• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.22 no.11
• /
• pp.1555-1565
• /
• 2009

Anaerobic rumen fungi have been regarded as good genetic resources for enzyme production which might be useful for feed supplements, bio-energy production, bio-remediation and other industrial purposes. In this study, an expressed sequence tag (EST) library of the rumen anaerobic fungus Neocallimastix frontalis was constructed and functional genes from the EST library were analyzed to elucidate carbohydrate metabolism of anaerobic fungi. From 10,080 acquired clones, 9,569 clones with average size of 628 bp were selected for analysis. After the assembling process, 1,410 contigs were assembled and 1,369 sequences remained as singletons. 1,192 sequences were matched with proteins in the public data base with known function and 693 of them were matched with proteins isolated from fungi. One hundred and fifty four sequences were classified as genes related with biological process and 328 sequences were classified as genes related with cellular components. Most of the enzymes in the pathway of glucose metabolism were successfully isolated via construction of 10,080 ESTs. Four kinds of hemi-cellulase were isolated such as mannanase, xylose isomerase, xylan esterase, and xylanase. Five $\beta$-glucosidases with at least three different conserved domain structures were isolated. Ten cellulases with at least five different conserved domain structures were isolated. This is the first solid data supporting the expression of a multiple enzyme system in the fungus N. frontalis for polysaccharide hydrolysis.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.311-316
• /
• 2005

Epoxide hydrolases (EHs) are versatile biocatalysts for the preparation of chiral epoxides by enantioselective hydrolysis from racemic epoxides. Various microorganisms were identified to possess a EH activity by multiple sequence alignment and analysis of conserved domain sequence from genomic and megaplasmid sequence data. We successfully isolated Gordonia westfalica possessing EH activity from various microbial strains from culture type collections. G. westfalica exhibited (R)-styrene oxide preferred enantioselective hydrolysis activity. Chiral (S)-styrene oxide with high optical purity $(>\;99\%)\;ee)$ and yield of $36.5\%$ was obtained from its racemate using whole-cell of G. westfalica.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.53 no.1
• /
• pp.65-75
• /
• 2015

Clonorchis sinensis habitating in the bile duct of mammals causes clonorchiasis endemic in East Asian countries. Parkin is a RING-between-RING protein and has E3-ubiquitin ligase activity catalyzing ubiquitination and degradation of substrate proteins. A cDNA clone of C. sinensis was predicted to encode a polypeptide homologous to parkin (CsParkin) including 5 domains (Ubl, RING0, RING1, IBR, and RING2). The cysteine and histidine residues binding to $Zn^{2+}$ were all conserved and participated in formation of tertiary structural RINGs. Conserved residues were also an E2-binding site in RING1 domain and a catalytic cysteine residue in the RING2 domain. Native CsParkin was determined to have an estimated molecular weight of 45.7 kDa from C. sinensis adults by immunoblotting. CsParkin revealed E3-ubiquitin ligase activity and higher expression in metacercariae than in adults. CsParkin was localized in the locomotive and male reproductive organs of C. sinensis adults, and extensively in metacercariae. Parkin has been found to participate in regulating mitochondrial function and energy metabolism in mammalian cells. From these results, it is suggested that CsParkin play roles in energy metabolism of the locomotive organs, and possibly in protein metabolism of the reproductive organs of C. sinensis.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.43 no.6
• /
• pp.572-580
• /
• 2020

Transient receptor potential ankyrin 1 from rattlesnakes (rsTRPA1) and boas (bTRPA1) was previously proposed to underlie thermo-sensitive infrared sensing based on transcript enrichment in infrared-sensing neurons and hyper-thermosensitivity expressed in Xenopus oocytes. It is unknown how these TRPA1s show thermosensitivities that overwhelm other thermoreceptors, and why rsTRPA1 is more thermosensitive than bTRPA1. Here, we show that snake TRPA1s differentially require Ca²⁺ for hyper-thermosensitivity and that predisposition to cytosolic Ca²⁺ potentiation correlates with superior thermosensitivity. Extracellularly applied Ca²⁺ upshifted the temperature coefficients (Q10s) of both TRPA1s, for which rsTRPA1, but not bTRPA1, requires cytosolic Ca²⁺. Intracellular Ca²⁺ chelation and substitutive mutations of the conserved cytosolic Ca²⁺-binding domain lowered rsTRPA1 thermosensitivity comparable to that of bTRPA1. Thapsigargin-evoked Ca²⁺ or calmodulin little affected rsTRPA1 activity or thermosensitivity, implying the importance of precise spatiotemporal action of Ca²⁺. Remarkably, a single rattlesnake-mimicking substitution in the conserved but presumably dormant cytosolic Ca²⁺-binding domain of bTRPA1 substantially enhanced thermosensitivity through cytosolic Ca²⁺ like rsTRPA1, indicating the capability of this single site in the determination of both cytosolic Ca²⁺ dependence and thermosensitivity. Collectively, these data suggest that Ca²⁺ is essential for the hyper-thermosensitivity of these TRPA1s, and cytosolic potentiation by permeating Ca²⁺ may contribute to the natural variation of infrared senses between rattlesnakes and boas.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.41 no.9
• /
• pp.842-852
• /
• 2018

Notch signaling is an evolutionarily conserved pathway and involves in the regulation of various cellular and developmental processes. Ligand binding releases the intracellular domain of Notch receptor (NICD), which interacts with DNA-bound CSL [CBF1/Su(H)/Lag-1] to activate transcription of target genes. In the absence of NICD binding, CSL down-regulates target gene expression through the recruitment of various corepressor proteins including SMRT/NCoR (silencing mediator of retinoid and thyroid receptors/nuclear receptor corepressor), SHARP (SMRT/HDAC1-associated repressor protein), and KyoT2. Structural and functional studies revealed the molecular basis of these interactions, in which NICD coactivator and corepressor proteins competitively bind to ${\beta}-trefoil$ domain (BTD) of CSL using a conserved ${\varphi}W{\varphi}P$ motif (${\varphi}$ denotes any hydrophobic residues). To date, there are conflicting ideas regarding the molecular mechanism of SMRT-mediated repression of CSL as to whether CSL-SMRT interaction is direct or indirect (via the bridge factor SHARP). To solve this issue, we mapped the CSL-binding region of SMRT and employed a 'one- plus two-hybrid system' to obtain CSL interaction-defective mutants for this region. We identified the CSL-interaction module of SMRT (CIMS; amino acid 1816-1846) as the molecular determinant of its direct interaction with CSL. Notably, CIMS contains a canonical ${\varphi}W{\varphi}P$ sequence (APIWRP, amino acids 1832-1837) and directly interacts with CSL-BTD in a mode similar to other BTD-binding corepressors. Finally, we showed that CSL-interaction motif, rather than SHARP-interaction motif, of SMRT is involved in transcriptional repression of NICD in a cell-based assay. These results strongly suggest that SMRT participates in CSL-mediated repression via direct binding to CSL.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.21 no.7
• /
• pp.667-674
• /
• 2011

The gene for esterase (rEst1) was isolated from a new species of genus Rheinheimera by functional screening of E. coli cells transformed with the pSMART/HaeIII genomic library. E. coli cells harboring the esterase gene insert could grow and produce clear halo zones on tributyrin agar. The rEst1 ORF consisted of 1,029 bp, corresponding to 342 amino acid residues with a molecular mass of 37 kDa. The signal P program 3.0 revealed the presence of a signal peptide of 25 amino acids. Esterase activity, however, was associated with a homotrimeric form of molecular mass 95 kDa and not with the monomeric form. The deduced amino acid sequence showed only 54% sequence identity with the closest lipase from Cellvibrio japonicus strain Ueda 107. Conserved domain search and multiple sequence alignment revealed the presence of an esterase/ lipase conserved domain consisting of a GXSXG motif, HGGG motif (oxyanion hole) and HGF motif, typical of the class IV hormone sensitive lipase family. On the basis of the sequence comparison with known esterases/ lipases, REst1 represents a new esterase belonging to the class IV family. The purified enzyme worked optimally at $50^{\circ}C$ and pH 8, utilized pNP esters of short chain lengths, and showed best catalytic activity with p-nitrophenyl butyrate ($C_4$), indicating that it was an esterase. The enzyme was completely inhibited by PMSF and DEPC and showed moderate organotolerance.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.43 no.1
• /
• pp.5-11
• /
• 2000

Three cDNA clones encoding rice calmodulin (CaM) isoforms (OsCaM-1, OsCaM-2, and OsCaM-3) were isolated from a rice cDNA library constructed from suspension-cultured rice cells treated with fungal elicitor. The coding regions of OsCaM-1 and O.sCaM-2 were 89% homologous at DNA Ievel, whereas the 5' and 3' untranslated regions were highly divergent. The polypeptides encoded by OsCaM-1 and OsCaM-2 was identical except two conservative substitution at position 8 and 75. The coding region of OsCaM-3 was consist of a typical conserved CaM domain and an additional C-terminal extension. The amino acid sequence of conserved CaM domain of OsCaM-3 shared only 86% identity with that OsCaM-1. The OsCaM-3 cDNA is belongs to a novel group of calmodulin gene due to its C-terminal extension of 38 amino acids, a large number of which are positively charged. The extension also contains a C-terminal CaaX-box prenylation site (CVlL). Genomic Southern analysis revealed at least six copies of CaM or CaM-related genes, suggesting that calmodulin may be represented by a small multigene family in the rice geneme. Expression of OsCaM gene was examined through Northern blot analysis. Transcript level of OsCaM-3 was increased by treatment with a fungal elicitor, whereas the OsCaM-1 and OsCaM-2 genes did not respond to the fungal elicitor. The expression of OsCaM-3 gene was remarkable inhibited in the rice cells treated with cyclosporine A, calcinurin inhibitor.

• Genomics & Informatics
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.43.1-43.13
• /
• 2020

The coronavirus disease 2019 is a contagious disease and had caused havoc throughout the world by creating widespread mortality and morbidity. The unavailability of vaccines and proper antiviral drugs encourages the researchers to identify potential antiviral drugs to be used against the virus. The presence of RNA binding domain in the nucleocapsid (N) protein of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could be a potential drug target, which serves multiple critical functions during the viral life cycle, especially the viral replication. Since vaccine development might take some time, the identification of a drug compound targeting viral replication might offer a solution for treatment. The study analyzed the phylogenetic relationship of N protein sequence divergence with other 49 coronavirus species and also identified the conserved regions according to protein families through conserved domain search. Good structural binding affinities of a few natural and/or synthetic phytocompounds or drugs against N protein were determined using the molecular docking approaches. The analyzed compounds presented the higher numbers of hydrogen bonds of selected chemicals supporting the drug-ability of these compounds. Among them, the established antiviral drug glycyrrhizic acid and the phytochemical theaflavin can be considered as possible drug compounds against target N protein of SARS-CoV-2 as they showed lower binding affinities. The findings of this study might lead to the development of a drug for the SARS-CoV-2 mediated disease and offer solution to treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.19 no.3
• /
• pp.227-233
• /
• 2006

Olive flounder immunoreceptor DAP10 homologue cDNA was cloned from a peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs) cDNA library. The length of the olive flounder DAP10 cDNA is 473bp and it contains an open reading frame of 234bp. The predicted polypeptide sequence is 78 amino acids, consisting of a 22-amino acid leader, an 11-amino acid extracellular domain, a 21-amino acid transmembrane segment, and a 24-amino acid cytoplasmic domain. The amino acid sequence of olive flounder DAP10 has 56%, 50%, 32%, 31%, and 31% sequence identity with zebrafish DAP10, catfish DAP10, cattle DAP10, rat DAP10 and Monkey DAP10, respectively. Olive flounder DAP10 has a conserved aspartic acid in the transmembrane domain and a phophatidylinositol-3 kinase-binding site (YxxM/V) in the cytoplasmic region. Genomic organization reveals that olive flounder DAP10 comprises five exons and four introns. A phylogenetic analysis based on the deduced amino acid sequence grouped the olive flounder DAP10 with other species DAP10. In RT-PCR analysis, DAP10 transcripts were detected predominantly in PBLs, kidney, spleen and intestine.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.943-949
• /
• 2002

It has been proposed that chitin synthase 3 (CHS3)-nediated chitin synthesis during the vegetative cell cycle is regulated by chitin synthase 4 (CHS4) of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. To investigate direct protein-protein interaction between the coding products of these two genes, a domain of Chs3p that is responsible for interaction with Chs4p was identified, using the yeast two-hybrid system. This domain of 54 amino acids, termed MIRC3-4 (Maximum Interacting Region of Chs3p with Chs4p), is well conserved among CHS3 homologs of various fungi. Some mutations in MIRC3-4 resulted in a decrease in the enzymatic activity and chitin contents. Chs3p carrying those mutations exhibited weak interactions with Chs4p, when assayed by the yeast two-hybrid system. Surprisingly, all the mutants were sensitive to Calcofluor regardless of changes in enzymatic activities or chitin contents. This report deals with a core region in MIRC3-4 that affects the interaction with Chs4p.