Professor Lee Myung-Seok’s Faculty Research Team Develops a Genetically Useful Antioxidant Production Technique Through International Joint Research

The research team of Professor Lee Myung-Seok at the Division of Biological Sciences of our university, in

collaboration with a Chinese research team, has succeeded in extracting an edible thermal resistant κ-carrageenase

and using it to develop production technology for antioxidant activation substances. Carrageenan, an antioxidant

linear polysaccharide extracted from rhodophyceae, is commercially used as a food additive, stabilizer, and

emulsifier. According to Professor Lee Myung-Seok, the substances acquired in the research showed better

antioxidant activity than conventional carrageenan due to their high absorption in the body.

(from the left) Professor Lee Myeong-Seok, Dr. Shangyong Li, Professor Linna Wang

The Faculty Research Team, consisting of Professor Lee Myung-Seok and Professor Shangyong Li and Linna

Wang from Qingdao University, has genetically modified κ - carrageenase so that it would be secreted outside the

cell. They also found that the κ - carrageenase shows high secretion in Yarrowia lipolytica, an edible yeast with

an excellent secretion capacity. The secreted CgkA forms κ carradiaose as its main product and is thermal-resistant

proving itself as a suitable candidate for producing κ-COS antioxidant. Professor Lee Myung-Seok explained,

“The separation and e-x-p-r-e-s-s-i-o-n of CgkA make it a great candidate for commercial uses in the biotechnology

application field such as gelification of food, stabilizing medicines and cosmetics, and viscosity modifiers.”

(Carratetraose cut off by κ-carrageenan polymer and enzymes)

(κ-carratetraose attached active site of enzyme)

The research was conducted with the support of the Ministry of Science and ICT's Leading Research Center

Support Project (SRC) and the Overseas Researchers' Joint Research Project (KRF), and the results were published

in the September issue of the internationally renowned journal ‘Food Chemistry’.

(The name of the thesis: Production of a thermo-tolerant κ-carrageenase via a food-grade host and antioxidant

activity of its enzymatic hydrolysate)

Professor Lee Myung-Seok, currently head of the Industrial-Academic Cooperation Group at Sookmyung

Women's University, revealed his plans, adding, “We will try our best to provide various information to enhance

research capabilities, strengthen research on our university's specialization field, create research results and

discover superior technologies.”