• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.129-137
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• 1992

This study was carried out to investigate the localization of lipids and lipase activity with lipid staining and cytochemical technique in endosperm cells of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer seed. In endosperm cells of indehiscent seed, protein bodies facing the umbiliform layer are different in electron density during the various degraded processes. Gradually, protein matrix near the cell wall was lysed and electron lucent inclusions appeared on umbiliform layer. The protein body with high electron density and the spherosome with low electron density were observed in endosperm cells. As a result of lipid staining, electron density of spherosome is more intense than those of the protein matrix within the protein body in endosperm cells of indehiscent seed. Free spherical spherosomes within the umbiliform layer have a high electron density. The spherical spherosomes were more electron densed and were uniform in comparison with the cytoplasmic proteinaceous granules in endosperm cells of seed with red seed coat. The major component of spherosome was determined to be lipid. Lipase activity occurs in the spherosome and near the endosperm cell wall facing the umbiliform layer. Cytochemical reaction products of lipase were observed in the spherosome membrane and in the inner regions of spherosome. After protein bodies were digested, lipase activities were observed in free spherosomes and near the cell wall of endosperm cells. Umbiliform layer composing of fibrillized wall and digested materials of the endosperm cell showed a little lipase reaction products.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.451-453
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• 2002

The rotation of the flagellar motor is powered by the electrochemical gradient of specific ions across the cytoplasmic membrane. Recently, the gents of the Na'-driven motor have been cloned from marine bacterium of Vibrio sp. and some of the motor proteins have been purified and characterized. Also, motx gene encoding a channel component of the sodium type flagellar motor was identified from Vibrio Huuiaiis (KTCC 2473). The amino acid sequence of MotX protein from V, Huvialis shared 90, 85, $85\%$ identity with V, cholerae, V. alginolyticus, V parahaemolyticus, respectively. We have studied the localization of the expressed MotX protein in Escherichia coli by immune-gold labeling of ultra-thin frozen section. Our observation of the expressed protein indicated that MotX protein could be existed as attachment to inner membrane in E. coli.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.354-359
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• 2005

Open reading frame 29 (ha29) is a gene specific for Helicoverpa armigera single-nucleocapsid nucleopolyhedrovirus (HearSNPV). Sequence analyses showed that the transcription factor Tfb2 motif, bromodomain and Half-A-TPR (HAT) repeat were present at aa 66-82, 4-76, 55-90 of the Ha29 protein respectively. The product of Ha29 was detected in HearSNPV-infected HzAM1 cells at 3 h post-infection. Western blot analysis using a polyclonal antibody produced by immunizing a rabbit with purified GST-Ha29 fusion protein indicates that Ha29 is an early gene. The size of Ha29 product in infected HzAM1 cells was about 25 kDa, which was larger than the presumed size of 20.4 kDa. Tunicamycin treatment of HearSNPV-infected HzAM1 cells suggested that the Ha29 protein is N-glycosylated. Fluorescent confocal laser scanning microscope examination, and Western blot analysis of purified budded virus (BVs), occlusion-derived virus (ODVs), cell nuclear and cytoplasmic fraction, showed that the Ha29 protein was localized in the nucleus. Our results suggested that ha29 of HearSNPV encodes a non-structurally functional protein that may be associated with virus gene transcription in Helicoverpa hosts.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.167-172
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• 2011

LAR-RPTP (leukocyte common antigen-related receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase) is an important regulator in the nervous system, but little is known about its expression pattern in rat trigeminal ganglion (TG) neurons. To examine whether LAR-RPTP is expressed in the TG in the current study, we sacrificed rats at 0, 7, 10 and 56 day postpartum (dpp) and a second group of rats at 3 and 5 days after an experimental tooth extraction as a TG injury model. RT-PCR was then used to determine the level of LAR-RPTP expression in the TG and immunohistology was employed to detect the subcellular localization of the protein. The mRNA expression of LAR-RPTP during the developmental stages in the TG was found to gradually increase. After experimental tooth extraction however, these transcript levels had significantly decreased at three days. LAR-RPTP protein signals in the TG were found to be cytoplasmic in the normal animals but interestingly, at five days after an experimental tooth extraction, these signals were rare. These results indicate that LAR-RPTP may be regulated during both the developmental as well as regenerative processes that take place in the TG. This further suggests that LAR-RPTP is not only involved in primary axonogenesis but possibly also in the molecular control of axons during TG repair.

• Experimental and Molecular Medicine
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.6.1-6.10
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• 2018

Bmal1 is one of the key molecules that controls the mammalian molecular clock. In humans, two isoforms of Bmal1 are generated by alternative RNA splicing. Unlike the extensively studied hBmal1b, the canonical form of Bmal1 in most species, the expression and/or function of another human-specific isoform, hBmal1a, are poorly understood. Due to the lack of the N-terminal nuclear localization signal (NLS), hBMAL1a does not enter the nucleus as hBMAL1b does. However, despite the lack of the NLS, hBMAL1a still dimerizes with either hCLOCK or hBMAL1b and thereby promotes cytoplasmic retention or protein degradation, respectively. Consequently, hBMAL1a interferes with hCLOCK:hBMAL1b-induced transcriptional activation and the circadian oscillation of Period2. Moreover, when the expression of endogenous hBmal1a is aborted by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout, the rhythmic expression of hPer2 and hBmal1b is restored in cultured HeLa cells. Together, these results suggest a role for hBMAL1a as a negative regulator of the mammalian molecular clock.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.523-529
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• 2019

mRNA quality is controlled by multiple RNA surveillance machineries to reduce errors during gene expression processes in eukaryotic cells. Nonsense-mediated mRNA decay (NMD) is a well-characterized mechanism that degrades error-containing transcripts during translation. The ATP-dependent RNA helicase up-frameshift 1 (UPF1) is a key player in NMD that is mostly prevalent in the cytoplasm. However, recent studies on UPF1-RNA interaction suggest more comprehensive roles of UPF1 on diverse forms of target transcripts. Here we used subcellular fractionation and immunofluorescence to understand such complex functions of UPF1. We demonstrated that UPF1 can be localized to the nucleus and predominantly associated with the chromatin. Moreover, we showed that UPF1 associates more strongly with the chromatin when the transcription elongation and translation inhibitors were used. These findings suggest a novel role of UPF1 in transcription elongation-coupled RNA machinery in the chromatin, as well as in translation-coupled NMD in the cytoplasm. Thus, we propose that cytoplasmic UPF1-centric RNA surveillance mechanism could be extended further up to the chromatin-associated UPF1 and co-transcriptional RNA surveillance. Our findings could provide the mechanistic insights on extensive regulatory roles of UPF1 for many cellular RNAs.

• BMB Reports
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• v.55 no.10
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• pp.494-499
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• 2022

PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) is a serine/threonine kinase that phosphorylates several substrates and exerts neuroprotective effects against stress-induced apoptotic cell death. Mutations in PINK1 have been linked to autosomal recessive forms of Parkinson's disease (PD). Mitophagy is a type of autophagy that selectively promotes mitochondrial turnover and prevents the accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria to maintain cellular homeostasis. Toll-interacting protein (Tollip) was initially identified as a negative regulator of IL-1β receptor signaling, suppressing inflammatory TLR signaling cascades. Recently, Tollip has been reported to play a role in autophagy and is implicated in neurodegeneration. In this study, we determined whether Tollip was functionally linked to PINK1-mediated mitophagy. Our results demonstrated that Tollip promoted the mitochondrial processing of PINK1 and altered the localization of PINK1, predominantly to the cytosol. This action was attributed to increased binding of PINK1 to mitochondrial processing peptidase β (MPPβ) and the subsequent increase in MPPβ-mediated mitochondrial PINK1 cleavage. Furthermore, Tollip suppressed mitophagy following carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. These findings suggest that Tollip inhibits mitophagy via the PINK1/parkin pathway upon mitochondrial damage, leading to the blockade of PINK1-mediated neuroprotection.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.5.1-5.13
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• 2023

Neisseria gonorrhoeae is a Gram-negative aerobic diplococcus bacterium that primarily causes sexually transmitted infections through direct human sexual contact. It is a major public health threat due to its impact on reproductive health, the widespread presence of antimicrobial resistance, and the lack of a vaccine. In this study, we used a bioinformatics approach and performed subtractive genomic methods to identify potential drug targets against the core proteome of N. gonorrhoeae (12 strains). In total, 12,300 protein sequences were retrieved, and paralogous proteins were removed using CD-HIT. The remaining sequences were analyzed for non-homology against the human proteome and gut microbiota, and screened for broad-spectrum analysis, druggability, and anti-target analysis. The proteins were also characterized for unique interactions between the host and pathogen through metabolic pathway analysis. Based on the subtractive genomic approach and subcellular localization, we identified one cytoplasmic protein, 2Fe-2S iron-sulfur cluster binding domain-containing protein (NGFG RS03485), as a potential drug target. This protein could be further exploited for drug development to create new medications and therapeutic agents for the treatment of N. gonorrhoeae infections.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.365-376
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• 1995

Antigenic localization in Parofonimn iloktsuenensis worm tissues (tegument, intestine and vitelline gland) in different developmental stages of 2 weeks, 3 weeks, 4 weeks, 5 weeks and 33 weeks from albino rats (Sprague-Dawley) infected with P iloktsuenensis was observed by electron microscopy. These worm tissues of different developmental stage of R iloktsuenensis was observed on electromicrograph by immunogold labeling method using R iLoktsuenensis infected rat serum of 10 weeks. Antigenic localization was demonstrated as labeling of gold particles in tissues on electronmicrograph. In tegument, gold particles were labeled on tegumental tissue, generally more numerous on secretory granules in tegumental syncytium 2 weeks than those on the other elder developmental stages, but there was a little variation in antigenicity according to individual worm tissue. In general, antigenicity in tegumental tissue was not strong (gold particles: 0.1-5/1 Mm2). In intestine, a large number of gold particles (15-18/1 Mm2) were labeled in intestinal epithelium. Gold particles were concentrated especially on secretory granules in cytoplasm, and gold particles were labeled not only in cytoplasmic protrusions, but also in intestinal luminal contents. Intencity of labeling of gold particles was not correlated with developmental stage of worms. In vitelline gland, a large number of gold particles were labeled on vitelline globules. The gold particles in vitelline globules (8- 11/1 Mm2) were concentrated in protoplasm among segmental globules . Key words: Pnragonimus iloktsuenensis, immunogold labeling method, tissue antigen ultrastructure.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.411-419
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• 2002

Metallothionein (MT) is a family of ubiquitous, low molecular weight ($6,000{\sim}7,000D$), cysteine-rich ($30{\sim}35%$) inducible protein with a high affinity to metal ions and has no aromatic amino acids and histidine. Some of the known functions of MT include detoxification of heavy metals and alkylating agents and neutralization of free radicals. Also, this protein has been reported to involve in tumor pathophysiology and therapy resistance. MT expression may affect a number of cellular processes including gene expression, apoptosis, proliferation and differentiation. Many reports on the physiological and biochemical properties of MT have been published, but ultrastructural reports on the localization of MT in human gastric cancer tissues are extremely rare. The present study was undertaken to examine the ultrastructural features and the localization of MT within the gastric adenocarcinoma. Ultrastructures of gastric cancer cells were characterized by the high nuclear cytoplasmic ratio, the interdigitation between cells, the irregular nucleus containing much heterochromatin and the wide distribution of free ribosomes in the cytoplasm. Immunohistochemical reaction for MT was prominent in the gastric adenocarcinoma. And the immunogold labellings were more prominent within the nucleus than the cytoplasm. Particularly, immunogold particles were numerously seen at nulcleolus or nucleolar associated heterochromatin. These results suggest that MT expression by gastric cancer cells is associated with cell proliferative activity and is possibly synthesized in the cytoplasm, and then the protein is transported into the nucleus to participate in any transcriptional steps.