Jinkyu Lim

Development of a RAPD-PCR method for identification of Bacillus species isolated from Cheonggukjang.

A RAPD-PCR (Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA-PCR) method was developed for rapid identification of Bacillus species, especially B. subtilis, B. licheniformis, and B. amyloliquefaciens, the most frequently isolated organisms from fermented soy foods such as Cheonggukjang, a Korean traditional food. A RAPD-PCR using a 10-mer (S-30) produced species specific bands reproducibly. All B. subtilis strains tested produced common bands of 0.5 and 0.88 kb in size. All B. amyloliquefaciens strains generated 1.1 and 1.5 kb bands together with 0.5 kb fragment whereas B. licheniformis strains produced 1.25, 1.70, and 1.9 kb bands with an occasional 0.5 kb band. Using the RAPD-PCR protocol, six bacilli strains isolated from Cheonggukjang were identified to the species level, which was difficult by 16S rRNA gene and recA gene sequencing for some isolates. The 0.5 kb fragment, the major band for B. subtilis strains, was an internal part of a ytcP gene encoding a hypothetical ABC-type transporter. A B. subtilis species specific primer pair was designed based on ytcP sequences and PCR using the primer pair produced a 0.46 kb fragment only from B. subtilis strains.

Protein kinase C regulates the activity and stability of serotonin N‐acetyltransferase

Effects of protein kinase C on protein stability and activity of rat AANAT were investigated in vitro and in vivo. When COS‐7 cells transfected with AANAT cDNA were treated with phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA), both the activity and protein level of AANAT were increased. These effects of PMA were blocked by GF109203X, a specific inhibitor of PKC. Moreover, PMA increased the phosphorylation of AANAT and induced the formation of AANAT/14‐3‐3ζ complex. PMA did not affect the basal level of cAMP and did not involve the potentiation of the cAMP production by forskolin, indicating that PKC‐dependent activation of adenylyl cyclase was excluded in transfected COS‐7 cells. To identify which amino acids were phosphorylated by PKC, several conserved Thr and Ser residues in AANAT were targeted for site‐directed mutagenesis. Mutations of Thr29 and Ser203 prevented the increase of enzymatic activity and protein level mediated by PMA. To explore the nature of AANAT phosphorylation, purified rat AANAT was subjected to in vitro PKC kinase assay. PKC directly phosphorylated the rat recombinant AANAT. The phosphopeptides identified by mass spectrometric analysis, and western blotting indicated that Thr29 was one of target sites for PKC. To confirm the effects of the physiological activation of PKC, rat pineal glands were treated with α1‐adrenergic specific agonist phenylephrine. Phenylephrine caused the phosphorylation of endogenous AANAT whereas GF109203X or prazosin, an α1‐adrenergic‐specific antagonist, markedly inhibited it. These results suggest that AANAT was phosphorylated at Thr29 by PKC activation through the α1‐adrenergic receptor in rat pineal glands, and that its phosphorylation might contribute to the stability and the activity of AANAT.

Isolation and characterization of a novel thermostable α-amylase from Korean pine seeds

Amylases have significant importance in broad industrial application including bio-ethanol production. Although amylases are widely distributed in microbes, plants and animals, it has been sought for new amylases from various sources with special industrial potential. In this study we firstly isolated and characterized a novel thermostable alpha-amylase from Korean pine seed. Enzyme was purified to homogeneity level with purification fold of 1286.1 using several techniques such as self-precipitation, (NH(4))(2)SO(4) fractionation, DEAE anion exchange and starch affinity chromatography. The purified alpha-amylase showed two bands in SDS-PAGE with molecular weight of 44 and 45 kDa. The apparent molecular weight of native enzyme was calculated to be 46.7 kDa. Internal peptide sequencing confirmed that the purified alpha-amylase was a novel enzyme. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were pH 4.5 and 65 degrees C, respectively. This enzyme was fully stable for 48h at 50 degrees C and retained 80% activity up to 96h. The K(m) and V(max) were 0.84 mg/ml and 3.71 micromol/min, respectively. On the basis of high thermal stability and a broad range of pH stability, the pine seed alpha-amylase showed a good prospect of industrial application.

Changes of calretinin, calbindin D28K and parvalbumin-immunoreactive neurons in the superficial layers of the hamster superior colliculus following monocular enucleation

We studied the effects of monocular enucleation on the patterned distribution of calretinin-, calbindin D28K- and parvalbumin-immunoreactive (IR) neurons in the superficial layers of the hamster superior colliculus (SC). The calcium-binding proteins were localized using antibody immunocytochemistry. Almost complete depletion of the calretinin-IR fibers in the superficial layers of the contralateral SC was found following unilateral enucleation. Quantitative analysis showed that on the experimental side of the SC, an enormous number of calretinin-IR cells newly appeared (716%). On the experimental side of the SC, the number of parvalbumin-IR cells also increased (32%). By contrast, on the experimental side of the SC, the number of calbindin D28K-IR cells exhibited a reduction (43%). Two-color immunofluorescence revealed that none of the newly appeared calretinin-IR cells were labeled with antibodies to calbindin D28K or parvalbumin. The present results demonstrate that retinal projection may control the activity of the expression of these calcium-binding proteins in the hamster SC but in different manners. The results also show that the patterned change of calretinin and parvalbumin in the hamster SC is comparable with other animals, but the change of calbindin D28K is not identical.

PGK1 Induction by a Hydrogen Peroxide Treatment Is Suppressed by Antioxidants in Human Colon Carcinoma Cells

Few protein biomarkers for oxidative stress have been reported. In this study, we attempted to identify the proteins selectively overexpressed in human colon tumor cells by treating with hydrogen peroxide as oxidative stress. A proteomic analysis followed by western blotting showed that phosphoglycerate kinase 1 (PGK1) was induced by hydrogen peroxide in a dose-dependent manner, while its expression was suppressed by a co-treatment with delphinidin, a known antioxidant. Furthermore, several antioxidants, including α-tocopherol, butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and Trolox, also inhibited the PGK1 induction caused by hydrogen peroxide. The data suggest that PGK1 might be a potential protein biomarker of intracellular oxidative status.

Improved spatial learning and memory by perilla diet is correlated with immunoreactivities to neurofilament and α-synuclein in hilus of dentate gyrus

BackgroundPerilla (Perilla frutescens) oil is very rich in α-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid. As it is widely reported that omega-3 fatty acid supplementation improves cognitive function in children and adults, feeding rats with perilla diets followed by analysis of proteomic changes in the hippocampus can provide valuable information on the mechanism of learning and memory at the molecular level. To identify proteins playing roles in learning and memory, differentially expressed proteins in the hippocampus of the 5 week old rats fed perilla diets for 3 weeks or 3 months were identified by proteomic analysis and validated by immunological assays.ResultsThe perilla diet groups showed improved spatial learning and memory performances in a T-maze test. They also displayed elevated level of 22:6n-3 fatty acid, an omega-3 fatty acid (p<0.05), in the brain compared to the control diet group. Quantitative proteomic analysis using 2-D gels as well as functional annotation grouping with the differentially expressed proteins in the hippocampus showed that those proteins involved in cytoskeleton and transport were the major differentially expressed proteins in the 3-week group, whereas those involved in energy metabolism, neuron projection and apoptosis in addition to cytoskeleton and transport were the major ones in the 3 month group. Differential protein expression in the hippocampus was validated by Western blotting using four selected proteins, known to be involved in synaptic plasticity; AMPA receptor, neurofilament, α-synuclein, and β-soluble NSF attachment protein. Brain sections from the perilla-diet groups showed enhanced immunoreactivities to α-synuclein and neurofilament. Especially, neurofilament immunoreactive cells manifested longer neurite projections in the hilus of dentate gyrus of the perilla-diet groups.ConclusionImproved cognitive function upon administration of n-3 fatty acid-rich perilla diet is associated with the differential expression of hippocampal proteins related to cytoskeleton, energy metabolism, transport, neuro-projection, and apoptosis. Particularly, the enhanced immunoreactivities to α-synuclein and neurofilament in the hilus of dentate gyrus suggest that perilla diet supplementation promotes neuronal signaling and alters synaptic plasticity for improved learning and memory.