• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.414-419
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• 2018

Escherichia coli O157:H7 is one of the most common foodborne pathogens responsible for outbreaks of hemorrhagic colitis, which can lead to the life-threatening hemolytic-uremic syndrome. In this study, we identified phytochemicals that specifically inhibit the expression of LEE operon in E. coli O157:H7. Among phytochemicals, diosmin decreased the adherence of E. coli O157:H7 towards Caco-2 cells in vitro (p<0.01) and its biofilm formation activity (p<0.05). Quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that the transcripts of Ler-regulated genes and genes related to curli production were significantly reduced in the presence of diosmin. However, diosmin does not affect bacterial viability, indicating that the resistance rate to diosmin was remarkably low. Overall, these results provide significant insights into the development of a novel anti-infective agent that is different from conventional antibiotics.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.40-43
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• 2015

Bacterial pustule of soybean is caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. glycines, one of the most important diseases in soybean. The symptom of bacterial pustule is mainly distributed around leaf veins. However, the reason has not been known. In order to determine pathosystem of bacterial pustule in leaf, soybean leaves were collected and observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and light microscopy. Many hairs were observed at abaxial sides of the leaf, few hairs were observed at tissue around the leaf veins. In addition, unidentified bacterial cells and dusts at the no hair part near veins were observed. In the inoculation assays, the cells of X. axonopodis pv. glycines were observed near leaf veins. The imprint of underside of soybean leaves inoculated with X.axonopodis pv. glycines on PDA showed that the growth of bacteria around veins was observed but no bacterial growth at the part with leaf hairs. Our data demonstrated that soybean leaf hairs play an important role as a physical barrier for structural resistance of soybean against bacterial pustule pathogen.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1237-1242
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• 2012

The use of biological-activated carbon (BAC) processes in water treatment involves biofiltration, which maximizes the bacteria's capabilities to remove organic matter. In this study, the distribution of the bacterial community was assessed in response to different types of BAC processes applied downstream in the Nakdong River. The bacterial biomass and activity were $1.20{\sim}34.0{\times}10^7$ CFU/g and 0.61~1.10 mg-C/$m^3{\cdot}hr$ in coal-based BAC, respectively. The attachment of the bacterial biomass and the removal efficiency of the organic carbon were greatest with the coal-based activated carbon. The bacteria attached to each activated carbon material were detected in the order of Pseudomonas genus, Chryseomonas genus, Flavobacterium genus, Alcaligenes genus, Acinetobacter genus, and Spingomona genus. Pseudomonas cepacia was the dominant species in the coal-based materials, and Chryseomonas luteola was the dominant species in the wood-based material.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.184-191
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• 2007

Coal-, coconut- and wood-based activated carbons and anthracite were tested for an adsorption and biodegradation performances of nitrogenous chlorinated by-products such as chloropicrin, DCAN, DBAN and TCAN. In early stage of operations, an adsorption performance was a main mechanism for removal of nitrogenous chlorinated by-products, however as increasing populations of attached bacteria, the bacteria played a major role in removing nitrogenous chlorinated by-products in the activated carbon and anthracite biofilter. It was also investigated that the compounds were readily subjected to biodegrade. Whilst the coal- and coconut-based activated carbons were found most effective in adsorption of the compounds, the anthracite was worst in adsorption of the compounds. Highest populations and activity of attached bacteria were shown in the coal-based activated carbon. The populations and activity of attached bacteria decreased in the order: coconut-based activated carbon > wood-based activated carbon > anthracite. The attached bacteria were inhibited for removal of the compounds at temperatures below $10^{\circ}C$. The attached bacteria were more active at higher water temperatures$(20^{\circ}C\;<)$ but less active at love. water temperature$(10^{\circ}C\;>)$. The removal efficiencies of the compounds obtained using coal-, coconut- and wood-based activated carbons and anthracite were directly related to the water temperatures. In particular, water temperature was the most important factor for removal of the compounds in the anthracite biofilter because the removal of the compounds depended mainly on biodegradation. Therefore, the main removal mechanism of the compounds the main mechanism on the removal of the compounds using activated carbon was both adsorption and biodegradation by the attached bacteria. The observation suggests that using coal-based activated carbon is the best for removal of nitrogenous chlorinated by-products in the water treatment.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.83-91
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• 2012

Quorum sensing (QS) is a cell-to-cell communication system, which is used by many bacteria to regulate diverse gene expression in response to changes in population density. Bacteria recognize the differences in cell density by sensing the concentration of signal molecules such as N-acyl-homoserine lactones (AHL) and autoinducer-2 (AI-2). In particular, QS plays a key role in biofilm formation, which is a specific bacterial group behavior. Biofilms are dense aggregates of packed microbial communities that grow on surfaces, and are embedded in a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). QS regulates biofilm dispersal as well as the production of EPS. In some bacteria, biofilm formations are regulated by c-di-GMP-mediated signaling as well as QS, thus the two signaling systems are mutually connected. Biofilms are one of the major virulence factors in pathogenic bacteria. In addition, they cause numerous problems in industrial fields, such as the biofouling of pipes, tanks and membrane bioreactors (MBR). Therefore, the interference of QS, referred to as quorum quenching (QQ) has received a great deal of attention. To inhibit biofilm formation, several strategies to disrupt bacterial QS have been reported, and many enzymes which can degrade or modify the signal molecule AHL have been studied. QQ enzymes, such as AHL-lactonase, AHL-acylase, and oxidoreductases may offer great potential for the effective control of biofilm formation and membrane biofouling in the future. This review describes the process of bacterial QS, biofilm formation, and the close relationship between them. Finally, QQ enzymes and their applications for the reduction of biofouling are also discussed.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2009

A nutrient-concentrating system was operated to retrieve total phosphorus efficiently from a non-point pollution source. Attached bacteria were expected to play an important role in the system. Phosphorous was concentrated by formation of bacterial biofilms on rubberized coconut fiber media of the system. While concentration of total phosphorus (TP) ranged merely 0.12~0.35 mg/L in the stream water, TP levels in pore water and the media were 0.45~0.86 mg/L and 40.91~242.71 mg/kg, respectively. Total bacterial number (TBN) ranged $0.3\sim2.3\times10^6$ cells/ml in stream water, $0.4\sim4.4\times10^6$ cells/ml in pore water and $0.8\sim1.9\times10^9$ cells/g in media. There was a close correlation between TP and TBN. Based on band profiles in DGGE analyses, bacterial communities in the media were different from that in the stream water. Clostridium spp. were abundant in the stream water while Aquabacterium spp. were dominant species in early stages of biofilm formation in the media. The genera predominant in matured biofilms of the media were Clostridium and Enterococcus.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.226-236
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• 2012

In the present work, the influence of prebiotic fructooligosaccharide (FOS) on adhesion to Caco-2 cells, viability, acid and bile tolerance, antibacterial, antioxidant, enzymatic, and metabolic activities of the probiotic starters Lactobacillus acidophilus GK20 and Lactobacillus paracasei GK74, has been explored. Experiments were conducted with fermented yoghurt over a period of 7 days at $4^{\circ}C$. When compared to control fermentations without prebiotic, the addition of FOS was seen to significantly (p<0.05) increase the viable cell counts of the probiotics, overall viscosity, and concurrently reduce the pH of the fermented yoghurts. Both Escherichia coli ATCC 11229 and Salmonella enteritidis ATCC 13076 were inhibited by the probiotics' antibacterial activities, while the synbiotic yoghurt containing mixed probiotics and FOS was noted to highly improve antagonistic action. When fermented with mixed starters, the addition of FOS (1.0%) resulted in the highest proteolytic ($1.06{\pm}0.06$ unit) and ${\beta}$-galactosidase activities ($20.14{\pm}0.31$ unit). However, FOS did not affect acid and bile tolerance, adhesion to Caco-2 cells or the antioxidant activity of the probiotics, although both L. acidophilus GK20 and L. paracasei GK74 had functionality as probiotic strains. Hence, a significant synbiotic effect was observed in fermented yoghurt after 7 days of storage at $4^{\circ}C$, and as a result, such synbiotic yoghurt can be said to possess synergistic actions which improve the gastrointestinal environment and promote of health.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.49-55
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• 2004

A soil enrichment LYF-1 culture from a contaminated site, which could reductively dechlorinate 900 $\mu$M (ca. 150 mg/L) of tetrachloroethylene (PCE) stoichimetrically into cis-1,2-dichloroethylene (cis-DCE), was established and characterized. The enrichment culture can use yeast extract, peptone, formate, acetate, lactate, pyruvate, citrate, succinate, glucose, sucrose, and ethanol as electron donors for dechlorination of PCE. Addition of NO$_2$$^{[-10]}$ and NO$_3$$^{[-10]}$ as alternative electron acceptors showed complete inhibition of PCE dechlorination, but S$_2$O$_3$$^{-2}$ , SO$_3$$^{-2}$ and SO$_4$$^{-2}$ had no significant effect on PCE dechlorination. The enrichment culture was attached to ceramic media in an anaerobic fixed-bed reactor. The fixed-bed reactor showed more than 99％ of PCE degradation in the range of PCE loading rate of 0.13-0.78 $\mu$moles/L/hr. The major end product of PCE dechlorination was cis-DCE.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.927-938
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• 2000

When microorganism is injected into porous medium such as soils along with appropriate substrate and nutrients, biomass retained in the soil pore. Soil pore size and shape are varied from the initial condition as a result of biofilm formation, which make hydraulic conductivity reduced. In this research, hydraulic conductivity reduction was measured after microorganism are inoculated and cultured with synthetic substrates and nutrients. Biomass-soil mixture was evaluated its applicability to the field condition as an alternative liner material in landfill by measuring hydraulic conductivity change after repetitive freeze-thaw cycles. Resistance of biofilm to chemical solution and degree of biodegradation were measured through column test.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.348-353
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• 1993

The optimal conditions for operating a moving-aeration bioreactor were determined as 30rpm and 150 (ml/min) of air flow rate, which can yield ca. 7.3 (l/h)of maximum mass transfer coefficient. It was also found that the agitation speed played much much important role than air input rate in oxgen transfer into the medium. $2.6{\times}10^6$ (cells/ml) and 0.6 (ml/l) of maximum cell denisty and IL-2 production were observed in batch cultivation of IL-2 producing BHK cell line. 0.53 (mM/l/h) of oxygen uptake rate was also estimated. The performance of a moving-aeration bioreactor (specific growth rate and oxygen uptake rate, etc.) was superior to other culture systems, such as cell-life and static membrane aeration bioreactors. Ii must be useful to apply this reactor to many culture processes by improving structural limitations in scaling-up the system.