• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.23-36
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• 2005

Bax, a mammalian pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, induces cell death when expressed In yeast. To investigate whether .Bax expression can induce cell death in plant, we produced transgenic Arabidopsis plants that contained murine Bax cDNA under control of a glucocorticoid-inducible promoter. Transgenic plants treated with dexamethasone, a strong synthetic glucocorticoid, induced Bax accumulation and cell death, suggesting that some elements of cell death mechanism by Bax may be conserved among various orgarusms. Therefore, we developed novel yeast genetic system, and cloned several Plant Bax Inhibitors (PBIs). Here, we report the function of two PBIs In detail. PBIl is ascorbate peroxidase (sAPX). Fluorescence method of dihydrorhodamine123 oxidation revealed that expression of Bax in yeast cells generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and which was greatly reduced by co-expression with sAPX. These results suggest that sAPX inhibits the generation of ROS by Bax, which in turn suppresses Bax-induced cell death in yeast. PBI2 encodes nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK). ROS stress strongly induces the expression of the NDPK2 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana (AtNDPK2). Transgenic plants overexpressing AtNDPK2 have lower lovels of ROS than wildtype plants. Mutants lacking AtNDPK2 had higher levels of ROS than wildtype. H$_{2O2}$ treatment induced the phosphorylation of two endogenous proteins whose molecular weights suggested they are AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. In the absence of H2O2 treatment, phosphorylation of these proteins was slightly elevated in plants overexpressing AtNDPK2 but markedly decreased In the AtNDPK2 deletion mutant. Yeast two-hybrid and in vitro protein pull-down assays revealed that AtNDPK2 specifically interacts with AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. Furthermore, AtNDPK2 also enhances the MBP phosphorylation activity of AtMPK3 i'n vitro. Finally, constitutive overexpression of AtNDPK2 in Arabidopsis plants conferred an enhanced tolerance to multiple environmental stresses that elicit ROS accumulation In situ. Thus, AtNDPK2 appears to play a novel regulatory role in H2O2-mediated MAPK signaling in plants.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.686-696
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• 2011

To deal with pathogens, plants have evolved sophisticated mechanisms including constitutive and induced defense mechanisms. Phytohormones play important roles in plant growth and development, as well as in the systemic response induced by beneficial and pathogen microorganisms. In this work, we identified an Aspergillus ustus isolate that promotes growth and induces developmental changes in Solanum tuberosum and Arabidopsis thaliana. A. ustus inoculation on A. thaliana and S. tuberosum roots induced an increase in shoot and root growth, and lateral root and root hair numbers. Assays performed on Arabidopsis lines to measure reporter gene expression of auxin-induced/ repressed or cell cycle controlled genes (DR5 and CycB1, respectively) showed enhanced GUS activity, when compared with mock-inoculated seedlings. To determine the contribution of phytohormone signaling pathways in the effect elicited by A. ustus, we evaluated the response of a collection of hormone mutants of Arabidopsis defective in auxin, ethylene, cytokinin, or abscisic acid signaling to the inoculation with this fungus. All mutant lines inoculated with A. ustus showed increased biomass production, suggesting that these genes are not required to respond to this fungus. Moreover, we demonstrated that A. ustus synthesizes auxins and gibberellins in liquid cultures. In addition, A. ustus induced systemic resistance against the necrotrophic fungus Botrytis cinerea and the hemibiotrophic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae DC3000, probably through the induction of the expression of salicylic acid, jasmonic acid/ethylene, and camalexin defense-related genes in Arabidopsis.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.317-322
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• 2005

A simple and convenient method of immobilizing dextransucrase via an affinity interaction is described, along with the use of this system to synthesize leucrose. Dextransucrase was produced in sucrose-free medium by fermenting a constitutive mutant of Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-512F and was separated using an ultrafiltration membrane. The purified enzyme was free of dextran polymer, which previously was always found with the sucrose-induced enzyme. Therefore, it was possible to immobilize the enzyme on dextran-based resins using an affinity interaction. Sephadex G-200 was the best resin for immobilizing the dextransucrase and gave a fast flow rate through the packed column. The immobilized dextransucrase retained more than 80% of its specific activity after immobilization ($K_m\;=\;18.1\;mM$ and $k_{cat}\;=\;450\;sec^{-1}$ vs. 13.1 mM and $640\;sec^{-1}$, respectively, for the free enzyme). The immobilized dextransucrase showed improved stability over a pH range of 4.0 to 6.5 and at moderately high temperatures over $40^{\circ}C$. When immobilized dextransucrase was used to synthesize leucrose via the transfer reaction with sucrose and fructose, about 74% of the sucrose was converted into leucrose after one day, and the half-life of the enzyme activity was 15 days. Regeneration of the resin by supplementation with dextransucrase enabled the recovery of the initial activity of the system, but both the reaction and the flow rate were lower, probably owing to the accumulation of dextran inside the resin.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.143-148
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• 2003

Bax, a mammalian pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family induces cell death when expressed in yeast. To investigate whether Bax expression can induce cell death in plant, we produced transgenic Arabidopsis plants that contained murine Bax cDNA under control of a glucocorticoid-inducible promoter. Transgenic plants treated with dexamethasone, a strong synthetic glucocorticoid, induced Bax accumulation and cell death, suggesting that some elements of cell death mechanism by Bax may be conserved among various organisms. Therefore, we developed novel yeast genetic system, and cloned several Plant Bax Inhibitors (PBIs). Here, we report the function of two PBIs in detail. PBI1 is ascorbate peroxidase (sAPX). Fluorescence method of dihydrorhodamine123 oxidation revealed that expression of Bax in yeast cells generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and which was greatly reduced by co-expression with sAPX. These results suggest that sAPX inhibits the generation of ROS by Bax, which in turn suppresses Baxinduced cell death in yeast. PBI2 encodes nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK). ROS stress strongly induces the expression of the NDPK2 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana (AtNDPK2). Transgenic plants overexpressing AtNDPK2 have lower levels of ROS than wildtype plants. Mutants lacking AtNDPK2 had higher levels of ROS than wildtype. $H_2O_2$ treatment induced the phosphorylation of two endogenous proteins whose molecular weights suggested they are AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. In the absence of $H_2O_2$ treatment, phosphorylation of these proteins was slightly elevated in plants overexpressing AtNDPK2 but markedly decreased in the AtNDPK2 deletion mutant. Yeast two-hybrid and in vitro protein pull-down assays revealed that AtNDPK2 specifically interacts with AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. Furthermore, AtNDPK2 also enhances the MSP phosphorylation activity of AtMPK3 in vitro. Finally, constitutive overexpression of AtNDPK2 in Arabidopsis plants conferred an enhanced tolerance to multiple environmental stresses that elicit ROS accumulation in situ. Thus, AtNDPK2 appears to playa novel regulatory role in $H_2O_2$-mediated MAPK signaling in plants.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Biotechnology Conference
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• 2003.04a
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• pp.65-71
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• 2003

Bax, a mammalian pro-apoptotic member of the Bcl-2 family, induces cell death when expressed in yeast. To investigate whether Bax expression can induce cell death in plant, we produced transgenic Arabidopsis plants that contained murine Bax cDNA under control of a glucocorticoid-inducible promoter. Transgenic plants treated with dexamethasone, a strong synthetic glucocorticoid, induced Bax accumulation and cell death, suggesting that some elements of cell death mechanism by Bax may be conserved among various organisms. Therefore, we developed novel yeast genetic system, and cloned several Plant Bax Inhibitors (PBIs). Here, we report the function of two PBIs in detail. PBI1 is ascorbate peroxidase (sAPX). Fluorescence method of dihydrorho-damine 123 oxidation revealed that expression of Bax in yeast cells generated reactive oxygen species (ROS), and which was greatly reduced by co-expression with sAPX. These results suggest that sAPX inhibits the generation of ROS by Bax, which in turn suppresses Baxinduced cell death in yeast. PBI2 encodes nucleoside diphosphate kinase (NDPK). ROS stress strongly induces the expression of the NDPK2 gene in Arabidopsis thaliana (AtNDPK2). Transgenic plants overexpressing AtNDPK2 have lower levels of ROS than wildtype plants. Mutants lacking AtNDPK2 had higher levels of ROS than wildtype. $H_2O_2$ treatment induced the phosphorylation of two endogenous proteins whose molecular weights suggested they are AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. In the absence of $H_2O_2$ treatment, phosphorylation of these proteins was slightly elevated in plants overexpressing AtNDPK2 but markedly decreased in the AtNDPK2 deletion mutant. Yeast two-hybrid and in vitro protein pull-down assays revealed that AtNDPK2 specifically interacts with AtMPK3 and AtMPK6. Furthermore, AtNDPK2 also enhances the MBP phosphorylation activity of AtMPK3 in vitro. Finally, constitutive overexpression of AtNDPK2 in Arabidopsis plants conferred an enhanced tolerance to multiple environmental stresses that elicit ROS accumulation in situ. Thus, AtNDPK2 appears to play a novel regulatory role in $H_2O_2$-mediated MAPK signaling in plants.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.159-164
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• 1981

Reinforced Calcium-alginate gel entrappment method for enzyme immobilization is described with an example of penicillin amidase from Bacillus megaterium KFCC 10029, a partially constitutive mutant of B. megaterium ATCC 14945. Penicillin amidase recovered from the fermentation broth by adsorption on celite is mixed with alginate and gelatin solution, and cast into a pellet or noodle form by coagulation in calcium salt solution followed by crosslinking with glutaraldehyde. Optimum pH and temperature of the immobilized enzyme preparation were 8.0 and 6$0^{\circ}C$, respectively. Kinetic constants such as Km value and the inhibition constant of 6-APA and phenylacetic acid were 2.6 mM, 7.4 mM and 21.2 mM, respectively. The enzyme leakage from the adsorbent during operation was successfully prevented owing to the increase of physical strength of gel coat. The half lives in a column reactor were 6 and 30 days at the respective temperature of 4$0^{\circ}C$ and 3$0^{\circ}C$, which were the 6-8 fold increased values as compared with those of without entrappment. The results highly recommended the use of reinforced Calcium-alginate gel entrappment method for the enhancement of physical strength and the operational stability of alginate gel entrapped enzyme.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.991-998
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• 2016

NF-κB acts as a critical transcription factor for the survival of cells via the induction of antiapoptotic genes. Constitutive activation of NF-κB in many types of solid tumors suggests that the inhibition of NF-κB might prevent or inhibit tumorigenesis. Although a number of studies demonstrated that Hsp70 regulated NF-κB activity, the exact mechanism is not clear. This study investigated the functional relationship of Hsp70 and IKKγ in the regulation of NF-κB activation using expression plasmids of components of the IKK complex. Wild-type and deletion mutants of IKKγ were expressed together with Hsp70, and the combined regulatory effect of Hsp70 and IKKγ on NF-κB activation was assayed. Hsp70 suppressed the activation of NF-κB in a reporter plasmid assay. Hsp70 also suppressed the phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα. The suppressive effect of Hsp70 on NF-κB activation was synergistically elevated by IKKγ. The N-terminal IKKβ binding site, C-terminal leucine zipper, and zinc finger domains of IKKγ were not necessary for the suppressive effect. Furthermore, Hsp70 and IKKγ synergistically suppressed the induction of COX-2 expression by lipopolysaccharides in RAW264.7 cells. These results suggest that overexpression of Hsp70 and IKKγ may be a strategic method for inhibition of NF-κB and related diseases.