• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.56-63
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• 2009

In this study we have evaluated the separation characteristics and concentration of sericin using tubular type ultrafiltration membrane in silk degumming solution that extracted from electrolytic reduction water process. Ultrafiltration membranes have used in sericin separation performance and the separation characteristics of membrane satisfied typical Hagen-Poiseuille equation. It had the increase of flux according to the increase of feed pressure and temperature in occasion of pure water flux. And also the flux and solute rejection had about $25{\sim}60{\ell}/m^2{\cdot}h$ and more than 95% in sericin feed solution with concentration 1.00~1.89% at feed pressure force of $3{\sim}8kgf/cm^2$ respectively. In addition, the separation performance of tubular type ultrafiltration membrane for silk degumming solution was very steady-state with long experiment time.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.501-519
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• 2003

Silk Sericin(SS) is a natural protein extracted from cocoon of bombix mori and shows moisturizing effect to the skin due to a number of hydroxyl groups in the structure. But its application to cosmetics is limited due to its poor solubility in water. In order to solve this drawback and expand its application to cosmetics, polyethyleneglycol(PEG) was conjugated with sericin by reacting activated polyethyleneglycol(ActPEG). Reaction site of sericin is tyrosine residue, which was determined by using $^1$H-NMR. Random coil structure of sericin was transformed to beta-sheet structure by conjugating polyethyleneglycol. It was confirmed that melting point of sericin-PEG conjugate was lowered compared to that of each sericin and PEG due to the interaction between sericin and PEG in crystalline structure. Self-assembled sericin-PEG nanoparticle was obtained by dialyzing with alcohol solution of sericin-PEG conjugate against water. The particle is spherical and has 200-400nm of size. The moisturizing ability of sericin-PEG nanoparticle was much higher than that of sericin itself. Incorporation of vitamin A into sericin-PEG nanoparticle was carried out by diafiltration method. The content of incorporated Vitamin A in sericin-PEG nanoparticle was 8.9 wt％. Releasing behaviour of vitamin A incorporated into nanoparticle was tested in phosphate buffer, pH 7.4 at 37$^{\circ}C$. and half-life of Vitamin A release was 43hrs. Sericin-PEG nanoparticle exhibited higher moisturing effect than sericin itself and distilled water, respectively. No toxicity and irritation were observed in animal tests. It can be expected that the self-assembled sericin-PEG nanoparticle can be developed for cosmetics.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.554-562
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• 2007

Ceramide rich intercellular lipid lamellae are thought to be particularly important in maintaining the structural integrity of epidermal barrier. Ceramide is synthesized de novo by serine palmitoyltransferase (SPT) phospholipid intermediates, serine and palmitic acid persist within the stratum corneum. The ceramide which is synthesized is degraded with fatty acid and sphingosine by degradative enzyme ceramidase. The depletion of ceramide in stratum corneum was reported in the atopic dermatitis. As an effort to search for the dietary source for improving the level of ceramide in epidermis, the dietary effects of various-typed silk protein were compared. Seventy male NC/Nga mice, an animal model of atopic dermatitis, were divided into seven groups: group CA as an atopic control with control diet, group S: 1% crude sericin diet, group F: 1% crude fibroin diet, group PS : peptide pattern of sericin(Mw 5000), group PF: peptide pattern of fibroin (Mw 1500), group AS: manufactured the same as amino acid profile of sericin and group AF: manufactured the same as amino acid profile of fibroin. Ten male BALB/c mice were served as group C (control group) control diet. All mice were fed on diet and water ad libitum for 10 weeks. Dry skin condition was established in group CA as ceramide content was decreased. Despite a marked decrease of mRNA and prorein expression of SPT, enzyme do novo synthesis, ceramide content of group S was dramatically increased by inhibiting the mRNA and protein expression of degradative enzyme ceramidase. However, dietary supplementation of crude silk fibroin protein (group F) and in other groups that were supplemented with either amino acid or peptide type of sericin or fibroin did not increase the level of ceramide. Together, our data demonstrate that dietary supplementation of crude sericin is more effective at improving ceramide level in epidemis of NC/Nga mice.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.67-70
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• 2007

This study was done for the dietary effect of silk protein, molecular controlled silk sericin and silk fibroin, on colon cancer of animal. The ICR mice were given weekly injections of 1,2-dimethylhydrazine (DMZ) for the initial 10 mg/kg with four weeks, and fed a diets supplemented with 3% (v/v) molecular controlled sericin and fibroin for 6 weeks, respectively. Then, the body weight, efficiency of dietary, typical histologic appearance of animal colon tissue and COX-2 effect were studied, too. Molecular controlled sericin protein are shown more higher dietary effect on animal colon cancer than fibroin supplemental case. The results suggest a potential usefulness of sericin as a chemopreventive for colon carcinogenesis and the development functional food.

• Textile Coloration and Finishing
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.132-139
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• 2010

Sericin pulverization process was applied by freezing-thawing of sericin protein concentration solution and physicochemical properties of sericin/chitosan blended films were investigated. In sericin pulverization process by freezing-thawing method, the refrigeration storage at $4^{\circ}C$ maximized gelling between sericin molecules, which increased 10% of recovery ratio from sericin concentration solution that using ultrafiltration procedure. In physicochemical properties of sericin/chitosan blended films, the maximum load of chitosan (6.7kgf) had higher than that of sericin (1.2kgf), and the elongation of sericin and chitosan had 96% and 34%, respectively. Also FT-IR analysis of sericin/chitosan blended films showed that both sericin and chitosan films had amide I peak (N-H bond) in $1,521cm^{-1}$ and amide II peak (C=O bond) in $1,630cm^{-1}$. In addition, it could confirm compatibility between both materials as indicated by the decrease in the amide I peak's absorption value as chitosan content increases.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.198-202
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• 2004

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.2
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• pp.1-31
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• 1962

The purpose of this treatise is to prove the presence of cystine in silk fiber through wide sampling throughout all the sericultural processes of Bombyx mori.; also to show that disulfide cross linkages exist in the silk fiber. The conclusions reached were as follows: 1. Crystalline cystine was obtained from silk fibroin using Folin's Method. 2. Analytical data showing the cystine content of silk fiber and its related materials were obtained using Sullvan's Method as follows: Material Percent Cystine A. Mulberry leaf protein 0.175 B. Silkworm egg 0.33 C. Silkworm Body, matured, fat extracted, without silk gland 0.41 D. Silk gland, matured 1.23 E. Silkworm feces none F. Silkworm pupa, fat extracted 0.30 G. Silkworm moth, fat extracted 0.60 H. Raw Silk 0.22 I. Fibroin 0.175 J. Sericin 0.30 3. The presence of cystine in the silkworm was substantiated the existence of 0.175 % methionine in mulberry leaves and 0.12% methionine in the silk gland. 4. Part of the sulfhydryl compounds in the silk gland is believed to transfer to serine and methionine, with the former being secreted into the liquid silk finally as silk fiber and the latter used for nutritive purposes in the growing of silk gland tissue. 5. The cystine content is variable by mulberry species, silkworm species, sex, breeding process, and other culturing environments. 6. Hybrid silkworms require more nutritive amino acids for effective growth than the original parents, and secrete less of them as silk fiber. 7. From such an observation, the amino acid composition of silk fiber is believed to be fairly flexible. Cystine if included in the amorphous part of the fiber, especially in sericin. 8. The result from enriching the silkworm diet with pure cystine or wool cystine did not result in any advantage, therefore it is believed that the natural cystine and methionine contents in the mulberry leafaregoodenoughforsilkwormnutrition. 9. The disulfide cross linkage in silk fiber was verified by using the Harris Method. Contraction took place following the treatment of the fiber with various salts and acids. Comparisons were made with wool fiber. 10. During these experiments, the fibrious structure of silk fiber and the net-globular liquid form were photographed microscopically. It is believed that the globules of liquid silk are net-formed by the inter attraction of the OH ion of the globular peptide and the H ion of water as shown by the hair cracking behavior of the film. The net-globular protein precipitation from the mulberry protein solution showed that mulberry is a proper diet for the formation of fibrous protein in the silk fiber. 11. The significance of the presence of cystine in silk fiber as emphasized in this paper should result in modification of the general conception that cystine is absent from this fiber. NOTICE: A part of this treatise was presented at the annual Korea Sericultural Society meeting held in 1961.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.487-497
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• 2019

Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) is an essential substance added to animal cell culture medium. However, its composition is unclear causing problems such as development of an immune response when cultured cells are transplanted into the human body. In this study, silk sericin, silk fibroin, and hemolymph obtained from silkworms were added to the cell culture medium in order to determine if it can replace FBS. After establishment of the cell culture, cell proliferation and expression levels of cell growth-related genes were compared with those of control cells (cells cultured in the medium with 10% FBS). Results showed that the test group treated with silk fibroin extracted from a Korean silkworm variety, Kumokjam could replace 10% FBS. In addition, expression levels of cell growth related genes such as Fibronectin and TGF-β1 increased significantly in cells cultured using silk fibroin, depending on the concentration used in cell adhesion and cell proliferation [24]. To date, no studies have been conducted to find a replacement for FBS. Thus, this study was carried out to develop a substitute for FBS by using silkworm-derived alternatives such as silkworm hemolymph, silk sericin, and silk fibroin, which are cheap and have various physiological effects, cell promoting effects, and can be mass produced.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.6-10
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• 2006

Recently, B. mori proteins such as silk fibroin and silk sericin have been found to have a water-holding capacity, anti hydrogen peroxide toxicity, antioxidant activity and tyrosinase-inhibitory activity (Yeo 2006, Kurioka 1999 & 2004), implying its potential usefulness of the application for cosmetic and functional food(Yamazaki 1999 & Une 2000). We are tried to application for dietary resources of B. mori silk fibroin and sericin that were prepared to some of different molecular cutting these resources by preparative recycling HPLC system. In our studies with rats have demonstrated that consumption of these silk proteins are being prevents constipation effect and it is maybe enhances intestinal absorption of water and dietary effects. These some of useful results further suggest a usefulness of sericin as dietary resources for health.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2013

Fibroin and sericin are natural proteins obtained from cocoon and one of the spotlight materials for medical device. Medical device made of these proteins also has the advantage that this material is biodegradable in to amino acid. In this study, we prepared silk sponges using fibroin, sericin and additives. The characterizations of the silk sponges such as morphology, stability, and blood absorbency were observed. The structural stability of the silk sponge decreased significantly by increasing sericin contents. The effect on the concentrations of ethanol to induce crystallization was observed to be superior to 70% ethanol. Structural stability of silk sponges containing additives was very lower than those not containing additives. The blood absorbency of the silk sponges was found to be excellent, regardless of the composition of sericin and fibroin. The resilient power of these sponges was also very good, in spite of the repeated soaking and drying. Therefore, we expect that the silk sponges can be used medical supplies such as plastic implants and hemostatic cotton.