• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.153-159
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• 2001

In order to clone the peptide synthetase gene form Lysobacter lactamgenus IFO 14,288, the gene fragments were amplified using primers for the adenylation domain and the thionylation domain of the peptide synthetase genes in other organisms by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The resulting 0.5-kb fragment was cloned in a pGEM-T vector, and the nucleotide sequences were determined. Six different PCR products were obtained; three were identified to be a part of L-$\alpha$-aminoadipyl-L-cysteinyl-D-valine (ACV) synthetase and three to be other peptide synthetases. Using each of the two different classes of PCR products as mixed probes, a cosmid library of L. lactamgenus chromosomal DNA constructed in a pHC79 vector was screened by an in situ hybridization procedure, and one positive clone was selected which was bound by peptide synthetase gene fragments as well as ACV synthetase gene fragments. The partial sequence analysis formt he obtained pPTS-5 cosmid showed th presence of more than two open reading frames. These were for two putative membrane transporters, which were homologous with several integral membrane proteins including the ABC transporter ATP-binding protein of E. coli (YbjZ) and the metal ion uptake protein of Bacillus subtilis (YvrN). A 45% homology was also found between the two transporter proteins at the carboxy terminus. Through a hydropathy analysis and transmembrane analysis. 4-5 transmembrane domains were found in these two proteins. When the genes were expressed in Escherichia coli, the gene products inhibited the hose cell growth, probably due to the disturbance of the membrane transport system.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2010

A graft copolymer, i.e. poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-chlorotrifluoroethylene )-g-poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (P(VDF-co-CTFE)-g-PSSA) with 47 wt% of PSSA was synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). This copolymer was combined with titanium isopropoxide (TTIP) to produce graft copolymer/$TiO_2$ nanocomposite membranes via sol-gel process. $TiO_2$ precursor (TTIP) was selectively incorporated into the hydrophilic PSSA domains of the graft copolymer and grown to form $TiO_2$ nanoparticles, as confirmed by FT-IR and UV-visible spectroscopy. Water uptake and ion exchange capacity (IEC) decreased with TTIP contents due to the decrease in number of sulfonic acid in the membranes. At 5 wt% of TTIP, the mechanical properties of membranes increased while maintaining the proton conductivity.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 2007

A study on the removal of heavy metals using sawdust was performed. Among heavy metals such as lead, copper and cadmium ions, uptake capacity of lead ions was the highest as about 0.22 mmol/g-dry mass at pH 4. The surface condition and existence of lead ions onto the sawdust was confirmed by the FT-IR, SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy), and EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray) instrumental analyses. When 0.5g of sawdust was added to initial lead solution (100ppm) removal efficiency was approximately 90%. Isothermal adsorption curve for lead ions was described by the Langmuir model equation and experimental data well fitted to model equation. Most adsorption for lead ions was also completed within 60min and pH of lead solution from 5.8 to 4.5 decreased with time.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.964-972
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• 2001

The kinetics of copper ion biosorption by Pseudomonas stutzeri cells immobilized in alginate was investigated. During the first few minutes of the metal uptake, the copper biosorption was rapid and then became progressively slower until an equilibium was rapid, and then became progressively slower until an equilibrium was reached. At a biomass concentration of 100g/l, the copper biosorption reaction reached approximately 90% of the equilibrium position within 30 min. A Freundich-type adsorption isotherm model was constructed based on kinetics with different amounts of biomass. When using this model, the experimental values only agreed well with the predicted values in a solution containing less than 200 mg/l Cu(II). Desorption of the bound copper ions was achieved using electrolytic solutions of HCl, $H_2SO_4$, EDTA, and NTA (0.1 or 0.5 M). Metal desorption with 0.1 M NTA allowed the reuse of the biosorbent for at least ten consecutive biosorption/desorption cycles, without an apparent decrease in its metal biosorption capability. A packed-bed column reactor of the immobilized biomass removed approximately 95% of the metal in the first 30 liter of wastewater [containing 100 mg/l Cu(II)] delivered at a rate of 20 L/day, and, thereafter, the rate gradually decreased.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1357-1363
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• 2008

The $P_{entC}$ promoter of the entCERA operon encoding enzymes for enterobactin biosynthesis in Escherichia coli is tightly regulated by the availability of iron in the culture medium. In iron-rich conditions, the $P_{entC}$ promoter activity is strongly repressed by the global transcription regulator Fur (ferric uptake regulator), which complexes with ferrous ions and binds to the Fur box 19-bp inverted repeat. In this study, we have constructed the expression vector pOS2 containing the $P_{entC}$ promoter and characterized its repression, induction, and modulation by quantifying the expression of the lacZ reporter gene encoding $\beta$-galactosidase. $\beta$-Galactosidase activities of E. coli transformants harboring pOS2-lacZ were highly induced in the presence of divalent metal ion chelators such as 2,2'-dipyridyl and EDTA, and were strongly repressed in the presence of excess iron. It was also shown that the basal level $\beta$-galactosidase expression by the $P_{entC}$ promoter was drastically decreased by incorporating the fur gene into the expression vector. Since the newly developed iron chelator-inducible expression system is efficient and cost-effective, it has wide applications in recombinant protein production.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 1986

This investigation involves a study of the physical and chemical factors of Pinus densiflora SIEB. et ZUCC. and Quercus mongolica Fisher barks affecting on the adsorption of heavy mteal ions. The results obtained can be summarized as follows. 1. The capacity of the untreated bark to remove the Cu and Cd from solution was similar to or 5% higher than that of formaldehyde treated bark in both species. Considering that untreated bark lead to color-leaching problem, bark treated with formaldehyde are economical. 2. With decreasing particle size of bark(20-80), the adsorption ratio of the Cu and Cd from solution was increased. Quercus bark adsorbed more Cu and Cd at smaller particle size compared to Pinus bark. 3. The heavy metal eqilibrium adsorption of the bark from Cu and Cd solution was attained within 10 min. Pinus bark removed about 48% of the Cu and 41% of the Cd from solution in 10 min while Quercus bark removed about 50% during that period. 4. As the initial metal concentration increased. the absolute metal uptake was increased while percentage removal was decreased. At the lower metal concentration (10 ppm). Pinus and Quercus barks removed 77-94% of the Cu and 72-84% of the Cd. At high metal concentration (200 ppm), the adsorption ratio was 40% Cu and 25% Cd, respectivelty. 5. The maximum adsorption of the Cu and Cd from solution was obtained at pH 5-6 in filtrate. 6. With increased bark weight per given metal concentration, absolute removal of metal ion from solution was increased, but the percentage removal was decreased. The amount of adsorption was 4.2 mg Cu and 4.2 mg Cd per gr. Pinus, bark and 5.4 mg Cu and 4.3 mg Cd per gr. Quercus bark, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.213-236
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• 2001

The ionic composition of soil solution is related to a nutrient uptake by plant. Many models for estimating ionic composition of solution have been developed, and most of them have been used for calculating a content of mineral and ionic species in a geochemical point of view. An approximation model considering both cation and anion in soil solution was developed. Variables such as pH, Eh, EC, cations(K, Ca, Mg. Na, Fe, Mn, Al, $NH_4{^+}$), anions(Si, S, P, CY, $NO_3{^-}$, $HCO_3{^-}$ and chemical equilibria of ionic species in soil solution were input into Excel sheet. The activities of soluble ion, ionpairs and complexes of input element were estimated by Newton-Raphson method using conditional equilibrium constant calculated by Davies equation and special models. Equilibrium contents of insoluble minerals and complexes were also calculated.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.59 no.5
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• pp.413-422
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• 2015

Proton exchange membrane (PEM), which transfers proton from the anode to the cathode, is the key component of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). Nafion is widely used as PEM due to its high proton conductivity as well as excellent chemical and physical stabilities. However, its high cost and the environmental hazards limit the commercial application in PEMFCs. To overcome these disadvantages, various alternative polymer electrolytes have been investigated for fuel cell applications. We used densely sulfonated polymers to maximize the ion conductivity of the corresponding membrane. To overcome high swelling, dipole-dipole interaction was used by introducing nitrile groups into the polymer backbone. As a result, physically-crosslinked membranes showed improved swelling ratio despite of high water uptake. All the membranes with different hydrophilic-hydrophobic compositions showed higher conductivity, despite their lower IEC, than that of Nafion-117.

• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.337-343
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• 2003

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has been used as a traditional herbal medicine. Several earlier studies indicated that an ethanol extract of RVS has both anti-oxidant and anti-tumor properties, although the mechanism for the activity remains to be elucidated. In this report, we prepared a highly purified ethanol extract from RVS, named REEE-1 ($\underline{R}$hus $\underline{e}$thanol $\underline{e}$luted $\underline{e}$xtract-1), and investigated the mechanism involved in its growth-inhibitory effect on the human B and T lymphoma cell lines, BJAB and Jurkat, respectively. Results from tritium uptake proliferation assays showed that the proliferative capacities of both BJAB and Jurkat cells were strongly suppressed in the presence of REEE-1. This was further confirmed through trypan blue exclusion experiments that revealed a dose-dependent decrease in viable cell numbers after REEE-1 treatment. REEE-1-mediated suppression of cell growth was verified to be apoptotic, based on the increase in DNA fragmentation, low fluorescence intensity in nuclei after propidium iodide staining, and the appearance of DNA laddering. In particular, REEE-1 exerted its anti-oxidant activity through the inhibition of hydroxyl radical-mediated degradation by iron ion chelation rather than direct scavenging of hydroxyl radicals. Furthermore, REEE-1 was revealed to be a potential scavenger of superoxide anions. Collectively, our findings suggest that REEE-1 is a natural anti-oxidant that could be used as a cancer chemo-preventive and therapeutic agent.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.53-59
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• 2017

In this study, the composite membranes prepared by sulfonated graphene oxide (sGO) and Nafion were developed as proton exchange membranes (PEMs) for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The sGO/Nafion composite membranes were prepared by mixing Nafion solution with the sGO dispersed in a binary solvent system to improve dispersity of sGO. The composite membranes were investigated in terms of ionic conductivity, ion exchange capacity (IEC), FT-IR, TGA and SEM, etc. As a result, the binary solvent system, i.e., ortho-dichlorobenzene (ODB) and N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAc), were used to obtain high dispersion of sGO particles in Nafion solution, and the ionic conductivity of the sGO/Nafion composite membrane showed $0.06Scm^{-1}$ similar to other research results at lower water uptake, 11 wt%.