The performance of an optimized tree-type cylindrical-shaped nanoporous fltering membrane proposed in the former study is analytically investigated for varying operational parameter values. Across the membrane thickness, this membrane has two-leveled tree-structured pores including one trunk pore and the multiple branch pores. The physical properties of the surfaces of ...

Wild type dihydrolipoyltransacetylase(E2p)-components from the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex of A. vinelandii or E. coli, and mutants of A. vinelandii E2p with stepwise deletions of the lipoyl domains or the alanine- and proline-rich region between the binding and the catalytic domain have been overexpressed in E. coli TG2. The high expression of A. vinelandii wild type E2p (20% of cellular pr...

Forty isolates of endophytic bacteria isolated from banana tree roots were assessed as to their capacity to solubilize phosphate in a solid culture medium supplemented with different inorganic and one organic source of phosphorus. The amount of phosphorus (P) in each liquid medium was quantified, and an indirect assessment of acid phosphatase activity was performed. All assays had a fully rando...

The K(+)-stimulated ATPase was partially purified from a plasma membrane fraction of suspension cultured cells of rose (Rosa damascena) by two different solubilization procedures. Solubilization with 30 mm octyl-beta-d-glucopyranoside followed by precipitation with ammonium sulfate increased the specific activity of the enzyme about 6-fold. Solubilization with 1% cholate removed all but 1% of t...

The dynamics of liposome solubilization was monitored by dynamic light scattering and optical microscopy. A newly designed Y-shape microchannel connected to a room was incorporated into a microchip and the reaction processes of the liposome suspension and surfactant solution were observed in the room after mixing the two fluids and stopping the flow. By using this microchip, we succeeded in r...

Separation of Neurospora mitochondrial outer membranes from the inner membrane/matrix fraction was effected by digitonin treatment and discontinuous density gradient centrifugation. The solubilization of four isoleucine-valine biosynthetic enzymes was studied as a function of digitonin concentration and time of incubation in the detergent. The kinetics of the appearance of valine biosynthetic f...

Melittin induces various reactions in membranes and has been widely studied as a model for membrane-interacting peptide; however, the mechanism whereby melittin elicits its effects remains unclear. Here, we observed melittin-induced changes in individual giant liposomes using direct real-time imaging by dark-field optical microscopy, and the mechanisms involved were correlated with results obta...

Liposome disintegration by either ultrasonic vibration or sodium cholate solubilization was investigated as a function of cholesterol (CH) content in the egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) liposome membrane. Turbidity changes were used as an indication of the membrane stability to these stresses. First-order disintegration constants (kufor ultrasonic stress and ksfor sodium cholate solubilization) we...