• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.115-123
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• 2005

Microcapsules consisting of natural, biodegradable polymers for controlled and/or sustained core release applications are needed. Physicochemical properties of whey proteins suggest that they may be suitable wall materials in developing such microcapsules. The objectives of the research were to develop water-insoluble, whey protein-based microcapsules containing a model water-soluble drug using a chemical cross-linking agent, glutaraldehyde, and to investigate core release from these capsules at simulated physiological conditions. A model water soluble drug, theophylline, was suspended in whey protein isolate (WPI) solution. The suspension was dispersed in a mixture of dichloromethane and hexane containing 1% biomedical polyurethane. Protein matrices were cross-linked with 7.5-30 ml of glutaraldehyde-saturated toluene (GAST) for 1-3 hr. Microcapsules were harvested, washed, dried and analyzed for core retention, microstructure, and core release in enzyme-free simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid(SIF) at $37^{\circ}C$. A method consisting of double emulsification and heat gelation was also developed to prepare water-insoluble, whey protein-based microcapsules containing anhydrous milkfat (AMF) as a model apolar core. AMF was emulsified into WPI solution (15${\sim}$30%, pH 4.5-7.2) at a proportion of 25${\sim}$50%(w/w, on dry basis). The oil-in-water emulsion was then added and dispersed into corn oil ($50^{\circ}C$) to form an O/W/O double emulsion and then heated at $85^{\circ}C$ for 20 min for gelation of whey protein wall matrix. Effects of emulsion composition and pH on core retention, microstructure, and water-solubility of microcapsules were determined. Overall results suggest that whey proteins can be used in developing microcapsules for controlled and sustained core release applications.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.109-114
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• 2007

Sar1p is a ras-related GTP-binding protein that functions in intracellular protein transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi complex. The effector domain of Ras family proteins is highly conserved and this domain is functionally interchangeable in plant, yeast and mammalian Sar1. Using a recombinant Brassica sar1 protein (Bsar1p) harboring point mutations in its effector domain, we here investigated the ability of Sar1p to bind and hydrolyze GTP and to interact with the two sar1-specific regulators, GTPase activating protein (GAP) and guanine exchange factor (GEF). The T51A and T55A mutations impaired Bsar1p intrinsic GTP-binding and GDP-dissociation activity. In contrast, mutations in the switch domain of Bsar1 did not affect its intrinsic GTPase activity. Moreover, the P50A, P54A, and S56A mutations affected the interaction between Bsar1p and GAP. P54A mutant protein did not interact with two regulating proteins, GEF and GAP, even though the mutation didn't affect the intrinsic GTP-binding, nucleotide exchange or GTPase activity of Bsar1p.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.297-308
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• 1997

Role of plant hormones on the leaf senescence of Phaseolus vulgaris were investigated by measuring the disassembly of chlorophyll-protein complexes in detached leaves treated with NAA, GA$_{3}$ , or BA. The loss of chlorophyll that was characteristic of leaf senescence induced disassembly of chlorophyll-protein complexed. During dark-induced senescence, PSI complex was rapidly degraded after the early stage, whereas RC-Core3 was slightly increased until the middle stage and slowly decreased thereafter. And gradual degradation of trimeric LCHII progressed after the late stage of senescence. Exogenous application of NAA and GA$_{3}$ had little or no effect in protecting disassembly of chlorophyll-protein complexes during leaf senescence compared to control. However exogenous BA application strongly leaves. In the simultaneous treatment of plant hormones and light, BA application under illumination of light was most effective in the stability of chlorophyll-protein complexes, particularly PSI, LHCII, RC-Core2, RC-Core3 and SC-1. these results suggest, therefore, that simultaneous application of BA and light induced synergistic effect on the stability off chlorophyll-protein complexes during leaf senescence.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.276-282
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• 2007

Protein phosphorylation is one of the major mechanisms by which eukaryotic cells transduce extracellular signals into intracellular responses. Calcium/calmodulin ($Ca^{2+}/CaM$)-dependent protein phosphorylation has been implicated in various cellular processes, yet little is known about $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinases (CaMKs) in plants. From an Arabidopsis expression library screen using a horseradish peroxidase-conjugated soybean calmodulin isoform (SCaM-1) as a probe, we isolated a full-length cDNA clone that encodes AtCK (Arabidopsis thaliana calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase). The predicted structure of AtCK contains a serine/threonine protein kinase catalytic domain followed by a putative calmodulin-binding domain and a putative $Ca^{2+}$-binding domain. Recombinant AtCK was expressed in E. coli and bound to calmodulin in a $Ca^{2+}$-dependent manner. The ability of CaM to bind to AtCK was confirmed by gel mobility shift and competition assays. AtCK exhibited its highest levels of autophosphorylation in the presence of 3 mM $Mn^{2+}$. The phosphorylation of myelin basic protein (MBP) by AtCK was enhanced when AtCK was under the control of calcium-bound CaM, as previously observed for other $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinases. In contrast to maize and tobacco CCaMKs (calcium and $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinase), increasing the concentration of calmodulin to more than $3{\mu}M$ suppressed the phosphorylation activity of AtCK. Taken together our results indicate that AtCK is a novel Arabidopsis $Ca^{2+}/CaM$-dependent protein kinase which is presumably involved in CaM-mediated signaling.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 2013

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is responsible for the development of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. HCV core protein plays not only a structural role in the virion morphogenesis by encapsidating a virus RNA genome but also a non-structural role in HCV-induced pathogenesis by blocking innate immunity. Especially, it has been shown to regulate JAK-STAT signaling pathway through its direct interaction with Janus kinase (JAK) via its proline-rich JAK-binding motif ($^{79}{\underline{P}}GY{\underline{P}}WP^{84}$). However, little is known about the physiological significance of this HCV core-JAK association in the context of the virus life cycle. In order to gain an insight, a mutant HCV genome (J6/JFH1-79A82A) was constructed to express the mutant core with a defective JAK-binding motif ($^{79}{\underline{A}}GY{\underline{A}}WP^{84}$) using an HCV genotype 2a infectious clone (J6/JFH1). When this mutant HCV genome was introduced into hepatocarcinoma cells, it was found to be severely impaired in its ability to produce infectious viruses in spite of its robust RNA genome replication. Taken together, all these results suggest an essential requirement of HCV core-JAK protein interaction for efficient production of infectious viruses and the potential of using core-JAK blockers as a new anti-HCV therapy.

• Bioinformatics and Biosystems
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.46-51
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• 2007

In the proteomics research using mass spectrometry, the protein database search gives the protein information from the peptide sequences that show the best match with the tandem mass spectra. The protein sequence database has been a powerful knowledgebase for this protein identification. However, as we accumulate the protein sequence information in the database, the database size gets to be huge. Now it becomes hard to consider all the protein sequences in the database search because it consumes much computing time. For the high-throughput analysis of the proteome, usually we have used the non-redundant refined database such as IPI human database of European Bioinformatics Institute. While the non-redundant database can supply the search result in high speed, it misses the variation of the protein sequences. In this study, we have concerned the proteomics data in the point of protein similarities and used the network analysis tool to build a new analysis method. This method will be able to save the computing time for the database search and keep the sequence variation to catch the modified peptides.

• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2003.06a
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• pp.32-32
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• 2003

In the neuron, SNARE (soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptors) assembly plays a central role in driving membrane fusion, a required process for neurotransmitter release. In the cytoplasm, vesicular SNARE VAMP2 (vesicle-associated membrane protein 2) engages with two plasma membrane SNAREs syntaxin 1A and SNAP-25 (synaptosome-associated protein of 25 kDa) to form the core complex that bridges two membranes. While various factors regulate SNARE assembly, the membrane also plays the regulatory role by trapping VAMP2 in the membrane. The fluorescence and EPR analyses revealed that the insertion of seven C-terminal core-forming residues into the membrane controls complex formation of the entire core region, even though preceding 54 core-forming residues are fully exposed and freely moving. When two interfacial Trp residues in this region were replaced with hydrophilic serine residues, the mutation supported rapid complex formation.

• 한국유가공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.37-61
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• 2005

Microcapsules consisting of natural, biodegradable polymers for controlled and/or sustained core release applications are needed. Physicochemical properties of whey proteins suggest that they may be suitable wall materials in developing such microcapsules. The objectives of the research were to develop water-insoluble, whey protein-based microcapsules containing a model water-soluble drug using a chemical cross-linking agent, glutaraldehyde, and to investigate core release from these capsules at simulated physiological conditions. A model water soluble drug, theophylline, was suspended in whey protein isolate (WPI) solution. The suspension was dispersed in a mixture of dichloromethane and hexane containing 1% biomedical polyurethane. Protein matrices were cross-linked with 7.5-30 ml of glutaraldehyde-saturated toluene (GAST) for 1-3 hr. Microcapsules were harvested, washed, dried and analyzed for core retention, microstructure, and core release in enzyme-free simulated gastric fluid (SGF) and simulated intestinal fluid (SIF) at 37$^{\circ}C$, A method consisting of double emulsification and heat gelation was also developed to prepare water-insoluble, whey protein-based microcapsules containing anhydrous milkfat (AMF) as a model apolar core. AMF was emulsified into WPI solution (15-30%, pH 4.5-7.2) at a proportion of 25-50% (w/w, on dry basis). The oil-in-water emulsion was then added and dispersed into corn oil (50 $^{\circ}C$)to form an O/W/O double emulsion and then heated at 85$^{\circ}C$ for 20 min for gelation of whey protein wall matrix. Effects of emulsion composition and pH on core retention, microstructure, and water-solubility of microcapsules were determined. Overall results suggest that whey proteins can be used in developing microcapsules for controlled and sustained core release applications.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.86-93
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• 1991

cis-Diamminedichloroplatinum(II)(CDDP), an antitumor drug, did not generate crosslink between bluetongue virus (BTV) capsid protein at moderate concentration. Cesium chloride density gradient centrifugation study revealed that protein-RNA crosslink was not detectable in CDDP treated BTV. CDDP treated BTV ds RNA showed remarkable change in the migration pattern in polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. These results suggest that the reduction of BTV core associated transcriptase activity is most likely by the CDDP adduction to the genomic ds RNA rather than by the protein-RNA crosslink and/or protein-protein cross-link.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.308-308
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• 1997

Role of plant hormones on the leaf senescence of Phaseolus vulgaris were investigated by measuring the disassembly of chlorophyll-protein complexes in detached leaves treated with NAA, GA$_{3}$ , or BA. The loss of chlorophyll that was characteristic of leaf senescence induced disassembly of chlorophyll-protein complexed. During dark-induced senescence, PSI complex was rapidly degraded after the early stage, whereas RC-Core3 was slightly increased until the middle stage and slowly decreased thereafter. And gradual degradation of trimeric LCHII progressed after the late stage of senescence. Exogenous application of NAA and GA$_{3}$ had little or no effect in protecting disassembly of chlorophyll-protein complexes during leaf senescence compared to control. However exogenous BA application strongly leaves. In the simultaneous treatment of plant hormones and light, BA application under illumination of light was most effective in the stability of chlorophyll-protein complexes, particularly PSI, LHCII, RC-Core2, RC-Core3 and SC-1. these results suggest, therefore, that simultaneous application of BA and light induced synergistic effect on the stability off chlorophyll-protein complexes during leaf senescence.