Kyoung Heon Kim

Expansin is a plant protein family that induces plant cell wall-loosening and cellulose disruption without exerting cellulose-hydrolytic activity. Expansin-like proteins have also been found in other eukaryotes such as nematodes and fungi. While searching for an expansin produced by bacteria, we found that the BsEXLX1 protein from Bacillus subtilis had a structure that was similar to that of a beta-expansin produced by maize. Therefore, we cloned the BsEXLX1 gene and expressed it in Escherichia

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) has been widely used in various industries due to its unique physical properties. However, PET causes major environmental problems globally due to its low degradability and recycling rate. Since it is nearly impossible to replace PET with other materials, an efficient approach for PET recycling is necessary for a circular economy. Herein, for a paradigm shift toward the approach for resource recovery of PET components, we developed an integrated process for dep

Marine algae are considered to be an abundant sources of bioactive compounds with cosmeceutical potential. Recently, a great deal of interest has focused on the health-promoting effects of marine bioactive compounds. Carbohydrates are the major and abundant constituent of marine algae and have been utilized in cosmetic formulations, as moisturizing and thickening agents for example. In addition, marine carbohydrates have been suggested as promising bioactive biomaterials for their various proper

3,6-Anhydro-l-galactose (AHG), a major monomeric constituent of red macroalgae (<i>Rhodophyta</i>), was recently reported to possess skin whitening activity. Moreover, AHG-containing oligosaccharides, such as agarooligosaccharides (AOSs) and neoagarooligosaccharides (NAOSs), have various physiological activities, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and skin moisturizing effects. In this study, AHG and NAOSs were produced from agarose by enzymatic reactions catalyzed by an endo-type β-agara