• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.351-358
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• 2007

Carbohydrate-protein interactions are known to be important in gamete interactions. Several evidence indicated that a fucose-containing sulfated polysaccharide fucoidan was potential inhibitor of fertilization in vitro and thus fucose seemed to be part of the recognition signal of gamete interaction in mammals. In recent investigation we found that ${\alpha}$-L-fucosidase activity was present in boar spermatozoa and it was related to sperm binding to and penetration into zona pellucida (ZP) in vitro. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of monosaccharide L-fucose and polysaccharide fucoidan on sperm ${\alpha}$-L-fucosidase activity and relation to sperm-oocyte interaction in pig. Results indicated that the activity of sperm ${\alpha}$-L-fucosidase was largely inhibited (62%) when sperm suspension was treated with monosaccharide L-fucose. It also significantly inhibited the number of sperm binding to ZP (32%) and penetration into zona-intact oocytes (72%), but did not inhibit penetration into zona-free oocytes when fertilization medium contained L-fucose. The chlorotetracycline (CTC) assessment showed that L-fucose did not affect induction of sperm capacitation and acrosome reaction. In contrast, the activity of sperm ${\alpha}$-L-fucosidase was not inhibited when sperm suspension was treated with polysaccharide fucoidan but sperm-ZP binding was greatly inhibited (85%) and completely blocked sperm penetration into zona-intact or zona-free oocytes. The CTC assessment showed that fucoidan increased the F pattern and decreased the AR pattern sperm. These results suggested that the different inhibitory mechanisms were present between monosaccharide L-fucose and polysaccharide fucoidan on sperm-oocyte interaction, the inhibition effect of ${\alpha}$-L-fucose on sperm binding and penetrating into ZP caused sperm ${\alpha}$-L-fucosidase inhibited by ${\alpha}$-L-fucose.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.16 no.17
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• pp.7497-7500
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• 2015

Background: Tumor markers, designated as a broad group of substances produced by malignancies, could be in the form of biochemical substances, immunological substances, cell surface changes and genetic alterations. Cancer, a disorder of cellular behavior is characterized by alteration of serum glycoproteins. L-fucose, a hexose, which is the terminal sugar in most of the plasma glycoproteins, may be useful as a tumor marker for the detection, monitoring and prognostic assessment of malignancies. The aim of the study was to ascertain the role of serum fucose as a biomarker for early detection of oral cancer and to compare serum fucose levels in healthy controls, leukoplakia and oral cancer patients. Materials and Methods: The study included 60 (100.0%) subjects, who were grouped as 20 (33.3%) control subjects, 20 (33.3%) squamous cell carcinoma patients and 20 (33.3%) leukoplakia patients. Fucose estimation was done using UV-visible spectrophotometry based on the method as adopted by Winzler using cysteine reagent. The results were analyzed statistically using ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc tests. Results: Results showed a high significance in serum fucose in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and leukoplakia subjects compared to normal controls. There was a gradual increase in the values noted from control to leukoplakia and to squamous cell carcinoma. Conclusions: Estimation of serum fucose may be a reliable marker and can be used as an effective diagnostic biomarker in oral squamous cell carcinoma patients.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.21-25
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• 1990

The amounts of monosaccharides in acid hydrolysates of decomposing plant residues under laboratory conditions were determined. Straw of cereal rice and barley, wild grass cutting, and litters of deciduous and coniferous forest trees were treated to decompose for 90 days. Samples for the analysis of mono-saccharides were taken at 3 different periods of incubation. 1. Fractions of monosaccahrides in plant residues steadily decreased with the time of decomposition. In some samples there appeared an intermediate stages where the fractions reached the highest level. 2. Decomposition of barley straw occured at a faster rate than that of rice straw, and so did the decomposition of deciduous litter than that of coniferous litter. 3. Cereal crop residues of rice and barley were richer in monosaccharides than residues of wild grass cutting and forest litters. 4. Distiction between monosaccharides of plant origin and those of microbial origin was not possible to make in this study. 5. Glucose was the predominent monosaccharide and fucose was the monosaccharide contained in the smallest amount. No measurable ribose was detected from any sample. 6. The relative proportion of galactose in creased with the time of incubation. 7. In general, the proportion of fucose decreased with time and so did that of rhamnose, rhamnose of rice straw residue being the exception. 8. The orders of abundance of monosaccharides after decomposition of 90 days were as the following: in rice straw; glucose > xylose > arabinose > galactose > rhamnose > mannose > fucose, in barley straw; glucose > xylose > arabinose > galactose> mannose > rhamnose > fucose, in wild grass cutting; glucose > xylose > galactose arabinose> rhamnose mannose > fucose, in deciduous litter; glucose > arabinose > xylose galactose > mannose > rhamnose = fucose, and in coniferous litter; glucose > xylose > galactose > arabinose mannose > rhamnose > fucose.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.1141-1146
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• 2018

2'-Fucosyllactose (2'-FL) is one of the most important human milk oligosaccharides and has several health benefits for infants. The levels of 2'-FL in breast milk or samples from other sources can be quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography. However, this method cannot be used for simultaneous detection of the target compound in numerous samples. Here, we developed a simple method for quantifying 2'-FL in a microplate format. The method involves two steps: (i) release of $\text\tiny{L}$-fucose from 2'-FL by ${\alpha}$-(1-2,3,4,6)-$\text\tiny{L}$-fucosidase and (ii) measurement of NADPH formed during the oxidation of $\text\tiny{L}$-fucose by $\text\tiny{L}$-fucose dehydrogenase. This method enables measurement of up to 5 g/l 2'-FL in 50 min using a 96-well microplate. The efficiency and simplicity of the proposed method make it suitable for the analyses of a large number of samples simultaneously.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.128-131
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• 1997

Primary structure of purified fucoidans was analysed by methanolysis, methylation and HT-IR measurement. Basic linkage in the fucoidans of Laminaria religiosa, sporophylls of Undaria pinnatifida, Hizikia fusiforme and Sargassum fuivellum from Korea was $(1\rightarrow3)$ linkage of fucose, but a considerable amount of $(1\rightarrow3)$ linked galactose was also found in case of the purified fucoidan from sporophylls of U. pinnatifida. Ester sulfate was substituted mainly to C-4 position of fucose and galactose.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.167-173
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• 2001

To characterize the difference in glycoconjugates of mouse epididymis, lectin labeling of the tissue section was conducted using Ulex europaeus agglutinin I(UEA I), succinylated wheat germ agglutinin(sWGA), and Griffonia simplicifolia lectin-I(GSL-I). UEA I which binds to outer $\alpha$-L-fucose residue that is a terminal sugar of the side chain branched from oligosaccharide chain gave the labeling in the proximal caput epithelia exclusively. Lumen was commonly labeled in all of the organ. It suggested that the glycoconjugates bearing outer $\alpha$ -L-fucose residue were largely expressed in the initial segments ot epididymis and subjected to secretion. GSL-I which binds to terminal $\alpha$ -D-galactosyl residue of glycoconjugates gave the labeling in the cytoplasm of clear cells and basal cells, and cilia in corpus and cauda regions but not in the caput region. There was no vast difference in labeling pattern by sWGA which binds to N-acetyl-glucosamine residue among the epididymal regions. Clear cells in corpus and cauda epithelia showed more intense labeling by sWGA compared to principal cells, suggesting the functional specialization of this type of cells. The labeling intensities of luminal content by UEA I and sWGA decreased in cauda region compared to corpus region suggesting the presence of enzymatic activities responsible for processing the $\alpha$-L-fucose and N-acetyl-glucosamine residues from secreted glycoconjugates. In summary, the difference in glycoconjugates bearing the $\alpha$-L-fucose, $\alpha$-D-galactose, and N-acetyl-glucosamine residues according to the type of epithelial cells and epididymal segments suggests functional specialization and different roles of each segment in the processing of sperm surface antigens during the epididymal transit.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.72-80
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• 1997

To elucidate food value and medicinal effect of sea cucumbers, sugar composition of those gly-coprotein and chondroitin sulfate was studied. The contents of sulfate esters in sea cucumbers were 1.21%(blue), 0.90%(red) and 1.19%(black). Predominant carbohydrates were identified as fucose, glucose, D-mannuronic acid and N-acetylglucosamine, and those amount was more than 80% to total carbo-hydrate, while the minor sugar composition was ribose, mannose, galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine and D-glucuronic acid. Also, the major carbohydrate moiety of glycoproteins of sea cucumbers was revealed as fucose, mannose, N-acetylglucosamine, glucose and ribose, and those amount was more than 86% to total carbohydrate. Galactose, N-acetylgalactosamine, D-glucuronic acid and mannuronic acid were minor carbohydrate moiety. The contents of sulfate esters in glycoproteins were 0.96% for blue sea cucumber, 1.15% for red sea cucumber and 1.13% for black sea cucumber, while those in chondroitin sulfates were 3.52%(blue), 3.60%(red) and 3.72%(black). The carbohydrate moiety of chondroitin sulfate was identified as N-acetylgalactosamine (73~ 87%), fucose (7~15%) and D-glucuronic acid(5~12%). As the base on the IR spectrum of strong absorption appeared in 1240$cm^{-1}$ / for stretching vibrations in S=0 group and weak absorptions in 850$cm^{-1}$ / and 820$cm^{-1}$ /for stretching vibrations in C-0-S group, chondroitin sulfates had sulfate group which was bound to $C_4$in fucose.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.434-442
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• 2008

We observed that an inclusion body (IB) of recombinant ${\beta}$-galactosidase that was produced by the araBAD promoter system in Escherichia coli (E. coil) showed enzyme activity. In order to improve its activity, the lowering of the transcription rate of the ${\beta}$-galactosidase structural gene was attempted through competition between an inducer (L-arabinose) and an inducer analog (D-fucose). In the deep-well microtiter plate culture and lab-scale fermentor culture, it was demonstrated that the addition of D-fucose caused an improvement in specific ${\beta}$-galactosidase production, although ${\beta}$-galactosidase was produced as an IB. In particular, the addition of D-fucose after induction led to an increase in the specific activity of ${\beta}$-galactosidase IB. Finally, we confirmed that the addition of D-fucose after induction caused changes in the structure of ${\beta}$-galactosidase IB, with higher enzyme activity. Based on these results, we expect that an improved enzyme IB will be used as a biocatalyst of the enzyme bioprocess, because an enzyme IB can be purified easily and has physical durability.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2000

Eight strains of Aeromonas hydrophila isolated from diseased trout in Korea were characterized and compared with an American type strain by various methods including biochemical and physiological tests, PCR, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), plasmid profiling, and gel electrophoresis of total, membrane, and extracellular proteins. Virulence factors such as surface array proteins, cytotoxin, hemolysin, haemagglutinin, and protease were also investigated. The Korean strains showed heterogeneity in Iysine decarboxylase production, utilization of various carbon sources, and production of acetoin. Five strains had the same profiles of total and membrane proteins. Six strains haemagglutinated with trout red blood cells (RBCs) which was inhibited by fucose, galactose, and mannose, except for No. 1 where haemagglutination was inhibited by only galactose and mannose, but not by fucose. Four isolates haemagglutinated with human RBCs which was inhibited by fucose and mannose yet not by galactose. The type strain haemagglutinated only with trout RBCs which was inhibited by fucose, galactose, and mannose. Every isolate secreted protease, hemolysin, cytotoxin, and siderophore, but no enterotoxin. Results showed that the Korean isolates, except for No.7, had very different biochemical and molecular characteristics from those of the American type strain.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1125-1131
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• 2014

Background: Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease causing chronic ill health in humans with a serious consequences for socio-economic development in tropical and subtropical regions. There is also evidence linking Schistosoma mansoni to colonic carcinoma occurrence. The aim of this study was to evaluate some inflammatory and oxidative stress biomarkers, as well as L-fucose as linkers between intestinal schistosomiasis and colonic dysplasia development in mice. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted upon 80 mice that were divided the control group (10 non infected mice) and infected group which was subdivided into 7 sub-groups (10 mice each) according to the time of sacrifaction in the post infection (p.i.) period, 10 mice being sacrificed every two weeks from 6 weeks p.i. to 18 weeks p.i. Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-${\alpha}$), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and pentraxin 3 (PTX3) levels were estimated by immunoassay. The L-fucose level, and thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activities were also evaluated in colonic tissue. Results: The current study revealed statistically significant elevation in the studied biochemical markers especially at 16 and 18 weeks p.i. The results were confirmed by histopathological examination that revealed atypical architectural and cytological changes in the form of epithelial surface serration and nuclear hyper-chromatizia at 14, 16 and 18 weeks p.i. Conclusions: inflammation, oxidative stress and L-fucose together may form an important link between Schistosomal mansoni infection and colonic dysplasia and they can be new tools for prediction of colonic dysplasia development in experimental schistosomiasis.