• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.225-231
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• 1998

The studies on the potentiality of biomonitoring heavy metal pollution in coastal region of industrial complex were performed to investigate the heavy metal accumulation and induction of metal-binding protein (MBP) as detoxification process using Rumex maritimus. Bioconcentration in organs and MBP in root of R. maritimus was investigated for the research of the tolerance of heavy metals. The bioconcentration of cadmium and zinc in organs showed 3.6-8.0 times in root higher than in shoot, so it was found that heavy metal accumulated selectively in root. MBP increased absorbance in 254 nm and decreased in 280 nm, because it was composed of high cystein content and low aromatic acids, so absorbance had large difference between 254 nm and 280 nm. The existence of MBP in the 10-20 fraction was ascertained with anion exchange chromatography and it was identified that concentration of heavy metal increased according as an exposure concentration of medium increased in QAE Sephadex A-25 elution profile. These results suggested that MBP could play a role in biomarker determining the bioconcentration of plant. This study demonstrated a possibility that removal ability of heavy metal of R. maritimus resulted from detoxification process and MBP could be utilized as a biomarker of heavy metal pollution.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-24
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• 2022

The aim of this study was to identify the expression of zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), its prognostic significance, and correlation between ZEB1 and infiltrating immune cells in lung cancer. Correlation between ZEB1 and telomerase was also analyzed in different types of cancers. RNA sequencing analysis and survival rates of patients were confirmed by Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA). The Kaplan-Meier plotter and PrognoScan databases were used to analyze the prognostic value of ZEB1 in various cancers. The Tumor IMmune Estimation Resource (TIMER) was used to determine the correlation between ZEB1 and infiltrating immune cells. Lower ZEB1 expression was lower in lung cancer and was related to poor prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD). ZEB1 expression exhibited a significantly positive correlation with infiltration levels of immune cells in LUAD and lung squamous cell carcinoma. Furthermore, we found that the ZEB1 expression correlated with subunits of telomerase. Our findings suggest ZEB1 as a potential biomarker to be used for prognostic significance and tumor immunology in lung cancer. The correlation between the expression of ZEB1 and telomere-related gene will help in understand the cancer-promoting mechanisms.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.68 no.1
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• pp.32-39
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• 2024

Glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH) plays a crucial role in the glycerol metabolism pathway by catalyzing the oxidation of glycerol to dihydroxyacetone (DHA). Previous studies of GlyDH have predominantly focused on unraveling the structural features of the active site and its binding interactions with ligand. However, the structural details of GlyDH in complex with both NAD⁺ and the substrate bound have remained elusive. In this study, we present the crystal structures of Klebsiella pneumoniae GlyDH (KpGlyDH) in the absence and presence of NAD⁺ at a resolution of 2.1 Å. Notably, both structures reveal the binding of the substrate, ethylene glycol, to the zinc ion. Interestingly, a significant change in the coordination number of the zinc ion is observed, with three in the absence of NAD⁺ and four in its presence. These findings shed light on the structural aspects of GlyDH and its interactions with NAD⁺ and the substrate.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.187-191
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• 2012

Two-component system (TCS)-based bacterial zinc and copper biosensors, in which green fluorescent protein (GFP) is expressed under the control of zraP and cusC promoter in ZraS/R and CusS/R TCS, were evaluated in artificial wastewater. Bacterial biosensors developed in this study efficiently expressed GFP by the recognition of $Zn^{2+}$ and $Cu^{2+}$ in artificial wastewater. Secondly, TCS-based zinc and copper removing bacteria with the peptide displayed on cell surface were examined in artificial wastewater. Zinc and copper removing bacteria expressed the peptide as a fusion protein such as OmpC-ZBP (zinc binding peptide) and OmpC-CBP (copper binding peptide) on the cell surface when sensing exogenous $Zn^{2+}$ and $Cu^{2+}$ through ZraS/R and CusS/R TCS. The recombinant cell expressing metal-adsorbing peptide could efficiently remove copper and zinc (15 and 18 mg/g dry cell weight, respectively) in artificial wastewater. Therefore, it was demonstrated that the TCS-based recombinant cell for the recognition or removal of heavy metal functions well in artificial wastewater environment.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.484-490
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• 2017

We investigated the rewritable operation of a non-volatile memory device composed of Al (top)/$TiO_2$/indium-zinc-oxide (IZO)/Al (bottom). The oxygen-deficient IZO layer of the device was spin-coated with 0.1 M indium nitrate hydrate and 0.1 M zinc acetate dehydrate as precursor solutions, and the $TiO_2$ layer was fabricated by atomic layer deposition. The oxygen vacancies IZO layer of an active component annealed at $400^{\circ}C$ using thermal annealing and it was proven to be in oxygen vacancies and oxygen binding environments with OH species and heavy metal ions investigated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The device, which operates at low voltages (less than 3.5 V), exhibits non-volatile memory behavior consistent with resistive-switching properties and an ON/OFF ratio of approximately $3.6{\times}10^3$ at 2.5 V.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.104-111
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• 2016

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito borne pathogen, belongs to Flaviviridae family having a positive-sense single-stranded RNA genome, currently known for causing large epidemics in Brazil. Its infection can cause microcephaly, a serious birth defect during pregnancy. The recent outbreak of ZIKV in February 2016 in Brazil realized it as a major health risk, demands an enhanced surveillance and a need to develop novel drugs against ZIKV. Amodiaquine, prochlorperazine, quinacrine, and berberine are few promising drugs approved by Food and Drug Administration against dengue virus which also belong to Flaviviridae family. In this study, we performed molecular docking analysis of these drugs against nonstructural 3 (NS3) protein of ZIKV. The protease activity of NS3 is necessary for viral replication and its prohibition could be considered as a strategy for treatment of ZIKV infection. Amongst these four drugs, berberine has shown highest binding affinity of -5.8 kcal/mol and it is binding around the active site region of the receptor. Based on the properties of berberine, more similar compounds were retrieved from ZINC database and a structure-based virtual screening was carried out by AutoDock Vina in PyRx 0.8. Best 10 novel drug-like compounds were identified and amongst them ZINC53047591 (2-(benzylsulfanyl)-3-cyclohexyl-3H-spiro[benzo[h]quinazoline-5,1'-cyclopentan]-4(6H)-one) was found to interact with NS3 protein with binding energy of -7.1 kcal/mol and formed H-bonds with Ser135 and Asn152 amino acid residues. Observations made in this study may extend an assuring platform for developing anti-viral competitive inhibitors against ZIKV infection.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 1999

The heavy metal concentrations in seawater and winkles (Littorina brevicula) collected from the Onsan bay area in southeast of Korea were analyzed. The heavy metal concentrations in the seawater obtained from the most polluted site showed approximately 189. 205. and 110 fold higher cadmium, copper. and zinc concentrations, respectively. than the uncontaminated control site. The contamination levels of these metals in winkles were 11.08 - 2.35, 334.5 - 212.5, and 426.0 - 499.2$\mu\textrm{g}$ per gram dry body weight. respectively. The concentrations of all three metals in both the seawater and winkles decreased gradually with increasing distance from Daejeong stream, suggesting the stream being the major source of heavy metal input into the bay. Among the four body parts of digestive gland and gonad. gill. kidney, and remaining tissue in contaminated winkles, kidney showed the highest accumulation level of cadmium: copper and zinc, however. were more or less distributed among the four body parts. Upon gel filtration chromatography of the cytosol from the kidney of cadmium induced winkles, one cadmium peak corresponded to the elution peak of horse kidney metallothionein.

• Nutritional Sciences
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.228-233
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• 2002

The low molecular weight zinc-binding protein metallothionein(MT) contains 32% cysteine and has been shown to efficiently scavenge hydroxyl radicals in vitro. MT expression is induced by oxidative stress and an antioxidant role for this protein has therefore been proposed. This review mainly focuses on the evidence for this role arising from studies using genetically modified animals and cells which either over- or under-express MT. Despite some considerable disparity of results in the literature, reported studies do generally support an antioxidant role. Nevertheless, oxidant stress at non-physiological treatment levels has been the preferred experimental model and there is little information about the role of MT in physiological oxidative stress. Although it is presumed that the mechanism by which MT has an antioxidant effect involves oxidation of cysteinal thiols, it is possible that zinc release from MT is in itself an important signalling factor.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.381-388
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• 2009

On screening pathogen-resistant soybean, we identified a WRKY type transcription factor named a Glycine max WRKY1 (GmWRKY1). Expression of GmWRKY1 gene was induced in the soybean sprout by Pseudomonas infection. The GmWRKY1 was expressed in all of the tissues with high levels in stems, leaves and developing seeds. The protein Gm WRKY1 contains highly conserved two WRKY DNA-binding domains having two $C_2-H_2$ zinc-finger motif ($C-X_{4-5}-C-X_{22-23}-H-X-H$) in its N-terminal and C-terminal amino acid sequences. In electrophoresis mobility shift assay, the GmWRKY1 protein bound specifically to W-box elements in the promoters of defense related genes. These results demonstrated that GmWRKY1 is one of the soybean WRKY family genes and the plant-specific transcription factors for defense processes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Nutrition Society Conference
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• 2002.11b
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• pp.1171-1177
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• 2002

The low molecular weight zinc-binding protein metallothionein (MT) contains 32% cysteine and has been shown to efficiently scavenge hydroxyl radicals in vitro. MT expression is induced by oxidative stress and an antioxidant role for this protein has therefore been proposed. This review mainly focuses on the evidence for this role arising from studies using genetically modified animals and cells which either over-or under-express MT. Despite some considerable disparity of results in the literature, reported studies do generally support an antioxidant role. Nevertheless, oxidant stress at non-physiological treatment levels has been the preferred experimental model and there is little information about the role of MT in physiological oxidative stress Although it is presumed that the mechanism by which MT has an antioxidant effect involves oxidation of cysteinal thiols, it is possible that zinc release from MT is in itself an important signalling factor.