Fungal strain CGF was isolated from the soil of ChungNam Province, South Korea. Based on the 28S rDNA sequence analysis and the sequence of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA, together with morphological and cultural characteristics, this strain was identified as Aspergillus sclerotiorum and renamed Aspergillus sclerotiorum CGF. This is the first strain of Aspergillus sclerotiorum identified in Korea. When the antifungal activity of A. sclerotiorum CGF was evaluated, among the phytopathogenic fungi, mycelial growth of only Phytophthora species was inhibited. Oermination of P. capsid zoospore was also inhibited. The bioactive compound of A. sclerotiorum CGF was highly thermo- and pH-stable.

Glucose oxidase was immobilized on the carboxylated multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWNT-COOHs) in the presence of a coulping reagent, 1-ethy1-3-(3-dimethylaminopropy1) carbodiimide. Significant amounts of glucose oxidase were also immobilized on MWNT-COOHs without the coupling reagent. Various conditions for the immobilization of glucose oxidase were optimized. Optimal pH for the maximal activity of the immobilized glucose oxidase shifted to 7 from the optimal pH of 6 for the maximal activity of free enzyme due to the carboxy1 groups on the surface of MWNT-COOHs. An electrode of graphite rod with a diameter of 6 mm was fabricated using the immobilized glucose oxidase. The cyclic voltammetry study of the enzyme electrode revealed that the oxidation of glucose and subsequent transfer of electrons from the oxidation of glucose to the electrode were possible by the immobilized glucose oxidase without a mediator, implying that the enzyme electrode can be utilized for the development of biofuel cells.

Some characteristics of two forms of glucoamylase (glucan 1 A-$\alpha$-glucosidase, EC 3. 2. I. 3) purified from Aspergillus coreanus NR 15-1 were investigated. The enzymes were produced on a solid, uncooked wheat bran medium of A. coreanus NR 15-1 isolated from traditional Korean Nuruk. Two forms of glucoamylase, GA-I and GA-II, were purified to homogenity after 5.8-fold and 9.6-fold purification, respectively, judged by disc- and SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The molecular mass of GA-I and GA-II were estimated to be 62 kDa and 90 kDa by Sephadex G-1OO gel filtration, and 64 kDa and 91 kDa by SDS-polyacrylarnide gel electrophoresis, respectively. The optimum temperatures of GA-I and GA-II were 60$^circ$C and 65$^circ$C, respectively, and the optimum pH was 4.0. The activation energy (Ea value) of GA-I and GA-II was 11.66 kcal/mol and 12.09 kcal/mol, respectively, and the apparent Michaelis constants (K_{m}) of GA-I and GA-II for soluble starch were found to be 3.57 mg/ml and 6.25 mg/ml, respectively. Both enzymes were activated by 1 mM Mn^{2+} and Cu^{2+}, but were completely inhibited by 1 mM N­bromosuccinimide. The GA-II was weakly inhibited by 1 mM p-CMB, dithiothreitol, EDTA, and pyridoxal 5-phosphate, but GA-I was not inhibited by those compounds. Both enzymes had significant ability to digest raw wheat starch and raw rice starch, and hydrolysis rates of raw wheat starch by GA-I and GA-II were 7.8- and 7.3-fold higher than with soluble starch, respectively.

The bacterial cellulose (BC) production by a wild­strain Acetobacter xylinum BPR2001 and that by its acetan­nonproducing mutant, EPI, were compared in a jar fermentor. EPI produced about $28\%$ less BC than the wild-strain. The apparent difference in the cultivation of the two strains was the viscosity increase in the culture broth that was closely associated with acetan production. Increasing the viscosity of the culture broth of EPI by adding agar led to the formation of relatively small and uniform BC pellets, and BC production consequently became two-fold higher than that in the absence of agar and was almost equal to that by BPR2001. Therefore, acetan has an important role in BC production by inducing physical changes in the culture broth of the wild-type strain.

We have conducted in vitro reconstitution study of ferritin from its subunits FerH and FerL. For the reconstitution, FerH was produced from an expression vector construct in Escherichia coli and was purified from a heat treated cell extract by using one-step column chromatography. FerL was expressed as inclusion bodies. The denatured form of FerL was obtained by a simple washing step of the inclusion bodies with 3 M urea. The reconstitution experiment was conducted with various molar ratios of urea-denatured FerH and FerL to make the ferritin nanoparticle with a controlled composition of FerH and FerL. SDS-PAGE analysis of the reconstituted ferritins revealed that the reconstitution required the presence of more than 40 molar$\%$ of FerH in the reconstitution mixture. The assembly of the subunits into the ferritin nanoparticle was confmned by the presence of spherical particles with diameter of 10 nm by the atomic force microscopic image. Further analysis of the particles by using a transmission electron microscope revealed that the reconstituted particles exhibited different percentages of population with dense iron core. The reconstituted ferritin nanoparticles made with molar ratios of [FerH]/[FerL]=l00/0 and 60/40 showed that 80 to $90\%$ of the particles were apoferritin, devoid of iron core. On the contrary, all the particles formed with [FerH]/[FerL]=85/ 15 were found to contain the iron core. This suggests that although FerH can uptake iron, a minor portion of FerL, not exceeding $40\%$ at most, is required to deposit iron inside the particle.

Transplantation of cultured chondrocytes can regenerate cartilage tissues in cartilage defects in humans. However, this method requires a long culture period to expand chondrocytes to a large number of cells for transplantation. In addition, chondrocytes may dedifferentiate during long-term culture. These problems can potentially be overcome by the use of undifferentiated or partially developed cartilage precursor cells derived from neonatal cartilage, which, unlike chondrocytes from adult cartilage, have the capacity for rapid in vitro cell expansion and may retain their differentiated phenotype during long-term culture. The purpose of this study was to compare the cell growth rate and phenotypic modulation during in vitro culture between adult chondrocytes and neonatal chondrocytes, and to demonstrate the feasibility of regenerating cartilage tissues in vivo by transplantation of neonatal chondrocytes expanded in vitro and seeded onto polymer scaffolds. When cultured in vitro, chondrocytes isolated from neonatal (immediately postpartum, 2 h of age) rats exhibited much higher growth rate than chondrocytes isolated from adult rats. After 5 days of culture, more neonatal chondrocytes were in the differentiated state than adult chondrocytes. Cultured neonatal chondrocytes were seeded onto biodegradable polymer scaffolds and transplanted into athymic mice's subcutaneous sites. Four weeks after implantation, neonatal chondrocyte-seeded scaffolds formed white cartilaginous tissues. Histological analysis of the implants with hematoxylin and eosin showed mature and well-formed cartilage. Alcian blue/ safranin-O staining and Masson's trichrome staining indicated the presence of highly sulfated glycosarninoglycans and collagen, respectively, both of which are the major extracellular matrices of cartilage. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that the collagen was mainly type II, the major collagen type in cartilage. These results showed that neonatal chondrocytes have potential to be a cell source for cartilage tissue engineering.

To study the effect of bifidobacteria on preventing allergy response, levels of IFN-$\gamma$, IgG2a, IL-4, and IgG1 were investigated in splenocytes isolated from ovalbumin (OVA)­sensitized allergic mice and BGN4-administered allergy­suppressed mice in the presence of various bifidobacterial strains. Most of the bifidobacteria, except 2A, increased production of Th I-associated immune markers, IFN -$\gamma$ and IgG2a. In addition, most of the bifidobacteria, except 2A and 19A, decreased production of IL-4, whereas the differences in the production of IgG1 were less pronounced. These results suggest that some strains of bifidobacteria may have the potential to prevent the occurrence of allergy by switching Th1/Th2-type antibodies and/or related cytokines.

Five dibenzylbutyrolactones were isolated from a methanol extract of Arctii fructus (Arctium lappa L.) by bioassay-guided isolation, using the interleukin-l $\beta$ converting enzyme (caspase-l, ICE) production inhibitory assay in vitro. These compounds were spectroscopically identified as lappaol E (1), lappaol A (2), matairesinol (3), arctigenin (4), and arctiin (5). Among the compounds tested, arctigenin (4) showed the strongest inhibitory activity for ICE production in IL-$\beta$-induced proliferation of D 1 OS cells. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the arctigenin suppressed the expression of ICE protein in a dose-dependent manner. To estimate the biotransformation of Arctii fructus in vivo by human intestinal bacteria, we carried out an anaerobic incubation of the Arctii fructus extract with a human fecal suspension. From the HPLC analysis of metabolites, Arctiin (IC$_{50}$=74.2$\mu$g/ml), a major component of Arctii fructus, was transformed to aglycone, arctigenin (IC$_{50}$=12.5$\mu$g/ml), by human intestinal bacteria. The ICE production inhibitory activity of Arctii fructus would be much stronger in vivo than in vitro due to the biotransformation by human intestinal bacteria.

A chitinase was purified from the culture supernatant of Paenibacillus illinoisensis KJA-424 by protein precipitation, DEAE-Sephadex anion-exchange chromatography, and Sephadex G-150 gel filtration. The molecular weight of the purified chitinase was 54 kDa on SDS-PAGE and activity staining. Optimal pH and temperature were pH 5.0 and 60$^{circ}$C, the presence of 10 ruM Ag$^{+}$ and Hg$^{2+}$ inhibited the activity by $92.1/%$ and $97.7/%$, and the K$_{m}$ and V$_{max}$ values were 1.12 mg chitin mrl and 1.48$\mu$mol GlcNAc min$^{-1}$, respectively. The enzyme hydrolyzed tetramer to dimer, pentamer to dimer and trimer, and hexamer to dimer, trimer and tetramer, indicating an endo-splitting mechanism. The chitinase had no hydrolytic activity toward dimer and trimer. The chitinase inhibited the mycelial growth of Rhizoctonia solani, suggesting an antifungal property.

We created a new graphite-Cu(II) electrode and found that the electrode could catalyze FADH$_2$ oxidation and FAD reduction coupled to electricity production and consumption, respectively. In a fuel cell with graphite-Cu(II) anode and graphite-Fe(III) cathode, the electricity was produced by coupling to the spontaneous oxidation of FADH$_2$ Fumarate and xylose were not produced from the enzymatic oxidation of succinate and xylitol without FAD, respectively, but produced with FAD. The production of fumarate and xylose in the reactor with FAD electrochemically regenerated was maximally 2- 5 times higher than that in the reactor with FAD. By using this new electrode with catalytic function, a bioelectrocatalysts can be engineered; namely, oxidoreductase (e.g., lactate dehydrogenase) and FAD can function for biotransformation without an electron mediator and second oxidoreductase for cofactors recycling.

In order to compare bacteria] community structure and diversity in activated sludges, terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) of PCR-amplified 16s rDNAs was analyzed for 31 domestic and industrial wastewater treatment plants (WTPs). Regardless of the characteristics of the wastewaters, the bacteria] community structures of activated sludges appeared diverse and complex. In particular, activated sludges in domestic WTPs contained higher bacterial diversity than those in industrial WTPs. It was also found that terminal restriction fragment (T-RF) profiles derived from domestic WTPs were very similar with each other, although activated sludges were collected from different plants at different locations. Interestingly, activated sludges of a WTP where restaurant and toilet sewages of a company were managed showed a bacterial community structure similar to that of domestic WTPs. Activated sludges in leather industria] WTPs also showed a high similarity. However, other wastewaters possessed different bacterial communities, so that overall similarity was as low as about $30\%$. Since activated sludges from WTPs for domestic wastewaters and a company sewage appeared to hold similar bacterial communities, it was necessary to confirm if similar wastewaters induce a similar bacterial community. To answer this question, analysis of T-RFs for activated sludges, taken from another 12 domestic WTPs, was conducted by using a 6­FAM$^{TM}$-Iabeled primer and an automated DNA sequencer for higher sensitivity. Among 12 samples, it was again found that T-RF profiles of activated sludges from Yongin, Sungnam, Suwon, and Tancheon domestic WTPs in Kyonggi-do were very similar with each other. On the other hand, T-RF profiles of activated sludges from Shihwa and Ansan WTPs were quite different from each other. It was thought that this deviation was caused by wastewaters, since Ansan and Shihwa WTPs receive both domestic and industrial wastewaters. From these results, it was tentatively concluded that similar bacterial communities might be developed in activated sludges, if WTPs treat similar wastewaters.

The effect of aqueous methanol on the catalytic properties of porcine pancreatic lipase has been investigated. The k$_{CAT}$, values for the hydrolysis of N$^{alpha}$-benzyloxycarbonyl-L­lysine p-nitrophenyl ester at 0$^{circ}$C increased in a linear manner with increasing methanol concentration. However, the K$_{M}$ values were not influenced at methanol concentrations lower than $30\%$ and then began to increase at higher concentrations in an exponential fashion. Based on product analysis, the increase in k$_{CAT}$, with increasing methanol concentration can be accounted for by nucleophilic competition of methanol for the acyl enzyme intermediate, indicating that the rate-limiting step of the porcine pancreatic lipase-catalyzed reaction is deacylation under current experimental conditions. The exponential increase in K$_{M}$ at methanol concentrations higher than $30\%$ is attributed to the hydrophobic partitioning effect on substrate binding. There was no loss of lipase activity over a 4 h period in $60\%$ methanol concentration at pH$^{circ}$ 5.5 and 0$^{circ}$C. By monitoring the intrinsic fluorescence and absorbance, no evidence for structural changes by methanol was observed.

Phytopathogenic Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum (Pcc) LY34 secretes multiple isozymes of the plant cell wall degrading enzyme endoglucanases. We have cloned a third cel gene encoding CMCase from Pcc LY34. The structural organization of the celC gene (AY188753) consisted of an open reading frame (ORP) of 1,116 bp encoding 371 amino acid residues with a signal peptide of 22 amino acids within the NH$_2$-terminal region of pre-CelC. The predicted amino acid sequence of CelC was similar to that of Peetobaeterium ehrysanthemi Cel8Y (AF282321). The CelC has the conserved region of the glycoside hydrolase family 8. The apparent molecular mass of CelC was calculated to be 39 kDa by CMC-SDS-PAGE. The cellulase­minus mutant of Pee LY34 was as virulent as the wild-type in pathogenicity tests on tubers of potato. The results suggest that the CelC of Pce LY34 is a minor factor for the pathogenesis of soft-rot.

A membrane-based oligonucleotide array was used to detect predominant bacterial species in human fecal samples. Digoxygenin-labeled 16S rDNA probes were generated by PCR from DNA that had been extracted from fecal samples or slurries. These probes were hybridized to an array of 120 oligonucleotides with sequences specific for 40 different bacterial species commonly found in human feces, followed by color development using an alkaline phosphatase-conjugated antibody and NBT /BCIP. Twenty of the species were detected by this method, but E. coli, which was present at $\~$1 $\times 10$^5$ CFU per gram feces, was not detected. To improve the sensitivity of this assay, reverse transcriptase-PCR was used to generate probes from RNA extracted from fecal cultures. Coupled with a chemiluminescence detection method, this approach lowered the detection limit for E. coli from $\~1$ $\times 10$^6$ to ${\leq}$ 1 $\times 10$^5$ These results indicate that the membrane-array method with reverse transcriptase-PCR and chemiluminescence detection can simultaneously identify bacterial species present in fecal samples at cell concentrations as low as${\leq}$ 1 $\times 10$^5$ CFU per gram.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) antizyme is a key regulatory protein in the control of cellular polyamines. We have isolated two distinct ODC antizyme cDNA clones (AZS and AZL) from a flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) brain cDNA library. Their sequences revealed that both clones required translational frameshifting for expression. Taking + 1 frameshifting into account, AZS and AZL products were 221 and 218 amino acid residues long, respectively, and shared $83.3\%$ amino acid sequence identity. Comparison of the structure and nucleotide sequence of the antizyme genes showed that the genes were highly conserved in flounder, zebrafish, mouse, and human. A phylogenetic tree was constructed, based on the antizyme amino acid sequences from various species. The presence of the two types of antizyme mRNA species in brain, kidney, liver, and embryo was confirmed by using the reverse transcription­polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Northern blot analysis. Recombinant proteins of flounder ODC antizymes, containing His-Nus-S tag at the amino-terminus, were overexpressed as His-AZL and His-AZS fusion proteins in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) pLys by using the pET­44a(+) expression vector.

Lactococcus lactis A164 is a nisin Z-producing strain isolated from kimchi. Its antimicrobial spectrum has been found to be active against most Gram-positive bacteria tested, yet inactive against Gram-negative bacteria [3]. Accordingly, to overcome this drawback, the current study attempted to express human $\beta$-defensin-l (hBD-l), which kills both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in L. lactis AI64. When the hBD-l cDNA was introduced using a nisin Z-controlled expression cassette, the L. lactis A164 transformants grew very poorly, due to the bactericidal effect of the expressed hBD-l against the transformants. Therefore, a gene fusion system was designed to reduce the toxicity of the expressed heterologous protein against the host cells. As such, the hBD-l gene was fused to the DsbC- Tag of pET -40b(+), then introduced to L. lactis A 164. The transformants expressed an intracellular 35.6-kDa DsbC-hBD-l fusion protein that exhibited slight activity against the host cells, yet not enough to strongly inhibit the cell growth. To obtain the recombinant hBD-l, the DsbC-hBD-l fusion protein was purified by nickel-affinity column chromatography, and the DsbC-Tag removed by cleaving with enterokinase. The cleaved mature hBD-l exhibited strong bactericidal activity against E. coli JM109, indicating that the recombinant L. lactis A 164 produced a biologically active hBD-I. In addition, the recombinant L. lactis A 164 was also found to produce the same level of nisin Z as the wild-type.

The degradation of phenanthrene, a model PAH compound, by microorganisms either in the mixed culture or individual strain, isolated from oil-contaminated soil in oil refmery vicinity sites, was examined. The effects of pH, temperature, initial concentration of phenanthrene, and the addition of carbon sources on biodegradation potential were also investigated. Results showed that soil samples collected from four oil refinery sites in Korea had different degrees of PAH contamination and different indigenous phenanthrene-degrading microorganisms. The optimal conditions for phenanthrene biodegradation were determined to be 30$^{circ}C$ and pH 7.0. A significantly positive relationship was observed between the microbial growth and the rate of phenanthrene degradation. However, the phenanthrene biodegradation capability of the mixed culture was not related to the degree of PAH contamination in soil. In low phenanthrene concentration, the growth and biodegradation rates of the mixed cultures did not increase over those of the individual strain, especially IC10. High concentration of phenanthrene inhibited the growth of microbial strains and biodegradation of phenanthrene, but was less inhibitory on the mixed culture. Finally, when non-ionic surfactants such as Brij 30 and Brij 35 were present at the level above critical micelle concentrations (CMCs), phenanthrene degradation was completely inhibited and delayed by the addition of Triton X100 and Triton N101.

A 50-kb chromosome DNA region was isolated from Streptomyces kanamyceticus by screening the fosmid genomic library, using the 16S rRNA methylase gene (kmr) as a probe. Sequence analysis of this region revealed 42 putative open reading frames (ORFs), which included biosynthetic genes such as genes responsible for 2-deoxystreptamine (2­DOS) biosynthesis as well as genes for resistance and regulatory function. Also, the kanamycin acetyltransferase gene (kac) was characterized by in vitro enzyme assay, which conferred E. coli BL21 (DE3) with 10, 50, and 80-times higher resistance to kanamycin A, tobramycin, and amikacin, respectively, than the control strain had, thus strongly indicating that the isolated gene cluster is very likely involved in kanamycin biosynthesis. This work provides a solid basis for further elucidation of the kanamycin biosynthesis pathway as well as the productivity improvement and construction of new hybrid antibiotics.

Vibrio fluvialis, an enteropathogenic bacterium, produces a phospholipase which is thought to be an important factor in the pathogenesis of disease. In this study, the phospholipase gene (vfp) was identified from V fluvialis (KCTC 2473) and its sequence was determined. The entire open reading frame was composed of 1,689 nuc1eotides and 563 amino acids. The phospholipase gene (vfp) was overexpressed in Escherichia coli as a his-tag fused protein. This recombinant protein (rVFP58) was solubilized with 6 M urea and purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. The action mode of rVFP58 was determined by TLC and GC-MS, and it showed phospholipase B activity, which had both phospholipase A and lysophospholipase activities. The rVFP58 showed a maximum activity at pH around 9- 10 and temperature of about 40OC, and it was stable under alkaline condition over pH 9. The cytotoxicity of rVFP58 was evaluated, using a fish cell line, CHSE-2l4, and was found to cause significant cell death after 14 h of exposure to 250 $\mu$g of the protein.

On the basis of high osmotic tolerance and xylitol production, a novel yeast strain was screened from soils of rice farming. The isolated strain HY200 was systematically characterized by using general approaches of Biolog Microlog$^{TM}$ and 18S rRNA sequence analyses, and consequently was designated as Candida tropicalis HY200. Under formulated culture conditions, relatively high xylitol yield ($77\%$) and productivity (2.57 g/l$\codt$h) were obtained, in practice, when 200 g/l of xylose was supplemented. In the utilization of nitrogen, inorganic compounds could not serve as nitrogen sources. As a promising phenotype, HY200 steadily flocculated during and/or after growing in the formulated medium. The extent of flocculation was partly affected by nitrogen sources. However, regardless of the kinds of carbon source fed, the flocculent cells were always observed at the end of the exponential growth phase. These observations strongly suggest that the strain HY200 could effectively be used as a potential candidate for the production of xylitol from xylose, especially in repeated batch mode, because of its flocculation ability and tolerance to high substrate concentrations.

Batch cultures were carried out to optimize the exo-polysaccharide production by liquid cultures of Pleurotus ferulae. Among the various carbon sources, when $5\%$ of glucose was used, the maximum mycelial growth and exo-polysaccharide concentration reached were 8.78 g/l and 3.59 g/l, respectively. Yeast extract and polypeptone were identified as the most suitable nitrogen sources. In particular, when a mixture of $1\%$ of polypeptone and $0.8\%$ of yeast extract was used, 9.52 g/l of mycelial growth and 4.09 g/l of exo-polysaccharide were obtained. In the case of mineral sources, K$_2$HPO$_4$ and MgSO$_4$$\codt$7H$_2$0 were found to be the best mineral sources for mycelial growth and exo-polysaccharide production. Under the optimized culture conditions, the agitation speed and aeration were investigated for mycelial growth and exo­polysaccharide production in a jar fermentor. The maximum mycelial growth and exo-polysaccharide concentration at 1.5 vvm and 200 rpm obtained were 13.2 g/l and 4.95 g/l, respectively, after 10 days of culture, which were $76\%$ and $79\%$ higher than those of the basal medium. The specific growth rate was decreased with the increase of mycelial growth. However, the specific production rate of the exo-polysaccharide was proportionally increased with the specific growth rate. The proposed model profiles showed good agreement with the experimental results for the mycelial growth and exo-polysaccharide production. The specific production rate using the optimized medium was higher than that of basal medium.

Alcaligenes sp. JMP228 carrying 2,4­dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) degradative plasmid pJP4 was inoculated into natural soil, and transfer of the plasmid pJP4 to indigenous soil bacteria was investigated with and without 2,4-D amendment. Plasmid pJP4 transfer was enhanced in the soils treated with 2,4-D, compared to the soils not amended with 2,4-D. Several different transconjugants were isolated from the soils treated with 2,4-D, while no indigenous transconjugants were obtained from the unamended soils. Inoculation of the soils with both the donor Alcaligenes sp. JMP228/pJP4 and a recipient Burkholderia cepacia DBO 1 produced less diverse transconjugants than the soils inoculated with the donor alone. Repetitive extragenic palindromic-polymerase chain reaction (REP-PCR) analysis of the transconjugants exhibited seven distinct genomic DNA fingerprints. Analysis of 16S rDNA sequences indicated that the transconjugants were related to members of the genera Burkholderia and Pandoraea. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes revealed that inoculation of the donor caused clear changes in the bacterial community structure of the 2,4-D­amended soils. The new 16S rRNA gene bands in the DGGE profile corresponded with the 16S rRNA genes of 2,4-D­degrading transconjugants isolated from the soil. The results indicate that introduction of the 2,4-D degradative plasmid as Alcaligenes sp. JMP228/pJP4 has a substantial impact on the bacterial community structure in the 2,4-D-amended soil.

Four new antibiotic peptaibols, named neoatroviridins A (1), B (2), C (3), and D (4), have been isolated from the culture broth of Trichoderma atroviride. Their amino acid sequences were determined mainly by mass spectrometry in combination with NMR studies. The absolute stereochemistry of neoatroviridins was established as L by GC analysis of their acid hydrolysates with derivatization, except for isovaline which was in D. Neoatroviridins, composed of 18 amino acid residues, showed significant membrane-perturbing activity responsible for their antibiotic action, which was comparable to that of alamethicin, a well-known 20-residue peptaibol.

In order to investigate the distribution of dominant Bifidobacterium species in intestinal microflora of Korean adults and seniors, SDS-PAGE profiles of whole cell proteins were used for the identification of bifidobacteria. To confirm the reliability of SDS-PAGE, the Bifidobacterium species identified by SDS-PAGE of whole cell proteins were validated by using 16S rDNA sequencing analysis. The results of SDS­PAGE corresponded well with those determined by the analysis of 16S rDNA sequencing. Based on the analysis of SDS-PAGE patterns on unidentified fecal strains which showed positive in fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase activity, B. adolescentis, B. longum, and B. bifidum were identified in the feces of adults, and B. adolescentis, B. longum, B. bifidum, B. breve, and B. dentium were identified in those of seniors. In most of the fecal samples tested, the predominant Bifidobacterium species consisted of only a few species, and differences in the distribution and numbers of Bifidobacterium species were observed between adults and seniors. B. adolescentis and B. longum were found to be the most common species in feces of adults, but not in seniors. Accordingly, the distribution and abundance of bifidobacteria in the human intestinal microflora varied depending on the age of hosts.

Biologically active recombinant human follicle stimulating hormone (rhFSH) was produced in Chinese hamster ovary cells and purified by a series of chromatographic steps. The chromatographic steps included anion-exchange chromatography (DEAE Sepharose F/F, Q Sepharose F/F), hydrophobic interaction chromatography (Source 15 PHE), and hydroxyapatite chromatography (Macro-Prep ceramic hydroxyapatite type I). A distinctive step of the purification process developed was the use of ZnCl$_2$ for the removal of non-glycosylated or lowly-glycosylated FSH and impurities through co-precipitation with Zn$^{2+}$. Purified rhFSH was identified and characterized by several physicochemical and biological methods such as gel electrophoresis, high-performance liquid chromatography, amino acid analysis, carbohydrate analysis, and biological activity. The overall yield of the purification was ~$30\%$. The rhFSH preparation obtained showed high purity (>$99\%$) and high in vivo potency (>16,000 IU/mg). Carbohydrate analysis suggested that the purified rhFSH contained approximately $40\%$ (w/w) carbohydrate with di­or tri-antennary structure on average, which is somewhat more heavily sialylated than commercially available rhFSH. In conclusion, the results of these analyses established an identity of the purified rhFSH with natural FSH from human pituitary glands, and furthermore, the purified rhFSH preparation showed higher in vivo potency and was slightly more heavily sialylated than commercially available rhFSH.

The relationship between plasmid (~9.5 kb) and pediocin PA-1 in P. acidilactici K10 was confirmed by plasmid curing. The pediocin operon of P. acidilactici K10 was amplified by PCR (polymerase chain reaction), and the nucleotide sequence was analyzed. The sequence of the pediocin operon of P. acidilactici K10 was similar to those of P. acidilactici strains producing pediocin PA-1/ AcH. For the expression of pediocin PA-1 in E. coli, a pQEPED (pQE-30 Xa::mature pedA) was constructed. His-tagged recombinant pediocin PA-1 (-6.5 kDa) was translated by cell-free in vitro transcription and translation using pQEPED as a DNA template. Theresult of slot blotting assay showed that transcription of recombinant pedA in E. coli M15 was induced by the addition of isopropyl-$\beta$-D-thiogalactopyranoside (IPTG) at the final concentration of 1 mM. Although the recombinant pediocin PA-1 inhibited the growth of E. coli, it was expressed in the host strain and purified by nickel-nitrilotriacetic acid (Ni-NTA) metal-affinity chromatography under denaturing condition. This is the first report for the production and one-step purification of biologically active recombinant pediocin PA-1 in E. coli.

In order to investigate factors affecting the denitrification in the F-STEP PROCESS using a loess ball as support media and Pseudomonas DWC 17-8, calcining temperature, loess ball size, pH, nitrate concentration, working temperature, and inhibitor were studied in batch mode using synthetic sludge. A 5- 10 mm of loess ball (960$^{circ}$ of calcining temperature) was the most suitable for denitrification. When the initial pH was increased from 3.0 to 7.0, the removal efficiency of nitrate was increased. Specifically, at initial pH of 7.0, the maximum removal efficiency of nitrate was 5.0 mg/min. When the initial concentration of nitrate was increased from 100 to 400 mg/l, the removal efficiency of nitrate was proportional to the concentration of nitrate. The maximum removal efficiency of nitrate was 5.72 mg/min at 400 mg/l of initial concentration. When the operating temperature was increased from 10 to 30$^{circ}$, the removal efficiency of nitrate was increased from 0.76 to 6.15 mg/min, and at above 40$^{circ}$ of operating temperature, it was decreased from 4.0 to 2.0 mg/min. Among the various inhibitors, higher than 10$^{-1}$ M of sodium azide abolished this reaction completely. When the KCN concentration was above 10$^{-1}$ M, the reaction was inhibited completely. In the case of 2,4-dinitrophenol and sodium sulphide, it was inhibited at above 10$^{-2}$ M completely. For testing the various flow orders of the F-STEP PROCESS for effective denitrification using practical wastewater, continuous experiments under the optimum conditions were carried out for 60 days. Among the various processes, the PROCESS A gave the highest efficiencies of denitrification, nitrification, and total nitrogen (TN) removal with 86.5, 89.5, and $90\%$, respectively. For scale-up in the PROCESS A, real farm wastewater was used and pilot tests carried out for 90 days. The denitrification efficiency was $97.5\%$, which was increased by $12.7\%$. The efficiencies of TN removal and nitrification were 96.6 and $70.0\%$, respectively. The removal efficiency of chemical oxygen demand (COD) was $63.7\%$, which was increased by $20\%$.

Effect of antibiotics belonging to three different groups, including third generation cephalosporins, aminoglycosides, and quinolones, on the outer membrane protein (OMP) profile of Klebsiella pneumoniae was examined. It was found that a new OMP (porins) of 40 kDa molecular mass was expressed in Klebsiella pneumoniae, when grown in the presence of ceftazidime, whereas new proteins with 30 kDa and 22 kDa masses were detected in the presence of ofloxacin. The immunoblot analysis showed that the new proteins of 40 kDa and 30 kDa molecular masses were expressed on the outer envelope, when being exposed to antibiotics ceftazidime and ofloxacin, respectively. This finding is important, as the outer surface comes in contact with the immune system, and therefore may have a bearing on the outcome of the disease.

The steam distillate obtained from Thujopsis dolabrata var. hondai sawdust was fractionated by centrifugal thin-film evaporation, and the fractions were then investigated for antiplatelet activity using washed rabbit platelets. The biologically active constituent of T. dolabrata var. hondai sawdust was isolated by silica gel column and HPLC chromatographies and characterized as carvacrol by various spectral analyses. Carvacrol inhibited platelet aggregation induced by collagen, arachidonic acid, and platelet activating factor with IC$_{50}$ values of 12.6, 2.5, and 385.3 $\mu$M, respectively. However, carvacrol had no effect on thrombin, calcium ionophore A23l87, or phorbol l2-myristate l3-acetate induced platelet aggregation. Carvacrol was a much more potent inhibitor, as antiplatelet agents, compared with aspirin. These results suggest that carvacrol isolated from T. dolabrata var. hondai sawdust may be useful as a lead compound for inhibiting arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation.

A bacteriocin-producing lactic acid bacterium with inhibitory activity against the growth of Lactobacillus plantarum was isolated from kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented vegetable. For the identification of the isolate, its 16S rDNA was sequenced. As a result, the sequence showed $99\%$ homology with those from Lactobacillus paraplantarum, Lb. plantarum, and Lactobacillus pentosus. For further identification of the isolate, the sequence of its 16S/23S rDNA spacer region was determined, and the sequence matched perfectly with that of Lb. paraplantarum. SDS­PAGE fingerprinting of whole-cell proteins of the isolate was almost identical with that of Lb. paraplantarum. The isolation and identification of Lb. paraplantarum suggest that Lb. paraplantarum is one of the lactic acid bacteria involved in kimchi fermentation.

During the screening for the inhibitors of cellulose biosynthesis as herbicides, we discovered a Streptomyces sp. A6497 with a selective antifungal activity against cellulose containing Phytophthora parasitica, but not against cellulose lacking Candida albicans. The inhibitor was isolated and identified, using a series of chromatographies. Based on structure analyses with UV spectrophotometry, mass and various NMR, the inhibitor was identified as sangivamycin. The compound exhibited strong antifungal activities against P. parasitica (MIC; 3.125 $\mu$g/ml). In particular, it showed strong herbicidal activities against various weeds in the greenhouse experiment. Taken together, these results suggest that sangivamycin is a useful lead compound for the development of new herbicides.

A mediator-less microbial fuel cell (MFC) was used to determine the performance effects of a membrane­electrode assembly (MEA). The MFC with an MEA generated a higher current with an increased coulomb yield when compared to an MFC with a separate cathode. Less oxygen was diffused through an MEA than through a Nafion membrane. The MFC performance was improved with a buffer, although a high-strength buffer reduced the performance.

Fungicidal activities of Cassia obtusifolia extracts and their active principles were tested against Botrytis cinerea, Erysiphe graminis, Phytophthora infestans, Puccinia recondita, Pyricularia grisea, and Rhizoctonia solani, and compared with synthetic fungicides and two dihydroxyanthraquinones. At 1 g/l, the chloroform fraction of C. obtusifolia extracts showed fungicidal activity against B. cinerea, E. graminis, P. infestans, and Py. grisea, and the ethyl acetate fraction showed fungicidal activity against E. graminis and P. infestans. Danthrone was chromatographically isolated from the chloroform fraction and showed fungicidal activity against B. cinerea, E. graminis, P. infestans, and Py. grisea with 68, 100, 78, and $91\%$ control values at 0.5 g/l, respectively. Specifically, alizarin and quinizarin inhibited E. graminis, P. infestans, and Py. Grisea, but did not inhibit the growth of P. recondita and R. solani. These results indicate at least one of the fungicidal actions of danthrone.

Aspergillus niger inuE gene and Kluyveromyces marxianus INUI gene coding for exoinulinase were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under the control of K. marxianus INUI promoter. Recombinant S. cerevisiae expressing K. marxianus exoinulinase produced maximum 85 U/ml into culture medium, which was 9- to 14-fold higher than the activity produced by any other strain reported so far. In addition, K. marxianus INUI promoter produced 20- fold higher activity than S. cerevisiae glyceraldehydes phosphate dehydrogenase (GPD) promoter in S. cerevisiae.

Introduction of foreign genes into brain cells, such as neurons and astrocytes, is a powerful approach to study the gene function and regulation in the neuroscience field. Calcium phosphate precipitates have been shown to cause cytotoxicity in some mammalian cells and brain cells, thus leading to low transfection efficiency. Here, we describe a retrovirus-mediated gene delivery method to transduce foreign genes into brain cells. In an attempt to achieve higher gene delivery efficiency in these cells, we made several changes to the original method, including (1) use of a new packaging cell line, Phoenix ampho cells, (2) transfection of pMX retroviral DNA, (3) inclusion of 25 mM chloroquine in the transduction, and (4) 3- 5 h incubation of retroviruses with target cells. The results showed that the modified protocol resulted in a range of 40- 60% gene delivery efficiency in neurons and astrocytes. Furthermore, these results suggest the potential of the retrovirus-mediated gene delivery protocol being modified and adapted for other transfection-refractory cell lines and primary cells.