Bioinformatic and biochemical analysis of a novel maltose-forming α-amylase of the GH57 family in the hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus sp. CL1.

Maltose-forming α-amylase is a glycoside hydrolase family 57 (GH57) member that is unique because it displays dual hydrolysis activity toward α-1,4- and α-1,6-glycosidic linkages and only recognizes maltose. This enzyme was previously identified only in Pyrococcus sp. ST04 (PSMA); however, we recently found two homologs subgroups in Thermococcus species.

Complete genome sequence of hyperthermophilic archaeon Thermococcus sp. ES1.

Thermococcus sp. strain ES1 is an anaerobic, hyperthermophilic archaeon from a hydrothermal vent that catabolizes sugars and peptides and produces H2S from S°, H2, acetate and CO2 as its primary metabolites. We present the complete genome sequence of this strain (1,957,742bp) with a focus on its substrate utilization and metabolite production capabilities.

Biotechnological production of arbutins (α- and β-arbutins), skin-lightening agents, and their derivatives.

Arbutins (α- and β-arbutins) are glycosylated hydroquinones that are commercially used in the cosmetic industry. These compounds have an inhibitory function against tyrosinase, a critical enzyme for generating pigments, which leads to the prevention of melanin formation, resulting in a whitening effect on the skin. Although β-arbutin is found in various plants including bearberry, wheat, and pear, α-arbutin and other arbutin derivatives are synthesized by chemical and enzymatic methods.

Micellar nanomedicine of human neuropeptide Y.

Unlabelled: Human neuropeptide Y (NPY) is an important biologics that regulates a multitude of physiological functions and could be amenable to therapeutic manipulations in certain disease states. However, rapid (within minutes) enzymatic degradation and inactivation of NPY precludes its development as a drug. Accordingly, we determined whether self-association of NPY with biocompatible and biodegradable sterically stabilized phospholipid micelles (SSM) improves its stability and bioactivity.

The gene-reduction effect of chromosomal losses detected in gastric cancers.

Background: The level of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) that reduces a gene dose and exerts a cell-adverse effect is known to be a parameter for the genetic staging of gastric cancers. This study investigated if the cell-adverse effect induced with the gene reduction was a rate-limiting factor for the LOH events in two distinct histologic types of gastric cancers, the diffuse- and intestinal-types.

Methods: The pathologic specimens obtained from 145 gastric cancer patients were examined for the level of LOH using 40 microsatellite markers on eight cancer-associated chromosomes (3p, 4p, 5q, 8p, 9p, 13q, 17p and 18q).

The overmethylated genes in Helicobacter pylori-infected gastric mucosa are demethylated in gastric cancers.

Background: The transitional-CpG sites between weakly methylated genes and densely methylated retroelements are overmethylated in the gastric mucosa infected with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and they are undermethylated in the gastric cancers depending on the level of loss of heterozygosity (LOH) events. This study delineated the transitional-CpG methylation patterns of CpG-island-containing and -lacking genes in view of the retroelements.

Relationship between Psychological Factors and Quality of Life in Subtypes of Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.

Background/aims: Quality of life (QoL) is consistently decreased in gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), but the relationship between QoL and psychological factors in GERD has not yet been clearly defined. The present study investigated the relationship between the psychological factors of two subtypes of GERD and QoL.

Methods: A cohort of 769 participants underwent upper endoscopic evaluation in the health-promotion center of St.

Nanomicellar paclitaxel increases cytotoxicity of multidrug resistant breast cancer cells.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) of breast cancer cells still represents an unmet medical need in chemotherapy. To this end, the purpose of this study was to determine efficacy of paclitaxel loaded in sterically stabilized, biocompatible and biodegradable sterically stabilized mixed phospholipid nanomicelles (SSMM; size, approximately 15 nm) and actively targeted vasoactive intestinal peptide-grafted SSMM (SSMM-VIP) in circumventing P-gp-mediated paclitaxel resistance in BC19/3 cells, a human breast cancer cell line that expresses >10-fold higher P-gp than its parental sensitive cell line, MCF-7. We found that in drug sensitive MCF-7 cells, paclitaxel loaded in SSMM (P-SSMM) and SSMM-VIP (P-SSMM-VIP) significantly inhibited cell growth in dose-dependent fashion (p<0.

Targeted drug delivery crossing cytoplasmic membranes of intended cells via ligand-grafted sterically stabilized liposomes.

In this study, we tested whether sterically stabilized liposomes (SSL) with surface ligands specific for the mu opioid receptor (MOR) can actively target MOR-expressing cells. Dermorphin, a selective MOR agonist, was conjugated to DSPE-PEG(3400) to obtain DSPE-PEG(3400)-dermorphin. Dermorphin-grafted SSL (dermorphin-SSL) was prepared by thin-film rehydration-extrusion and post-insertion method.

Pluronic-grafted poly-(L)-lysine as a new synthetic gene carrier.

Genes are attractive candidates as therapeutic agents, and the development of safe and effective gene carriers is essential for the success of human gene therapy. To develop a gene delivery vector that shows low cytotoxicity and high efficiency, we synthesized poly-L-lysine-g-pluronic by conjugating poly-L-lysine (PLL) to pluronic, which is partially functionalized with para-nitrophenyl carbonate groups, and evaluated for its efficiency as a possible nonviral gene carrier candidate. Structural analysis of synthesized polymer was performed by using 1H-NMR.