citrate synthase demonstrated that this protein displays typical molecular chaperone activity. When cell lysates of E. coli were heated after the addition of $H_6NtHSP24.6$, a broad range of proteins from 10 to 160 kD in size remained in the soluble state. These results suggest that NtHSP24.6 forms a dimer and can function as a molecular chaperone to protect a diverse range of proteins from thermal aggregation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.570-583
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• 2021

Pyrococcus furiosus α-amylase can hydrolyze α-1,4 linkages in starch and related carbohydrates under hyperthermophilic condition (~ 100℃), showing great potential in a wide range of industrial applications, while its relatively low productivity from heterologous hosts has limited the industrial applications. Bacillus subtilis, a gram-positive bacterium, has been widely used in industrial production for its non-pathogenic and powerful secretory characteristics. This study was conducted to increase production of P. furiosus α-amylase in B. subtilis through three strategies. Initial experiments showed that co-expression of P. furiosus molecular chaperone peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase through genomic integration mode, using a CRISPR/Cas9 system, increased soluble amylase production. Therefore, considering that native P. furiosus α-amylase is produced within a hyperthermophilic environment and is highly thermostable, heat treatment of intact culture at 90℃ for 15 min was performed, thereby greatly increasing soluble amylase production. After optimization of the culture conditions (nitrogen source, carbon source, metal ion, temperature and pH), experiments in a 3-L fermenter yielded a soluble activity of 3,806.7 U/ml, which was 3.3- and 28.2-fold those of a control without heat treatment (1,155.1 U/ml) and an empty expression vector control (135.1 U/ml), respectively. This represents the highest P. furiosus α-amylase production reported to date and should promote innovation in the starch liquefaction process and related industrial productions. Meanwhile, heat treatment, which may promote folding of aggregated P. furiosus α-amylase into a soluble, active form through the transfer of kinetic energy, may be of general benefit when producing proteins from thermophilic archaea.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.6-14
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• 2023

Fabry disease (FD), a rare X-linked lysosomal storage disorder, is caused by mutations in the α-galactosidase A gene gene encoding α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A). The functional deficiency of α-Gal A results in progressive accumulation of neutral glycosphingolipids, causing multi-organ damages including cardiac, renal, cerebrovascular systems. The current treatment is comprised of enzyme replacement therapy (ERT), oral pharmacological chaperone therapy and adjunctive supportive therapy. ERT has been introduced 20 years ago, changing the outcome of FD patients with proven effectiveness. However, FD patients have many unmet needs. ERT needs a life-long intravenous therapy, inefficient bio-distribution, and generation of anti-drug antibodies. Migalastat, a pharmacological chaperone, augmenting α-Gal A enzyme activity only in patients with mutations amenable to the therapy, is now available for clinical practice. Furthermore, these therapies should be initiated before the organ damage becomes irreversible. Development of novel drugs aim at improving the clinical effectiveness and convenience of therapy. Clinical trial of next generation ERT is underway. Polyethylene glycolylated enzyme has a longer half-life and potentially reduced antigenicity, compared with standard preparations with longer dosing interval. Moss-derived enzyme has a higher affinity for mannose receptors, and seems to have more efficient access to podocytes of kidney which is relatively resistant to reach by conventional ERT. Substrate reduction therapy is currently under clinical trial. Gene therapy has now been started in several clinical trials using in vivo and ex vivo technologies. Early results are emerging. Other strategic approaches at preclinical research level are stem cell-based therapy with genome editing and systemic mRNA therapy.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.974-977
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• 2010

Cyclophilins contain the conserved activity of cis-trans peptidyl-prolyl isomerase, which is implicated in protein folding, and function as molecular chaperones. When the yeast cyclophilin A gene (cpr1) was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pKM260, it was found that the expression of Cpr1 drastically increased the cell viability of E. coli BL21 when under abiotic stress conditions, as in the presence of cadmium, copper, hydrogen peroxide, heat, and SDS. Therefore, this study illustrates the importance of Cpr1 as a molecular chaperone that can improve the cellular stress responses when E. coli cells are exposed to adverse conditions, while also demonstrating its potential to increase the stability of E. coli strains utilized for the production of recombinant proteins.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.129-135
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• 2008

The results of recent studies indicate that high levels of free fatty acids(FFAs) and adipokines may be the main causes of non-alcoholic liver disease; however, the molecular mechanism that links FFAs to lipotoxicity remains unclear. In the present study, we treated HepG2 cells with FFA(either palmitate or oleate) to investigate the mechanisms involved in lipotoxicity in the liver cells. We also treated cells with palmitate in the presence of a chemical chaperone, 4-phenylbutyric acid(PBA), to confirm the involvement of ER stress in lipotoxicity. Palmitate significantly induced cytotoxicity in dose- and time-dependent manners. Apoptosis was also significantly induced by palmitate as measured by caspase-3 activity and DAPI staining. Palmitate led to increased expressions of the spliced form of X-box-protein(Xbp)-1 mRNA and C/EBP homologous transcription factor(CHOP) protein, suggesting activation of the unfolded-protein response. PBA co-incubation significantly attenuated apoptosis induced by palmitate. The above data demonstrate that high levels of palmitate induce apoptosis via the mediation of ER stress in the liver cells and that chemical chaperones act to modulate ER stress and accompanying apoptosis.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.172-184
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• 2012

The prokaryotic molecular chaperone Hsp33 achieves its holdase activity upon response to oxidative stress particularly at elevated temperature. Despite many structural studies of Hsp33, which were conducted mainly by X-ray crystallography, the actual structures of the Hsp33 in solution remains controversial. Thus, we have initiated NMR study of the reduced, inactive Hsp33 monomer and backbone NMR assignments were obtained in the present study. Based on a series of triple resonance spectra measured on a triply isotope-[$^2H/^{13}C/^{15}N$]-labeled protein, sequence-specific assignments of the backbone amide signals observed in the 2D-[$^1H/^{15}N$]TROSY spectrum could be completed up to more than 96%. However, even considering the small portion of non-assigned resonances due to the lack of sequential connectivity, we confirmed that the total number of observed signals was quite smaller than that expected from the number of amino acid residues in Hsp33. Thus, it is postulated that peculiar dynamic properties would be involved in the solution structure of the inactive Hsp33 monomer. We expect that the present assignment data would eventually provide the most fundamental and important data for the progressing studies on the 3-dimensional structure and molecular dynamics of Hsp33, which are critical for understanding its activation process.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.33-33
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• 2003

Human DJ-1 and Escherichia coli Hsp31 belong to ThiJ/PfpI family whose members contain a conserved domain. DJ-1 is associated with autosomal recessive early-onset parkinsonism and Hsp31 is a molecular chaperone. Structural comparisons between DJ-1, Hsp31, and an archeal protease, a member of ThiJ/PfpI family, lead to the identification of the chaperons activity of DJ-1 and the proteolytic activity of Hsp31. Moreover, the comparisons provide insights into how the functional diversity is realized in proteins that share an evolutionarily conserved domain. On the basis of the chaperons activity, the possible role of DJ-1 in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease is discussed.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2013

Gaucher disease is a lysosomal storage disease caused by deficiency of glucocerebrosidase (GBA). This condition is characterized by accumulation of glucocerebrosidase in liver, spleen, lung, skeletal system, and central nervous system. Gaucher disease is the prototype of disease in which efficacy of enzyme replacement therapy has been established. However, because recombinant enzyme is not able to enter the central nervous system, its efficacy is limited to the non-neurological manifestations of Gaucher disease. Importantly, approximately a half of Korean patients with Gaucher disease suffer from neurological manifestations. In addition, Korean Gaucher disease patients exhibit distinct mutation spectrum from those in other populations. Common mutations in Korean patients with Gaucher disease are also associated with neurological phenotype. Therefore, therapeutic strategies tailored to Korean patients were necessary. Interestingly, a chemical chaperone, ambroxol, has been known to increase residual enzymatic activities of the select mutant GBAs encoded by mutations prevalent in Korean patients. One promising aspect of this drug is that it can cross blood-brain barrier, and enhance the enzyme activity in the brain. In vitro study suggested this chemical chaperone as one of new therapeutic agents in Gaucher disease, and a well-designed human trial is required to confirm its efficacy.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.1925-1930
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• 2011

Psychrophilic bacteria have acquired cold-resistance in order to protect themselves against freezing temperatures, which would otherwise be lethal. DnaK/DnaJ/GrpE systems are molecular chaperones which facilitate proper folding of newly synthesized proteins. Efficient folding processes are of great importance especially in a cold environment, such as the Arctic. In order to understand the protection mechanisms of psychrophilic bacteria against cold temperatures, we have explored a genome of KOPRI22215, tentatively identified as Psychromonas arctica, whose genome sequence has not yet been discovered. With an aim of searching for a coding gene of DnaK from KOPRI22215, we have applied a series of polymerase chain reactions (PCR) with homologous primers designed from other Psychromonas species and LA PCR in vitro cloning. 1917 bp complete coding sequence of dnaK from KOPRI22215 was identified including upstream promoter sites. Recombinant plasmids to overexpress PaDnaK along with EcDnaK (DnaK of E. coli) were then constructed in pAED4 vector and the pET-based system to induce PaDnaK expression by IPTG. Characterization assays of expressed PaDnaK were carried out by measuring survival rates upon 4 day incubation at 4 $^{\circ}C$: a refolding assay as molecular chaperone, and ATPase assay for functional activity. Taking account of all the data together, we conclude that PaDnaK was identified, successfully expressed, and found to be more efficient in providing cold-resistance for bacterial cells.