Isolation and partial characterization of a bacteriocin produced by <i>Pediococcus pentosaceus</i> K23-2 isolated from Kimchi

Shin, M.S.,Han, S.K.,Ryu, J.S.,Kim, K.S.,Lee, W.K. Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2008 Journal of Applied Microbiology Vol.105 No.2

<P>Abstract</P><P>Aims: </P><P>Screening and partial characterization of a bacteriocin produced by <I>Pediococcus pentosaceus</I> K23-2 isolated from Kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented vegetable.</P><P>Methods and Results: </P><P>A total of 1000 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from various Kimchi samples and screened for the production of bacteriocin. Pediocin K23-2, a bacteriocin produced by the <I>Pediococcus pentosaceus</I> K23-2 strain, showed strong inhibitory activity against <I>Listeria monocytogenes</I>. The bacteriocin activity remained unchanged after 15 min of heat treatment at 121°C or exposure to organic solvents; however, it diminished after treatment with proteolytic enzymes. The bacteriocin was maximally produced at 37°C, when the pH of the culture broth was maintained at 5·0 during the fermentation, although the optimum pH for growth was 7·0. The molecular weight of the bacteriocin was about 5 kDa according to a tricine SDS-PAGE analysis.</P><P>Conclusions: </P><P><I>Pediococcus pentosaceus</I> K23-2 isolated from Kimchi produces a bacteriocin, which shares similar characteristics to the Class IIa bacteriocins. The bacteriocin is heat stable and shows wide antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, especially <I>L. monocytogenes</I>.</P><P>Significance and Impact of the Study: </P><P>Pediocin K23-2 and pediocin K23-2-producing <I>P. pentosaceus</I> K23-2 could potentially be used in the food and feed industries as natural biopreservatives, and for probiotic application to humans or livestock.</P>

Functionality improvement of fungal lignin peroxidase by DNA shuffling for 2,4-dichlorophenol degradability and H₂O₂ stability

Ryu, K.,Hwang, S.Y.,Kim, K.H.,Kang, J.H.,Lee, E.K. Elsevier Science Publishers 2008 Journal of biotechnology Vol.133 No.1

One of the major problems of wild-type lignin peroxidase (LiP) is its inactivity at the presence of excess H<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>2</SUB> and high concentration of aromatic compounds. Little is known about the substrate-binding site of LiP, and functionality improvement of LiP was not actively tried by genetic engineering and directed evolution. In order to improve LiPs functionality, we performed directed evolution with a colorimetric screening method. Finally, three types of LiP mutants were screened. The catalytic efficiency of the variants toward 2,4-dichlorophenol (DCP) degradation activity and the stability against H<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>2</SUB> was increased over the wild type. The K<SUB>m</SUB> value of the variants toward H<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>2</SUB> was increased, but K<SUB>m</SUB> value toward 2,4-DCP degradation was reduced. Overall, The K<SUB>cat</SUB>/K<SUB>m</SUB> values of the mutants toward 2,4-DCP was increased ca. 4-fold, and that toward H<SUB>2</SUB>O<SUB>2</SUB> was increased ca. 89-fold. Amino acid sequence analysis indicated that the most of the mutations were located on the enzyme surface. We expect that these results coupled with recombining mutation can be successfully applied to the molecular evolution cycles for screening of LiPs and other oxidative enzymes with improved functionality and stability.

Interference Effect betweenϕandΛ(1520)Production Channels in theγp→K+K−pReaction near Threshold

Ryu, S. Y.,Ahn, J. K.,Nakano, T.,Ahn, D. S.,Ajimura, S.,Akimune, H.,Asano, Y.,Chang, W. C.,Chen, J. Y.,Daté,, S.,Ejiri, H.,Fujimura, H.,Fujiwara, M.,Fukui, S.,Hasegawa, S.,Hicks, K.,Horie, K.,Ho American Physical Society 2016 Physical Review Letters Vol.116 No.23

<P>The phi-Lambda(1520) interference effect in the gamma p -> K(+)K(-)p reaction has been measured for the first time in the energy range from 1.673 to 2.173 GeV. The relative phases between phi and Lambda(1520) production amplitudes were obtained in the kinematic region where the two resonances overlap. The measurement results support strong constructive interference when K+K- pairs are observed at forward angles but destructive interference for proton emission at forward angles. Furthermore, the observed interference effect does not account for the root s = 2.1 GeV bump structure in forward differential cross sections for phi photoproduction. This fact suggests possible exotic structures such as a hidden-strangeness pentaquark state, a new Pomeron exchange, or rescattering processes via other hyperon states.</P>

Novel method for investigation of a K-Mg-based CO₂ sorbent for sorption-enhanced water-gas shift reaction

Byun, C.K.,Kwon, S.J.,Im, H.B.,Ahn, H.S.,Ryu, H.J.,Yi, K.B. Pergamon Press 2016 RENEWABLE ENERGY Vol.87 No.1

CO<SUB>2</SUB> sorption reactions at 20 bar and two different temperatures (i.e., 180 and 220 <SUP>o</SUP>C) using a K-Mg-based CO<SUB>2</SUB> sorbent were carried out in a custom-designed high-pressure thermogravimetric analyzer (pressurized bubbling fluidized bed reactor on a scale) coupled with a gas chromatograph. The experimental apparatus, including the thermogravimetric analyzer, was custom-designed to measure weight changes caused by either CO<SUB>2</SUB> sorption or water sorption or both. Analysis of the CO<SUB>2</SUB> sorption reaction revealed that water sorption takes place rapidly with a moderate CO<SUB>2</SUB> sorption rate at the early stage of the reaction. Then, the reaction migrates to CO<SUB>2</SUB> sorption with simultaneous water desorption. Therefore, the mechanism of the CO<SUB>2</SUB> sorption reaction is assumed to consist of fast hydration of K<SUB>2</SUB>CO<SUB>3</SUB> and MgO, formation and decomposition of KHCO<SUB>3</SUB>, and finally carbonation of Mg(OH)<SUB>2</SUB> resulting in MgCO<SUB>3</SUB> as the main product. K<SUB>2</SUB>CO<SUB>3</SUB> is assumed to provide an efficient pathway for CO<SUB>2</SUB> and water to travel into the core region of the sorbent via a reversible reaction between K<SUB>2</SUB>CO<SUB>3</SUB> and KHCO<SUB>3</SUB>.

Dysregulation of upstream binding factor-1 acetylation at K352 is linked to impaired ribosomal DNA transcription in Huntington's disease

Lee, J,Hwang, Y J,Boo, J H,Han, D,Kwon, O K,Todorova, K,Kowall, N W,Kim, Y,Ryu, H Macmillan Publishers Limited 2011 Cell death and differentiation Vol.18 No.11

Huntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal-dominant neurological disorder caused by expanded CAG repeats in the Huntingtin (Htt) gene, but it is not known how this mutation causes neurodegeneration. Herein, we found that dysfunction of upstream binding factor-1 (UBF-1) is linked to reduced ribosomal DNA (rDNA) transcription in HD. We identified that UBF1 acetylation at Lys (K) 352 by CREB binding protein (CBP) is crucial for the transcriptional activity of rDNA. UBF1 mutation (K352A, K352Q, and K352R) decreased rDNA transcriptional activity. Moreover, both CBP–dHAT mutant and knockdown of CBP by siRNA reduced acetylation of UBF1 and resulted in the decreased transcription of rDNA into rRNA. ChIP analysis showed a significant reduction of UBF1 occupancy in the promoter of rDNA in STHdh<SUP>Q111</SUP> cell line model of HD. These results demonstrate that abnormal activity of UBF1 and its acetylation by CBP are linked to impaired rDNA transcription in HD. This novel mechanism suggests that modulation of UBF-mediated rDNA synthesis by CBP may be a therapeutic target for improving neuronal rDNA transcription in HD.

InAs 양자점의 크기에 따른 분광학적 특성

권영수(Y. S. Kwon),임재영(J. Y. Leem),이철로(C. R. Lee),노삼규(S. K. Noh),유연희(Y. H. Ryu),최정우(J. W. Choe),김성만(S. M. Kim),이욱현(U. H. Lee),류동현(D. H. Ryu),이동한(D. H. Lee),박장환(Jang-Hwan Park) 한국진공학회(ASCT) 1999 Applied Science and Convergence Technology Vol.8 No.4(1)

MBE(Molecular Beam Epitaxy) 방법으로 InAS 양자점의 크기를 달리하여 성장한 lnAs 양자점의 구조적 특성과 분광학적 특성을 조사하였다. 구조적 특성은 AFM(Atomic Force Microscopy)으로 하였으며, 광학적 특성은 PL(Photoluminescence)로 수행하였다. AFM 측정결과 양자점의 밀도는 2 ML에서 최대 값인 1.1×10¹¹/㎠이다. 양자점의 크기가 증가함에 따라 PL 피크는 적색편이를 하고 있었다. 발광피크의 온도의존성을 조사한 결과 온도의 증가에 따라 발광피크는 낮은 에너지로 이동하였으며, 20 K에서 180 K 구간에서는 발광피크의 FWHM(Full Width at Half Maximum) 값은 감소하였으며, 180 K 이상의 온도에서는 온도의 증가에 따라 FWHM도 증가하였다. 한편 Arrehenius-type function으로 구한 활성화 에너지는 InAs 양자점의 크기가 증가함에 따라 증가하였다. We present Photoluminescence (PL) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) image on InAs quantum dots (QDs) having different size which grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy (MBE). For different size QDs, analysis of the AFM profiles show that the density of QDs was the maximum value (1.1×10¹¹/㎠) at 2.0 ML. In the PL spectra of QDs, it is found that the peak energy decreases with increasing dot size due to the effect of quantum confinement. Temperature dependence of PL intensities show that the PL is quenching and Red shift as the temperature increase. The FWHM range of 20 K~80 K is narrowing with increasing temperature. When temperature is over 180 K, the line-width starts to increase with increasing temperature. At last, temperature dependence of the integrated intensities were fit using the Arrehenius-type function for the activation energy. Fit value of the activation energy was increased with increasing QDs-size.

OGLE-2016-BLG-1190Lb: The First<i>Spitzer</i>Bulge Planet Lies Near the Planet/Brown-dwarf Boundary

Ryu, Y.-H.,Yee, J. C.,Udalski, A.,Bond, I. A.,Shvartzvald, Y.,Zang, W.,Jaimes, R. Figuera,Jørgensen, U. G.,Zhu, W.,Huang, C. X.,Jung, Y. K.,Albrow, M. D.,Chung, S.-J.,Gould, A.,Han, C.,Hwang, K.-H.,Sh American Astronomical Society 2018 The Astronomical journal Vol.155 No.1

<P>We report the discovery of OGLE-2016-BLG-1190Lb, which is likely to be the first Spitzer microlensing planet in the Galactic bulge/ bar, an assignation that can be confirmed by two epochs of high-resolution imaging of the combined source-lens baseline object. The planet's mass, M-p = 13.4 +/- 0.9 M-J, places it right at the deuteriumburning limit, i. e., the conventional boundary between 'planets' and 'brown dwarfs.' Its existence raises the question of whether such objects are really ' planets' (formed within the disks of their hosts) or 'failed stars' (lowmass objects formed by gas fragmentation). This question may ultimately be addressed by comparing disk and bulge/bar planets, which is a goal of the Spitzer microlens program. The host is a G dwarf, M-host = 0.89. +/- 0.07 M-circle dot, and the planet has a semimajor axis a similar to 2.0 au. We use Kepler K2 Campaign 9 microlensing data to break the lens-mass degeneracy that generically impacts parallax solutions from Earth-Spitzer observations alone, which is the first successful application of this approach. The microlensing data, derived primarily from near-continuous, ultradense survey observations from OGLE, MOA, and three KMTNet telescopes, contain more orbital information than for any previous microlensing planet, but not quite enough to accurately specify the full orbit. However, these data do permit the first rigorous test of microlensing orbital-motion measurements, which are typically derived from data taken over < 1% of an orbital period.</P>

Efficient long-term amplification of hepatitis B virus isolates after infection of slow proliferating HepG2-NTCP cells

Kö,nig, Alexander,Yang, Jaewon,Jo, Eunji,Park, Kyu Ho Paul,Kim, Hyun,Than, Thoa Thi,Song, Xiyong,Qi, Xiaoxuan,Dai, Xinghong,Park, Soonju,Shum, David,Ryu, Wang-Shick,Kim, Jung-Hee,Yoon, Seung Kew,P Elsevier 2019 Journal of hepatology Vol.71 No.2

<P><B>Background & Aims</B></P> <P>As hepatitis B virus (HBV) spreads through the infected liver it is simultaneously secreted into the blood. HBV-susceptible <I>in vitro</I> infection models do not efficiently amplify viral progeny or support cell-to-cell spread. We sought to establish a cell culture system for the amplification of infectious HBV from clinical specimens.</P> <P><B>Methods</B></P> <P>An HBV-susceptible sodium-taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide-overexpressing HepG2 cell clone (HepG2-NTCPsec+) producing high titers of infectious progeny was selected. Secreted HBV progeny were characterized by native gel electrophoresis and electron microscopy. Comparative RNA-seq transcriptomics was performed to quantify the expression of host proviral and restriction factors. Viral spread routes were evaluated using HBV entry- or replication inhibitors, visualization of viral cell-to-cell spread in reporter cells, and nearest neighbor infection determination. Amplification kinetics of HBV genotypes B-D were analyzed.</P> <P><B>Results</B></P> <P>Infected HepG2-NTCPsec+ secreted high levels of large HBV surface protein-enveloped infectious HBV progeny with typical appearance under electron microscopy. RNA-seq transcriptomics revealed that HBV does not induce significant gene expression changes in HepG2-NTCPsec+, however, transcription factors favoring HBV amplification were more strongly expressed than in less permissive HepG2-NTCPsec−. Upon inoculation with HBV-containing patient sera, rates of infected cells increased from 10% initially to 70% by viral spread to adjacent cells, and viral progeny and antigens were efficiently secreted. HepG2-NTCPsec+ supported up to 1,300-fold net amplification of HBV genomes depending on the source of virus. Viral spread and amplification were abolished by entry and replication inhibitors; viral rebound was observed after inhibitor discontinuation.</P> <P><B>Conclusions</B></P> <P>The novel HepG2-NTCPsec+ cells efficiently support the complete HBV life cycle, long-term viral spread and amplification of HBV derived from patients or cell culture, resembling relevant features of HBV-infected patients.</P> <P><B>Lay summary</B></P> <P>Currently available laboratory systems are unable to reproduce the dynamics of hepatitis B virus (HBV) spread through the infected liver and release into the blood. We developed a slowly dividing liver-derived cell line which multiplies infectious viral particles upon inoculation with patient- or cell culture-derived HBV. This new infection model can improve therapy by measuring, in advance, the sensitivity of a patient’s HBV strain to specific antiviral drugs.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Cell culture system that mimicks complete HBV life cycle from entry to egress. </LI> <LI> Efficient <I>in vitro</I> infection with crude HBV patient sera. </LI> <LI> Up to 50- and 1,300-fold net amplification of patient- and cell culture-derived input HBV in the supernatant. </LI> <LI> Polyethylene glycol-independent HBV spread to adjacent cells, forming infected cell clusters. </LI> <LI> Evaluation of patient- and cell culture-derived HBV amplification w/wo antivirals over 8 weeks. </LI> </UL> </P> <P><B>Graphical abstract</B></P> <P>[DISPLAY OMISSION]</P>

High-Performance Blue InGaN Laser Diodes With Single-Quantum-Well Active Layers

Ryu, H.Y.,Haleem, K.H.,Lee, S.N.,Jang, T.,Son, J.K.,Paek, H.S.,Sung, Y.J.,Kim, H.K.,Kim, K.S.,O.H. Nam,Park, Y.J.,Shim, J.I. IEEE 2007 Photonics Technology Letters Vol.19 No.21

<P>The authors report on the high-performance blue laser diodes (LDs) with an emission wavelength of ~448 nm employing InGaN single-quantum-well (QW) active layers. At 100-mW continuous-wave (CW) output power, operation current and voltage are, respectively, 150 mA and 5.3 V, corresponding to the wall plug efficiency of >12%, a record value for the single-mode InGaN LDs with blue wavelengths. The single QW blue LD showed normal temperature dependence of light output-current curves with the characteristic temperature of 170 K. In addition, we demonstrate a high level of catastrophic optical damage of >300 mW and long device lifetime under CW operation condition at room temperature.</P>

OGLE-2016-BLG-0693LB: Probing the Brown Dwarf Desert with Microlensing

Ryu, Y.-H.,Udalski, A.,Yee, J. C.,Albrow, M. D.,Chung, S.-J.,Gould, A.,Han, C.,Hwang, K.-H.,Jung, Y. K.,Shin, I.-G.,Zhu, W.,Cha, S.-M.,Kim, D.-J.,Kim, H.-W.,Kim, S.-L.,Lee, C.-U.,Lee, Y.,Park, B.-G.,P American Astronomical Society 2017 The Astronomical journal Vol.154 No.6

<P>We present an analysis of microlensing event OGLE-2016-BLG-0693, based on the survey-only microlensing observations by the OGLE and KMTNet groups. In order to analyze the light curve, we consider the effects of parallax, orbital motion, and baseline slope, and also refine the result using a Galactic model prior. From the microlensing analysis, we find that the event is a binary composed of a low-mass brown dwarf (49(-18)(+20) Mj) companion and a K- or G-dwarf host, which lies at a distance of 5.0 +/- 0.6 kpc toward the Galactic bulge. The projected separation between the brown dwarf and its host star is less than similar to 5 au, thus it is likely that the brown dwarf companion is located in the brown dwarf desert.</P>