• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.29-34
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• 2004

Biosorption technology is recognized as an economically feasible alternative for the removal and/or recovery of metal ions from industrial wastewater sources. However, the structure of biosorbents is quite complex when compared with synthetic ion-exchange resins, which makes it difficult to quantify the ion-binding sites. Accordingly, this report describes a well-defined method to characterize the pK values and numbers of biomass functional groups from potentiometric titration data. When the proposed method was applied to Sargassum polycystum biomass as a model biosorbent, it was found that the biomass contained three types of functional groups. In addition, the carboxyl group (pK=$3.7{\pm}0.09$) was found to be the major binding sites ($2.57{\pm}0.06 mmol/g$) for positively-charged heavy-metal ions.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제31권5호
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• pp.1314-1318
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• 2010

The $[Ru(tpy)_2]Cl_2$ (tpy:2,2':6',2"-terpyridine) complex was synthesized and its structure was confirmed by $^1H$-NMR and elemental analysis. Its binding mode toward DNA was compared with the well-known $[Ru(bpy)_3]Cl_2$ (bpy:2,2-bipyridyl), using isotropic absorption, linear dichroism(LD) spectroscopy, and an energy minimization study. Compared to $[Ru(bpy)_3]^{2+}$, the $[Ru(tpy)_2]^{2+}$ complex exhibited very little change in its absorption pattern, especially in the MLCT band, upon binding to DNA. Furthermore, upon DNA binding, both Ru(II) complexes induced a decrease in the LD magnitude in the DNA absorption region. The $[Ru(tpy)_2]^{2+}$ complex produced a strong positive LD signal in the ligand absorption region, which is in contrast with the $[Ru(bpy)_3]^{2+}$ complex. Observed spectral properties led to the conclusion that the interaction between the ligands and DNA bases is negligible for the $[Ru(tpy)_2]^{2+}$ complex, although it formed an adduct with DNA. This conclusion implies that both complexes bind to the surface of DNA, most likely to negatively charged phosphate groups via a simple electrostatic interaction, thereby orienting to exhibit the LD signal. The energy minimization calculation also supported this conclusion.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제33권10호
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• pp.3285-3292
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• 2012

The interaction of thiazole drug with (6,0) zigzag single-walled boron nitride nanotube of finite length in gas and solvent phases was studied by means of density functional theory (DFT) calculations. In both phases, the binding energy is negative and presenting characterizes an exothermic process. Also, the binding energy in solvent phase is more than that the gas phase. Binding energy corresponding to adsorption of thiazole on the BNNT model in the gas and solvent phases was calculated to be -0.34 and -0.56 eV, and about 0.04 and 0.06 electrons is transferred from the thiazole to the nanotube in the phases. The significantly changes in binding energies and energy gap values by the thiazole adsorption, shows the high sensitivity of the electronic properties of BNNT towards the adsorption of the thiazole molecule. Frontier molecular orbital theory (FMO) and structural analyses show that the low energy level of LUMO, electron density, and length of the surrounding bonds of adsorbing atoms help to the thiazole adsorption on the nanotube. Decrease in global hardness, energy gap and ionization potential is due to the adsorption of the thiazole, and consequently, in the both phases, stability of the thiazole-attached (6,0) BNNT model is decreased and its reactivity increased. Presence of polar solvent increases the electron donor of the thiazole and the electrophilicity of the complex. This study may provide new insight to the development of functionalized boron nitride nanotubes as drug delivery systems for virtual applications.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제35권9호
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• pp.2787-2790
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• 2014

Quercetin is a major dietary flavonoid found in onions, apples, tea, and red wine, and potentially has beneficial effects on disease prevention. We carried out this study to investigate the effect of quercetin on UVB-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) expression in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells and to further understand the mechanisms of its action. The anti-inflammatory activity of quercetin was investigated and quercetin significantly suppressed the NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 mouse macrophages. Post treatment of quercetin decreased UV irradiation-induced phosphorylation of JNK, p38 MAPK, and ERK by 91%, 21%, and 17%, respectively. MMP-1 is mainly responsible for the degradation of dermal collagen during the aging process of human skin and quercetin suppressed the UVB-induced MMP-1 by 94%. Binding studies revealed that quercetin binds to p38 with high binding affinity ($1.85{\times}10^6M^{-1}$). The binding model showed that the 4'-hydroxy groups of the B-ring of quercetin participated in hydrogen bonding interactions with the side chains of Lys53, Glu71, and Asp168 and the 5-hydroxy group of the A-ring formed a hydrogen bond with the backbone amide of Met109. The major finding of this study shows that quercetin inhibits phosphorylation of JNK, p38 MAPK, and ERK pathway leading to the prevention of MMP-1 expression in human keratinocyte HaCaT cells. Therefore, our findings suggested the potentials of quercetin as a skin anti-photoaging agent.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.309-314
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• 2005

We performed a basic experiment for the rapid, on-line, real-time measurement of hepatitis B surface antigen using a surface plasmon resonance biosensor. We immobilized anti­HBsAg (hepatitis B surface antigen) polyclonal antibody, as a ligand, to the dextran layer on a CM5 chip surface that had previously been activated by N-hydroxysuccinimide. A sample solution containing HBsAg was fed through a microfluidic channel, and the reflecting angle change due to the mass increase from the binding was detected. The binding characteristics between HBsAg and its polyclonal antibody followed the typical monolayer adsorption isotherm. When the entire immobilized antibody had interacted, no additional, non-specific binding occurred, suggesting the immunoreaction was very specific. The bound antigen per unit mass of the antibody was independent of the immobilized ligand density. No significant steric hindrance was observed at an immobilization density of approximately $17.6 ng/mm^2$. The relationship between the HBsAg concentration in the sample solution and the antigen bound to the ligand was linear up to ca. $40{\mu}g$/mL. This linearity was much higher than that of the ELISA method. It appeared the anti­gen-antibody binding increased as the immobilized ligand density increased. In summary, this study showed the potential of this SPR biosensor-based method as a rapid, simple and multi­sample on-line assay. Once properly validated, it may serve as a more efficient method for HBsAg quantification for replacing the ELISA.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제32권8호
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• pp.2695-2699
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• 2011

${\beta}$ Ketoacyl acyl carrier protein synthase III (KAS III) initiates fatty acid synthesis in bacteria and is a key target enzyme to overcome the antibiotic resistance problem. In our previous study, we found flavonoid inhibitors of Enterococcus faecalis KAS III and proposed three potent antimicrobial flavonoids against Enterococcus faecalis and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis with MIC values in the range of 128-512 ${\mu}g/mL$ as well as high binding affinities on the order from $10^6$ to $10^7\;M^{-1}$. Using these series of flavonoids, we conducted biological assays as well as docking study to find potent flavonoids inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus KAS III with specificities against Staphylococcus aureus and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Here, we propose that naringenin (5,7,4'-trihydroxyflavanone) and eriodictyol (5,7,3',4'-tetrahydroxyflavanone) are potent antimicrobial inhibitors of Staphylococcus aureus KAS III with binding affinity of $3.35{\times}10^5$ and $2.01{\times}10^5\;M^{-1}$, respectively. Since Arg38 in efKAS III is replaced with Met36 in saKAS III, this key difference caused one hydrogen bond missing in saKAS III compared with efKAS III, resulting in slight discrepancy in their binding interactions as well as decrease in binding affinities. 4'-OH and 7-OH of these flavonoids participated in hydrogen bonding interactions with backbone carbonyl of Phe298 and Ser152, respectively. In particular, these flavonoids display potent antimicrobial activities against various MRSA strains in the range of 64 to 128 ${\mu}M$ with good binding affinities.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.531-535
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• 2011

It was regarded that the $^{31}P$ resonances of inherent nucleotides in $F_1$-ATPase (EF1), as large as 380KDa, could not be observed by $^{31}P$ NMR spectroscopy. However, our $^{31}P$ NMR spectroscopy could differentiate between different nucleotide binding sites on EF1 from Escherichia coli. When EF1 was prepared in the absence of $Mg^{2+}$, EF1 contained only ADP. Multiple $^{31}P$ resonances from $\beta$-phosphates of ADP bound to the EF1 were observed from the enzyme prepared without $Mg^{2+}$, suggesting asymmetry or flexibility amongst nucleotide binding sites. $^{31}P$ resonances from enzyme bound ATP could be observed only from EF1, when the enzyme was prepared in the presence of $Mg^{2+}$. This $Mg^{2+}$ dependent ATP binding was very tight that, once bound, nucleotide could not be removed even after removal of $Mg^{2+}$. $^{31}P$ NMR proved to be a valuable tool for investigating phosphorous related enzymes.

• 대한화학회지
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• 제54권6호
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• pp.671-679
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• 2010

벤젠이온-물 복합체[$C_6H_6^+-(H_2O)_n$(n=1-5)]의 여러 가능한 구조를 예측하고 다양한 양자역학적 이론 수준(ab initio, DFT 등)에서 분자구조를 최적화 하였으며, 조화 진동주파수를 계산하여 IR 스펙트럼을 예측하였다. $C_6H_6^+-(H_2O)$에 대하여 보다 정확한 결합에너지를 구하기 위하여 MP2 수준에서 분자구조를 최적화하여 결합에너지 계산을 하여 B3LYP 계산 결과와 비교하였으며, 영점 진동에너지(zero-point vibrational energy)를 보정하여 실험값과 비교하였다. $C_6H_6^+-(H_2O)$에 대한 결합에너지는 MP2/aug-cc-pVTZ 이론수준에서 8.6 kcal/mol로 계산되어 최근의 실험결과($8.5{\pm}1$ kcal/mol)와 매우 잘 일치하는 것으로 나타났다.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제31권6호
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• pp.1615-1620
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• 2010

Bis-[dipyrido[3,2-$\alpha$:2',3'-c]phenazine)$_2$(1,10-phenanthroline)$_2Ru_2$]$^{2+}$ complexes (bis-Ru(II) complexes) tethered by linkers of various lengths were synthesized and their binding properties to DNA investigated by normal absorption and linear dichroism spectra, and fluorescence techniques in this study. Upon binding to DNA, the bis-Ru(II) complex with the longest linker (1,3-bis-(4-pyridyl)-propane), exhibited a negative $LD^r$ signal whose intensity was as large as that in the DNA absorption region, followed by a complicate $LD^r$ signal in the metal-to-ligand charge transfer region. The luminescence intensity of this bis-Ru(II) complex was enhanced. The observed $LD^r$ and luminescence results resembled that of the [Ru(1,10-phenanthroline)$_2$ dipyrido[3,2-$\alpha$:2',3'-c]phenazine]$^{2+}$ complex, whose dipyrido[3,2-$\alpha$:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz) ligand has been known to intercalate between DNA bases. Hence, it is conclusive that both dppz ligands of the bis-Ru(II) complex intercalate. The binding stoichiometry, however, was a single intercalated dppz per ~ 2.3 bases, which violates the "nearest binding site exclusion" model for intercalation. The length between the two Ru(II) complexes may be barely long enough to accommodate one DNA base between the two dppz ligands, but not for two DNA bases. When the linker was shorter (4,4'-bipyridine or 1,2-bis-(4-pyridyl)-ethane), the magnitude of the LD in the dppz absorption region, as well as the luminescence intensity of both bis-Ru(II) complexes, was half that of the bis-Ru(II) complex bearing a long linker. This observation can be elucidated by a model whereby one of the dppz ligands intercalates while the other is exposed to the aqueous environment.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• 제25권9호
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• pp.1314-1320
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• 2004

The adsorption and configuration of CO molecules adsorbed on W (110) and W (100) surfaces have been calculated by the atomic superposition and electron delocalization molecular orbital (ASED-MO) method. Referred to as the ASED-MO method, it has been used in the present study to calculate the geometries, binding energies, vibrational frequencies, orbital energies, reduced overlap population (ROP), and charges. From these results adsorption properties of ${\alpha}$-state and ${\beta}$-state were deduced. The calculated binding energies are in good agreement with the experimental result. On the W (110), the calculated average binding energies are 2.56 eV for the end-on configuration and 3.20 eV for the lying-down configuration. Calculated vibrational frequency is 1927 $cm^{-1}$ at a 1-fold site and 1161 $cm^{-1}$ at a long-bridge (2) site. These results are in reasonable agreement with experimental values. On the W(100) surface, calculated average binding energies of the end-on and the lying-down are 2.54 eV and 4.02 eV respectively. The differences for binding energy and configuration on the surfaces are explained on the basis of surface-atom coordination and atom-atom spacing. In the favored lyingdown CO configuration on the W(110) and W(100) surfaces, 4 ${\sigma}$ and 1 ${\pi}$ donation interactions, coupled with the familiar 5 ${\sigma}$ donation to the surfaces and back-donations to the CO 2 ${\pi}^{\ast}$ orbital, are responsible for adsorption to the surface.