• Rapid Communication in Photoscience
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.18-20
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• 2016

Through quantum chemical means, we inspect the energetics of the singlet oxygen formation with fluorescent proteins in their triplet excited states. By placing an oxygen molecule at varying distances, we discover that the energetic driving force for the singlet oxygen formation does not depend strongly on the chromophore $-O_2$ distance. We also observe that the chromophore vibrations contribute much to the energy gap modulation toward the surface crossing. Based on our computational results, we try to draw a series of rationalizations of different photostabilities of different fluorescent proteins. Most prominently, we argue that the chance of encountering a surface crossing point is higher with a protein with a lower photostability.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1961-1966
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• 2013

Theoretical investigations have been performed for the ground state ($S_0$) and the first excited state ($S_1$) of the hydrogen bonded green fluorescent protein (GFP) model. The potential energy surface (PESs) of $S_0$ was obtained by B3LYP method and that of $S_1$ was obtained by CIS method. Based on the relative stabilities of species and the energy barriers for the proton transfer, it was found that proton transfer could take place both under the ground state and the first excited state. As determined by the proton motions along the reaction coordinate, both the ground state proton transfer (GSPT) and the excited state proton transfer (ESPT) are considered as a concerted and asynchronous process.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.460-466
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• 2010

A mutant of green fluorescent protein ($GFPmut3^*$) from the jellyfish Aequorea victoria was cyclized in vitro and in vivo by the use of a naturally split intein from the dnaE gene of Synechocystis species PCC6803 (Ssp). Cyclization of $GFPmut3^*$ was confirmed by amino acid sequencing and resulted in an increased electrophoretic mobility compared with the linear $GFPmut3^*$. The circular $GFPmut3^*$ was $5^{\circ}C$ more thermostable than the linear form and significantly more resistant to proteolysis of exopeptidase. The circular $GFPmut3^*$ also displayed increased relative fluorescence intensity. In addition, chemical stability of $GFPmut3^*$ against GdnHCl revealed more stability of the circular form compared with the linear form.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.156-164
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• 2021

Spirodela polyrhiza, from the Lemnaceae family, are small aquatic plants that offer an alternative plant-based system for the expression of recombinant proteins. However, no turion transformation protocol has been established in this species. In this study, we exploited a pB7YWG2 vector harboring the eYFP gene that encodes enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (eYFP), which has been extensively used as a reporter and marker to visualize recombinant protein localization in plants. We adopted Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated turion transformation via vacuum infiltration to deliver the eYFP gene to turions, special vegetative forms produced by duckweeds to endure harsh conditions. Transgenic turions regenerated several duckweed fronds that exhibited yellow fluorescent emissions under a fluorescence microscope. Western blotting verified the expression of the eYFP protein. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of an efficient protocol for generating transgenic S. polyrhiza expressing eYFP via Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated turion transformation. The ability of turions to withstand harsh conditions increases the portability and versatility of transgenic duckweeds, favoring their use in the further development of therapeutic compounds in plants.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.11-15
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• 2017

We constructed the fibroin H-chain expression system to produce enhanced cyan fluorescent proteins (ECFP) in transgenic silkworm cocoon. Fluorescent cocoon could be made by fusing ECFP cDNA to the heavy chain gene and injecting it into a silkworm. The ECFP fusion protein, each with N- and C-terminal sequences of the fibroin H-chain, was designed to be secreted into the lumen of the posterior silk glands. The expression of the ECFP/H-chain fusion gene was regulated by the fibroin H-chain promoter. The use of the 3xP3-driven EGFP cDNA as a marker allowed us to rapidly distinguish transgenic silkworms. The EGFP fluorescence became visible in the ocelli and in the central and peripheral nervous system on the seventh day of embryonic development. A mixture of the donor and helper vector was micro-injected into 1,020 Kumokjam, bivoltin silkworm eggs. We obtained 6 broods. The cocoon was displayed strong blue fluorescence, proving that the fusion protein was present in the cocoon. Accordingly, we suggest that the ECFP fluorescence silk will enable the production of novel biomaterial based on the transgenic silk.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.828-836
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• 2017

Eukaryotic cells consist of a complex network of thousands of proteins present in different organelles where organelle-specific cellular processes occur. Identification of the subcellular localization of a protein is important for understanding its potential biochemical functions. In the post-genomic era, localization of unknown proteins is achieved using multiple tools including a fluorescent-tagged protein approach. Several fluorescent-tagged protein organelle markers have been introduced into dicot plants, but its use is still limited in monocot plants. Here, we generated a set of multicolored organelle markers (fluorescent-tagged proteins) based on well-established targeting sequences. We used a series of pGWBs binary vectors to ameliorate localization and co-localization experiments using monocot plants. We constructed different fluorescent-tagged markers to visualize rice cell organelles, i.e., nucleus, plastids, mitochondria, peroxisomes, golgi body, endoplasmic reticulum, plasma membrane, and tonoplast, with four different fluorescent proteins (FPs) (G3GFP, mRFP, YFP, and CFP). Visualization of FP-tagged markers in their respective compartments has been reported for dicot and monocot plants. The comparative localization of the nucleus marker with a nucleus localizing sequence, and the similar, characteristic morphology of mCherry-tagged Arabidopsis organelle markers and our generated organelle markers in onion cells, provide further evidence for the correct subcellular localization of the Oryza sativa (rice) organelle marker. The set of eight different rice organelle markers with four different FPs provides a valuable resource for determining the subcellular localization of newly identified proteins, conducting co-localization assays, and generating stable transgenic localization in monocot plants.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.145-149
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• 2004

The expression of a fusion protein comprised of the B. thuringiensis crystal protein, Cry1Ac, and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in Escherichia coli XLl-blue was examined. Three recombinant plasmids were transformed into E. coli XL1-blue and named as ProAc/Ec, MuEGFP/Ec and ProMu-EGFP/Ec, respectively. All transformants were observed by light and fluorescence microscopy at mid-log phase. The expression in E. coli transformants, ProMu-EGFP/Ec and MuEGFP/Ec, exhibited bright enough fluorescence to be observed. Furthermore, ProMu-EGFP/Ec produced fluorescent inclusions, which may have been recombinant crystals between EGFP and Cry1Ac while MuEGFP/Ec expressed soluble EGFP in cell. In SDS-PAGE, ProAc/Ec had 130 kDa crystal protein band and MuEGFP/Ec had thick 27 kDa EGFP band. However, ProMu-EGFP/Ec had about 150 kDa fusion protein band. Accordingly, these results indicated that a fusion protein between the B. thuringiensis crystal protein and a foreign protein under the lacZ promoter was successfully expressed as granular structure in E. coli. It is suggested that the E. coli expression system by N-terminal fusion of B. thuringiensis crystal protein may be useful as excellent means for fusion expression and characterization of B. thuringiensis fusion crystal protein.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.182-193
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• 2021

The transcription factor SHE1 was identified as an interacting partner with the cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) 1a protein in the yeast two-hybrid system, by a pull-down assay, and via bimolecular fluorescent complementation. Using fluorescent-tagged proteins and confocal microscopy, the CMV 1a protein itself was found distributed predominantly between the nucleus and the tonoplast membrane, although it was also found in speckles in the cytoplasm. The SHE1 protein was localized in the nucleus, but in the presence of the CMV 1a protein was partitioned between the nucleus and the tonoplast membrane. SHE1 expression was induced by infection of tobacco with four tested viruses: CMV, tobacco mosaic virus, potato virus X and potato virus Y. Transgenic tobacco expressing the CMV 1a protein showed constitutive expression of SHE1, indicating that the CMV 1a protein may be responsible for its induction. However, previously, such plants also were shown to have less resistance to local and systemic movement of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) expressing the green fluorescent protein, suggesting that the CMV 1a protein may act to prevent the function of the SHE1 protein. SHE1 is a member of the AP2/ERF class of transcription factors and is conserved in sequence in several Nicotiana species, although two clades of SHE1 could be discerned, including both different Nicotiana species and cultivars of tobacco, varying by the presence of particular insertions or deletions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.413-417
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• 2005

Fluorescence of green fluorescent protein mutant, 2-5 GFP is observed during denaturation by guanidine. The fluorescence intensity decreases exponentially but the fluorescence lifetime does not change during denaturation. The fluorescence lifetime of the denatured protein is shorter than that of native form. As the protein structure is modified by guanidine, solvent water molecules penetrate into the protein barrel and protonate the chromophore to quench fluorescence. Most fluorescence quenchers do not affect the fluorescence of native form but accelerate the fluorescence intensity decay during denaturation. Based on the observations, a simple model is suggested for the structural change of the protein molecule during denaturation.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.277-283
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• 1999

To investigate the development of a subunit vaccine against theileriosis in cattle, the DNA fragments encoding piroplasm surface protein (p33) of Theileria sergenti of a Korean isolate were expressed in baculoviruses. The expressed p33 was characterized by indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) and western blotting analysis. The expression of p33 was mainly detected on the surface of infected Sf21 cells by IFA. The immunoblotting analysis revealed the presence of a same molecular weight protein band of p33. The antigenicity of expressed polypeptide was further examined through the inoculation of a guinea pig. The sera of guinea pigs immunized with p33 expressed cell Iysate showed similar fluorescent antibody patterns and reacted with the same molecular weight protein of T. sergenti in immunoblotting analysis, thus indicating that this protein can be a promising candidate for a subunit vaccine in the future.