• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.571-578
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• 2018

Biofuel production using lignocellulosic biomass is gaining attention because it can be substituted for fossil fuels without competing with edible resources. However, because Saccharomyces cerevisiae does not have a ${\text\tiny{D}}$-xylose metabolic pathway, oxidoreductase or isomerase pathways must be introduced to utilize ${\text\tiny{D}}$-xylose from lignocellulosic biomass in S. cerevisiae. To elucidate the biochemical properties of xylose isomerase (XI) from Piromyces sp. E2 (PsXI), we determine its crystal structure in complex with substrate mimic glycerol. An amino-acid sequence comparison with other reported XIs and relative activity measurements using five kinds of divalent metal ions confirmed that PsXI belongs to class II XIs. Moreover kinetic analysis of PsXI was also performed using $Mn^{2+}$, the preferred divalent metal ion for PsXI. In addition, the substrate-binding mode of PsXI could be predicted with the substrate mimic glycerol bound to the active site. These studies may provide structural information to enhance ${\text\tiny{D}}$-xylose utilization for biofuel production.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.516-521
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• 2014

A bacterium producing ${\alpha}$-galactosidase (${\alpha}$-$\small{D}$-galactoside galactohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.22) was isolated. The isolate, KM-1 was identified as Bacillus coagulans based on its 16S rRNA sequence, morphology, and biochemical properties. ${\alpha}$-Galactosidase activity was detected the culture supernatant of B. coagulans KM-1. The bacterium showed the maximum activity for hydrolyzing para-nitrophenyl-${\alpha}$-$\small{D}$-galactopyranoside (pNP-${\alpha}Gal$) at pH 6.0 and $50^{\circ}C$. It hydrolyzed oligomeric substrates such as melibiose, raffinose, and stachyose liberating a galactose residue, indicating that the B. coagulans KM-1 ${\alpha}$-galactosidase hydrolyzed ${\alpha}$-1,6 linkage. The results suggest that the decreased stachyose and raffinose contents in fermented soybean meal are due to the ${\alpha}$-galactosidase activity.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.143-153
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• 2017

Herein we studied the characterization of the PBO films formed via solution casting and thermal cyclization of poly(o-hyroxyamide)s(PHAs) that were synthesized by direct polycondensation of 3,3'-dihydroxybenzidine with 4,4'-(2,3-quinoxalinedioxy) dibenzoic acid and/or 4,4'-(2,3-pyridinedioxy) dibenzoic acid. All the PHAs exhibited inherent viscosities in the range of 0.55~0.84 dL/g in DMAc solution. The copolymers, CPH-2-5, were partially soluble in less polar solvents like pyridine and THF. However, all the PBOs were not soluble in polar solvents, but only partially soluble in sulfuric acid. The temperatures corresponding to 10% weight loss of the PBOs with increasing content of quinoxalinedioxy unit were higher than those of the PHAs, and the char yields at $900^{\circ}C$ in $N_2$, tensile strength, and initial modulus of the PBOs were 1.1~1.3 times, 1.2~1.8, and 1.6~3.3 times higher, respectively, than those of the PHAs. The LOI value of CPB-2 was 38.5%, while that of CPB-1 was the highest at 40.0%. The LOI test confirmed that excellent flame retardants were synthesized.

• BMB Reports
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.70-76
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• 1998

The final step in ethylene biosynthesis is catalyzed by the enzyme 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase. ACC oxidase was extracted from mung bean hypocotyls and its biochemical characteristics were determined. In vitro ACC oxidase activity required ascorbate and $Fe^{2+}$, and was enhanced by sodium bicarbonate. Maximum specific activity (approximately 20 nl ethylene $h^{-1}$ mg $protein^{-1}$) was obtained in an assay medium containing 100 mM MOPS (pH 7.5), $25\;{\mu}M$ $FeSO_4$, 6 mM sodium ascorbate, 1 mM ACC, 5 mM sodium bicarbonate and 10% glycerol. The apparent $K_m$ for ACC was $80{\pm}3\;{\mu}M$. Pretreating mung bean hypocotyls with ethylene increased in vitro ACC oxidase activity twofold. ACC oxidase activity was strongly inhibited by metal ions such as $Co^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Mn^{2+}$, and by salicylic acid. Inactivation of ACC oxidase by salicylic acid could be overcome by increasing the $Fe^{2+}$ concentration of the assay medium. The possible mode of inhibition of ACC oxidase activity by salicylic acid is discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2000

Eight strains of Aeromonas hydrophila isolated from diseased trout in Korea were characterized and compared with an American type strain by various methods including biochemical and physiological tests, PCR, randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), plasmid profiling, and gel electrophoresis of total, membrane, and extracellular proteins. Virulence factors such as surface array proteins, cytotoxin, hemolysin, haemagglutinin, and protease were also investigated. The Korean strains showed heterogeneity in Iysine decarboxylase production, utilization of various carbon sources, and production of acetoin. Five strains had the same profiles of total and membrane proteins. Six strains haemagglutinated with trout red blood cells (RBCs) which was inhibited by fucose, galactose, and mannose, except for No. 1 where haemagglutination was inhibited by only galactose and mannose, but not by fucose. Four isolates haemagglutinated with human RBCs which was inhibited by fucose and mannose yet not by galactose. The type strain haemagglutinated only with trout RBCs which was inhibited by fucose, galactose, and mannose. Every isolate secreted protease, hemolysin, cytotoxin, and siderophore, but no enterotoxin. Results showed that the Korean isolates, except for No.7, had very different biochemical and molecular characteristics from those of the American type strain.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.294-300
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• 2003

Bacterial strains were isolated from diseased samples of shoot blight collected from different pear growing orchards of Chuncheon, Korea from 1995 to 1998. Forty-nine strains showed their pathogenicity on immature fruit and shoot of pear. Microbiological, physiological, and biochemical tests were performed on these pathogenic strains. One strain, designated as WT3 in this study, was selected as a representative strain as it was collected from the first outbreak area in Jichonri, Chuncheon in 1995. Further detailed characterization of the strain WT3 was done by PCR amplification using specific primers described previously for distinguishing Erwinia pyrifoliae from its close pathogen Erwinia amylovora. Based on phenotypical, biochemical, and molecular analyses, strain WT3 was identified as a shoot blight pathogen which was the same as E. pyrifoliae Ep16 previously described by a German group in 1999.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.54-59
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• 2009

Carotenoids such as $\beta$-carotene and astaxanthin are used as food colorants, animal feed supplements and for nutritional and cosmetic purposes. In a previous study, an astaxanthin biosynthesis gene cluster was isolated from the marine bacterium, Paracoccus haeundaensis. Geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) synthase (CrtE), encoded by the ortE gene, catalyzes the formation of GGPP from farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), which is an essential enzyme for the biosynthesis of carotenoids in early steps. In order to study the biochemical and enzymatic characteristics of this important enzyme, a large quantity of purified GGPP synthase is required. To overproduce GGPP synthase, the crtE gene was subcloned into a pET-44a(+) expression vector and transformed into the Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) codon plus cell. Transformants harboring the crtE gene were cultured and the crtE gene was over-expressed. The expressed protein was purified to homogeneity by affinity chromatography and applied to study its biochemical properties and molecular characteristics.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.32-37
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• 2006

In this study, we have purified and characterized the membrane bound nitrate reductase obtained from the denitrifying bacteria, Ochrobactrum anthropi SY509, which was isolated from soil samples. O. anthropi SY509 can grow in minimal medium using nitrate as a nitrogen source. We achieved an overall purification rate of 15-fold from the protein extracted from the membrane fraction, with a recovery of approximately 12% of activity. The enzyme exhibited its highest level of activity at pH 5.5, and the activity was increased up to $70^{\circ}C$. Periplasmic and cytochromic proteins, including nitrite and nitrous oxide reductase, were excluded during centrifugation and were verified using enzyme essay. Reduced methyl viologen was determined to be the most efficient electron donor among a variety of anionic and cationic dyestuffs, which could be also used as an electron donor with dimethyl dithionite. The effects of purification and storage conditions on the stability of enzyme were also investigated. The activity of the membranebound nitrate reductase was stably maintained for over 2 weeks in solution. To maintain the stability of enzyme, the cell was disrupted using sonication at low temperatures, and enzyme was extracted by hot water without any surfactant. The purified enzyme was stored in solution with no salt to prevent any significant losses in activity levels.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.3241-3246
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• 2010

NHERF ($Na^+/H^+$ exchanger regulatory factor) and E3KARP (NHE3 kinase A regulatory protein) play important roles in membrane targeting, trafficking and sorting of ion channels, transmembrane receptors and signaling proteins in many tissues. Each of these proteins contains two PDZ (PSD-95/Dlg-1/ZO-1) domains, which mediate the assembly of transmembrane and cytosolic proteins into functional signal transduction complexes. The interaction between NHERF and E3KARP was investigated by surface plasmon resonance spectroscopy (BIAcore), fluorescence measurement, His-tagged pull-down experiment, and size-exclusion column (SEC) chromatography. BIAcore experiments revealed that NHERF bound to E3KARP with an apparent $K_D$ of 7 nM. Fluorescence emission spectra of the NHERF-E3KARP complex suggested that the tight interaction between these proteins was accompanied by significant conformational changes in one or both. The CD spectra of NHERF and E3KARP show that the conformational changes of these proteins were dependent on pH and temperature. These results implicate that the NHERF-E3KARP complex allows intracellular signaling complexes to form through PDZ-PDZ interactions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.3521-3524
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• 2010

MTH1880 is a hypothetical protein derived from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum, thermophilic methanogen. The solution structure determined by NMR spectroscopy showed that it has a novel $\alpha+\beta$-fold with a highly acidic ligand binding pocket. Since MTH1880 maintains its ultra-stable structural characteristics at both high temperature and pressure, it has been considered as an excellent model for studying protein folding. To initiate the structural and folding study of MTH1880 in proving its unusual stability, we performed the site directed mutagenesis and biochemical analysis of MTH1880 mutants. Data from circular dichroism and NMR spectroscopy suggest that the point mutations perturbed the structural stability of protein even though the secondary structure is retained. This study will provide the useful information in understanding the role of participating residues during folding-unfolding process and our result will be used in designing further folding experiments for hyper-thermopile proteins like MTH1880.