• Proceedings of the Korean Biophysical Society Conference
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• 2002.06b
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• pp.31-31
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• 2002

$\alpha$$_1$-Antitrypsin is a member of the serine protease inhibitor (serpin) family that share a common tertiary structure. The reactive site loop (RSL) of serpins is exposed at one end of the molecule for protease binding. Upon cleavage by a target protease, the RSL is inserted into the major $\beta$-sheet A, which is a necessary process for formation of a tight inhibitory complex.(omitted)

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.82-88
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• 2003

Genomic RNA sequence of a tobamovirus infecting Eutrema wasabi plant(TMV-W) was determined. The RNA is composed 6,298 nucleotide and contains four OREs encoding the protein of 180KD(OREI), 130KD(ORE2),30KD(ORF3) and 18KD(coat protein, ORF4). ORE4, ORF 3, ORF 2 and ORF 1 are overlaped by 130, 20 and 40 nucleotides, and the overapping region can be folded into a stable hairpin styucture. This includes the 3'non-coding region of 238 nucleotides, coat protein gene(537 nucleotides,179 amino acid), 30KD movement protein gene(825 nucleotides, 275 amino acid), 13(IKD protein gene(1,896 nucleotides, 632 amino acid) and 180KD protein gene(2,958 nucleotides, 986 amino acid). The genomic RNA sequence was compared with homologous regions of eleven other tobamoviruses. TMV-WTE was similar to TMV-WSF(98.6%) in nucleotide sequence.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.55-82
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• 2007

Ohjective: This research investigates the effect of the DJR on Alzheimer's disease. Method: 1.The effects of the DJR extract on IL.-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$, cox-2, and NOS-II mRNA of BV2 microglia cell line treated with LPS; 2. the behavior: 3. the infarction area of the hippocampus, and brain tissue injury in Alzheimer's diseased mice induced with ${\beta}$A were investigated. Result: 1. The DJR extract suppressed the expression of IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA in BV2 microglia cell line treated with LPS. 2. The DJR extract suppressed the expression of IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, and TNF-${\alpha}$ protein production in BV2 microglia cell line treated with LPS. 3. For the DJR extract group a significant inhibitory effect on the memory deficit was shown for the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by .${\beta}$A in the Moms water maze experiment, which measured stop-through latency, and distance movement-through latency. 4. The DJR extract suppressed the over-expression of IL-$1{\beta}$ protein, TNF-${\alpha}$ protein and CD68/CD11b, in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}$A 5. The DJR extract reduced the infarction area of hippocampus, and controlled the injury of brain tissue in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}$A. 6. The DJR extract reduced the tau protein, GFAP protein, and presenilin1/2 protein (immunohistochemistry) of hippocampus in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}$A. Conclusion: These results suggest that the DJR extract may he effective for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Investigation into the clinical use of the DJR extract for Alzheimer's disease of suggested for future research.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2012

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) is the movement of genetic material between kingdoms and is considered to play a positive role in adaptation. $Cryptosporidium$ $parvum$ is a parasitic protozoan that causes an infectious disease. Its genome sequencing reported 14 bacteria-like proteins in the nuclear genome. Among them, cgd2_1810, which has been annotated as CysQ, a sulfite synthesis pathway protein, is listed as one of the candidates of genes horizontally transferred from bacterial origin. In this report, we examined this issue using phylogenetic analysis. Our BLAST search showed that $C.$ $parvum$ CysQ protein had the highest similarity with that of proteobacteria. Analysis with NCBI's Conserved Domain Tree showed phylogenetic incongruence, in that $C.$ $parvum$ CysQ protein was located within a branch of proteobacteria in the cd01638 domain, a bacterial member of the inositol monophosphatase family. According to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, the sulfate assimilation pathway, where CysQ plays an important role, is well conserved in most eukaryotes as well as prokaryotes. However, the Apicomplexa, including $C.$ $parvum$, largely lack orthologous genes of the pathway, suggesting its loss in those protozoan lineages. Therefore, we conclude that $C.$ $parvum$ regained cysQ from proteobacteria by HGT, although its functional role is elusive.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.149-152
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• 2007

Mast cells play important roles in immune-related diseases, in particular, allergic diseases. Although 9-cis retinoic acid (9CRA) has been known as an immune regulator, its function in mast cells is not characterized well. In a previous paper, we demonstrated that 9CRA differentially decreases both CCR2 expression and the MCP-1-induced chemotactic activity of the human mast cell line, HMC-1 cells. In the present study, we examined the effects of 9CRA on the migration and expressions of inflammatory cytokines in HMC-1 cells. It was found that 9CRA significantly inhibited the migration of HMC-1 cells in response to stem cell factor (P<0.01), and it had no effect on the mRNA and protein expression of c-kit, a receptor binding to SCF. We further investigated the alternation of inflammatory cytokine expression and identified that 9CRA blocked the mRNA and protein expressions of Th2 cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5. Taken together, our results demonstrate that 9CRA blocks SCF-induced cell movement and the protein secretion of IL-4 and IL-5, and this indicates that 9CRA may have anti-inflammatory effects on mast cells.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.547-554
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• 1997

Galectin-3 is known as an animal ${\beta}$-galactoside-binding lectin charicterized with S-type carbohydrate recognition domain. It plays a role in growth, adherence and movement of cells. It is, also, related to the cell transformation and metastasis of tumor cells. In this study, we have expressed and purified recombinant human galectin-3 (rHgalectin-3) using E coli system and asialofetuin affinity chromatography for the future development of monoclonal antibody to Hgalectin-3, which is suggested as the tumor marker for the gastric and thyroid gland cancers. Expressed protein was confirmed as the Hgalectin-3 by immunoblot with cross-reactive murine monoclonal antibody. Lectin activity and specificity of purified protein were, also, confirmed by the competitive inhibition with galectin-3 specific carbohydrate, lactose. Like physiological galectin-3, lectin activity of the molecule was not changed in nonreduced condition. Dimer formation, furthermore, was observed at high concentration of the protein even in the reduced condition, which is well known in physiological galectin-3. These results showed purified rHgalectin-3 has the same activity and molecular nature compared to the physiological galectin-3.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.751-758
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• 2016

This study aimed at constructing a draft genome of the adult female worm Toxocara canis using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and de novo assembly, as well as to find new genes after annotation using functional genomics tools. Using an NGS machine, we produced DNA read data of T. canis. The de novo assembly of the read data was performed using SOAPdenovo. RNA read data were assembled using Trinity. Structural annotation, homology search, functional annotation, classification of protein domains, and KEGG pathway analysis were carried out. Besides them, recently developed tools such as MAKER, PASA, Evidence Modeler, and Blast2GO were used. The scaffold DNA was obtained, the N50 was 108,950 bp, and the overall length was 341,776,187 bp. The N50 of the transcriptome was 940 bp, and its length was 53,046,952 bp. The GC content of the entire genome was 39.3%. The total number of genes was 20,178, and the total number of protein sequences was 22,358. Of the 22,358 protein sequences, 4,992 were newly observed in T. canis. Following proteins previously unknown were found: E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase cbl-b and antigen T-cell receptor, zeta chain for T-cell and B-cell regulation; endoprotease bli-4 for cuticle metabolism; mucin 12Ea and polymorphic mucin variant C6/1/40r2.1 for mucin production; tropomodulin-family protein and ryanodine receptor calcium release channels for muscle movement. We were able to find new hypothetical polypeptides sequences unique to T. canis, and the findings of this study are capable of serving as a basis for extending our biological understanding of T. canis.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.377-387
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• 2016

Tomato yellow leaf curl virus (TYLCV), a member of the genus Begomovirus, is one of the most important viruses of cultivated tomatoes worldwide, mainly causing yellowing and curling of leaves with stunting in plants. TYLCV causes severe problems in sub-tropical and tropical countries, as well as in Korea. However, the mechanism of TYLCV infection remains unclear, although the function of each viral component has been identified. TYLCV C4 codes for a small protein involved in various cellular functions, including symptom determination, gene silencing, viral movement, and induction of the plant defense response. In this study, through yeast-two hybrid screenings, we identified TYLCV C4-interacting host proteins from both healthy and symptom-exhibiting tomato tissues, to determine the role of TYLCV C4 proteins in the infection processes. Comparative analyses of 28 proteins from healthy tissues and 36 from infected tissues showing interactions with TYLCV C4 indicated that TYLCV C4 mainly interacts with host proteins involved in translation, ubiquitination, and plant defense, and most interacting proteins differed between the two tissues but belong to similar molecular functional categories. Four proteins-two ribosomal proteins, S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, and 14-3-3 family protein-were detected in both tissues. Furthermore, the identified proteins in symptom-exhibiting tissues showed greater involvement in plant defenses. Some are key regulators, such as receptor-like kinases and pathogenesis-related proteins, of plant defenses. Thus, TYLCV C4 may contribute to the suppression of host defense during TYLCV infection and be involved in ubiquitination for viral infection.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.41-64
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• 2008

Objective: Hominis Placenta is used in many cure, mainly treats a weak, chronic disease, especially senile. This research investigates the effect of the Hominis Placenta Herbal-Acupuncture Solution on Alzheimer's disease. Method: The effects of the Hominis Placenta Herbal-Acupuncture Solution on (1) $IL-1{\beta}$ protein, $TNF-{\alpha}$ protein, MDA, and CD68/CD11b (2) the behavior (3) the infarction area of the hippocampus, and brain tissue injury in Alzheimer's diseased mice induced with 13A were investigated. Results: 1. For the Hominis Placenta Herbal-Acupuncture Solution group a significant inhibitory effect on the memory deficit was shown for the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}$ A in the Morris water maze experiment, which measured stop-through latency, and distance movement-through latency. 2. The Hominis Placenta Herbal-Acupuncture Solution group suppressed the over-expression of $IL-1{\beta}$ protein, $TNF-{\alpha}$ protein, MDA, and CD68/CD11b, in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$. 3. The Hominis Placenta Herbal Acupuncture Solution group reduced the infarction area of hippocampus, and controlled the injury of brain tissue in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$. 4. The Hominis Placenta Herbal-Acupuncture Solution group reduced the Tau protein, GFAP protein, and presenilin1/2 protein, beta-secretase protein, (immunohistochemistry) of hippocampus in the mice with Alzheimer's disease induced by ${\beta}A$. Conclusion: These results suggest that the Hominis Placenta Herbal-Acupuncture Solution group may be effective for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Investigation into the clinical use of the Hominis Placenta Herbal-Acupuncture Solution for Alzheimer's disease is suggested for future research.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.71-77
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• 2012

Mitochondrial dynamics and distribution is critical for their role in bioenergetics and cell survival. We investigated the consequence of altered fission/fusion on mitochondrial function and motility in INS-1E rat clonal ${\beta}$-cells. Adenoviruses were used to induce doxycycline-dependent expression of wild type (WT-Mfn1) or a dominant negative mitofusin 1 mutant (DN-Mfn1). Mitochondrial morphology and motility were analyzed by monitoring mitochondrially-targeted red fluorescent protein. Adenovirus-driven overexpression of WT-Mfn1 elicited severe aggregation of mitochondria, preventing them from reaching peripheral near plasma membrane areas of the cell. Overexpression of DN-Mfn1 resulted in fragmented mitochondria with widespread cytosolic distribution. WT-Mfn1 overexpression impaired mitochondrial function as glucose- and oligomycin-induced mitochondrial hyperpolarization were markedly reduced. Viability of the INS-1E cells, however, was not affected. Mitochondrial motility was significantly reduced in WT-Mfn1 overexpressing cells. Conversely, fragmented mitochondria in DN-Mfn1 overexpressing cells showed more vigorous movement than mitochondria in control cells. Movement of these mitochondria was also less microtubule-dependent. These results suggest that Mfn1-induced hyperfusion leads to mitochondrial dysfunction and hypomotility, which may explain impaired metabolism-secretion coupling in insulin-releasing cells overexpressing Mfn1.