• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.101-111
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• 1991

Polyphenol oxidase(PPO) was purified from an extract of Puerariae Radix by ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by Sephadex G-150 column chromatography, which resulted in a 56-fold increase in specific activity. The enzyme was optimum of pH 6.5. The optimum temperature of enzymic reaction was about $40^{\circ}$. The enzyme was thermostable with a half-life equal to 32 min at $70^{\circ}$. Km values of the PPO for catechol and pyrogallol from Lineweaver Burk plots were $1.3{\times}10^{-2}M$, $1.16{\times}10^{-2}M$, respectively. The substrate specificity of the Puerariae Radix PPO showed high affinity toward pyrogallol. Reducing reagents such as cysteine, potassium metabisulfite, ascorbic acid, 2-mercaptoethanol completely inhibited the PPO activity at $10^{-2}M$ level. Linewear-Burk analysis of inhibition data revealed that the inhibition by cysteine, 2-mercaptoethanol, 4-nitrocatechol, potassium cyanide was competitive with Ki values of $4.3{\times10^{-2}M,\;0.73{\times}10^{-6}M,\;6.9{\times}10^{-6}M,\;6.4{\times}10^{-7}M$, respectively. The browning reaction by PPO was observed to decrease temporarily with the addition of sodium diethyl dithiocarbamate, a well known copper chelating agent. Among the divalent cations, $Cu^{2+}$ ion was strong activator on PPO and $Mn^{2+},\;Co^{2+}$ ions was effect on PPO activity. $Zn^{2+},\;Mg^{2+}$ ions was inhibitor on PPO.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 2020

The study objective was to evaluate the enhanced removal of high concentrations of phosphorus from synthetic wastewater (solely phosphorus-containing) and real wastewater (pig manure) by using carbon nanotube (CNT)-coated steel slag. Generally, phosphorus removal by steel slag is attributed to Ca²⁺ eluted from the slag. However, in this study, CNT was used to control the excess release of Ca²⁺ from steel slag and increase the phosphorus removal. The phosphorus removal rate by the uncoated steel slag was lower than that of the CNT-coated steel slag, even though the Ca²⁺ concentrations were higher in the solution containing the uncoated steel slag. Therefore, the phosphorus removal could be attributed to both precipitation with Ca²⁺ eluted from steel slag in aqueous solution and adsorption onto the surface of the CNT-coated steel slag. Furthermore, the protons released from the CNT surface by exchanging with divalent cations acted to reduce the pH increase of the solution, which is attributed to the OH^- eluted from the steel slag. The adsorption isotherm and kinetics of the CNT-coated steel slags followed the Freundlich isotherm and pseudo-second-order model, respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity of the uncoated and CNT-coated steel slags was 6.127 and 9.268 mg P g^-1 slag, respectively. In addition, phosphorus from pig manure was more effectively removed by the CNT-coated steel slag than by the uncoated slag. Over 24 hours, the PO₄-P removal in pig manure was 12.3% higher by the CNT-coated slag. This CNT-coated steel slag can be used to remove both phosphorus and metals and has potential applications in high phosphorus-containing wastewater like pig manure.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.199-205
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• 1999

Vibrio vulnificus cytolysin caused platelet cytolysis and increased intracellular calcium concentration $([Ca^{2+}]_i)$ of rat platelets in a concentration-dependent manner. In the presence of V. vulnificus cytolysin (3 HU/ml), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity was increased from $1.3{\pm}0.4%$ of control to $64.3{\pm}3.4%$ in platelet suspension buffer. In $Ca^{2+}-free$ platelet suspension buffer, however, V. vulnificus cytolysin did not induce $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase and LDH release. Addition of EGTA (2 mM) to suspension buffer after the initial $Ca^{2+}$ influx reversed $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ to the control level. However, a $Ca^{2+}$ channel blocker verapamil $(20\;{\mu}M)$ or mefenamic acid $(20\;{\mu}M)$ did not inhibit V. vulnificus cytolysin-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase and LDH release. Divalent cations such as $Co^{2+},\;Cd^{2+}\;or\;Mn^{2+}$ (2 mM each) also did not alter V. vulnificus cytolysin-induced $[Ca^{2+}]_i$ increase and LDH release. V. vulnificus cytolysin (3 HU/ml)-induced calcium influx was completely blocked by lanthanum (2 mM). Lanthanum (2 mM) also completely blocked V. vulnificus cytolysin (3 HU/ml)-induced LDH release. Osmotic protectants such as, raffinose, sucrose or PEG600 (50 mM each) did not inhibit the lytic activity of V. vulnificus cytolysin. In conclusion, lanthanum sensitive $Ca^{2+}$ influx plays a significant role in Vibrio vulnificus cytolysin-induced platelet cytolysis and thrombocytopenia in V. vulnificus infection.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.306-313
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• 1999

Polyphenol Oxidase(PPO) was purified from an extract of Ginkgo biloba leaves by ammonium sulfate fractionation followed by sephadex G-150 column chromatography, which resulted in a 18-fold increase in specific activity. The enzyme was most active at pH 8.5 and the temperature optimum for the PPO catechol oxidation reaction was $45^{\circ}C$. Heat inactivation studies showed that heating for 7, 9 and 48 min, at 80, 70 and $60^{\circ}C$ respectively caused a 50% loss in enzymatic activity and that the enzyme was completely inactivated after heat treatment at $90^{\circ}C$ for 60 min. Km values of the PPO for catechol, hydroquinone and 4-methylcatechol derived from Lineweaver-Burk plots were $6.06\;{\times}\;10^{-4}M,\;1.02\;{\times}\;10^{-3}M,\;1.41\;{\times}\;10^{-3}M$ respectively. Of the substrates tested, 4-methylcatechol was oxidized most readily and the enzyme did not oxidize monophenols. The enzyme datalyzed browning reaction was completely inhibited in the presence of reducing reagents, namely ascorbic acid, cysteine, glutathione, 2-mercaptoethanol, potassium metabisulfite at 0.5 mM level. Sodium chloride showed very little inhibition effect on Ginkgo biloba leaves PPO. Lineweaver-Burk analysis of inhibition data revealed that the inhibition by cysteine, 2-mercaptoethanol, potassium cyanide was competitive with ki values of $1.1\;{\times}\;10^{-5}M,\;2.4\;{\times}\;10^{-5}M,\;8\;{\times}\;10^{-5}M$, respectively. Among the divalent cations, $Cu^{2+}ion$ was a strong activator on PPO and $Mn^{2+}ion$ was little or no effect on PPO activity $Ni^{2+}ion$ was an inhibitor on PPO.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.787-795
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• 2017

Avoiding ingestion of excessively salty food is essential for cation homeostasis that underlies various physiological processes in organisms. The molecular and cellular basis of the aversive salt taste, however, remains elusive. Through a behavioral reverse genetic screening, we discover that feeding suppression by $Na^+$-rich food requires Ionotropic Receptor 76b (Ir76b) in Drosophila labellar gustatory receptor neurons (GRNs). Concentrated sodium solutions with various anions caused feeding suppression dependent on Ir76b. Feeding aversion to caffeine and high concentrations of divalent cations and sorbitol was unimpaired in Ir76b-deficient animals, indicating sensory specificity of Ir76b-dependent $Na^+$ detection and the irrelevance of hyperosmolarity-driven mechanosensation to Ir76b-mediated feeding aversion. Ir76b-dependent $Na^+$-sensing GRNs in both L- and s-bristles are required for repulsion as opposed to the previous report where the L-bristle GRNs direct only low-$Na^+$ attraction. Our work extends the physiological implications of Ir76b from low-$Na^+$ attraction to high-$Na^+$ aversion, prompting further investigation of the physiological mechanisms that modulate two competing components of $Na^+$-evoked gustation coded in heterogeneous Ir76b-positive GRNs.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.522-526
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• 1999

Bactericidal effects of chitosans with varying molecular weight $(10,000{\sim}170,000)$ were investigated for Streptococcus mutans, a primary causative bacterium of dental caries. The molecular weight of chitosan was a significant contributor to the bactericidal effect, and a chitosan having approximately 30,000 of molecular weight exhibited the highest bactericidal effects on S. mutans. Treatment of chitosan resulted in leaking intracellular protein and nucleic acid out of S. mutans cells. In addition, the divalent cations such as $Ca^{2+}\;and\;Mg^{2+}$ were also significantly released out of the cell. Visible damage of chitosan treated cells was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), in which the cell wall was notably distorted and cytoplasmic membrane was separated from the cell wall. The results suggested that the bactericidal effect of chitosan on S. mutans was attributable to both leakage of intracellular materials and structural disintegration of cell wall.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.199-212
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• 1984

A cytoplasmic endoprotease, named protease Ci, has been partially purified by classical chromatographic procedures. This enzyme degrades insulin, glucagon and bovine growth hormone to trichloroacetic acid-soluble materials, but shows little or no hydrolysis of bovine serum albumin, casein or globin. It has a molecular weight of about 120,000 as determined by gel filtration on Sephadex G200, and it appears to be consisted of two identical subunits having molecular weight of 54,000 when estimated by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate. Protease Ci has an optimum pH of 7.5, and has an isoelectric point of 5.5. This enzyme is a metalloprotease, since it is inhibited by o-phenanthroline and can be activated by the addition of divalent metal cations, such as $Mn^++$ and $Co^++$. Protease ci is inhibited by p-hydroxymercuribenzoic acid, but not by either of leupeptin or Ep475 which are specific inhibitors of sulfhydryl protease. It is distinct from protease Pi, a perplasmic insulin degrading enzyme, since protease Ci is localized to the cytoplasm. The physiological function of protease Ci is presently unknown.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.2002-2010
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• 2006

This study examined the quenching of ofloxacin (OFL) and flumequine (FLU) fluorescence by $Cuj^{2+}$, $Ni^{2+}$, $Co^{2+}$ and $Mn^{2+}$ in an aqueous solution. The change in the fluorescence intensity and lifetime was measured at various temperatures as a function of the quencher concentration. According to the Stern-Volmer plots, the fluorescence emission was quenched by both collisions (dynamic quenching) and complex formation (static quenching) with the same quencher but the effect of static quenching was larger than that of dynamic quenching. Large static and dynamic quenching constants for both OFL and FLU support significant ion-dipole and orbital-orbital interactions between fluorophore and quencher. For both molecules, the static and dynamic quenching constants by $Cu^{2+}$ were the largest among all the metal quenchers examined in this study. In addition, both the static and dynamic quenching mechanisms by $Cu^{2+}$ were somewhat different from the quenching caused by other metals. Between $Ni^{2+}$ and FLU, a different form of chemical interaction was observed compared with the interaction by other metals. The change in the absorption spectra as a result of the addition of a quencher provided information on static quenching. With all these metals, the static quenching constant of FLU was larger than those of OFL. The fluorescence of OFL was quite insensitive to both the dynamic and static quenching compared with FLU. This property of OFL can be explained by the twisted intramolecular charge transfer in the excited state.

• BMB Reports
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.466-473
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• 2004

A new acid deoxyribonuclease (DNase) was purified from the cultured mycelia of Cordyceps sinensis, and designated CSDNase. CSDNase was purified by $(NH_4)_2SO_4$ precipitation, Sephacryl S-100 HR gel filtration, weak anion-exchange HPLC, and gel filtration HPLC. The protein was single-chained, with an apparent molecular mass of ca. 34 kDa, as revealed by SDS-PAGE, and an isoelectric point of 7.05, as estimated by isoelectric focusing. CSDNase acted on both double-stranded (ds) and single- stranded (ss) DNA, but preferentially on dsDNA. The optimum pH of CSDNase was pH 5.5 and its optimum temperature 55. The activity of CSDNase was not dependent on divalent cations, but its enzymic activity was inhibited by high concentration of the cation: $MgCl_2$ above 150 mM, $MnCl_2$ above 200 mM, $ZnCl_2$ above 150 mM, $CaCl_2$ above 200 mM, NaCl above 300 mM, and KCl above 300 mM. CSDNase was found to hydrolyze DNA, and to generate 3-phosphate and 5-OH termini. These results indicate that the nucleolytic properties of CSDNase are essentially the same as those of other well-characterized acid DNases, and that CSDNase is a member of the acid DNase family. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an acid DNase in a fungus.

• Korean Journal of Crystallography
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.76-83
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• 1990

The structures of dehydrated fully Ca2+ _exchanged zeolite A (a: 12.2a3(2) A and of its iodine sorption complex (a=12.258(2) A) have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods in the cubic space group. Pm3m at 21(1)℃.the structures were refined to final R(weighted) indices of 0.081 with 206 reflections and 0.084 with 173 reflections, respectively for which I>3 w (I). In each structure. six divalent cations are located on three different theefold axes associated with 6-ring oxygens. Dehydrated Ca2+_A sorbs ca. 6.0 diiodine molecules per unit cell at 80℃(vapor pressure of I: is ca. 14.3 Torr). Each iodine molecule makes a close approach. along its ahs to framework oxygen atom with I-I distance of 2.71(2) A, I-O distance of 3.32(3) k. and I-I-0=180℃. The result indicates that diiodine molecule forms charge transfer complex with framework oxygen.