• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1434-1440
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• 2006

The stable anchorage of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) in the active site of D-amino acid transaminase (D-AT) is crucial for the enzyme catalysis. The three-dimensional structure of D-AT revealed that Glu32 is one of the active site groups that may playa role in PLP binding. To prove the role of Glu32 in PLP stability, we firstly checked the rate of the potential rate-limiting step. The kinetic analysis showed that the rate of the ${\alpha}$-deprotonation step reduced to 26-folds in E32A mutant enzyme. Spectral analyses of the reaction of D-AT with D-serine revealed that the E32A mutant enzyme failed to stabilize the key enzyme-substrate intermediate, namely a quinonoid intermediate (E-Q). Finally, analysis of circular dichroism (CD) on the wild-type and E32A mutant enzymes showed that the optical activity of PLP in the enzyme active site was lost by the removal of the carboxylic group, proving that Glu32 is indeed involved in the cofactor anchorage. The results suggested that the electrostatic interaction network through the groups from PLP, Glu32, His47, and Arg50, which was observed from the three-dimensional structure of the enzyme, plays a crucial role in the stable anchorage of the cofactor to give necessary torsion to the plane of the cofactor-substrate complex.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.1135-1140
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• 2012

An electrochromatographic microchip with carboxyl-group-derivatized mono-disperse silica packing was prepared from the corresponding colloidal silica solution by utilizing capillary action and self-assembly behavior. The silica beads in water were primed by the capillary action toward the ends of cross-patterned microchannel on a cyclic olefinic copolymer (COC) substrate. Slow evaporation of water at the front of packing promoted the self-assembled packing of the beads. After thermally binding a cover plate on the chip substrate, reservoirs for sample solutions were fabricated at the ends of the microchannel. The packing at the entrances of the microchannel was silver coated to fix utilizing an electroless silver-plating technique to prevent the erosion of the packed structure caused by the sudden switching of a high voltage DC power source. The electrochromatographic behavior of the microchip was explored and compared to that of the microchip with bare silica packing in basic borate buffer. Electrophoretic migration of Rhodamine B was dominant in the microchip with the carboxyl-derivatized silica packing that resulted in a migration approximated twice as fast, while the reversible adsorption was dominant in the bare silica-packed microchip. Not only the faster migration rates of the negatively charged FITC-derivatives of amino acids but also the different migration due to the charge interaction at the packing surface were observed. The electrochromatographic characteristics were studied in detail and compared with those of the bare silica packed microchip in terms of the packing material, the separation potential, pH of the running buffer, and also the separation channel length.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.333-338
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• 2007

Intracellular NADH:quinone reductase involved in degradation of aromatic compounds including lignin was purified and characterized from white rot fungus Trametes versicolor. The activity of quinone reductase was maximal after 3 days of incubation in fungal culture, and the enzyme was purified to homogeneity using ion-exchange, hydrophobic interaction, and gel filtration chromatographies. The purified enzyme has a molecular mass of 41kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE, and exhibits a broad temperature optimum between $20-40^{\circ}C$, with a pH optimum of 6.0. The enzyme preferred FAD as a cofactor and NADH rather than NADPH as an electron donor. Among quinone compounds tested as substrate, menadione showed the highest enzyme activity followed by 1,4-benzoquinone. The enzyme activity was inhibited by $CuSO_4,\;HgCl_2,\;MgSO_4,\;MnSO_4,\;AgNO_3$, dicumarol, KCN, $NaN_3$, and EDTA. Its $K_m\;and\;V_{max}$ with NADH as an electron donor were $23{\mu}M\;and\;101mM/mg$ per min, respectively, and showed a high substrate affinity. Purified quinone reductase could reduce 1,4-benzoquinone to hydroquinone, and induction of this enzyme was higher by 1,4-benzoquinone than those of other quinone compounds.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.852-858
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• 2008

An extracellular protease (Mc1) was isolated from the nematode-trapping fungus Monacrosporium cystosporium by gel filtration, anion-exchange, and hydrophobic interaction chromatographies. This protease had a molecular mass of approximately 38 kDa and displayed an optimal activity at pH 7-9 and $56^{\circ}C$ (over 30 min). Its proteolytic activity was highly sensitive to the serine protease inhibitor PMSF (phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride, 0.1 mM), indicating that it belonged to the serine-type peptidase group. The Michaelis constant ($K_m$) and $V_max$ for substrate N-Suc-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-pNA were $1.67{\times}10^{-4}\;M$ and 0.6071 $OD_{410}$ per 30 s, respectively. This protease could degrade a broad range of substrates including casein, gelatin, BSA (bovine serum albumin), and nematode cuticle. Moreover, the enzyme could immobilize the free-living nematode Panagrellus redivivus and the pine wood nematode Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, suggesting that it might playa role in infection against nematodes. The encoding gene of Mc1 was composed of one intron and two exons, coding for a polypeptide of 405 amino acid residues. The deduced amino acid sequence of Mcl showed 61.4-91.9% identity to serine proteases from other nematode-trapping fungi. Our results identified that Mcl possessed biochemical properties including optimal reaction condition and substrate preference that are different from previously identified serine proteases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.933-941
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• 2008

An extracellular $\beta$-glucosidase produced by Monascus purpureus NRRL1992 in submerged cultivation was purified by acetone precipitation, gel filtration, and hydrophobic interaction chromatography, resulting in a purification factor of 92-fold. A $2^2$ central-composite design (CCD) was performed to find the best temperature and pH conditions for enzyme activity. Maximum activity was observed in a wide range of temperature and pH values, with optimal conditions set at $50^{\circ}C$ and pH 5.5. The $\beta$-glucosidase showed moderate thermostability, was inhibited by $HgCl_2$, $K_2Cr_O_4$, and $K_2Cr_2O_7$, whereas other reagents including $\beta$-mercaptoethanol, SDS, and EDTA showed no effect. Activity was slightly stimulated by low concentrations of ethanol and methanol. Hydrolysis of p-nitrophenyl-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside (pNPG), cellobiose, salicin, n-octyl-$\beta$-D-glucopyranoside, and maltose indicates that the $\beta$-glucosidase has broad substrate specificity. Apparently, glucosyl residues were removed from the nonreducing end of p-nitrophenyl-$\beta$-D-cellobiose. $\beta$-Glucosidase affinity and hydrolytic efficiency were higher for pNPG, followed by maltose and cellobiose. Glucose and cellobiose competitively inhibited pNPG hydrolysis.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.15 no.11
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• pp.705-710
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• 2005

NIL (nanoimprint lithography) technique has demonstrated a high potential for wafer size definition of nanometer as well as micrometer size patterns. During the replication process by NIL, the stiction between the stamp and the polymer is one of major problems. This stiction problem is moi·e important in small sized patterns. An antistiction layer prevents this stiction ana insures a clean demolding process. In this paper, we were using a TCP (transfer coupled plasma) equipment and $C_4F_8$ as a precursor to make a Teflon-like antistiction layer. This antistiction layer was deposited on a 6 inch silicon wafer to have nanometer scale thicknesses. The thickness of deposited antistiction layer was measured by ellipsometry. To optimize the process factor such as table height (TH), substrate temperature (ST), working pressure (WP) and plasma power (PP), we were using a design of experimental (DOE) method. The table of full factorial arrays was set by the 4 factors and 2 levels. Using this table, experiments were organized to achieve 2 responses such as deposition rate and non-uniformity. It was investigated that the main effects and interaction effects between parameters. Deposition rate was in proportion to table height, working pressure and plasma power. Non-uniformity was in proportion to substrate temperature and working pressure. Using a response optimization, we were able to get the optimized deposition condition at desired deposition rate and an experimental deposition rate showed similar results.

• Current Applied Physics
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1240-1247
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• 2018

Magnetic hysteresis in Ni nanowire arrays grown by electrodeposition inside the pores of anodic alumina templates is studied as a function of temperature in the range between 5 K and 300 K. Nanowires with different diameters, aspect ratios, inter-wire distance in the array and surface condition (smooth and rough) are synthesized. These microstructure parameters are linked to the different free magnetic energy contributions determining coercivity and the controlling magnetization reversal mechanisms. Coercivity increases with temperature in arrays of nanowires with rough surfaces and small diameters -33 nm and 65 nm- when measured without removing the alumina template and/or the Al substrate. For thicker wires -200 nm in diameter and relatively smooth surfaces- measured without the Al substrate, coercivity decreases as temperature rises. These temperature dependences of magnetic hysteresis are described in terms of an effective magnetic anisotropy $K_a$, resulting from the interplay of magnetocrystalline, magnetoelastic and shape anisotropies, together with the magnetostatic interaction energy density between nanowires in the array. The experimentally determined coercive fields are compared with results of micromagnetic calculations, performed considering the magnetization reversal mode acting in each studied array and microstructure parameters. A method is proposed to roughly estimate the value of $K_a$ experimentally, from the hysteresis loops measured at different temperatures. These measured values are in agreement with theoretical calculations. The observed temperature dependence of coercivity does not arise from an intrinsic property of pure Ni but from the nanowires surface roughness and the way the array is measured, with or without the alumina template and/or the aluminum support.

• Journal of Genetic Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.62-67
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• 2020

Purpose: Eliglustat is an oral substrate reduction therapy (SRT) approved for adults with Gaucher disease type I (GD1) who are extensive, intermediate, or poor CYP2D6 metabolizers. Here we report one-year experience of eliglustat switch therapy from long-term enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) in three adult patients with GD1. Materials and Methods: Medical history, clinical (hemoglobin concentration, platelet count, and bone mineral density) and biochemical parameters (angiotensin converting enzyme, total acid phosphatase, and lyso-gb1) of the patients were collected and evaluated by retrospective review of medical records at every 3, 6, or 12 month after switch to SRT. Results: Patient 1 was a 43-year old female diagnosed GD1 and her clinical and biochemical parameters were stabilized for more than 20 years by ERT. Due to the burden of regular hospital visit, she switched to SRT. During one-year of SRT, clinical parameters and biomarkers were maintained stable. However, after suffering acute febrile illness during SRT, she decided to re-switch to ERT due to concerns about drug interaction. Patient 2 was 41-year old male, younger brother of patient 1 and Patient 3 was 31-year old male. They switched to SRT in clinically stable condition with long-term ERT. The one-year SRT was tolerable without specific safety issue and the clinical parameters were maintained stable. Conclusion: One-year eliglustat therapy in three adult patients with GDI was generally tolerable and effective for maintaining the clinical parameters and biomarkers. However, the drug compliance, concurrent drug interactions, and long-term safety of eliglustat should be carefully monitored.

• Composites Research
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.377-382
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• 2023

To enhance the performance of graphene-based devices, it is of great importance to better understand the interfacial interaction of graphene with its underlying substrates. In this study, the adhesion energy of monolayer graphene placed on dielectric substrates was characterized using mode I fracture tests. Large-area monolayer graphene was synthesized on copper foil using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) with methane and hydrogen. The synthesized graphene was placed on target dielectric substrates using polymer-assisted wet transfer technique. The monolayer graphene placed on a substrate was mechanically delaminated from the dielectric substrate by mode I fracture tests using double cantilever beam configuration. The obtained force-displacement curves were analyzed to estimate the adhesion energies, showing 1.13 ± 0.12 J/m² for silicon dioxide and 2.90 ± 0.08 J/m² for silicon nitride. This work provides the quantitative measurement of the interfacial interactions of CVD-grown graphene with dielectric substrates.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.385-395
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• 2017

Vasoconstrictive properties of sympathomimetic drugs are the basis of their widespread use as decongestants and possible source of adverse responses. Insufficiently substantiated practice of combining decongestants in some marketed preparations, such are those containing phenylephrine and lerimazoline, may affect the overall contractile activity, and thus their therapeutic utility. This study aimed to examine the interaction between lerimazoline and phenylephrine in isolated rat aortic rings, and also to assess the substrate of the obtained lerimazoline-induced attenuation of phenylephrine contraction. Namely, while lower concentrations of lerimazoline ($10^{-6}M$ and especially $10^{-7}M$) expectedly tended to potentiate the phenylephrine-induced contractions, lerimazoline in higher concentrations ($10^{-4}M$ and above) unexpectedly and profoundly depleted the phenylephrine concentration-response curve. Suppression of NO with NO synthase (NOS) inhibitor $N^w$-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; $10^{-4}M$) or NO scavanger $OHB_{12}$ ($10^{-3}M$), as well as non-specific inhibition of $K^+$-channels with tetraethylammonium (TEA; $10^{-3}M$), have reversed lerimazoline-induced relaxation of phenylephrine contractions, while cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin ($10^{-5}M$) did not affect the interaction between two vasoconstrictors. At the receptor level, non-selective 5-HT receptor antagonist methiothepin reversed the attenuating effect of lerimazoline on phenylephrine contraction when applied at $3{\times}10^{-7}$ and $10^{-6}M$, but not at the highest concentration ($10^{-4}M$). Neither the 5-$HT_{1D}$-receptor selective antagonist BRL 15572 ($10^{-6}M$) nor 5-$HT_7$ receptor selective antagonist SB 269970 ($10^{-6}M$) affected the lerimazoline-induced attenuation of phenylephrine activity. The mechanism of lerimazoline-induced suppression of phenylephrine contractions may involve potentiation of activity of NO and $K^+$-channels and activation of some methiothepin-sensitive receptors, possibly of the 5-$HT_{2B}$ subtype.