• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• v.59 no.1
• /
• pp.83-90
• /
• 2016

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the degree of metal contamination of the Turag River water and its suitability for irrigation. Twenty water samples were analyzed for physicochemical parameters and metals viz., calcium, magnesium, potassium (K), sodium, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), and nickel (Ni). All water samples were slightly alkaline to alkaline. Regarding electrical conductivity (EC), all samples were suitable for crop in soils with moderate permeability and leaching. Water samples were medium salinity and low alkalinity hazard classes. In terms of total dissolved solids (TDS), all samples were classified as freshwater. As per sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) and soluble sodium percentage (SSP), all samples were classified as excellent. No residual sodium carbonate (RSC) was detected in any of the samples, indicating suitability for irrigation; and all samples were considered very hard. Cr and Mn contents in all samples were above FAO guideline values and, therefore, these metals were considered toxic. Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, and Ni concentrations were below acceptable limit for irrigation and do not pose a threat to soil environment. Significant relationships were found between EC and TDS, SAR and SSP, SAR and RSC, and SSP and RSC. The combinations of ions such as K-Zn, K-Fe, K-Cu, K-Mn, K-Pb, Zn-Fe, Zn-Cu, Zn-Mn, Fe-Mn, Cu-Mn, Cu-Pb and Mn-Pb exhibited significant correlation. This study revealed that Turag River water samples are contaminated with Cr and Mn. This fact should not be ignored because water contamination by metals may pose a threat to human health through food chain.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.14 no.5
• /
• pp.882-890
• /
• 2004

Gap junction is a membrane structure facilitating the direct transmission of several ions and small molecules between two cells. It is also called an 'intercellular channel' to distinguish it from other well-known cellular channels (e.g. sodium and potassium channels). Gap junction channels are not passive conduits, rather the ion channels modulated by several stimuli including pH, calcium ion, voltage, and a chemical modification (mainly known as phosphorylation). Among them, the effects of voltage on the gating of gap junction channels have been well studied. Gap junction channels are more sensitive to the transjunctional potential ($V_j$) between two cells rather than the membrane potential($V_m$) between inside and outside the cell. In this review, I will summarize the general properties of gap junction channel and discuss the gating mechanism for the gap channels.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.79-84
• /
• 2010

In the present study, we isolated a new bacterial strain producing invertase (EC 3.2.1.26) and determined optimized culture condition in flask culture. The strain was identified as Bacilus flexus determined by the 16S rDNA sequencing method. The invertase was produced only in the sucrose medium as the sole carbon source. Potassium nitrate was an adequate nitrogen source for enzyme production, whereas meat peptone showed the highest bacterial growth. Enzyme production was increased about 2-fold when $MgSO_4\cdot7H_2O$ was supplemented to the growth media. The optimum temperature was found to be $30^{\circ}C$ for both enzyme production and bacterial growth. Invertase exhibited pH optima in the range 5.0-6.0 and have a temperature optimum at $40^{\circ}C$, similarly to other invertases found from different microbial sources. Several mineral ions (K and Fe) stimulated the invertase activity, whereas some bioelements (Ag, Mg, and Mn) inhibited enzyme activity. Under the optimized culture condition, the maximum enzyme production (over 250 units/mL) was achieved at 20 h. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time to report on invertase production by Bacilus flexus.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.19 no.11
• /
• pp.1393-1400
• /
• 2009

A bacteriocin-producing strain PI80 was isolated from the gut of Penaeus indicus (Indian white shrimp) and identified as Streptococcus phocae PI80. The bacteriocin was purified from a culture supernatant to homogeneity as confirmed by Tricine SDS-PAGE. Reverse-phase HPLC analysis revealed a single active fraction eluted at 12.94 min, and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry analysis showed the molecular mass to be 9.244 kDa. This molecular mass does not correspond to previously described streptococcal bacteriocins. The purified bacteriocin was named phocaecin PI80 from its producer strain, as this is the first report of bacteriocin production by Streptococcus phocae. The bacteriocin exhibited a broad spectrum of activity and inhibited important pathogens: Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and V. fischeri. The antibacterial substance was also sensitive to proteolytic enzymes: trypsin, protease, pepsin, and chymotrypsin, yet insensitive to catalase, peroxidase, and diastase, confirming that the inhibition was due to a proteinaceous molecule (i.e., the bacteriocin), and not due to hydrogen peroxide or diacetyl. Phocaecin PI80 moderately tolerated heat treatment (up to $70^{\circ}C$ for 10 min) and resisted certain solvents (acetone, ethanol, and butanol). A massive leakage of $K^+$ ions from E. coli $DH5\alpha$, L. monocytogenes, and V. parahaemolyticus was induced by phocaecin PI80, as measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICPOES). Therefore, the results of this study show that phocaecin PI80 may be a useful tool for inhibiting L. monocytogenes in seafood products that do not usually undergo adequate heat treatment, whereas the cells of Streptococcus phocae PI80 could be used to control vibriosis in shrimp farming.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.20 no.5
• /
• pp.352-357
• /
• 2001

Cadmium (Cd) has been identified as a potential contaminant in agricultural and environmental soils. Ionic condition in the soils is an important factor to influence Cd availability. In this study, the effect of sulfate or nitrate application on Cd sorption in acidic and calcareous soils was investigated. The Cd, sulfate $(SO_4)$, and nitrate $(NO_3)$ sources were solutions of $CdCl_2$, $K_2SO_4$, and $KNO_3$, respectively. The soil-solution system pH was affected by the application of sulfate or nitrate in both acidic and calcareous soil system, but there was not clear pH difference between pre- and simultaneous applications of sulfate or nitrate (PAS/PAN or SAS/SAN). Solution ionic strength (I) values were similar between the acid and calcareous soil systems after applying the Cd even though it was significantly different in the untreated control soils. However after applying the sulfate or nitrate, the I values increased and were always higher with SAS/SAN treatments. Solution Cd concentration also increased with the application of sulfate or nitrate. However, the Cd concentration in soil solution controlled by Cd sorption in the systems was different between PAS/PAN and SAS/SAN treatments only in the calcareous soil system, but not in the acidic soil system. The difference in Cd concentration between SAS/SAN and PAS/PAN in the calcareous systems may be caused by system pH, ionic strength, complexation, and predominately, competition of the $Cd^{2-}$ with the index $K^+$ ion. Potassium ion-Cd competition in the acidic soil system may be minimized because of the abundance of hydrogen ions.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.23 no.3
• /
• pp.284-288
• /
• 2012

This work deals with the chemical characterization of glycine aqueous solution in $CO_2$ absorption. Three alkali elements were impregnated into the glycine in order to facilitate the formation of amino functionalities. The analysis by IR revealed the transformation of ammonium ions to the amino group. In addition, the NMR analysis showed that the substitution of metal cations to the chemical shift of hydrogen and carbon atoms in glycine; in order of lithium glycinate, sodium glycinate and potassium glycinate depending on the electro negativity. Meanwhile, the $CO_2$ absorption at room temperature was the highest in primary amine solution, but at the increasing temperature sodium glycinate could capture more $CO_2$ than that of the pure amine solution.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
• /
• v.23 no.11
• /
• pp.643-648
• /
• 2013

Activated carbon (AC) was synthesized from rice husks using the chemical activation method with KOH, NaOH, a combination of (NaOH + $Na_2CO_3$), and a combination of (KOH + $K_2CO_3$) as the chemical activating reagents. The activated carbon with the highest surface area (around $2000m^2/g$) and high porosity, which allows the absorption of a large number of ions, was applied as electrode material in electric double layer capacitors (EDLCs). The AC for EDLC electrodes is required to have a high surface area and an optimal pore size distribution; these are important to attain high specific capacitance of the EDLC electrodes. The electrodes were fabricated by compounding the rice husk activated carbons with super-P and mixed with polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) at a weight ratio of 83:10:7. AC electrodes and nickel foams were assembled with potassium hydroxide (KOH) solution as the electrolyte. Electrochemical measurements were carried out with a three electrode cell using 6 M KOH as electrolyte and Hg/HgO as the reference electrode. The specific capacitance strongly depends on the pore structure; the highest specific capacitance was 179 F/g, obtained for the AC with the highest specific surface area. Additionally, different activation times, levels of heating, and chemical reagents were used to compare and determine the optimal parameters for obtaining high surface area of the activated carbon.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.1021-1027
• /
• 1997

We examined some properties of yeast cell wall lytic enzyme produced by Dicyma sp. YCH-37. Several metal ions, reducing reagents, and chemical modifiers have little effects on the lytic activity, except guanidine-HCl. Yeast cells of early log phase were more susceptible to the enzyme than those of stationary phase, and heat-treated cells were more easily lysed than intact living ones. Yeast cells pretreated with organic solvents such as butanol and acetone were more susceptible to the enzyme than intact living ones. Yeast cells cultured in Yeast extract-Malt extract medium containing 0.5 M ammonium sulfate were easily lysed by the lytic enzyme, and yeast cells cultured without shaking were more easily lysed by the enzyme than those with shaking. When SDS, ${\beta}-mercaptoethanol$, Triton X-100, sodium sulfite, and KCl were added to enzyme reaction mixture each, lysis of yeast cells was more effective.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.43 no.3
• /
• pp.424-431
• /
• 2016

The nutrients in livestock manure produced during fermentation processes in public livestock recycling centers are used as fertilizers. However, the large amounts of swine manure produced in intensive livestock farms can be a nonpoint source of pollution. In this experiment, we investigated the chemical properties, inorganic components, and heavy metal contents in 101 samples of liquid swine manure collected from 28 public livestock recycling centers throughout the nation. Results showed that the average pH of the samples was alkaline (pH range 5.18 to 9.54), and their maximum EC was $53.2dS\;m^{-1}$. The amounts of total nitrogen and total phosphorus were in the range of 1000 - 2000 and $200-800mg\;L^{-1}$ while potassium, which constituted 47% of the total inorganic ions recovered from the liquid swine manure, amounted to $1500mg\;L^{-1}$. The most distinctive heavy metals recovered from the liquid swine manure were copper and zinc although the amounts of both heavy metals were much lesser than those of the standards as livestock liquid fertilizer set by the Rural Development Administration. On the other hand, the amount of nitrogen decreased rapidly with an increasing fermentation period from immature to mature, assumed to be lost as volatile compounds, such as ammonia, which are the major odor components during the fermentation process.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.29 no.6
• /
• pp.493-499
• /
• 1996

The biochemical properties of purified D-hydruxyisovalerate dehydrogenase from Fusarium sambucinum was elucidated. D-Hydroxyisovalerate dehydrogenase produced solely D-hydroxyisovalerate from 2-ketoisovalerate. The isoelectric point of the purified enzyme was 7.0. The enzyme was highly specific with 2-ketoisovalerate ($K_{m}=0.188$ mM, $V_{max}=8.814$ mmol/min mg) and 2-keto-3-methyl-n-valerate ($K_{m}=0.4$ mM, $V_{max}=1.851$ mmol/min mg) for the reductive reaction. This was also seen by comparing D-hydroxyisovalerate ($K_{m}=1.667$ mM, $V_{max}=0.407$ mmol/min mg) and D-hydroxy-3-methyl-n-valerate ($K_{m}=6.7$ mM, $V_{max}=0.648$ mmol/min mg) for the oxidative reaction. Thiol blocking reagents, such as iodoacetamide, N-ethylmaleimide and p-chloromecuribenzoate inhibited about 80% of enzyme activity at 0.02 mM, 50 mM and 50 mM, respectively. The enzyme activity was also inhibited by the addition of 0.1 mM of various metal ions, such as $Fe^{2+}$ (67%), $Cu^{2+}$ (88%), $Zn^{2+}$ t (76%) and $Mg^{2+}$ (9%). The enzyme was stable over three months in 50 mM potassium phosphate buffer (pH 5~7) at $-80^{\circ}C$. However the purified enzyme lost 30% of its activity in the same buffer after 24 h at $4^{\circ}C$. The studies about thermal inactivation of D-hydroxyisovalerate dehydrogenase exhibit 209.2 kJ/M of activation enthalpy and 0.35 kJ/mol K of activation entropy.