• BMB Reports
• /
• v.39 no.6
• /
• pp.709-716
• /
• 2006

Mammalian polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) acts at various stages in early and late mitosis. Plk1 localizes at the centrosome and maintains this position through mitosis. Thereafter Plk1 moves to the kinetochore and midbody region, important sites during chromosome separation and cytokinesis. The catalytic domain of Plk1 is in the N-terminus region, whereas the non-catalytic region in the C-terminus of Plk1 has a conserved motif, named the Polobox. This motif is critical for Plk localization. EGFP proteins fused with the N-terminus and C-terminus of Plk1 localize in the nucleus and centrosomes, respectively. The core sequences of the polo-box (50 amino acids) also localize in Plk1 target organelles. To screen for domain-specific target proteins of Plk1, we constructed an N-terminal domain and a tandem repeat polo-box motif, and used them as templates in a yeast two-hybrid screen. The HeLa cell cDNA library indicated several proteins including the centrosome/kinetochore components or regulators, to be characterized as positive clones. Through in vitro protein binding analyses, we confirmed an interaction between these proteins and Plk1. The data reported from this study indicate that the N- and C- termini of Plk1 may function through recruitment and/or activation of domain-specific target proteins in dividing cells. Additionally, tandem repeats of the conserved core motif of the polo-box are sufficient for targeting and may be useful as a centrosome/kinetochore-specific targeting peptide.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.190-198
• /
• 2016

Application of fuel cell to produce renewable energy for commercial purpose is limited by the high cost of Pt based electrode materials. Development of inexpensive, high energetic electrode is the need of the hour to produce pollution free energy using bio-fuel through a fuel cell. Ni-Cu and Ni-CeO₂-Cu electrode materials, electro synthesized by pulse current have been developed. The surface morphology of the electrode materials is controlled by different deposition parameters in order to produce a high current from the electro-oxidation of the fuel, the ethanol. The developed materials are electrochemically characterized by Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), Chronoamperometry (CA) and Potentiodynamic polarization tests. The results confirm that the high current is due to their enhanced catalytic properties viz. high exchange current density (i₀), low polarization resistance (R_p) and low impedance. It is worthwhile to mention here that the addition of CeO₂ to Ni-Cu has outperformed Pt as far as the high electro catalytic properties are concerned; the exchange current density is about eight times higher than the same on Pt surface. The morphology of the electrode surface examined by SEM and FESEM exhibits that the grains are narrow and sub spherical with 3D surface, containing vacancies in between the elongated grains. The fact has enhanced more surface area for electro oxidation of the fuel, giving rise to an increase in current. Presence of Ni, CeO₂, and Cu is confirmed by the XRD and EDXS. Fuel cell fabricated with Ni-CeO₂-Cu material electrode is expected to produce clean electrical energy at cheaper rates than conventional one, using bio fuel the derived from biomass.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.11
• /
• pp.1750-1759
• /
• 2020

The characterization of cytochrome P450 CYP125A13 from Streptomyces peucetius was conducted using cholesterol as the sole substrate. The in vitro enzymatic assay utilizing putidaredoxin and putidaredoxin reductase from Pseudomonas putida revealed that CYP125A13 bound cholesterol and hydroxylated it. The calculated K_D value, catalytic conversion rates, and Km value were 56.92 ± 11.28 μM, 1.95 nmol min^-1 nmol^-1, and 11.3 ± 2.8 μM, respectively. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis showed that carbon 27 of the cholesterol side-chain was hydroxylated, characterizing CYP125A13 as steroid C27-hydroxylase. The homology modeling and docking results also revealed the binding of cholesterol to the active site, facilitated by the hydrophobic amino acids and position of the C27-methyl group near heme. This orientation was favorable for the hydroxylation of the C27-methyl group, supporting the in vitro analysis. This was the first reported case of the hydroxylation of cholesterol at the C-27 position by Streptomyces P450. This study also established the catalytic function of CYP125A13 and provides a solid basis for further studies related to the catabolic potential of Streptomyces species.

• Journal of Advanced Marine Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.40 no.10
• /
• pp.894-898
• /
• 2016

Solution plasma is a unique method which provides a direct discharge in solutions. It is one of the promising techniques for various applications including the synthesis of metallic/non-metallic nanomaterials, decomposition of organic compounds, and the removal of microorganism. In the context of nanomaterial syntheses, solution plasma has been utilized to produce carbon nanoparticles and metallic-carbon nanoparticle systems. The main purpose of this study was to synthesize nickel nanoparticles embedded in a matrix of carbon particles by solution plasma in one-step using waste vegetable oil as the carbon source. The experimental setup was done by simply connecting a bipolar pulsed power generator to nickel electrodes, which were submerged in the waste vegetable oil. Black powders of the nickel nanoparticles-embedded carbon (NiNPs/Carbon) particles were successfully obtained after discharging for 90 min. The morphology of the synthesized NiNPs/Carbon was investigated by a scanning electron microscope, which revealed a good dispersion of NiNPs in the carbon-particle matrix. The X-ray diffraction of NiNPs/Carbon clearly showed the co-existence of crystalline Ni nanostructures and amorphous carbon. The crystallite size of NiNPs (through the Ni (111) diffraction plane), as calculated by the Scherrer equation was found to be 64 nm. In addition, the catalytic activity of NiNPs/Carbon was evaluated by cyclic voltammetry in an acid solution. It was found that NiNPs/Carbon did not show a significant catalytic activity in the acid solution. Although this work might not be helpful in enhancing the activity of the fuel cell catalysts, it is expected to find application in other processes such as the CO conversion (by oxidation) and cyclization of organic compounds.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
• /
• 2013.08a
• /
• pp.77.2-77.2
• /
• 2013

In this talk, I will briefly review recent results of my group related to application of atomic layer deposition (ALD) for fabricating environmental catalysts and organic solar cells. ALD was used for preparing thin films of TiO2 and NiO on mesporous silica with a mean pore size of 15 nm. Upon depositing TiO2 thin films of TiO2 using ALD, the mesoporous structure of the silica substrate was preserved to some extent. We show that efficiency for removing toluene by adsorption and catalytic oxidation is dependent of mean thickness of TiO2 deposited on silica, i.e., fine tuning of the thickness of thin film using ALD can be beneficial for preparing high-performing adsorbents and oxidation catalysts of volatile organic compound. NiO/silica system prepared by ALD was used for catalysts of chemical conversion of CO2. Here, NiO nanoparticles are well dispersed on silica and confiend in the pore, showing high catalytic activity and stability at 800oC for CO2 reforming of methane reaction. We also used ALD for surface modulation of buffer layers of organic solar cell. TiO2 and ZnO thin films were deposited on wet-chemically prepared ZnO ripple structures, and thin films with mean thickness of ~2 nm showed highest power conversion efficiency of organic solar cell. Moreover, performance of ALD-prepared organic solar cells were shown to be more stable than those without ALD. Thin films of oxides deposited on ZnO ripple buffer layer could heal defect sites of ZnO, which can act as recombination center of electrons and holes.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
• /
• v.49 no.1
• /
• pp.79-84
• /
• 2011

Double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWCNTs) with high purity were produced by the catalytic decomposition of tetrahydrofuran (THF) using a Fe-Mo/MgO catalyst at $800^{\circ}C$. The as-synthesized DWCNTs typically have catalytic impurities and amorphous carbon, which were removed by a two-step purification process consisting of acid treatment and oxidation. In the acid treatment, metallic catalysts were removed in HCl at room temperature for 5 hr with magnetic stirring. Subsequently, the oxidation, using air at $380^{\circ}C$ for 5 hr in the a vertical-type furnace, was used to remove the amorphous carbon particles. The DWCNT suspension was prepared by dispersing the purified DWCNTs in the aqueous sodium dodecyl sulfate solution with horn-type sonication. This was then air-sprayed on ITO glass to fabricate DWCNT field emitters. The field emission properties of DWCNT films related to transmittance were studied. This study provides the possibility of the application of large-area transparent CNT field emission cathodes.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.635-638
• /
• 2010

As a new strategy for the optimization of a chiral catalyst, the catalytic activity of the host-guest complexes of chiral bisphosphine bearing imidazolidinone was investigated in Rh-catalyzed asymmetric hydrogenation of enamide. Marginal enhancement in enantioselectivity was observed and the nature of interaction between host-guest was experimentally elucidated.

• BMB Reports
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.211-215
• /
• 1997

A photoactive analog of ATP, 3'(2')-O-(p-azidobenzoyl)-adenosine 5-triphosphate (AB-ATP) was synthesized by chemically coupling N-hydroxysuccinimidyl-4-azidobenzoate (NHS-AB) and ATP. The utility of AB-ATP as an effective active-site-directed photoprobe was demonstrated using catalytic subunit of protein kinase A as a model enzyme. Photoincorporation of AB-ATP was saturated with apparent dissociation constant of $30{\mu}m$ and protected completely by $100{\mu}m$ of ATP. When the enzyme was covalently modified by photolysis in the presence of saturating amounts of photoprobe, about 60% inhibition of enzyme activity was observed. These results demonstrate that AB-ATP has potential application as a probe to characterize ATP-binding proteins including protein kinases.

• Proceedings of the Korean Professional Engineer Association Conference
• /
• 1984.12a
• /
• pp.84-91
• /
• 1984

Heavy Residual Fuel oils is a mixture of reduced crude from crude unit, bottom products from vacuum and/or catalytic cracking unit with distillate to meet the specification and generally used as Heavy Fuel Oil for large combustion engines, boilers, etc…. But this study was made to investigate Heavy Residual Fuel oils for using as industrial raw material and resulted the following possibilties as valuable raw material as well as Heavy Fuel Oil. 1) Production of straight asphalt through vacuum distillation unit. 2) Using straight asphalt from vacuum distillation unit for manufacturing of Blown Asphalts, Cut Back Asphalts, Emulsified Asphalts and Asphalt Compound, etc…. 3) Using waxy oil side streams for manufacturing of raw oil to be Lube Oil base stocks through solvent dewaxing. 4) Production of lube base oils from dewaxed raw oil through chemical treatments. 5) Manufacturing of paraffine wax from slack wax to be produced as by product of dewaxing process.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
• /
• v.28 no.5
• /
• pp.482-487
• /
• 1996

The dissolved oxygen removal by H$_2$-O$_2$ reaction in column packed with various catalysts wes examined. The catalysts employed were the prepared polymeric catalyst platinum on activated carbon, and Lewatit OC-1045 which is available commercially. The column experiments with the prepared polymeric catalyst showed the dissolved oxygen reduced to 35 ppb which is below the limit in feed water of power plants. This implies the likely application of the prepared catalyst for practical use. The activated carbon required the pre-treatment for the removal of dissolved oxygen, since the surface of activated carbon contains much oxygen adsorbed initially. The Lewatit catalyst exposed the best performance, however, the aged one showed the gradual loss of catalytic activity due to degradation of resin catalyst.