The Halophilic Bacterium for the Production of Poly(3-Hydroxybutyrate-co-3-Hydroxyvalerate) from Single Carbon Sources.

The study objective was to evaluate the potential production of polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a biodegradable plastic material, by for which PHA production has never been reported. To identify the most effective nitrogen-limited culture conditions for PHAs production from this bacterium, batch fermentation using glucose concentrations ranging from 4 g l to 20 g l with a fixed ammonium concentration of 0.5 g l was carried out at 30°C and pH 8.

Particulate matter 2.5 promotes inflammation and cellular dysfunction reactive oxygen species/p38 MAPK pathway in primary rat corneal epithelial cells.

Purpose: Numerous studies have linked particulate matter2.5 (PM) to ocular surface diseases, but few studies have been conducted on the biological effect of PM on the cornea. The objective of this study was to evaluate the harmful effect of PM2.

Production of Ethanol from Agarose by Unified Enzymatic Saccharification and Fermentation in Recombinant Yeast.

The unified saccharification and fermentation (USF) system was developed for direct production of ethanol from agarose. This system contains an enzymatic saccharification process that uses three types of agarases and a fermentation process by recombinant yeast. The pGMFα-HGN plasmid harboring and genes encoding β-agarase and the gene encoding neoagarobiose hydrolase was constructed and transformed into the 2805 strain.

Nakai Leaf Extract Inhibits Adipogenesis Via Suppressing Expression of PPAR γ and C/EBP α in 3T3-L1 Cells.

The genus contains several species with various bioactivities including antioxidant, antitumor and anti-inflammatory properties. However, Nakai, one species within this genus has not been fully studied yet. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the anti-adipogenic activities of leaf extract from Nakai (LEAO) on 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

Cloning, Expression, and Characterization of a Cold-Adapted Shikimate Kinase from the Psychrophilic Bacterium 34H.

Most cold-adapted enzymes possess higher K and k values than those of their mesophilic counterparts to maximize the reaction rate. This characteristic is often ascribed to a high structural flexibility and improved dynamics in the active site. However, this may be less convincing to cold-adapted metabolic enzymes, which work at substrate concentrations near K.

The Anti-Adipogenic Activity of a New Cultivar, var. 'Beesan No. 2', through Down-Regulation of PPAR γ and C/EBP α in 3T3-L1 Cells.

Adipogenesis is one of the cellular processes and a highly controlled program. Nowadays, inhibition of adipogenesis has received attention as an effective way to regulate obesity. In the current study, we investigated the inhibition effect of a chloroform extract of var.

Molecular Cloning and Co-Expression of Phytoene Synthase Gene from Kocuria gwangalliensis in Escherichia coli.

A phytoene synthase gene, crtB, was isolated from Kocuria gwangalliensis. The crtB with 1,092 bp full-length has a coding sequence of 948 bp and encodes a 316-amino-acids protein. The deduced amino acid sequence showed a 70.

Selenium improves stem cell potency by stimulating the proliferation and active migration of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

Selenium is a trace nutrient element that protects cells against oxidative damage. In this study, the potential of selenium to improve stem cell potency through active proliferation and migration of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes was investigated, together with the underlying molecular mechanisms. The results indicated that selenium applied for 24 h stimulated cell proliferation up to 20% compared to untreated control cells.

Gastroprotective effect of selenium on ethanol-induced gastric damage in rats.

In the present study, we examined the gastroprotective effect of selenium against ethanol-induced gastric mucosal lesions in rats. The gastric mucosal lesions were produced by oral administration with various concentrations of ethanol for three days, and 80% ethanol treatment was determined to be the optimal condition for induction of gastric damage. To identify the protective effect of selenium on ethanol-induced gastric damage, various doses of selenium were given as pretreatment for three days, and then gastric damage was induced by 80% ethanol treatment.

Induction of apoptosis and autophagy by sodium selenite in A549 human lung carcinoma cells through generation of reactive oxygen species.

Selenium in the form of sodium selenite has been reported to exert anti-tumor effects in several cancer cell types by inducing autophagic cell death and apoptosis mediated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). However, the exact molecular pathways underlying these effects have not been fully established. The present study used A549 human lung carcinoma cells for further investigation of the anti-cancer mechanism of sodium selenite.

Coexpression of molecular chaperone enhances activity and export of organophosphorus hydrolase in Escherichia coli.

Periplasmic secretion has been used in attempts to construct an efficient whole-cell biocatalyst with greatly reduced diffusion limitations. Previously, we developed recombinant Escherichia coli that express organophosphorus hydrolase (OPH) in the periplasmic space using the twin-arginine translocation (Tat) pathway to degrade environmental toxic organophosphate compounds. This system has the advantage of secreting protein into the periplasm after folding in the cytoplasm.

Widdrol blocks 3T3-L1 preadipocytes growth and differentiation due to inhibition of mitotic clonal expansion.

Adipocyte differentiation is strongly associated with obesity, which causes metabolic disorders. In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effects of widdrol on 3T3- L1 preadipocyte growth and differentiation. Widdrol decreased lipid droplet accumulation and down-regulated adipogenic transcription factors such as C/EBPalpha, C/EBPbeta, and PPARgamma.

Construction of an expression system for the secretory production of recombinant α-agarase in yeast.

α-Agarase hydrolyzes the α-1,3 linkage of agarose yielding agaro-oligosaccharides. It is less well characterized than β-agarase. AgaA gene (2.

The effect of secretory factors of adipose-derived stem cells on human keratinocytes.

Unlabelled: The beneficial effects of adipose-derived stem cell conditioned medium (ADSC-CM) on skin regeneration have been reported. Although the mechanism of how ADSC-CM promotes skin regeneration is unclear, ADSC-CM contained various growth factors and it is an excellent raw material for skin treatment. ADSC-CM produced in a hypoxia condition of ADSC-in other words, Advanced Adipose-Derived Stem cell Protein Extract (AAPE)-has great merits for skin regeneration.

Curative effect of selenium against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers in rats.

Indomethacin is a nonsteroid anti-inflammatory agent that is known to induce severe gastric mucosal lesions. In this study, we investigated the effect of selenium on gastric mucosal lesions in rats. To confirm the curative effect of selenium against indomethacin-induced gastric ulcers, gastric ulcers were induced by oral administration of 25 mg/kg indomethacin, and then different doses (10, 50, and 100 microgram/kg of body weight) of selenium or vehicle were treated by oral gavage for 3 days.

Curcumin stimulates proliferation, stemness acting signals and migration of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes.

In the present study, the potential of curcumin to stimulate proliferation, stemness acting signals and migration of 3T3-L1 preadipocytes and the associated molecular mechanisms were investigated. Low concentrations of curcumin stimulated cell proliferation, whereas high concentrations were cytotoxic to 3T3-L1 cells. In particular, application of 0.

Cooperativity of alpha- and beta-subunits of group II chaperonin from the hyperthermophilic archaeum Aeropyrum pernix K1.

alpha- and beta-subunits (ApCpnA and ApCpnB) are group II chaperonins from the hyperthermophilic archaeum Aeropyrum pernix K1, specialized in preventing the aggregation and inactivation of substrate proteins under conditions of transient heat stress. In the present study, the cooperativity of alpha- and beta-subunits from the A. pernix K1 was investigated.

Astaxanthin improves the proliferative capacity as well as the osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential in neural stem cells.

In the present study, the effect of astaxanthin on improvement of the proliferative capacity as well as the osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation potential in neural stem cells (NSCs) was evaluated. Treatment of astaxanthin-induced actives cell growth in a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. Results from a clonogenic assay clearly indicated that astaxanthin can actively stimulate proliferation of NSCs.

Overexpression, purification, and characterization of beta-subunit group II chaperonin from hyperthermophilic Aeropyrum pernix K1.

In the present study, overexpression, purification, and characterization of Aeropyrum pernix K1 chaperonin B in E. coli were investigated. The chaperonin beta-subunit gene (ApCpnB, 1,665 bp ORF) from the hyperthermophilic archaeon A.

Cloning and characterization of the zeaxanthin glucosyltransferase gene (crtX) from the astaxanthin-producing marine bacterium, Paracoccus haeundaensis.

Zeaxanthin glucosyltransferase (CrtX) mediates the formation of zeaxanthin to zeaxanthin diglucoside. Here, we report cloning of the crtX gene responsible for zeaxanthin diglucoside biosynthesis from Paracoccus haeundaensis and the production of the corresponding carotenoids in transformed cells carrying this gene. An expression plasmid containing the crtX gene (pSTCRT-X) was constructed, and Escherichia coli cells containing this plasmid produced the recombinant protein of approximately 46 kDa.

Astaxanthin improves stem cell potency via an increase in the proliferation of neural progenitor cells.

The present study was designed to investigate the question of whether or not astaxanthin improves stem cell potency via an increase in proliferation of neural progenitor cells (NPCs). Treatment with astaxanthin significantly increased proliferation and colony formation of NPCs. For identification of possible activated signaling molecules involved in active cell proliferation occurring after astaxanthin treatment, total protein levels of several proliferation-related proteins, and expression levels of proliferation-related transcription factors, were assessed in NPCs.

Astaxanthin inhibits H2O2-mediated apoptotic cell death in mouse neural progenitor cells via modulation of P38 and MEK signaling pathways.

In the present study, neuroprotective effects of astaxanthin on H2O2-mediated apoptotic cell death using cultured mouse neural progenitor cells (mNPCs) were investigated. To cause apoptotic cell death, mNPCs were pretreated with astaxanthin for 8 h and followed by treatment of 0.3 mM H2O2.

Molecular cloning and expression of the trichoderma harzianum C4 endo-beta-1,4-Xylanase Gene in Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

An endo-beta-1,4-xylanase (beta-xylanase) from Trichoderma harzianum C4 was purified without cellulase activity by sequential chromatographies. The specific activity of the purified enzyme preparation was 430 units/mg on D-xylan. The complementary DNA (cDNA) encoding beta-xylanase (xynII) was amplified by PCR and isolated from cDNA PCR libraries constructed from T.