• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.408-415
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• 2004

The expression of the Paenibacillus sp. A11 cyclodextrinase (CDase) gene using the pUC 18 vector in Escherichia coli JM 109 resulted in the formation of an insoluble CDase protein in the cell debris in addition to a soluble CDase protein in the cytoplasm. Unlike the expression in Paenibacillus sp. A11, CDase was primarily observed in cytoplasm. However, by adding 0.5 M sorbitol as an osmolyte, the formation of insoluble CDase was prevented while a three-fold increase in cytoplasmic CDase activity was achieved after a 24 h-induction. The recombinant CDase protein was purified to approximately 14-fold with a 31% recovery to a specific activity of 141 units/mg protein by 40-60% ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Toyopearl 650 M, and Phenyl Sepharose CL-4B chromatography. It was homogeneous by non-denaturing and SDS-PAGE. The enzyme was a single polypeptide with a molecular weight of 80 kDa, as determined by gel filtration and SDS-PAGE. It showed the highest activity at pH 7.0 and $40^{\circ}C$. The catalytic efficiency ($k_{cat}/K_m$) values for $\alpha$-, $\beta$-, and $\gamma$-CD were $3.0{\times}10^5$, $8.8{\times}10^5$, and $5.5{\times}10^5\;M^{-1}\;min^{-1}$, respectively. The enzyme hydrolyzed CDs and linear maltooligosaccharides to yield maltose and glucose with less amounts of maltotriose and maltotetraose. The rates of hydrolysis for polysaccharides, soluble starch, and pullulan were very low. The cloned CDase was strongly inactivated by N-bromosuccinimide and diethylpyrocarbonate, but activated by dithiothreitol. A comparison of the biochemical properties of the CDases from Paenibacillus sp. A11 and E. coli transformant (pJK 555) indicates that they were almost identical.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1985-1992
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• 2007

Ordered mesoporous silica (MCM-41) materials with different textural properties were prepared using alkyl (dodecyl, cetyl, eicosane) trimethyl ammonium bromide (DTAB, CTAB, ETAB, respectively) as structure directing surfactants, functionalized with amine groups and used as adsorbent for the toxic metal ions, Cr (VI), As (V), Pb (II) and Hg (II). Amino functionalization of mesoporous MCM-41 was achieved by cocondensation of N-[3-(trimethoxysilyl)-propyl] aniline with tetraethyl orthosilicate. Adsorption isotherm and adsorption capacity of the amine functionalized materials for Cr (VI), As (V), Pb (II) and Hg (II) ions were followed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Results demonstrate that amine functionalized MCM-41 prepared with ETAB showed higher adsorption capacity for Cr (VI), As (V), Pb (II) and Hg (II) ions in comparison to MCM-41 prepared with CTAB and DTAB. The higher adsorption capacity for MCM-41(ETAB) was correlated with amine content in the material (determined by CHN analysis) and relative decrease in pore volume and pore diameter. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, nitrogen adsorptiondesorption measurements and Fourier Transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) were used to follow the changes in the textural parameters and surface properties of the mesoporous materials as a result of amine functionalization to correlate with the adsorption characteristics. The adsorption process was found to depend on the pH of the medium.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.816-822
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• 2005

Catharsius protease-2 (CPM-2) was isolated from the body of dung beetles, Catharsius molossus, using a three step purification process (ammonium sulfate fractionation, gel filtration on Bio-Gel P-60, and affinity chromatography on DEAE Affi-Gel blue). The purified CPM-2, having a molecular weight of 24 kDa, was assessed homogeneously by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of CPM-2 was composed of X Val Gin Asp Phe Val Glu Glu lie Leu. CPM-2 was inactivated by $Cu^{2+}\;and\;Zn^{2+}$ and strongly inhibited by typical serine proteinase inhibitors such as TLCK, soybean trypsin inhibitor, aprotinin, benzamidine, and ${\alpha}_1$-antitrypsin. However, EDTA, EGTA, cysteine, $\beta$-mercaptoethanol, E64, and elastatinal had little effect on enzyme activity. In addition, antiplasmin and antithrombin III were not sensitive to CPM-2. Based on the results of a fibrinolytic activity test, CPM-2 readily cleaved $A{\alpha}-$ and $B{\beta}$-chains of fibrinogen and fibrin, and y-chain of fibrinogen more slowly. The nonspecific action of the enzyme resulted in extensive hydrolysis, releasing a variety of fibrinopeptides of fibrinogen and fibrin. Polyclonal antibodies of CPM-2 were reactive to the native form of antigen. The ELISA was applied to detect quantities, in nanograms, of the antigen in CPM-2 protein.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.606-612
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• 1989

A New lectin from baby clam, Tapes japonica, was isolated and purified through the following procedures; acetone powder, 0.15M NaCl extraction, ammonium sulfate fractionation, N-acetyl-D-galactosamine-agarose affinity column, and ion exchange Mono Q of FPLC. This lectin nonspecifically agglutinated human erythrocytes but didn't agglutinate mouse and rabbit erythrocytes. And the lectin neither stimulated human lymphocytes nor agglutinated Sarcoma 180 cells. On polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, the lectin migrated as a major single band indicating homogeneous. A molecular weight was estimated to be about 131,000 daltons by Biogel P-300 and 125,000 daltons by SDS-PAGE without ${\beta}-mercaptoethanol$. This lectin is supposed to be a tetramer composed of heterogeneous subunits, about 30,000 and 33,000 daltons. Baby clam lectin was inhibited by EDTA and recovered agglutinating activity by $Ca^{++}\;and\;Mn^{++}$. This lectin is revealed as glycoprotein that contained about 4.2% neutral sugar.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.227-232
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• 2011

The roots of Platycodon grandiflorum has been widely used as a crude drug or a food stuff. Unfortunately, the output and the quality is not regular and highly dependent on the cultivation area and cultivation method. Therefore, seedling cultivation study of this plant under structure with various fertilizer supply was performed. As a result, significant big difference between ammonia nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen content was shown in the root at seedling stage while the difference was not significant in the aerial parts. Fresh weight of the root (7.73 g plant$^{-1}$) was higher in the group treated with three major nutrients (N, P and K) than in those treated with three major nutrients and calcium or magnesium or both calcium and magnesium, and non-treated group (2.69 g plant$^{-1}$). Total nitrogen content was recognized to be significantly correlated with root weight, plant height, number of leaves and weight of aerial parts. Ammonium nitrogen content was more correlated the growth of P. grandiflorum than nitrate nitrogen. For phosphoric acid, significant correlation was also shown with the four growth factors.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1219-1223
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• 2007

The removal of nitrogen compounds from a wastewater is essential and it is often accomplished by bio-logical process. An aerobic nitrate-removing bacterium was isolated from a municipal sewage treatment plant and soil. On the basis of its morphological, cultural and physiological characteristics and 16S rRNA sequencing data, this strain was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens, and named as P. fluorescens K4. The optimal conditions of the initial pH and temperature of media for its growth were $7.0{\sim}8.0$ and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. P. fluorescens K4 was able to remove 99.9% of nitrate after 24 h in a culture. The strain could grow with a nitrate concentration up to 800 mg/l and was able to remove 99.9% of nitrate after 104 h of incubation. The optimal electron donor was sodium citrate for a nitrate removal. The strain K4 showed a capability of a complete nitrate removal when the initial C/N ratio was 1.0. An effect of the initial seed concentration was observed for a cell of 10% (v/v) for a nitrate removal. Especially P. fluorescens K4 could completely remove 200 mg/l ammonium for 3 days.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.46-50
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• 1996

Monoanionic nickel(Ⅲ) complexes, [Ni(dmbit)2]1- and [Ni(dmbbip)2]1- where dmbit2- and dmbbip2- denote 2-thiobenzo[d]-1,3-dithiole-5,6-dithiolate and 1,2-bis(isopropylthio)benzen-4,5-dithiolate, respectively, have been synthesized by the iodine oxidation of dianionic complexes. In the scanning electron microscopic(SEM) images, these complexes show the well-grown two-dimensional layered structures which are clearly comparable to the dianionic ones with three-dimensional structures. Magnetic susceptibilities of nickel(Ⅲ)complexes are fitted well with the two-dimensional Heisenberg antiferromagnet model of S=1/2 system resulting in the spin-exchange parameters (|J|/k) of 11.4 K and 0.45 K, respectively. The weaker magnetic interaction in [Ni(dmbbip)2]1- is resulted from the bulky isopropyl groups on the periphery of dmbbip ligand. EPR measurements for [Ni(dmbit)2]1- give the signal with axial symmetry and the anisotropic g-values for low-spin nickel(Ⅲ) (g//=2.158, g =2.030,gav=2.074 at 300 K; g//=2.162, g =2.038, gav=2.080 at 77 K). It is therefore concluded that nickel(Ⅱ) is oxidized to nickel(Ⅲ), rather than dmbit2- and dmbbip2- ligands are, by the iodine oxidation. The paramagnetic Ni(Ⅲ) would be located in the axial symmetry(D4h) with the electronic configuration of (dxz2dyz2dz22dxy1dx2-y20).

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2015

Global population is expected to reach nine billion in 2050 and the total demand for food is expected to increase approximately by 60 percent by 2050 as compared to 2005. Therefore, it is important to increase crop production in order to meet the global demand for food. Slow release fertilizers have been developed and designed in order to improve the efficiency of fertilizers. Mineral-based slow release fertilizers are useful because the minerals have a crystalline structure and are environmentally friendly in a soil. This review focuses on slow release fertilizers based on montmorillonite, zeolite, and layered double hydroxide phases as a host for nutrients, especially N. Urea was successfully stabilized in the interlayer space of montmorillonite by the formation of urea-Mg or Ca complex, $[(Urea)_6Mg\;or\;Ca]^{2+}$ protecting its rapid degradation in soils. Naturally occurring zeolites occluded with ammonium nitrate and potassium nitrate by molten salt treatment could be used as slow release fertilizer because the occlusion process increased the capacity of zeolites to store nutrients in addition to exchangeable cations. Additionally, surface-modified zeolites could also be used as slow release fertilizer because the modified surface showed high affinity for anionic nutrients such as nitrate and phosphate. Moreover, there were attempts to develop and use synthetic layered double hydroxide as a carrier of nitrate because it has positively charged layers which electrostatically bond nitrate anions. Kaolin was also tested by combining with a polymer or through the mechanical-chemical process for slow release of nutrients.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.45-53
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• 2019

Water and soil properties in paddy fields subjected to organic and conventional farming were characterized over the rice cycle in South Korea. To achieve the goals of this study, we sampled and analyzed soil and water from 24 organic paddy plots and 11 conventional paddy plots in March, May, August, and October 2016. The results were analyzed using statistical analyses, including analysis of variance (ANOVA), cluster analysis, and principal component analysis. The ANOVA results showed that water content (WC), electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter (OM), and available phosphorus ($P_2O_5$) in soil varied significantly (p < 0.01) depending on the farming method. Higher OM, EC, and $P_2O_5$ of soil were observed in the conventional paddies than in the organic paddies. All soil properties, except pH and ammonium, depended on seasonal variation. Cluster analysis revealed that soil properties in May were distinctly separated from those in other seasons mainly due to basal fertilization. The principal component analysis distinguished the soil properties in different seasons, but such a distinction was not observed between the soil properties in organic and conventional paddies. Low contents of WC, OM, and total N were observed in March. High concentrations of nitrate and total P were observed in May, but these were low in August and October. The soils from October were also characterized by high concentrations of EC and $P_2O_5$. These results indicate that the sampling time for soil and water can significantly influence the evaluation of soil properties with different farming methods.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.382-391
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• 2019

Many poultry eggs are discarded worldwide because of infection (i.e., avian flu) or presence of high levels of pesticides. The possibility of adopting egg yolk as a source material to produce polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) biopolymer was examined in this study. Cupriavidus necator Re2133/pCB81 was used for the production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyhexanoate) or poly(3HHx), a polymer that would normally require long-chain fatty acids as carbon feedstocks for the incorporation of 3HHx monomers. The optimal medium contained 5% egg yolk oil and ammonium nitrate as a nitrogen source, with a carbon/nitrogen (C/N) ratio of 20. Time course monitoring using the optimized medium was conducted for 5 days. Biomass production was 13.1 g/l, with 43.7% co-polymer content. Comparison with other studies using plant oils and the current study using egg yolk oil revealed similar polymer yields. Thus, discarded egg yolks could be a potential source of PHA.