• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1260-1268
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• 2014

Screening of a gene library from Paenibacillus sp. PBS-2 generated in Escherichia coli led to the identification of a clone with lipolytic activity. Sequence analysis showed an open reading frame encoding a polypeptide of 378 amino acid residues with a predicted molecular mass of 42 kDa. The esterase displayed 69% and 42% identity with the putative ${\beta}$-lactamases from Paenibacillus sp. JDR-2 and Clostridium sp. BNL1100, respectively. The esterase contained a Ser-x-x-Lys motif that is conserved among all ${\beta}$-lactamases found to date. The protein PBS-2 was produced in both soluble and insoluble forms when E. coli cells harboring the gene were cultured at $18^{\circ}C$. The enzyme is a serine protein and was active against p-nitrophenyl esters of $C_2$, $C_4$, $C_8$, and $C_{10}$. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were pH 9.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. Relative activity of 55% remained at up to $5^{\circ}C$ with an activation energy of 5.84 kcal/mol, which indicates that the enzyme is cold-adapted. Enzyme activity was inhibited by $Cd^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, and $Hg^{2+}$ ions. As expected for a serine esterase, activity was inhibited by phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. The enzyme was remarkably active and stable in the presence of commercial detergents and organic solvents. This cold-adapted esterase has potential as a biocatalyst and detergent additive for use at low temperatures.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 1985

Loach, Misgurnus mizolepis, sampled from Milyang, Ulsan Gijang, Youngsan and Kimhae area in summer and autumn was subjected to quantitative analysis of heavy metals ( Cd, Cu, Cr, Mn, As, Pb and Hg ) by ICP-AES. Copper and lead contents were higher in summer samples than autumn samples, whereas chromium and manganese contents were higher in autumn samples. Cadmium and arsenic were not detected. Total mercury contents were 0.029-0.108ppm and there was no defference bewteen summer and autumn samples. Concentrations of cadmium copper, chromium, manganese, arsenic lead and total mercury were below the permissible levels of FDA and NHMRC.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.18-26
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• 1987

In order to investigate the character of air pollution by heavy metals and to elucidate the possible sources in Seoul city, this study was performed to measure the concentrations of heavy metals of total suspended particulate and air pollutants such as $SO_2, NO_2, CO, CH_4$, Non-methane hydrocarbon, ozone at the residential-traffic area (shinchon dong) in January and February, 1986. The results are as follows: 1. $SO_2$ and TSP concentration were 135ppb and 167 $\mug/m^3$ in average, respectively. 2. While concentrations of heavy metals such as Fe, Cu, Pb in the ambient air seems gradually decreasing annually, Ni compound has been shown the tendency of increasing. 3. Among heavy metals in TSP analysed, the iron was detected at the highest level, 0.905% and the cadimium was the lowest 0.004% in average, respectively. 4. V, Fe and Zn compounds in air were observed to be highly correlated with their correlation coefficients(r) higher than 0.7. Pb compound was highly correlated to the levels of Zn and Fe, however relatively less correlated to V compound. 5. Among concentrations of heavy metals in the particulates, V and Ni compounds were highly correlated with coefficient(r) of 0.8587; the cause might be imagined by the fact of releasing from combustion of fuel oil. Fe, Pb and Zn compounds were highly correlated $SO_2$ concentration. It might be explained that they were released by combustion of coal. 6. The level of $SO_2$ was highly correlated to most of heavy metals: especially correlation coefficient(r) to Pb compound was 0.9081. Pb compound was also highly correlated to NO, CO and TSP. TSP showed higher correlation to Pb and Cd compounds than to V and Ni compounds. It might be assumed that particulate was mainly produced by combusting coal from space heating and by exhausting gasoline and diesel oil from transportation rather than by burning fuel oil.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.12
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• pp.3629-3634
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• 2013

In this study, an improved method for the quantitative analysis of ginkgolic acids (GAs) in Ginkgo biloba leaf extract was developed. The samples were extracted with a mixture of chloroform and 50 % ethanol, after which the chloroform extract was dried and reconstituted in methanol. GAs with 13:0, 15:1, and 17:1 in the extract were successfully separated within 40 min and determined with high throughput performance using an online column-switching HPLC method using an SP column C8 SG80 ($4.6{\times}150mm$, $5{\mu}m$) and a Cadenza 5CD C18 column ($4.6{\times}150mm$, $3{\mu}m$). The developed HPLC method was validated for Ginkgo biloba leaf extract. The validation parameters were specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, and limits of detection and quantitation (LODs and LOQs, respectively). It was found that all of the calibration curves showed good linearity ($r^2$ > 0.9993) within the tested ranges. The LODs and LOQs were all lower than $0.04{\mu}g/mL$. The established method was found to be simple, rapid, and high throughput for the quantitative analysis of GAs in ten commercial Ginkgo biloba leaf extract and dietary supplements. The samples were also analyzed in LC-electrospray ionization (ESI) tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) - multiple-ion reaction monitoring (MRM) mode to confirm the identification results that were obtained by the column switching HPLC-DAD method. The developed method is considered to be suitable for the routine quality control and safety assurance of Ginkgo biloba leaf extract.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.483-491
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• 2011

Harvesting of marshfire glasswort (Salicornia europaea) by local people has been increased recently since this plant was known for a well-being food. Even though some harvesting sites are facing high risk of environmental pollution, Salicornia europaea is still harvested on a large scale. Therefore, to investigate safety of Salicornia europaea as a food resource, salt marsh environment, potential harvestable biomass, element and heavy metal accumulations in Salicornia europaea has been studied in three salt marshes, west-coast of Korea. Salicornia europaea showed 150 - 230$g/m^2/yr$ harvestable biomass. Biomass and nitrogen contents of Salicornia europaea were closely related to soil nitrogen and carbon concentrations. Average Na, Zn, Fe, Cr accumulations in Salicornia europaea were 41479, 18, 297, 1.5 (mg/kg), indicating valuable trace element contents. However, average heavy metal accumulations such as As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg accumulations were 1.5, 7.1, 4.2, 1.5, 0.1 (mg/kg), which were even or higher than national standards (0.5, 0.5, 2, 2, 0.1) of salts. These results imply that harvesting and eating of Salicornia europaea in west-coast research sites would be harmful because the contents would be much higher if it is calculated as only considering salts and minerals. Therefore, harvesting of Salicornia europaea from some salt marsh in west-coast of Korea should be done cautiously.

• Journal of the Korean Recycled Construction Resources Institute
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• v.1 no.3
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• pp.204-210
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• 2013

This study has focused on the possibility for recycling tailings from the Sangdong tungsten mine (TA) as admixture for concrete. TA has been accumulating for several decades in Sangdong, a region in Korea, and there is a growing demand for alternative uses for this hazardous substance. In particular, the use must be in accordance with the hazardous materials stipulations under the Korean waste control act. This study showed that TA presented pH of 8.0-9.3, 18.7-22.0% of water content, 2.7% of maximum ignition loss. The chemical composition of TA showed minute differences from each depth of sampling that represented approximately 50% of $SiO_2$ and 13% of both $Al_2O_3$ and $Fe_2O_3$. The chemical composition of Cd, Cu, Zn and Pb from mortar incorporating TA showed lower levels of hazardous materials which met the specifications of the waste control act in Korea. The TA mortar also appeared very effective for stabilizing/solidifying heavy metals particularly when used in conjunction with SG.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.412-418
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• 2007

Phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (PHGPx) is an unique antioxidant enzyme that directly reduces lipid hydroperoxides in biomembranes. In the present work, the entire encoding region for Oryza sativa PHGPx was expressed in Escherichia coli M15, and the purified fusion protein showed a single band with 21.0 kD and pI = 8.5 on SDS- and IFE-PAGE, respectively. Judging from CD and fluorescence spectroscopy, this protein is considered to have a well-ordered structure with 12.2% $\alpha$-helix, 30.7%$\beta$-sheet, 18.5% $\delta$-turn, and 38.5% random coil. The optimum pH and temperature of the enzyme activity were pH 9.3 and 27$^{\circ}C$. The enzyme exhibited the highest affinity and catalytical efficiency to phospholipid hydroperoxide employing GSH or Trx as electron donor. Moreover, the protein displayed higher GSH-dependent activity towards t-Butyl-OOH and $H_2O_2$. These results show that OsPHGPx is an enzyme with broad specificity for hydroperoxide substrates and yielded significant insight into the physicochemical properties and the dynamics of OsPHGPx.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.311-318
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• 2013

The gene encoding an esterase from Photobacterium sp. MA1-3 was cloned in Escherichia coli using the shotgun method. The amino acid sequence deduced from the nucleotide sequence (948 bp) corresponded to a protein of 315 amino acid residues with a molecular weight of 35 kDa and a pI of 6.06. The deduced protein showed 74% and 68% amino acid sequence identities with the putative esterases from Photobacterium profundum SS9 and Photobacterium damselae, respectively. Absence of a signal peptide indicated that it was a cell-bound protein. Sequence analysis showed that the protein contained the signature G-X-S-X-G included in most serine-esterases and lipases. The MA1-3 esterase was produced in both soluble and insoluble forms when E. coli cells harboring the gene were cultured at $18^{\circ}C$. The enzyme was a serine-esterase and was active against $C_2$, $C_4$, $C_8$ and $C_{10}$ p-nitrophenyl esters. The optimum pH and temperature for enzyme activity were pH 8.0 and $30^{\circ}C$, respectively. Relative activity remained up to 45% even at $5^{\circ}C$ with an activation energy of 7.69 kcal/mol, which indicated that it was a cold-adapted enzyme. Enzyme activity was inhibited by $Cd^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Hg^{2+}$ ions.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.17-31
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• 1986

Forty clinical isolates of Serratia marcescens were tested for their susceptibility to 19 antimicrobial drugs and studied on the molecular characteristics of R plasmids. Cefotaxime (Ct) was the most effective drug and only 2 (5%) strains were resistant to this drug. Thirteen to 18% of strains were resistant to cefoperazone (Cz), amikacin (Ak). and trimethoprim (Tp), and 28 to 40% were resistant to piperacillin (Pi), nalidixic acid (Na), gentamicin (Gm), and cefoxitin (Cx). A majority of strains were resistant to carbenicillin (Cb), tobramycin (Tp), kanamycin (Km), and cefamandole (Cd), and all to cephalothin. One half of the isolates were resistant to 10 or more drugs. $MIC_{90}$ of Pi to Gm-resistant strains (Gm') were 8 times higher than that to Gm-susceptible strains (Gm'), but $MIC_{90}$ of Ak, Cx, Ct, and Cz were almost the same between both Gm' and Gm' strains. Nine (23.7%) strains among 38 of multiply drug-resistant S. marcescens transferred conjugally their partial patterns of resistance to E. coli or Klebsiella strains, and two S. marcescens strains producing bacteriocin transferred their resistance to Klebsiella only, but not to E. coli. The plasmid profiles of S. marcescens were studied by the methods of SDS lysis and agarose gel electrophoresis. Twenty-four (60%) strains carried one to four plasmids of 1.4. to 144 Mdal, and conjugative R plasmids of 49 to 127 Mdal were noted in transconjugants. MIC levels of drugs in transconjugants were variable by the R plasmids and recipient strains.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.50-58
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• 2020

The study was conducted for quantitive determination of macronutrients, micronutrients and heavy metals present in Spilanthes acmella Hutch and Dalz, a traditionally used important medicinal plant. The results illustrated the presence of substantial amounts of essential nutrient elements in different parts of the plant. K and Mg were detected in the range between 36.35 ± 1.01 to 67.78 ± 1.33 g/kg and 2.17 ± 0.13 to 7.02 ± 0.84 g/kg of DWS respectively. While the essential micronutrients Fe, Na, Mn, Zn and Cu were detected in the range between 62.62 ± 12.72 to 856.95 ± 76.61 mg/kg, 365.47 ± 23.84 to 633.03 ± 38.12 mg/kg, 51.66 ± 7.77 to 186.33 ± 13.92 mg/kg, 41.87 ± 2.85 to 53.89 ± 3.79 mg/kg and 18.49 ± 2.07 to 48.71 ± 4.89 mg/kg of DWS respectively. Besides, heavy metals (Cd, Ni and Pb) detected in some of the plant samples were beyond the maximum permissible limit (MPL) of FAO/WHO for herbal medicines. The concentrations of the essential nutrient elements except zinc were significantly different in different parts of the plant (p < 0.001). Further variation in the concentrations of the elements in the plant was observed with respect to seasonal changes and geographical conditions. Nevertheless the findings corroborate ethnomedicinal significance of the plant and signify the possibilibity of utilizing its standardized products for preparation of food supplements as well as multidimensional therapeutic herbal medicines.