Earticle

Due to the depletion of fossil fuels, climate changes, growing world population, future energy supply from the renewable biomass is one of the important challenges in biotechnology. Biobutanol, which has been produced from the solventogenic microorganism such as Clostridium acetobutylicum, is considered as valuable biofuel because it has more heat energy and is less corrosive and evaporative than bioethanol. The goal of this research is the development of the biocatalytic process for conversion of levulinic acid to 2-butanone in order to utilize levulinic acid is be produced via the acidic saccharification of the red algae. The product 2-butanone can be easily converted to 2-butanol via hydrogenation using chemical catalysis. Herein, acetoacetate decarboxylase was selected as biocatalyst for the conversion of levulinic acid to 2-butanone. The kinetic parameters and optimum condition of the biocatalyst was determined using levulinic acid as substrate. For higher turnover number, structure-based molecular docking and binding energy calculation were studied. The product analysis will be discussed.

Complex permittivity spectra of Allyl Chloride (AC), 2-Butanone (2-BU) and their binary mixtures over the entire range of concentration were obtained using the Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) technique in microwave frequency range at various temperatures. Static dielectric constant and relaxation time are obtained from complex permittivity spectra. Density ($\rho$) and refractive index ($n_D$) are also measured. These parameters are used to determine excess dielectric constant, excess inverse relaxation time, excess molar volume, excess molar refraction, polarity, Bruggeman factor and thermodynamic parameters viz. enthalpy of activation and entropy of activation. The values of static dielectric constant and relaxation time increases while density and refractive index decreases with the percentage of 2-Butanone in Allyl Chloride increases. Excess parameters were fitted to a Redlich-Kister equation.

Bacillus vallismortis strain EXTN-1은 근권세균으로써 생육촉진 효과와 함께 광범위한 식물 병 방제효과가 보고되어있다. 본 연구에서 EXTN-1으로부터 방출되는 휘발성 유기 화합물도 식물의 생육촉진과 방어시스템에 관여를 하는지 확인하기 위해 수행되었다. I-plate 시스템에서 각기 다른 배지(TSA, LBA, NA, KBA, PDA)에 EXTN-1을 배양하였을 때, KBA배지에서 가장 높은 생육촉진현상이 확인되었고 TSA, LBA, NA, PDA 배지에서도 생육촉진을 확인할 수 있었다. 생육촉진 현상에 $CO_2$가 관여 할 수 있지만 TSA, PDA, LBA의 배지에서는 $CO_2$와의 관계없음을 확인 할 수 있었다. SPME-GC/MS를 이용해 휘발성 유기화합물을 확인한 결과, 가장 많이 방출되는 휘발성 유기화합물은 3-Hydroxy-2- butanone으로 각 농도 (10 ppm~0.001 ppm)에서 생육차이와 발병도를 확인하였다. 1 ppm에서 생육은 무처리에 비해 2.6배 증가한 반면에 0.001 ppm에서 1.2배로 가장 적게 증가하였고 발병도는 10 ppm에서 46%, 0.001 ppm에서 65%로 가장 높게 발병되었지만 무처리(91%)에 비해 낮았다. 이러한 효과는 EXTN-1으로부터 방출되는 휘발성 유기 화합물이 식물의 생육촉진과 병에 대한 저항성 발현에 관여한다고 볼 수 있다.

It has been well documented that Bacillus vallismortis strain EXTN-1, a beneficial rhizosphere bacterium, could enhance plant growth and induce systemic resistance to diverse pathogens in plants. However, the molecular mechanisms for how the EXTN-1 promote plant growth and induce resistances to diverse pathogens. Here, we show that 3-Hydroxy-2-butanone, a volatile organic compound (VOCs) emitted from the EXTN1, is a key factor for the bacteria-mediated beneficial effects on plant growth and defense systems. We found that the presence of volatile signals of EXTN-1 resulted in growth promotion of tobacco seedlings. The identification and analysis of EXTN-1-secreted volatile signals by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) indicated that a 3-hydroxy-2-butanone could provide not only the plant growth promotion, but also higher resistance against Pectobacterium carotovorum SCC1. These results suggest that a volatile compound released from EXTN-1 enhances the plant growth promotion and immunity of plants.

For the study of environmental application of natural zeolites (NZ) and red mud (RM), which are discharged from various industrial fields, the catalytic ozonation of 2-butaone (methyl ethyl ketone, MEK) was performed using the Mn-loaded NZ prepared according to the Mn content of 1, 3, 5, 7, and 10 wt%. By the addition of Mn to NZ, the BET (Brunaure-Emmett-Teller) specific surface area of Mn/NZ catalysts decreased while the ratio of Mn³⁺/[Mn³⁺+Mn⁴⁺] intensively increased. Besides, the addition of Mn component to NZ increased the ratio of adsorbed oxygen (O_adsorbed) toward lattice oxygen (O_lattice), O_adsorbed/O_lattice from 0.076 of NZ to 0.465 of 10 wt% Mn/NZ according to the amount of Mn. It is known that the proportion of two species, Mn³⁺ and O_adsorbed, would greatly affect the catalytic activity. However, the balancing between the paired species, Mn³⁺ vs. Mn⁴⁺ and O_adsorbed vs. O_lattice might be more essential for the catalytic ozonation of MEK at room temperature. Among the Mn-loaded NZ catalysts, the 3 wt% Mn/NZ showed the best activity for the removal of MEK and ozone. The 5, 7, and 10 wt% Mn/NZ catalysts are slightly inferior to the 3 wt% Mn/NZ. Compared to the pristine NZ, the Mn/NZ catalysts showed better activity for the catalytic ozonation of MEK. In addition, the 3 wt% Mn/NZ was confirmed to have the most available acid sites among them by the analysis of NH₃-TPD (temperature programmed desorption). This might be the major reason for the best catalytic activity of 3 wt% Mn/NZ together with the adjusted distribution ratios of Mn³⁺/Mn⁴⁺ and O_adsorbed/O_lattice. Considering the result of 3 wt% Mn/NZ, the 3 wt% Mn/RM was prepared to perform the catalytic activity for the removal of MEK and ozone, but the efficiency of 3 wt% Mn/RM was significantly lower than that of the 3 wt% Mn/NZ.