• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.327-333
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• 2005

Dihydroxy-acid dehydratase (DHAD, 2,3-dihydroxy-acid hydrolyase, EC 4.2.1.9) is one of the key enzymes involved in the biosynthetic pathway of the branched chain amino acid isoleucine and valine. Although the enzyme have been purified and characterized in various mesophiles including bacteria and eukarya, the biochemical properties of DHAD has bee not yet reported from hyperthermophilic archaea. In this study, we cloned, expressed, and purified a DHAD homologue from the thermoacidophilic archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus P2, which grows optimally at $80\;^{\circ}C$ and pH 3, in E. coli. Characterization of the recombinant S. solfataricus DHAD (rSso_DHAD) revealed that it is the dimeric protein with a subunit molecular weight of 64,000 Da in native structure. rDHAD showed the highest activity toward 2,3-dihydroxyisovaleric acid among 17 aldonic acid substrates Interestingly, this enzyme also displayed 50 % activities toward some pentonic acids and hexonic acids when compared with the activity of this enzyme to the natural substrate. Moreover, rSso_DHAD indicated relatively higher activity toward D-gluconate than any other hexonic acids tested in substrates. $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values of rSso_DHAD were calculated as $0.54\;{\pm}\;0.04\;mM$ toward 2,3dihydroxyisovalerate and $2.42\;{\pm}\;0.19\;mM$ toward D-gluconate, and as $21.6\;{\pm}\;0.4\;U/mg$ toward 2,3-dihydroxyisovalerate and $13.8\;{\pm}\;0.4\;U/mg$ toward D-gluconate, respectively. In the study for biochemical properties, the enzyme shows maximal activity between $70^{\circ}C$ and $80^{\circ}C$, and the pH range of pH 7.5 to 8.5. The half life time at $80^{\circ}C$ was 30 min. A divalent metal ion, $Mn^{2+}$, was only powerful activators, whereas other metal ions made the enzyme activity reduced. $Hg^{2+}$, organic mercury, and EDTA also strongly inhibited enzyme activities. Particularly, the rSso_DHAD activity was very stable under aerobic condition although the counterparts reported from mesophiles had been deactivated by oxygen.

• BMB Reports
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.370-378
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• 2000

Incubation of purified laminin1-nidogen1 complexes with $[{\gamma}-^{32}P]-ATP$ in the presence of the catalytic subunit of the protein kinase A (cAMP-dependent protein kinase) resulted in the phosphorylation of the alpha chain of laminin-1 and of the nidogen-1 molecule. Aminoacid electrophoresis indicated that phosphate was incorporated on serine residues. The phosphorylation effect of laminin-1 on the process of self assembly was studied by turbidometry. In these experiments, the phosphorylated laminin-1 showed a reduced maximal aggregation capacity in comparison to the non-phosphorylated molecule. Examination of the laminin-1 network under the electron microscope showed that the phosphorylated sample formed mainly linear extended oligomers, in contrast to controls that formed large and dense multimeric aggregates. Heparin binding on phosphorylated laminin-1 in comparison to controls was also tested using solid-phase binding assays. The results indicated an enhanced heparin binding to the phosphorylated protein. The results of this study indicate that laminin1-nidogen1 is a substrate for protein kinase A in vitro. This phosphorylation had an obvious influence on the lamininl-nidogen1 network formation and the heparin binding capacity of this molecule. However, further studies are needed to investigate whether or not this phenomenon could play a role in the formation of the structure of basement membranes in vivo.

• ALGAE
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.127-141
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• 2018

Low efficiency in microalgal biomass production was largely attributed to the low density of algal cell cultures. Though mutations that reduced the level of chlorophyll or pigment content increased efficiency of photon usage and thus the cell-culture density under high-illumination growth conditions (e.g., >$500{\mu}mol\;photon\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$), it was unclear whether algae could increase cell-culture density under low-illumination conditions (e.g., ${\sim}50{\mu}mol\;photon\;m^{-2}\;s^{-1}$). To address this question, we performed forward genetic screening in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. A pool of >1,000 insertional mutants was constructed and subjected to continuous subcultures in shaking flasks under low-illumination conditions. Complexity of restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern in cultures indicated the degree of heterogeneity of mutant populations. We showed that the levels of RFLP complexity decreased when cycles of subculture increased, suggesting that cultures were gradually populated by high cell-culture density (HCD) strains. Analysis of the 3 isolated HCD mutants after 30 cycles of subcultures confirmed that their maximal biomass production was 50-100% higher than that of wild type under low-illumination. Furthermore, levels of chlorophyll content in HCD mutant strains were similar to that of wild type. Inverse polymerase chain reaction analysis identified the locus of insertion in two of three HCD strains. Molecular and transcriptomic analyses suggested that two HCD mutants were a result of the gain-of-function phenotype, both linking to the abnormality of mitochondrial functions. Taken together, our results demonstrate that HCD strains can be obtained through continuous subcultures under low illumination conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1547-1556
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• 2009

A novel thermostable $\alpha$-glucosidase (TtGluA) from Thermoanaerobacter tengcongensis MB4 was successfully expressed in E. coli and characterized. The TtgluA gene contained 2,253 bp, which encodes 750 amino acids. The native TtGluA was a trimer with monomer molecular mass of 89 kDa shown by SDS-PAGE. The purified recombinant enzyme showed hydrolytic activity on maltooligosaccharides, p-nitrophenyl-$\alpha$-D-glucopyranide, and dextrin with an exotype cleavage manner. TtGluA showed preference for short-chain maltooligosaccharides and the highest specific activity for maltose of 3.26 units/mg. Maximal activity was observed at $60^{\circ}C$ and pH 5.5. The half-life was 2 h at $60^{\circ}C$. The enzyme showed good tolerance to urea and SDS but was inhibited by Tris. When maltose with the concentration over 50 mM was used as substrate, TtGluA was also capable of catalyzing transglycosylation to produce $\alpha$-1,4-linked maltotriose and $\alpha$-1,6-linked isomaltooligosaccharides. More importantly, TtGluA showed exclusive regiospecificity with high yield to produce $\alpha$-1,6-linked isomaltooligosaccharides when the reaction time extended to more than 10 h.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2010

Objective : Notochordal cells in the intervertebral disc interact with nucleus pulposus (NP) cells and support the maintenance of disc homeostasis by regulation of matrix production. However, the influence of notochordal cells has not been evaluated in the annulus fibrosus (AF), which is the primary pain generator in the disc. We hypothesized that the notochordal cell has the capacity to modulate inflammatory mediators secreted by AF cells secondary to stimulation. Methods : Notochordal and AF cells were isolated from adult New Zealand white rabbits. AF pellets were cultured with notochordal cell clusters or in notochordal cell-conditioned media (NCCM) for 24 or 48 hours with proinflammatory cytokines at varying concentrations. Gene expression in AF pellets were assayed for nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclo-oxygenase (COX)-2, and interleukin (IL)-6 by real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results : AF pellet in NCCM significantly decreased the iNOS and COX-2 messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels compared to AF pellets alone and AF pellets with notochordal cells (p < 0.05). AF pellet resulted in dose-dependent iNOS and COX-2 expression in response to IL-$1{\beta}$, stimulation, demonstrating that 1 ng/ml for 24 hours yielded a maximal response. AF pellet in NCCM significantly decreased the expression of iNOS and COX-2 in response to 1ng/ml IL-$1{\beta}$, stimulation at 24 hours (p < 0.05). There was no difference in IL-6 expression compared to AF pellets alone or AF pellets with notochordal cell clusters. Conclusion : We conclude that soluble factors from notochordal cells mitigate the gene expression of inflammatory mediators in stimulated AF, as expected after annular injury, suggesting that notochordal cells could serve as a novel therapeutic approach in symptomatic disc development.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1933-1942
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• 2016

A novel ${\alpha}-glucoside$ hydrolase (named PspAG97A) from glycoside hydrolase family 97 (GH97) was cloned from the deep-sea bacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. K8, which was screened from the sediment of Kongsfjorden. Sequence analysis showed that PspAG97A belonged to GH97, and shared 41% sequence identity with the characterized ${\alpha}-glucoside$ BtGH97a. PspAG97A possessed three key catalytically related glutamate residues. Mutation of the glutamate residues indicated that PspAG97A belonged to the inverting subfamily of GH97. PspAG97A showed significant reversibility against changes in salt concentration. It exhibited halophilic ability and improved thermostability in NaCl solution, with maximal activity at 1.0 M NaCl/KCl, and retained more than 80% activity at NaCl concentrations ranging from 0.8 to 2.0 M for over 50 h. Furthermore, PspAG97A hydrolyzed not only ${\alpha}-1,4-glucosidic$ linkage, but also ${\alpha}-1,6-$ and ${\alpha}-1,2-glucosidic$ linkages. Interestingly, PspAG97A possessed high catalytic efficiency for long-chain substrates with ${\alpha}-1,6-linkage$. These characteristics are clearly different from other known ${\alpha}-glucoside$ hydrolases in GH97, implying that PspAG97A is a unique ${\alpha}-glucoside$ hydrolase of GH97.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.827-833
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• 1999

In this study, we have investigated the effect of Biphenyl Dimethyl Dicarboxylate (DDB), a synthetic analogue of Schizandrin C isolated from Schizandrae Fructus on cytochrome $P_450$ lAl and 2Bl, and the protective mechanism against $CCl_4-induced$ hepatotoxicity in rat liver. After DDB was administered into male rats for different periods of time (1~7 days) and with different doses (25, 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg), mRNA levels of CYPlAl were measured by polymearse chain reaction (PCR) and assayed the activities of CYPlAl specific ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (EROD) and CYP2Bl specific benzyloxyresorufin-O-dealkylase (BROD). DDB treatment resulted in increase in CYP2Bl mRNA level and BROD activity, whereas there was no change in CYPlAl mRNA level and EROD activity. This effect of DDB was time-and dose-dependent and reached maximal level by 3 day and 200 mg/kg treatment. In addition, rats were pre-treated with DDB at doses of 25, 50 or 100 mg/kg daily for 4 days, 3-hr after final treatment on the 4th day, $CCl_4$ 0.3ml/kg was intraperitonially injected into the rats to examine the effect of DDB on $CCl_4-induced$ hepatic injury. Serum levels of ALT and AST were determined and histopathological examination was done in rat liver. Furthermore, we have measured hepatic microsomal malondialdehyde(MDA) level, a parameter of lipid peroxidation. Based on serum ALT level and lipid peroxidation, pretreatment of DDB, 50 mg/kg appeared the most protective effect against $CCl_4-induced$ heapatotoxity. These results indicate that DDB stimulates CYP2Bl mRNA level and BROD activity in time and dose dependent manner and suggest that protective effect of DDB on $CCl_4-induced$ hepatotoxicity may be mediated through free radical scavenging.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.255-260
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• 2002

The effects of intracellular and extracellular pH on the inwardly rectifying $K^+$ (IRK) channel of the bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAECs) were examined using whole-cell patch-clamp technique. The IRK current, efficiently blocked by $Ba^{2+}\;(200{\mu}M),$ is the most prominent membrane current in BAECs, which mainly determines the resting membrane potential. The expression of Kir2.1 was observed in BAECs using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis. Intracellular alkalinization, elicited by the extracellular substitution of NaCl with $NH_4Cl$ (30 mM), significantly augmented the amplitude of IRK current. On the contrary, the amplitude of IRK current was attenuated by the Na-acetate (30 mM)-induced intracellular acidification. The changes in extracellular pH also closely modulated the amplitude of IRK current, which was decreased to $40.2{\pm}1.3%$ of control upon switching the extracellular pH to 4.0 from 7.4. The extracellular pH value for half-maximal inhibition (pK) of IRK current was 5.11. These results demonstrate that the activity of IRK channel in BAECs, probably Kir2.1, was suppressed by proton at both sides of plasma membrane.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.279-287
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• 2021

Purpose: The clinical implications of bowel wall thickening (BWT) on abdominal computed tomography (CT) among children are unknown. We aimed to suggest a new method for measuring BWT and determining its clinical significance in children. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 423 patients with acute abdomen who underwent abdominal CT; 262 were classified into the BWT group. For this group, the pediatric radiologist described the maximal bowel wall thickness (MT), normal bowel wall thickness (mm) (NT), and their ratios for each segment of the bowel wall. Results: In the thickened bowel walls, the thickness differed significantly between the small bowel (6.83±2.14 mm; mean±standard deviation) and the colon (8.56±3.46 mm; p<0.001). The ratios of MT to NT in the small bowel (6.09±3.17) and the colon (7.58±3.70) were also significantly different (p<0.001). In the BWT group, 35 of 53 patients had positive fecal polymerase chain reaction results; 6 patients infected with viruses predominantly had BWT in the small intestine, while the terminal ileum and the colon were predominantly affected in 29 patients with bacterial infections. In the initially undiagnosed 158 patients with BWT, the symptoms improved spontaneously without progression to chronic gastrointestinal disease. Conclusion: This study provides a clinical reference value for BWT in the small intestine and colon using a new method in children. The BWT on abdominal CT in children might indicate nonspecific findings that can be observed and followed up without additional evaluation, unlike in adults.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.491-505
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• 2020

A newly isolated strain, Proteus vulgaris OR34, from olive mill waste was found to secrete an alkaline extracellular lipase at 11 U·ml-1 when cultivated on an optimized liquid medium. This lipase was purified 94.64-fold with a total yield of 9.11% and its maximal specific activity was shown to be 3232.58 and 1777.92 U·mg-1 when evaluated using the pH-stat technique at 55℃ and pH 9 and Tributyrin TC4 or olive oil as the substrate. The molecular mass of the pure OR34 lipase was estimated to be around 31 kDa, as revealed by SDS-PAGE and its substrate specificity was investigated using a variety of triglycerides. This assay revealed that OR34 lipase preferred short and medium chain fatty acids. In addition, this lipase was stable in the presence of high concentrations of bile salt (NaDC) and calcium ions appear not to be necessary for its activity. This lipase was inhibited by THL (Orlistat) which confirmed its identity as a serine enzyme. In addition, the immobilization of OR34 lipase by adsorption onto calcium carbonate increased its stability at higher temperatures and within a larger pH range. The immobilized lipase exhibited a high tolerance to organic solvents and retained 60% of its activity after 10 months of storage at 4℃. Finally, the OR34 lipase was applied in biodiesel synthesis via oleic acid mediated esterification of methanol when using hexane as solvent. The best conversion yield (67%) was obtained at 12 h and 40℃ using the immobilized enzyme and this enzyme could be reused for six cycles with the same efficiency.