• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.10-20
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• 2011

Genetic determinant for metallothionein (MT), a cysteine-rich protein playing essential roles in metal detoxification and homeostasis, was characterized in the Korean bitterling (Acheilognathus signifer, Cyprinidae), an endemic fish species. The full-length A. signifer MT (AsMT) cDNA (551 bp) is composed of a single open-reading frame (ORF) to encode a polypeptide of 60 amino acids containing 20 cysteine residues whose positions are conserved in most cypriniform MTs. At the genomic level, the AsMT (2,593 bp spanning the 5'-flanking region to the 3'-untranslated region) represented a conserved tripartite (three exons interrupted by two introns) structure with AT-rich introns. The upstream regulatory region (-1,914 bp from the ATG initiation codon) of AsMT displayed various sites and motifs for transcription factors involved in the metal-mediated regulation and stress/immune responses. The AsMT transcript was ubiquitously detected in various organs with variable expression levels, where the ovary and intestine showed the highest expression, while the heart and skeletal muscle represented the lowest level. During an exposure to copper (immersion in $0.5\;{\mu}M$ Cu for 48 h), the levels of AsMT transcripts were significantly elevated in the liver (more than 3.5-fold), moderately in the gill, kidney, and spleen (ranging from 1.5- to 2.5-fold), and barely in the brain and intestine. Results of this study could form a useful basis to explore the metal-related stress physiology of this endangered fish species.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2003.07c
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• pp.1415-1417
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• 2003

Yoneyama 등이 2001년 기존의 potentiometry 형의 요소 센서보다 우수한 성능을 갖는ampeometry 정의 요소 센서를 제안한 이후, 전자 전달 메커니즘에 관한 관심이 집중되어 왔으나, urease로부터 전극 기질까지의 전자 전달 매질로서 전도성 고분자보다 쉽고 단순한 공정은 아직까지 제시된 바 없다. 본 논문에서는 전도성 고분자로서 polypyrrole(PPy)과 poly(3-methylthiophene)(P3MT)을 이용하여 다공성 실리콘(PS) 요소 센서를 제작하고 각각의 특성을 전기화학적으로 분석하였다. Urease 고정화 전압, 고정화 시간, 고정화 시의 효소 농도, 수소이온 농도 등이 감도에 미치는 영향은 PPy 와 P3MT 각각의 경우 유사한 경향성을 보였다. 감도 특성의 경우, PPy는 다공질 실리콘 전극과 평면 전극 각각에 대하여 1.55 ${\mu}A/mM{\cdot}cm^2$와 0.91 ${\mu}A/mM{\cdot}cm^2$였고, P3MT의 경우는 각각 8.44 ${\mu}A/mM{\cdot}cm^2$와 4.28 ${\mu}A/mM{\cdot}cm^2$의 감도를 보였다. 즉, PPy가 P3MT 보다 일반적으로 높은 감도를 보였고, 다공질 실리콘 전극을 사용하는 경우, 그렇지 않은 경우보다 약 2배외 감도 향상 효과를 기대할 수 있었다. 재현성이나 안정성의 경우는 P3MT 가 PPy 보다 우수하였다. 사용 빈도에 따른 감도 저하는 다공질 실리콘 전극의 경우 직선적으로 감소하셨으나 평면 전극의 경우는 지수함수적으로 감소하였다 시간에 따른 감도 저하 현상은 만15일 이후의 감도를 기준으로 하여, 10% 미만의 감도저하를 보임으로써 PPy, P3MT 모두 우수한 특성을 보였다.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.269-275
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• 1998

The reporter plasmid pMT-lacZ containing the metallothionein (MT) promoter region (-320∼+58 with respect to the transcription initiation site) fused to the lacZ gene in a P-element vector was constructed. Transgenic Drosophila bearing the MT-lacZ fusion gene were established by P-element mediated transformation. Expression of the MT-lacZ fusion gene in transformants was examined during development. By treatment with low concentration of cadmium (>1O uM) or paraquat (>50 uM), increased expression of B-galactosidase was shown in fat body, brain lobe, and ganglion transgenic larval tissues. The results show that transformants bearing the MT-lacZ fusion gene are useful for further studies on the mechanism of regulation of MT gene expression and for monitoring toxic metals.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.38-43
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• 2002

Characteristics of cell growth and heavymetal adsorption by recombinant Saccharomyus cerevisiae strains harboring multiple copies of the CUP1 gene encoding metallothione (MT) protein were studied in batch cultures. Recombinant S. cerevisiae strains harboring multiple copies of the CUP1 gene were superior to the host and wild-type yeast strains in terms of cell growth and heavy metal removal, indicating that the copy number of the CUP1 gene for MT expression played an important role in the adsorption of heavy metals. It was suggested that the CUP1 promoter for the MT expression is induced by manganese and zinc as well as copper An optimum copper concentration for MT expression and concomitant adsorption of heavy metals by recombinant S. cerevisiae was found to be 0.31 mM. A nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 enhanced cell growth by 17.7% and removal of zinc by 6.1% compared with the control case.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.95 no.3
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• pp.299-308
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• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate differences in energy content of Quercus mongolica stands in the Republic of Korea with respect to latitude and altitude. Study sites were located in Mt. Joongwang, Pyeongchang-gun, Gangwon-do (altitude 1,300 m, 1,000 m, 800 m), Mt. Taehwa, Gwangju-gun, Gyeonggi-do (altitude 350 m), Mt. Wolak, Jecheon-si, Chungcheongbuk-do (altitude 300 m), Mt. Baekwoon, Gwangyang-gun, Jeollanam-do (altitude 800 m), and Mt. Halla, Jeju-do (altitude 1,000 m) by northern and southern aspect. Total energy content and annual energy fixation of Q. mongolica stands were 2,916-6,550 GJ/ha and 250-440 GJ/ha, respectively during the study period, Lower latitude (NE) stands of Q. mongolica showed more energy contents and annual energy fixation than higher latitude stands. Energy content and annual energy fixation of Q. mongolica stands were increased in low altitude. Energy content of Q. mongolica stands were higher in northern aspect than southern aspect. However, there were no significant differences in annual energy fixation between the aspects. Annual energy fixation of Q. mongolica stands was highly correlated with warm index and followed by descending orders: altitude, stand age, aspect, annual solar radiation and latitude.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.728-732
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• 2007

In the present article, a novel fusion expression vector for Escherichia coli was developed based on the pTORG plasmid, a derivative of pET32a. This vector, named pT7MT(GenBank Accession No DQ504436), carries a T7 promoter and it drives the downstream gene encoding Metallothionein 2A(MT2A). There are in-framed multiple cloning sites(MCS) downstream of the MT2A gene. A target gene can be cloned into the MCS and fused to the C-terminal of the MT2A gene in a compatible open reading frame(ORF) to achieve fusion expression. The metal-binding capability of MT2A allows the purification of fusion proteins by metal chelating affinity chromatography, known as $Ni^{2+}$-affinity chromatography. Using this expression vector, we successfully got the stable and high-yield expression of MT2A-GST and MT2A-Troponin I fusion proteins. These two proteins were easily purified from the supernatant of cell lysates by one-step $Ni^{2+}$-affinity chromatography. The final yields of MT2A-GST and MT2A-Troponin I were 30mg/l and 28mg/l in LB culture, respectively. Taken together, our data suggest that pT7MT can be applied as a useful expression vector for stable and high-yield production of fusion proteins.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.262-267
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• 1999

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) polymorphism of the blue mussel (Mytilus edulis) species complex sampled from the east coast of Korean was studied using a partial sequence of COIII gene (336 bp). Samples obtained from three localities on the east coast of Korea revealed four haplotypes with two clearly differentiated mitochondrial clades (termed clades B and E), separated by 4.2% of minimum sequence divergence. This pattern indicates no difference between east and south coasts of Korea. According to population genetic theory on evolutionary characteristics of mtDNA, we concluded that mtDNA introgression from M. edulis to M. gallprovincialis might be a source for mtDNA polymorphism found in mussels on the east coast of Korea.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.289-294
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• 1997

The cycles of heavy metals, mercury, lead and cadmium, were investigated on in dynamic grassland ecosystems at a steady state in Zoysia japonica and Miscanthus sinensis in Mt. Kwanak, Korea. Estimates of decay constants of heavy metals based on experimental and methomatical model, were Hg 0.14, Pb 0.17 and Cd 0.41 of Z. japonica grassland, and Hg 0.33, Pb 0.13 and Cd 0.56 of M sinensis grassland. The durations of reaching half of initial amounts in Z. japonica and M. sinensis grassland, were Hg 4.95, Pb 4.07 and Cd 1.69 years, and Hg 2.10, Pb 5.33 and Cd 1.24 years respectively. Times needed for 99% decomposed were longer in Z. japonica than M. sinensis grassland. Decay velocity of constituents of surface soil layers were more rapidly in M. sinensis than Z. japonica grassland. Key words: Cycles of heavy metals, Mercury, Lead, Cadmium, Zoysia japonica. Miscanthus sineusis, Mt. Kwanak, Decay constants.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.79-90
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• 1986

The production and decomposition of litters and nutrient cycling of forests were studied at the pine forests such as Pinus densiflora, Pinus koraiensis, Pinus rigida, Pinus thunbergii, Abies holophylla and Larix kaempfer. The annual litter production of the P. densiflora forest was the most on Mt. Mudeung which was 620.75g/$m^2$ and the least on Mt. Halla which was 155.00g/$m^2$. The decay rate of litters was the highest at the P. densiflora forest on Mt. Mudeung which was k=0.256 and the lowest at the P. densiflora forest on Mt. Halla and A. holophylla on Mt. Jiri which were k=0.099. The half time of decomposition of litters was shortest at the P. densiflora forest on Mt. Mudeung and the longest at the P. densiflora on Mt. Halla and A. holophylla forests on Mt. Jiri. The average decay rate of the L. kaempferi forests which was k=0.204 was the highest and that of the A. holophylla forests which was k=0.122 was the lowest. The decay rate tended to decrease against increasing the altitude. The annual production of litterr, the contents of mineral nutrients and the amounts of mineral nutrients inputted into the forest soil tended to increase in proportion to the decay rate, k.

• Journal of environmental and Sanitary engineering
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.62-71
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• 2001

The present study was performed to examine the community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates in the provincial park of Mt. Daedun and its nearby region. Sampling was conducted two times in May.June and October.November, 2000. Main two areas are Mt. Anpyong (470.0m) and Mt. Daedun (877.0m) area. Total taxa of benthic macroinvertebrates were 111 species, 47 families, 15 orders, 6 classes in 4 phyla. Aquatic insects were composed of 29 species in ephemeroptera, 10 species in odonata, 7 species in plecoptera, 2 species in hemiptera, 2 species in megaloptera, 23 species trichuptera, 6 species in coleoptera and 17 species in diptera. Other non-insects were composed of 1 species in platyhelminthes, 8 species in gastropoda, 2 species in oligochaeta, 3 species in hirudinea and 1 species in crustacea. Ephemeroptera, trichoptera and plecoptera as indicators in clean water were very abundantly. Occurrence species at each surrey area was 77 species at Mt. Anpyong area and 89 species at Mt. Daedun area, respectively. Mean values of species diversity indices were 3.04 and 2.69, respectively. According to the saprobic system based on the species diversity indices of benthic macroinvertebrates, Mt. Anpyong region are determined as polysaprobic area or ${\beta}-mesosaprobic$ area and Mt. Daedun region are determined as polysaprobic area, $\beta-mesosaprobic$ area or ${\alpha}-mesosaprobic$ area.