• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.81-84
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• 1990

The chloroplast has been the prime light-energy harvesting organelle on earth. It also carries out several key metabolic processes, such as lipid synthesis and nitrogen metabolism. Even though the chloroplast has its own genome, its coding capacity can afford only dozens of proteins, and most of the proteins functioning in the chloroplast are imported from the cytosol where nuclear encoded chloroplast genes are synthesized on free cytosokic ribosomes. Precursor proteins synthesized on cytosolic ribosomes have transit peptides at the amino termini of the proteins, and the transit peptide is sufficient to transfer chloroplast proteins from the cytosol into the chloroplast. When comparing amino acid sequences duduced from the nucleotide sequences of the clones of the chloroplast proteins, high homologies can be found among the transit peptides of proteins with the same function. Overall amino acid compositions of the transit peptides show amphiphilic characters of the transit peptides, and the amphiphilicity indicates that three dimensional structure of the transit peptide is responsible for the translocation of the chloroplast proteins.

• Proceeding of EDISON Challenge
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• 2014.03a
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• pp.103-113
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• 2014

Hydrophobicity is the key concept to understand the role of water in protein folding, protein self-assembly, and protein-ligand interaction. Conventionally, hydrophobicity of amino acids in a protein has been argued based on hydrophobicity scales determined for individual free amino acids, assuming that those scales are unaltered when amino acids are embedded in a protein. Here, we investigate how the hydrophobicity of constituent amino acids depends on the protein context, in particular, on the total charge and secondary structures of a protein. To this end, we compute and analyze the hydration free energy - free energy change upon hydration quantifying the hydrophobicity - of three short proteins based on the integral-equation theory of liquids. We find that the hydration free energy of charged amino acids is significantly affected by the protein total charge and exhibits contrasting behavior depending on the protein net charge being positive or negative. We also observe that amino acids in the central ${\beta}$-strand sandwiched by ${\beta}$-sheets display more enhanced hydrophobicity than free amino acids, whereas those in the ${\alpha}$-helix do not clearly show such a tendency. Our results provide novel insights into the hydrophobicity of amino acids, and will be valuable for rationalizing and predicting the strength of water-mediated interaction involved in the biological activity of proteins.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.118-123
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• 2020

The black seed coat of soybeans contain anthocyanins which promote health. However, mature soybean seeds contain anti-nutritional factors like lipoxygenase, lectin and Kunitz Trypsin Inhibitor (KTI) proteins. Furthermore, these seeds can be used only after the genetic elimination of these proteins. Therefore, the objective of this study was to develop novel soybean genotypes with black seed coat and triple recessive alleles (lx1lx1lx2lx2lx3lx3, titilele) for lipoxygenase, lectin, and KTI proteins. From a cross of parent1 (lx1lx2lx3/lx1lx2lx3, ti/ti, Le/Le) and parent2 (lx1lx2lx3/lx1lx2lx3, Ti/Ti, le/le), 132 F₂ seeds were obtained. A 3:1 segregation ratio was observed during F₂ seed generation for the inheritance of lectin and KTI proteins. Between a cross of the Le and Ti genes, the observed independent inheritance ratio in the F₂ seed generation was 9: 3 : 3 : 1 (69 Le_Ti_: 32 leleTi_: 22 Le_titi: 9 leletiti) (χ²=2.87, P=0.5 - 0.1). From nine F₂ seeds with triple recessive alleles (lx1lx1lx2lx2lx3lx3, titilele genotype), one novel strain posessing black seed coat, and free of lipoxygenase, lectin and KTI proteins, was selected. The seed coat color of the new strain was black and the cotyledon color of the mature seed was green. The weight of 100 seeds belonging to the new strain was 35.4 g. This black soybean strain with lx1lx1lx2lx2lx3lx3, titilele genotype is a novel strain free of lipoxygenase, lectin, and KTI proteins.

• Proceeding of EDISON Challenge
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• 2016.03a
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• pp.163-166
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• 2016

Hydrophobicity is the key concept to understand the water plays in protein folding, protein aggregation, and protein-protein interaction. Traditionally, the hydrophobicity of protein is defined based on the scales of the hydrophobicity of residue, assuming that the hydrophobicity of free amino acids is maintained. Here, we explore how the hydrophobicity of constituting amino acids in protein rely on the protein context, in particular, on the total charge and secondary structures of a protein. To this end, we calculate and investigate the hydration free energy of three short proteins based on the integral-equation theory of liquids. We find that the hydration free energy of charged amino acids is significantly affected by the protein total charge and exhibits contrasting behavior depending on the protein total charge being positive or negative. We also observe that amino acids in the ${\beta}-sheets$ display more enhanced the hydrophobicity than amino acids in the loop, whereas those in the ${\alpha}-helix$ do not clearly show such a tendency. And the salt-bridge forming amino acids also exhibit increase of the hydrophobicity than that with no salt bridge. Our results provide novel insights into the hydrophobicity of amino acids, and will be valuable for rationalizing and predicting the strength of water-mediated interaction involved in the biological activity of proteins.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2000

The objective of this study was to investigate the characteristics on the thermal denaturation of free drip released from pork loin during chilled storage using DSC(differential scanning calorimetry). DSC thermogram of drip released from normal pork(NORD) was characterized by a minor peak and two major peaks with temperature maxima at $61.5^{\circ}C$, $71.7^{\circ}C$ (associated with sarcoplasmic proteins) and $84.3^{\circ}C$ (associated with protein-protein interaction and aggregation). In the denaturation temperature of drip released from PSE pork (PSED), the peak(Tmax) at $59.0^{\circ}C$ was reduced by $2.5^{\circ}C$. When the thermograms were divided into segments correponding to the three peaks, $\Delta$H2 was shown to be reduced by 10% in PSED as compared to NORD. With the decrease in the solubility of sarcoplasmic proteins in PSE muscle, there was a corresponding increase the drip loss during the storage.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.137-142
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• 2015

Antifreeze proteins and glycoproteins [AF(G)Ps] constitute a group of proteins that lower the freezing but not the melting points of aqueous solutions, enabling polar and north-temperate fish to survive in ice-laden environments. However, little is known about antifreeze activity in temperate fish; such work would extend our knowledge on the functions and evolution of AF(G)Ps. In the present study, we screened for antifreeze activity in temperate fish caught off the coast of Jumunjin ($37.89^{\circ}N$), Gangneung, Korea. Thermal hysteresis (TH) and the ability to inhibit ice recrystallization (IR) in blood, liver, and muscle samples from nine fish were examined to assess antifreeze activity. As the East Sea off the coast of Jumunjin is ice-free year round, we thought it most unlikely that the fish would express antifreeze proteins. Surprisingly, the blood of Pleurogrammus azonus and three types of tissue from Gymnocanthus herzensteini, Zoarces gilli and Kareius bicoloratus exhibited measurable TH values together with the ability to trigger characteristic morphological changes in ice crystals. Blood samples from the three species also evidenced ice recrystallization (IR) inhibition. This implies that AF(G)Ps or other antifreeze-like substances are present in temperate fish even under nonfreezing conditions. These results contribute to our understanding of the functions and origins of antifreeze activity in fish.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.75-80
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• 2006

Changes in the levels of protein and free amino acids in the haemolymph of three selected races of the silkworm, Bombyx mori viz., PM, $NB_4D_2$ and $CSR_2$, were investigated during 4th moult, 5th instar and pupal period. The levels of total protein in the haemolymph, increased from first day of 5th instar till sixth day. From seventh day till spinning, the protein levels decreased in all the three races. A sustained decrease in the haemolymph proteins was observed during the pupal development in all the three races. The levels of free amino acids, which were high during 4th moult, declined through the 5th age of larval development till spinning. PM showed a relatively higher free amino acid level (3.192 mg/ml) in haemolymph followed by $NB_4D_2$ (2.601 mg/ml) and $CSR_2$ (2.35 mg/ml). The free amino acid levels decreased gradually from prepupal stage but increased again at the end of pupal period. Racial differences in the changes in the levels of protein and free amino acids in the haemolymph were observed in the larvae and pupae when subjected to two high temperature regimes of $30^{\circ}C$ and $35^{\circ}C$. The results showed that high temperature induces specific changes in the metabolism (reversible thermal stress) that have different adaptive value in different races of the silkworm. Relatively higher increase in the free amino acid levels in the haemolymph of Pure Mysore presumably provides protective cover to tissues against high temperature by an increase in osmolarity and reduction in evaporative water loss. The absence of such a mechanism may be responsible for temperature susceptibility of the bivoltine races like $NB_4D_2$ and $CSR_2$.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2011

Development of mouse fetus brains can be defined morphologically and functionally by three developmental stages, embryo day (ED) 16, postnatal stage one week and eight weeks. These defined stages of brain development may be closely associated with differential gene expression rates due to limited cellular resources such as energy, space, and free water. Complex patterns of expressed genes and proteins during brain development suggests the changes in relative concentrations of proteins rather than the increase in numbers of new gene products. This study was designed to evaluate early protein expression pattern in mouse fetus brain. The mouse brain proteome of fetus at ED 15.5, and 19.5 was obtained using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (DE). Analysis of the 2-DE gels in pH 3-10 range revealed the presence of 15 differentially expressed spots, of which 11 spots were identified to be known proteins following MALDI-TOF analysis; 3 spots were up-regulated and 8 spots were down-regulated in the mouse fetus brain at ED 15.5. UP-regulated proteins were identified as MCG18238, isoform M2 of pyruvate kinase isozymes M1/M2, isoform 2 of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein K, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein H2, creatine kinase B-type, 40S ribosomal protein SA and hemoglobin subunit beta-H1. Down-regulated proteins were putative uncharacterized protein, lactoylglutathione lyase and secreted acidic cysteine rich glycoprotein. Our results revealed composite profiles of mouse fetus brain proteins related to mouse fetus development by 2-DE analysis implying possible roles of these proteins in neural differentiation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.340-345
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• 2002

In this experiment, oocytes were collected from goat ovaries available in slaughterhouse by follicle puncture method. Morphologically culturable type of oocytes which having compact, multilayered cumulus granulosa cell complex and evenly granulated cytoplasm, was separated under a stereozoom microscope. Oocytes were washed thoroughly in maturation medium containing TCM-199, $1{\mu}g/ml$ estradiol-$17{\beta}$, 0.5 ${\mu}g/ml$ FSH, $100{\mu}g/ml$ LH, 3 mg/ml BSA and 10% estrus goat serum. Washed oocytes were cultured into maturation medium on granulosa cell monolayer. Culture plate was then kept into $CO_2$ incubator at $38{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, maximum humidity and 5% $CO_2$ for 18 h. After maturation the oocytes were washed thoroughly with maturation medium containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) without serum and BSA and further cultured for 12 h for secretory proteins of oocytes. PVA medium was collected, pooled and concentrated by 5000 cut off centrisart. Secretory proteins were separated on 12.5% SDS-PAGE. A total number of 3.41 oocytes per ovary were obtained and 2.17 culturable oocytes per ovary were cultured into maturation medium. After 18 h of maturation, 4,567 oocytes (1.82 oocytes per ovary) were further cultured into serum and BSA free PVA medium for its secretory proteins. Four secretory proteins of oocytes with approximately molecular weight of 45, 55, 65 and 95 kDa were obtained on SDS-PAGE in silver staining and three proteins with approximately molecular weight of 45, 55 and 65 kDa in Coomassie brilliant blue staining. In conclusion, four secretory proteins with approximately molecular weight of 45, 55, 65 and 95 kDa was obtained from in vitro cultured oocytes of goats.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.865-868
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• 1995

The method of matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry has been used to solve some bioanalytical problems, which is difficult to analyse by general methods. For the selection of proper laser wavelength and matrices, eight matriees was used with laser wavelength of 226 and 355nm. The result shows that with wavelength of 355nm better results could be obtained with most of the matrices. The molecular weight of eytochrome C, which was seperated by gel electrophoresis and electro-blotted onto NC membrane is determined by MALDI. The accuracy is better than 0.1%, which is much higher than that of SDS-PAGE. Protein mixture extracted from crude peanut oil is directly determined by MALDI. The molecuiar weight of its three components are determined, and the result also demonstrated that these proteins are in free manner. As proteins arc in 2S bond, with the traditional method, SDS-PAGE, it is not able to decide whether protein exists in combination mode or in free manner. In the technique of two phase aquesous solution, which is used for separating biomaterials, water soluble polymers stained with dyes are used in this technique. By the use of MALDI the number or the dye molecules react with the polymer PEG molecule are determined, and that is difficult to determined by other methods.