• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.625-638
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• 2023

Among various biological agents, bacteriocins are important candidates to control Listeria monocytogenes which is a foodborne pathogen. In this study, a novel bacteriocin, named agilicin C7, was isolated from Ligilactobacillus agilis C7 showing inhibitory activity against L. monocytogenes. Agilicin C7 biosynthesis gene was characterized by bioinformatics analyses and heterologously expressed in Escherichia coli for further study. The anti-listeria activity of recombinant agilicin C7 (r-agilicin C7) was lost by proteases and α-amylase, suggesting that agilicin C7 is a glycoprotein. r-Agilicin C7 has wide pH and thermal stability and is also stable in various organic solvents. It destroyed L. monocytogenes by damaging the integrity of the cell envelope. These properties of r-agilicin C7 indicate that agilicin C7 is a novel amylase-sensitive anti-listerial Class IId bacteriocin. Physicochemical stability and inhibitory activity against L. monocytogenes of r-agilicin C7 suggest that it can be applied to control L. monocytogenes in the food industry, including dairy and meat products.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.18-24
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• 2001

Expression of the baculovirus major envelope glycoprotein gene(gp64) is regulated by transcription from botha early and late promoters. To develop a transient expression vector under the control of gp64 gene promoter, the gp64 gene of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus-K1(BmNPV-K1) was characterized. The gp64 gene was local-ized at EcoR I-Pst I 7.38-kb fragment of the BmNPV-K1 genome. The EcorR 1-Pst I 7.38-kb fragment was cloned and the nucleotide sequence of 2,277 bases including the coding region of gp64 gene was determined. Based on these results, transient expression vector using gp64 gene promoter was constructed and named as pBm64. E.coli lacZ gene was introduced onto pBm64 as a reporter gene and expressed transiently in B. mori 5(Bm 5) cells. The expression vector transfected into the cells was maintained stably for 1 to 5 days. In order to confirm the expression of the reporter gene by gp64 promoter, recombinant virus was constructed. The recombinant virus has two independent transcription units in opposite orientations with two promoters; gp64 and polyhedrin gene promoters each initiating transcription of $\beta$-galactosidase and polyhedrin, respectively. Polyhedra formation and expression of $\beta$-galactosidase in Bm5 cells infected with the recombinant virus were observed with phase contrast microscope and in situ staining.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1996.04a
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• pp.19-29
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• 1996

The neurological manifestations of AIDS include dementia, encountered even in the absence of opportunistic superinfection or malignancy. The AIDS Dementia Complex appears to be associated with several neuropathological abnormalities, including astrogliosis and neuronal injury or loss. How can HIV-1 result in neuronal damage if neurons themselves are only rarely, if ever, infected by the vitus\ulcorner In vitro experiments from several different laboratiories have lent support to the existence of HIV- and immune-related toxins. In one recently defined pathway to neuronal injury, HIV-infected macrophages/microglia as well as macrophages activated by HIV-1 envelope protein gp120 appear to secrete excitants/neurotoxins. These substances may include arachidonic acid, platelet-activating factor, free radicals (NO - and O$_2$), glutamate, quinolinate, cysteine, cytokines (TNF-${\alpha}$, IL1-B, IL-6), and as yet unidentified factors emanating from stimulated macrophages and possibly reactive astrocytes. A final common pathway for newonal suscepubility appears to be operative, similar to that observed in stroke, trauma, epilepsy, and several neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This mechanism involves excessive activation of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor-operated channels, with resultant excessive influx of Ca$\^$2+/ leading to neuronal damage, and thus offers hope for future pharmacological intervention. This chapter reviews two clinically-tolerated NMDA antagonists, memantine and nitroglycerin; (ⅰ) Memantine is an open-channel blocker of the NMDA-associated ion channel and a close congener of the anti-viral and anti-parkinsonian drug amantadine. Memantine blocks the effects of escalating levels of excitotoxins to a greater degree than lower (piysiological) levels of these excitatory amino acids, thus sparing to some extent normal neuronal function. (ⅱ) Niuoglycerin acts at a redox modulatory site of the NMDA receptor/complex to downregulate its activity. The neuroprotective action of nitroglycerin at this site is mediated by n chemical species related to nitric oxide, but in a higher oxidation state, resulting in transfer of an NO group to a critical cysteine on the NMDA receptor. Because of the clinical safety of these drugs, they have the potential for trials in humans. As the structural basis for redox modulation is further elucidated, it may become possible to design even better redox reactive reagents of chinical value. To this end, redox modulatory sites of NMDA receptors have begun to be characterized at a molecular level using site-directed mutagenesis of recombinant subunits (NMDAR1, NMDAR2A-D). Two types of redox modulation can be distinguished. The first type gives rise to a persistent change in the functional activity of the receptor, and we have identified two cysteine residues on the NMDARI subunit (#744 and #798) that are responsible for this action. A second site, presumably also a cysteine(s) because <1 mM N-ethylmaleimide can block its effect in native neurons, underlies the other, more transient redox action. It appears to be at this, as yet unidentified, site on the NMDA receptor that the NO group acts, at least in recombinant receptors.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2006

Pasteurella multocida is a terrible veterinary pathogen that causes widespread infections in husbandry. To induce homologous and/or heterologous immunity against the infections, outer membrane protein Hs (OmpH) in the envelope of different strains of P. multocida are thought to be attractive vaccine candidates. Previously we cloned and characterized a gene for OmpH from pathogenic P. multocida (A : 3) (In Press, Korean J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. 2005, 33, December). The gene is composed of 1,047 nucleotides (nt) coding 348 amino acids (aa) with signal peptide of 20 aa. The truncated ompH, a gene without nt coding for the signal peptide, was generated using pRSET A to name "pRSET A/OmpH-F2". This truncated ompH was well expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). Truncated OmpH was purified for induction of immunity against live pathogen of fowl cholera (P. multocida A : 3) in mice. Some $50{\mu}g$ of the purified polypeptide was intraperitoneally injected into mice two times with 10 day interval. Lethal dose ($25{\mu}l$) of live P. multocida A : 3 was determined by directly injecting the pathogen into wild mice (n = 25). To demonstrate the vaccine candidate of the truncated OmpH, the live pathogen ($25{\mu}l$) was challenged with the OmpH-immunized mouse group as well as positive & negative controls (n = 80). The results show that the truncated OmpH can be used for an effective vaccine production to prevent fowl cholera caused by pathogenic P. multocida (A : 3).

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.479-487
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• 2009

Glutathione reductase (GR) is an enzyme that recycles a key cellular antioxidant molecule glutathione (GSH) from its oxidized form (GSSG) thus maintaining cellular redox homeostasis. A recombinant plasmid to overexpress a GR of Brassica rapa subsp. pekinensis (BrGR) in E. coli BL21 (DE3) was constructed using an expression vector pKM260. Expression of the introduced gene was confirmed by semi-quantitative RT-PCR, immunoblotting and enzyme assays. Purification of the BrGR protein was performed by IMAC method and indicated that the BrGR was a dimmer. The BrGR required NADPH as a cofactor and specific activity was approximately 458 U. The BrGR-expressing E. coli cells showed increased GR activity and tolerance to $H_2O_2$, menadione, and heavy metal ($CdCl_2$, $ZnCl_2$ and $AlCl_2$)-mediated growth inhibition. The ectopic expression of BrGR provoked the co-regulation of a variety of antioxidant enzymes including catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Consequently, the transformed cells showed decreased hydroperoxide levels when exposed to stressful conditions. A proteomic analysis demonstrated the higher level of induction of proteins involved in glycolysis, detoxification/oxidative stress response, protein folding, transport/binding proteins, cell envelope/porins, and protein translation and modification when exposed to $H_2O_2$ stress. Taken together, these results indicate that the plant GR protein is functional in a cooperative way in the E. coli system to protect cells against oxidative stress.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.645-658
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• 2021

Porins are essential for the viability of Gram-negative bacteria. They ensure the uptake of nutrients, can be involved in the maintenance of outer membrane integrity and define the antibiotic or drug resistance of organisms. The function and structure of porins in proteobacteria is well described, while their function in photoautotrophic cyanobacteria has not been systematically explored. We compared the domain architecture of nine putative porins in the filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 and analyzed the seven candidates with predicted OprB-domain. Single recombinant mutants of the seven genes were created and their growth capacity under different conditions was analyzed. Most of the putative porins seem to be involved in the transport of salt and copper, as respective mutants were resistant to elevated concentrations of these substances. In turn, only the mutant of alr2231 was less sensitive to elevated zinc concentrations, while mutants of alr0834, alr4741 and all4499 were resistant to high manganese concentrations. Notably the mutant of alr4550 shows a high sensitivity against harmful compounds, which is indicative for a function related to the maintenance of outer membrane integrity. Moreover, the mutant of all5191 exhibited a phenotype which suggests either a higher nitrate demand or an inefficient nitrogen fixation. The dependency of porin membrane insertion on Omp85 proteins was tested exemplarily for Alr4550, and an enhanced aggregation of Alr4550 was observed in two omp85 mutants. The comparative analysis of porin mutants suggests that the proteins in parts perform distinct functions related to envelope integrity and solute uptake.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.274-280
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• 2005

Pasteurella multocida is known to cause widespread infections in husbandry. To induce homologous and heterologous immunity against the infections, outer membrane proteins (OMPs) in the envelope of P. multocida are thought to be attractive vaccine candidates. Outer membrane protein H is considered as the major component of OMPs. In this study, a gene for OmpH was isolated from pathogenic P. multocida serogroup A. The gene was composed of 1,047 nucleotides coding 348 amino acids with signal peptide of 20 amino acids. The amino acid composition showed about 80 to 98 per cent sequence homologies among other 10 strains of P. multocida serogroup A, reported so far. A recombinant ompH, from which signal peptide was truncated, was generated using pRSET A to name 'pRSET A/OmpH-F2'. The pRSET A/OmpH-F2 was well expressed in E. coli BL21(DE3). The truncated OmpH was purified using nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) affinity column chromatography. Its molecular weight was registered to be 40 kDa on SDS-PAGE gel. In order to generate immunesera against the OmpH, 50 ug of the protein was intraperitoneally injected into mice three times. The anti-OmpH immuneserum recognized about $5{\times}10^{-2}$ng quantity of the purified OmpH. It can be used for an effective vaccine production to prevent fowl cholera caused by pathogenic P. multocida (Serogroup A).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.537-546
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• 2015

Classical swine fever (CSF) is a highly contagious disease of pigs caused by CSF virus (CSFV). E2 is the major viral envelope protein of immune dominance that induces neutralizing antibodies and confers protection against CSFV infection. The B/C domains of E2 are variable among CSFV isolates, which could affect immunogenicity and binding to antibodies. We attempted to characterize the epitope recognized by a monoclonal antibody 2B6 (mAb-2B6) raised against the E2 B/C domains of the vaccine C-strain and to examine if mutations in the epitope region would affect antibody binding and viral neutralization. The epitope specific for mAb-2B6 recognition is linear, spanning five residues ⁷⁷⁴DGXNP⁷⁷⁸ in the B/C domains. The residue N777 is indispensable for the specificity. The epitope exists only in group 1 strains, but not in those of group 2. The recombinant viruses containing individual mutations on the epitope region lost the reactivity to mAb-2B6. The mutant virus RecC-N777S had low replication potential, about 10-fold decrease in the yield of progeny virus particles, whereas the mutant virus RecC-P778A reverted to proline upon continuous passaging. The mutations on the mAb-2B6 epitope region did not affect neutralization by anti-C-strain polyclonal sera from pigs. Deletion from aa774 covering the mAb-2B6 epitope, but not that from aa781, also affected binding with the polyclonal antibodies from vaccinated pigs, although the major binding region for the vaccinated antibodies is aa690-773.