• Interdisciplinary Bio Central
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.3.1-3.6
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• 2009

Introduction: GTPases known as translation factor play a vital role as ribosomal subunit assembly chaperone. The bacterial Obg proteins ($Spo{\underline{0B}}$-associated ${\underline{G}}TP$-binding protein) belong to the subfamily of P-loop GTPase proteins and now it is considered as one of the new target for antibacterial drug. The majority of bacterial Obgs have been commonly found to be associated with ribosome, implying that these proteins may play a fundamental role in ribosome assembly or maturation. In addition, one of the experimental evidences suggested that Bacillus subtilis Obg (BsObg) protein binds to the L13 ribosomal protein (BsL13) which is known to be one of the early assembly proteins of the 50S ribosomal subunit in Escherichia coli. In order to investigate binding mode between the BsObg and the BsL13, protein-protein docking simulation was carried out after generating 3D structure of the BsL13 structure using homology modeling method. Materials and Methods: Homology model structure of BsL13 was generated using the EcL13 crystal structure as a template. Protein-protein docking of BsObg protein with ribosomal protein BsL13 was performed by DOT, a macro-molecular docking software, in order to predict a reasonable binding mode. The solvated energy minimization calculation of the docked conformation was carried out to refine the structure. Results and Discussion: The possible binding conformation of BsL13 along with activated Obg fold in BsObg was predicted by computational docking study. The final structure is obtained from the solvated energy minimization. From the analysis, three important H-bond interactions between the Obg fold and the L13 were detected: Obg:Tyr27-L13:Glu32, Obg:Asn76-L13:Glu139, and Obg:Ala136-L13:Glu142. The interaction between the BsObg and BsL13 structures were also analyzed by electrostatic potential calculations to examine the interface surfaces. From the results, the key residues for hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interaction between the two proteins were predicted. Conclusion and Prospects: In this study, we have focused on the binding mode of the BsObg protein with the ribosomal BsL13 protein. The interaction between the activated Obg and target protein was investigated with protein-protein docking calculations. The binding pattern can be further used as a base for structure-based drug design to find a novel antibacterial drug.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 2009

Pisidium (Neopisidium) coreanum is a freshwater snail and lives in spring water near mountain areas. Interestingly, this snail has been traditionally regarded as medicinal food, and thus has been used as folk remedies for healing broken bones. Recently, alpha classification on Pisidium (Neopisidium) coreanum through redescription has been conducted. However, not much attention has been made in beta classification. In this study, we performed the beta classification based on metallothionein (MT) genes found from various organisms. To this end, the complete cDNA sequences were obtained from the Expressed Sequence Tag (EST) sequencing project of Pisidium (Neopisidium) coreanum. The coding region (315 bp) encoded an amino acid sequence of 105 residues. The combined results from BLAST analyses, multiple sequence alignment and molecular phylogenetic study of Pc-MT gene indicate that Pisidium (Neopisidium) coreanum has similarity to freshwater bivalve such as Dreissena polymorpha (zebra mussel), Unio tumidus (swollen river mussel) and Crassostrea ariakensis (suminoe oyster).

• The Journal of the Petrological Society of Korea
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.227-244
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• 2010

Abundant spinel lherzolite xenoliths showing distinctively different textural types such as protogranular, porphyroclastic, and mylonitic texture are trapped in the basaltic rocks from southeastern part of Jeju Island. These xenoliths show the textural spectrum from coarse-grained protogranular through porphyroclastic with bimodal grain size to fine-grained and foliated mylonitic texture. They tend to decrease in grain sizes and show more linear grain boundaries and more frequent triple junctions from protogranular through porphyroclastic to mylonitic. Spinel has different occurrence mode according the textural type. Spinel is always associated with orthopyroxene in protogranular texture, whereas it is scattered and independent of orthopyroxene in mylonitic texture. Additionally, porphyroblast from porphyroclastic and mylonitic textures has internal deformation features such as kink band, undulatory extinction and curved lamella, whereas neoblast is strain-free. These textural features indicate increasing degree of static/dynamic recrystallization from protogranular through porphyroclastic to mylonitic texture. The mg#[$=100{\times}Mg/(Mg+Fe_t)$] of olivine, orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene is relatively constant (ol: 88-91; opx: 89-92; cpx: 89-92) regardless of textural differences. The mg# of constituent minerals, NiO content (0.3~0.4 wt%) and MnO content (0.1~0.2 wt%) of olivine are similar to those of mantle xenoliths worldwide, also indicating that studied spinel lherzolite xenoliths were mantle residues having experienced 20~25% partial melting. The geochemical and textural characteristics have close relations showing that LREE and incompatible trace elements content of orthopyroxene and clinopyroxene increases from protogranular through porphyroclastic to mylonitic. These observations suggest that the studied mantle xenoliths experienced metasomatism by LREE enriched melt or fluid after partial melting, indicating a close relation between deformation and metasomatism. The metasomatism was possibly confined to narrow shear zones from where porphyroclastic and mylonitic textured xenoliths originated. These shear zones might favorably drive the percolation of LREE-enriched melts/fluids responsible for the metasomatism in the lithospheric mantle below the Jeju Island.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.340-360
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• 2010

The depletion of fossil fuels, ecological problems associated with $CO_2$ emissions climate change, growing world population, and future energy supplies are forcing the development of alternative resources for energy (heat and electricity), transport fuels and chemicals: the replacement of fossil resources with $CO_2$ neutral biomass. Several options exist to cover energy supplies of the future, including solar, wind, and water power; however, chemical carbon source can get from biomass only. When used in combination with environmental friend production and processing technology, the use of biomass can be seen as a sustainable alternative to conventional chemical feedstocks. The biorefinery concept is analogous to today's petroleum refinery, which produce multiple fuels and chemical products from petroleum. A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, and value-added chemicals from biomass. Biorefinery is the co-production of a spectrum of bio-based products (food, feed, materials, and chemicals) and energy (fuels, power, and heat) from biomass [definition IEA Bioenergy Task 42]. By producing multiple products, a biorefinery takes advantage of the various components in biomass and their intermediates therefore maximizing the value derived from the biomass feedstocks. A biorefinery could, for example, produce one or several low-volume, but high-value, chemical or nutraceutical products and a low-value, but high-volume liquid transportation fuel such as biodiesel or bioethanol. Future biorefinery may play a major role in producing chemicals and materials as a bridge between agriculture and chemistry that are traditionally produced from petroleum. Industrial biotechnology is expected to significantly complement or replace the current petroleum-based industry and to play an important role.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.435-447
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• 2011

This study was investigated to determine the contents of sulfur dioxide residues in medicinal herbs in Seoul Yang Nyoung Shi in 2010 (1,522 samples of 189 kinds). Samples were measured by modified Monier-Williams method. of the total samples, 618 samples (84 kinds) were domestic, and 904 samples (158 kinds) were imported. The content of sulfur dioxide in the domestics showed the range of 0.0 to 1,298.0 mg/kg (average 12.7 mg/kg), while those in imported samples were the range of 0.0 to 3,982.2 mg/kg (average 42.4 mg/kg). The average (mg/kg) amount of sulfur dioxide by parts in medicinal herbs was as follows; Tuber 122.3, Radix 69.3, Rhizoma 37.4, Cortex 33.3, Fructus 8.8, Ramulus 4.9, Semen 4.6, Folium 3.4, Flos 2.7, Perithecium 1.4. of the total samples (1,522), 52 samples (3.4%) were violated the KFDA regulatory guidance of sulfur dioxide. Among these 52 unsuitable samples, 16 samples (7 kinds) were domestic, and 36 samples (23 kinds) were imported. Approximately 88.1% of the total samples was less than 10 mg/kg of sulfur dioxide and 6.3% of the total samples showed more than 30 mg/kg of sulfur dioxide.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.8
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• pp.1165-1170
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• 2010

A method for the determination of four pesticide compounds, urea (isoproturon), bis-carbamate (phenmedipham), thiocarbamate (pyridate) and vinyllidenediamine (nitenpyram) were examined and analyzed by HPLC with C-18 column ($250\;mm{\times}4.6\;mm$, $5\;{\mu}m$ diameter particle size). Mobile phase consisted of deionized water, acetonitrile and 50 mM $KH_2PO_4$ (pH 2.5). Isoproturon and phenmedipham analytical condition was isocratic elution of the column with 50% solvent A (acetonitrile) and 50% solvent B (deionized water); pyridate was 85% solvent A (acetonitrile) and 15% solvent B (deionized water) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min; and nitenpyram analytical condition was 90% solvent A (50 mM $KH_2PO_4$, pH 2.5) and 10% solvent B (acetonitrile) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min. In results, retention times were 6.12, 8.63, 9.40 and 12.76 min for isoproturon, phenmedipham, pyridate and nitenpyram, respectively. All injection volumes were $10\;{\mu}L$ and the limit of quantitation was 0.05 mg/kg for four pesticide compounds, respectively. Recovery rate test was performed with three farm products, rice, apple and soybean. Four pesticide compounds were spiked at concentrations of 0.05, 0.1 and 0.5 mg/kg. The recovery rates were ranged from 70.18% to 118.08% and the standard deviations of all experiments were within 10%.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.345-352
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• 1985

To characterize the protein from arrowroot leaf, proteins were extracted and separated from arrowroot leaf, then its amino acid composition and functional properties were studied. Protein in arrowroot leaf was consisted of 18.5% albumin, 33.5% globulin, 34.0% glutelin, 6.2% protamine and 7.8% insoluble residues. The rates of precipitation of proteins which extracted with water, 1M NaCl, and 0.015N NaOH as a solvent were 84.7% (at pH 3.0), 76.4% (at pH 2.5) and 86.4% (at pH 4.0), respectively. The extracted proteins were separated up to about 90% by organic solvents such as ethanol and acetone at 80% concentration, Composition of arrowroot leaf protein concentrates were: $1{\sim}2%$ moisture, $59{\sim}67%$ protein, $4{\sim}8%$ ash and $5{\sim}6%$ (dialyzed concentrates) or $1{\sim}2%$ (acetone-treated ones) lipid. Main amino acids of the concentrates were aspartic acid, glutamic acid and glycine. Solubility profile of the concentrates according to pH was typical. The minimum solubility (below pH 5.0) of acetone extracted protein concentrates was lower than that of unextracted ones, whereas the reverse was true for pH value above this region. Bulk density, water and fat absorption of the concentrates were attributable to correlation to the treatment of acetone. And the bulk density of the concentrates was negatively correlative to both water and fat absorption. Emulsifying and foaming properties were not varied with the treatment of acetone.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2008

The world demand of ethanol as an alternative fuel for gasoline is increasing rapidly because of high oil price and global climate change. Most of ethanol is currently produced from corn grain or sugars in sugarcane and sugar beet. Because these sources compete with foods and animal feed and are not expected to be enough for future demand of ethanol. Thus, cellulosic ethanol from agricultural residues or wood has to be commercialized in near future. Typical cellulosic ethanol production consists of pretreatment, enzyme hydrolysis, fermentation and product separation. This paper reviews the principles and status of each step and discusses issues for cellulosic ethanol production.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.161-169
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• 2003

Seawater and sediment quality analysed was calculated to examinate the present environmental characteristics and pollution load was also calculated to evaluate the effect of farming area on the coastal environment. The measurements for seawater quality demonstrate the coastal environment has relatively eutrophicated with significantly decreased DO (0.2-8.5 mg/l) and elevated COD (9.6-31.2 mg/l) in summer. It was also evident that the water quality in Jindong Bay has been influenced by residues tide from Masan Bay with high metal concentration in August of 2002. Annual total pollution load (land and farm-driven) was estimated at 37,316 ton (SS) /yr: 9,809 ton/yr (26.3%) of land-driven load, 23,576 ton/yr (63.2%) of coastal sedimentation and 3,932 ton/yr (10.5%) of feces of cultural organisms. When all ark shell seedling farms are permitted species conversion to ascidian farm, the pollution load would increase by 196%, which may be another source for accelerating the eutrophication of the environment in Jindong Bay.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.357-364
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• 2000

Members of the glycoprotein family, which includes CG, LH, FSH and TSH, comprise two noncovalently linked $\alpha$- and $\beta$-subunits. Equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG), known as PMSG, has a number of interesting and unique characteristics since it appears to be a single molecule that possesses both LH- and FSH-like activities in other species than the horse. This dual activity of eCG in heterologous species is of fundamental interest to the study of the structure-function relationships of gonadotropins and their receptors. CG and LH $\beta$ genes are different in primates. In horse, however, a single gene encodes both eCG and eLH $\beta$ -subunits. The subunit mRNA levels seem to be independently regulated and their imbalance may account for differences in the quantities of $\alpha$ - and $\beta$-subunits in the placenta and pituitary. The dual activities of eCG could be separated by removal of the N-linked oligosaccharide on the $\alpha$-subunit Asn 56 or CTP-associated O-linked oligosaccharides. The tethered-eCG was efficiently secreted and showed similar LH-like activity to the dimeric eCG. Interestingly, the FSH-like activity of the tethered-eCG was increased markedly in comparison with the native and wild type eCG. These results also suggest that this molecular can implay particular models of FSH-like activity not LH-like activity in the eCG/indicate that the constructs of tethered molecule will be useful in the study of mutants that affect subunit association and/or secretion. A single-chain analog can also be constructed to include additional hormone-specific bioactive generating potentially efficacious compounds that have only FSH-like activity. The LH/CG receptor (LH/CGR), a membrane glycoprotein that is present on testicular Leydig cells and ovarian theca, granulosa, luteal, and interstitial cells, plays a pivotal role in the regulation of gonadal development and function in males as well as in nonpregnant and pregnant females. The LH/CGR is a member of the family of G protein-coupled receptors and its structure is predicted to of a large extracellular domain connected to a bundle of seven membrane-spanning a-helices. The LH/CGR phosphorylation can be induced with a phorbol ester, but not with a calcium ionophore. The truncated form of LHR also was down-regulated normally in response to hCG stimulation. In contrast, the cell lines expressing LHR-t631 or LHR-628, the two phosphorylation-negative receptor mutant, showed a delay in the early phase of hCG-induced desensitization, a complete loss of PMA-induced desensitization, and an increase in the rate of hCG-induced receptor down-regulation. These results clearly show that residues 632~653 in the C-terminal tail of the LHR are involved in PMA-induced desensitization, hCG-induced desensitization, and hCG-induced down-regulation. Recently, constitutively activating mutations of the receptor have been identified that are associated with familial male-precocious puberty. Cells expressing LHR-D556Y bind hCG with normal affinity, exhibit a 25-fold increase in basal cAMP and respond to hCG with a normal increase in cAMP accumulation. This mutation enhances the internalization of the free and agoinst-occupied receptors ~2- and ~17- fold, respectively. We conclude that the state of activation of the LHR can modulate its basal and/or agonist-stimulated internalization. Since the internalization of hCG is involved in the termination of hCG actions, we suggest that the lack of responsiveness detected in cells expressing LHR-L435R is due to the fast rate of internalization of the bound hCG. This statement is supported by the finding that hCG responsiveness is restored when the cells are lysed and signal transduction is measured in a subcellular fraction (membranes) that cannot internalize the bound hormone.