• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1424-1429
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• 2010

A poly(${\gamma}$-glutamic acid) (${\gamma}$PGA)-cholesterol conjugate was synthesized and its properties were then evaluated. The conjugate exhibited an amphiphilic nature derived from the hydrophilic ${\gamma}$PGA backbone and the hydrophobic cholesterol side chain. The conjugate spontaneously formed nanoparticles, becoming an aqueous solution when at low concentrations, and at high concentrations the result was the formation of a physical gel. By utilizing the self-aggregating properties of the conjugate in water, an artificial chaperone was developed. A complex of protein, with the nanoparticles of the conjugate, was formed and the protein was released upon the dissociation of the nanoparticles through the addition of ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin. For denatured carbonic anhydrase, the activity was recovered in the artificial chaperone of the nanoparticle conjugate.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.874-880
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• 1997

Various classes of phospholipids were investigated for the structural determination of fatty acyl groups by fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry (FAB-MS/MS). Phospholipids were desorbed by FAB as molecules chelated with sodium ion (or ions). Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of intact sodium adduct molecular ions ([M+Na]+, [M-H+2Na]+ or [M+Na-2H]-) produced a series of homologous fragment ions via the charge-remote fragmentation along the fatty acid chains. These ions were found useful to locate the double bond positions even for the polyunsaturated fatty acid chains. The regiospecificity of the acyl chain linkages in phosphatidylcholine (PC) could also be determined based on the ratio of relative abundance of the product ions (i.e., [M+Na-85-R2COOH]+ vs [M+Na-85-R1COOH]+) in CID-MS/MS of [M+Na]+. These are generated by the loss of fatty acyl groups at sn-1 and sn-2, respectively, together with the choline group. In all the phospholipid compounds investigated, loss of the fatty acid at the sn-2 position was dominant. The present method was applied to the structural determination of molecular species of phosphatidylglycerols (PG) isolated from cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.43 no.8
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• pp.705-717
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• 2020

While the growth factors like insulin initiate a signaling cascade to induce conformational changes in the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), amino acids cause the complex to localize to the site of activation, the lysosome. The precise mechanism of how mTORC1 moves in and out of the lysosome is yet to be elucidated in detail. Here we report that microtubules and the motor protein KIF11 are required for the proper dissociation of mTORC1 from the lysosome upon amino acid scarcity. When microtubules are disrupted or KIF11 is knocked down, we observe that mTORC1 localizes to the lysosome even in the amino acid-starved situation where it should be dispersed in the cytosol, causing an elevated mTORC1 activity. Moreover, in the mechanistic perspective, we discover that mTORC1 interacts with KIF11 on the motor domain of KIF11, enabling the complex to move out of the lysosome along microtubules. Our results suggest not only a novel way of the regulation regarding amino acid availability for mTORC1, but also a new role of KIF11 and microtubules in mTOR signaling.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.38 no.10
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• pp.705-709
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• 1994

The kinetics of the oxidation reaction of malonic acid by ceric ion in 1 M sulfuric acid solution at $20^{\circ}C$ have been investigated by spectrophotometric method. The reaction rate at a large excess of malonic acid was found to be pseudo-first order. The observed pseudo-first order rate constants, $k_{obs}$, are dependent on the concentration of malonic acid, [MA], of which relationship has been found to be $k_{obs}$ = (0.592[MA])/(1+14.5[MA]$^2$). A mechanism for the reaction has been suggested on the basis of the above rate equation. The rate determining step may be the electron transfer reaction between enolate type malonate anion, which is formed by the acid dissociation reaction of malonic acid, and Ce(IV). The rate depression in the range of high concentration of MA has been explained by the formation of 1 : 2 chelate between Ce(IV) and malonate. According to the mechanism, the pH dependence of the rate, which was studied by Sengupta et al., has also been explained.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.30-37
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to identify the problems faced by students in sub-microscopic representation of acid-base reactions. Herein, we selected 30 students of 12^th grade science classes, who had studied various acid-base models. In order to investigate the sub-microscopic representation ability of the students, we developed nine items related to various contexts, such as one type of solute and solvent, two types of solutes and solvent, cases with water as solvent or with nonaqueous solvents. For all items, we consistently observed lack of concept of chemical change. In context of aqueous and nonaqueous solutions, the frequency of lack of concept of chemical bonding was high if ammonia was the solute or solvent. Moreover, the frequency of lack of concept related to the degree of electrolytic dissociation was high. Therefore, chemistry teachers should understand that students' ability to sub-microscopic representation of acid-base reactions can be enhanced by analyzing the difficulties faced by the students in solving diverse acid-base problems.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.379-387
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• 1996

The objects of the present study were to establish the method of purification, subunit dissociation of verotoxin-2 (VT2) produced by Escherichia coli O157:H7, and to investigate the characteristics of purified verotoxin-2 such as molecular weight and composition of amino acid. The results were summerized as follows; Verotoxin-2 was extracted by addition of polymyxin B sulfate into bacterial cell lysate prepared from Escherichia coli O157:H7(KSC109). As an initial step, the bacterial cell lysate was precipitated with 30% saturated ammonium sulfate. The precipitated crude toxin was then subjected to anion-exchange, chromatofocusing and cation-exchange chromatography. Using this scheme, we obtained highly purified toxin with a specific activity of $1.1{\times}10^9$ $CD_{50}/mg$. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE) for purified VT2 showed two protein bands. The upper band, approximately 32 Kd, was supposed as A subunit and the lower band, approximately 7.7 Kd, was supposed as B subunit. When the toxin was separated in the subunit-dissociating solution, two peaks emerged with retention times of 15 and 28 min by HPLC. These peaks represented A subunit and B subunit, respectively. The amino acid composition of purified VT2 were made up in order of glutamic acid, histamine, asparaginic acid, histidine, lysine, alanine and leucine etc. The largest amount among the amino acid composing VT2 was methionine.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.64 no.5
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• pp.267-276
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• 2020

This study analyzed the level of chemistry teachers' cognition related to two types of acid-base models taught in secondary schools. For the purpose, a questionnaire was developed to identify teachers' cognitions based on previous studies that analyzed the 'Ignorance' of each model. The questionnaire consisted of two items, one related to acid and base reactions and one related to acid and base dissociation, which suggested inconsistencies between the two models. The subjects were 15 chemistry teachers, and as a result, teachers' cognitions were analyzed at four levels. The four levels are: if they don't know the two models, if they only understand one model, if they understand the two models, and perceived the 'Ignorance' of one model, and if they understand the two models and perceived the 'Ignorance' of the two models. The largest proportion of teachers understood the two models and perceived the 'Ignorance' of one model. However, the proportion of understanding the two models and perceiving the 'Ignorance' of the two models was very small. Through this, we argued that efforts to increase the level of chemistry teachers' cognition of the model and 'Ignorance' were necessary.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.1283-1287
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• 2010

In eukaryotes, eRF3 participates in translation termination and belongs to the superfamily of GTPases. In this work, the dissociation constants for nucleosides bound to Euplotes octocarinatus eRF3 in the presence and absence of eRF1a were determined using fluorescence spectra methods. Furthermore, a GTP hydrolyzing assay of eRF3 was carried out using an HPLC method, and the kinetic parameters for GTP hydrolysis by eRF3 were determined. Consistent with data from humans, the results showed that eRF1a promoted the binding of GTP to eRF3 and the GTP hydrolyzing activity of eRF3. However, in contrast to the lack of GTP binding in the absence of eRF1 in human eRF3, the E. octocarinatus eRF3 was able to bind GTP by itself. The nucleotide binding affinity of the E. octocarinatus eRF3 also differed from the human data. A structure model and amino acid sequence alignment of potential G domains indicated that these differences may be due to valine 317 and glutamate 452 displacing the conserved glycine and lysine involved in GTP binding.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.181-188
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• 1999

4-Aminobutyrate aminotransferase plays an essential role in the 4-aminobutyric acid shunt, converting 4-aminobutyrate to succinic semialdehyde. Recombinant 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferases were overexpressed as their catalytically active forms in E. coli by coproduction with thioredoxin and their solubilities were also dramatically increased. In order to study the structural and functional aspects of the C-terminal domain of brain 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase, we have constructed a C-terminal mutant of pig brain 4-aminobutyrate aminotransferase and analyzed the functional and structural roles of C-terminal amino acids residues on the enzyme. The deletion of five amino-acid residues from C-terminus did not interfere with the kinetic parameters and functional properties of the enzyme. Also, the deletion did not affect the dimeric structure of the protein aligned along the subunit interface at neutral pH. However, the deletion of the C-terminal region of the protein changed the stability of its dimeric structure at acidic pH. The dissociation of the enzyme acidic, facilitated by the deletion of five amino acids from C-terminus, abolished the catalytic activity.

• Electrical & Electronic Materials
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.187-199
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• 1994

In order to find an effect of structural changes due to variation of addition ratio of anhydride hardener and postcuring herat-treatments upon electrical properties of epoxy composites, the dielectric properties over a frequency range from 30[Hz] to l[MHz] were investigated in the temperature range of 20-180[.deg. C]. From the dielectric properties, the a peaks related with glass-transition phenomena of epoxy network appeared near 130[.deg. C], the conduction loss in high temperature region above 150[.deg. C] due to thermal dissociation of hardener started off with the low frequency side and the .betha. peak concerned with contribution of movable unreacted terminal epoxy groups and curing agents in the glass states concurred with the high-frequency side below 20[.deg. C]. And an effect of an hydride hardener upon structural changes and of postcuring heat treatments upon structural stability in epoxy composites would be explained through the estimation of the distribution of relaxation times and the activation energy for a .alpha. peak according to the WLF equations.