• KSBB Journal
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.537-542
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• 2002

To screening of antimicrobial activity, 95% ethanol and hot water extracts of roots, fruits, leaves, radix and stems of 50 species of traditional herbal medicines were examined. For their growth inhibitory effects on two food-born microorganisms, S. aureus and E. coli O157:H7, by the paper disc diffusion method and the minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC) test. Moutan radicis Cortex and Achyranthis Radix showed the highest inhibitory activities on both S. aureus and E. coli O157:H7. The Inhibition zones of Moutan radicis Cortex on S. aureus and E. coii O157:H7 were 22 mm and 24 mm respectively, and the corresponding inhibition zone of Achyranthis Radix were 23 mm and 22 mm. The MIC or Achyranthis Radix on S. aureus was 156.25 $\mu$g/mL, and the MIC or Achyranthis Radix and Moutan radicis Cortexas on E. coli O157:H7 were 625 $\mu$g/mL and 312.5 $\mu$g/mL, respectively. Their antimicrobial activities in ethanolic extracts were significantly higher than in hot water extracts. In the various solvent fractions prepared from ethanol extract, the ethyl acetate fraction of Achyranthis Radix and the CHCl$_3$ fraction of Moutan radicis Cortexas showed strongest activity.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.495-501
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• 2011

Bacterial strains were isolated from forest soils of Halla mountain, Jeju island in Korea. The soil samples were collected at each altitude of 100m from 1,000 m above sea level. Total 398 strains were isolated and tested for their physiological characteristics of antagonistic and proteolytic activities, and auxin production. Among the isolates, 172 strains were selected as antifungal strains showing antagonistic activity against at least one of 8 plant fungal pathogens (Alternaria alternata, Botrytis cinerea, Collectotrichum acutatum, Fusarium oxysporum, Phytophthora capsici, Pythium ultimum and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum). In addition 203 strains for proteolytic activity and 26 strains for auxin production were characterized for further study. Je28-4 (Rhodococcus sp.) were showed 80% of control value against tomato gray mold in vivo. Thus, it is suggested that soil bacteria isolated from forest soils of Halla mountain can be important sources of bioactive compounds for improving plant growth or promising biocontrol agents.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.335-339
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• 2010

A diesel-degrading bacterium, Gordonia sp. SD8, was isolated from soil contaminated with petroleum, and its diesel degradation was characterized in a soil as well as a liquid culture system. SD8 could grow in the mineral salt medium supplemented with diesel as a sole carbon and energy source. The maximum specific growth rate ($0.67{\pm}0.05\;d^{-1}$) and diesel degradation rate ($1,727{\pm}145$ mg-TPH $L^{-1}\;d^{-1}$) of SD8 showed at 20,000 mg-TPH $L^{-1}$ and $30^{\circ}C$, and then this bacterium could degrade high strength of diesel of 40,000 mg-TPH $L^{-1}$. The residual diesel concentration in the inoculated soil with SD8 was 3,724 mg-TPH kg-dry $soil^{-1}$ after 17 days, whereas the diesel concentration in the non-inoculated soil was $8,150{\pm}755$ mg-TPH kg-dry $soil^{-1}$. These results indicate that Gordonia sp. SD8 can serve as a promising microbial resource for the bioremediaion of contaminated soil with petroleum hydrocarbons including diesel.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.164-170
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• 2007

The concept of innate immunity in insects which refers to the first line of host defense constitutes the humoral and cellular components which are involved in recognition and actively participate in the elimination of the intruding foreign micro- or macro-organisms. Several recent studies suggest that juvenile hormone (JH) modulates the cellular immune reactions in response to pathogen. In this study, pyriproxyfen (a JH agonist as an insect growth regulator) was tested in its any inhibitory effect on the immune reactions of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua. To this end, five different hemocyte morphotypes of final instar S. exigua were identified by phase contrast microscopy. Plasmatocytes and granular cells, which constitute about 90% of the total hemocyte count, were prominently distinguished based on their basophilic/acidophilic nature using Giemsa stain. The role of pyriproxyfen on the functional ability of hemocytes was analyzed using FITC-labeled Providencia vermicola for the phagocytic potential of the hemocytes. Both granular cells and plasmatocytes exhibited phagocytosis behavior. Pyriproxyfen significantly inhibited the phagocytosis of both cell types, proposing its novel action as an immunosuppressant.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 1998

The bialaphos is a potent inhibitor of glutamine synthease in higher plants and is used as a non-selective herbicide. We have used the bialaphos resistant gene(Bar) encoding for an acetyltransferase isolated from Streptomyces hygroscopicus SF1293. Callus derived from mature seeds of rice(Oryza sativa L. cv. Dong Jin) were co-cultivated with Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA101 carring a plasmid pGPTV-HB containing genes for hygromycin resistance (HygR) and Bar. Transgenic plants showing in vitro resistance to 50 mg/L hygromycin and 10 mg/L bialaphos were obtained by using a two-step selection/regeneration procedure. Transformation efficiency of rice was about 30% which was as high as reported in other dicotyledons. Progenies ($\textrm{T}_{1}$ generation) derived from primary transformant of 17 lines were segregated with a 3 resistant : 1 sensitive ratio in medium containing hygromycin and bialaphos. Stable integration of Bar gene into chromosomal DNA was proven by Southern blot analysis of genomic DNA isolated from $\textrm{T}_{2}$ progenies. Transgenic plants ($\textrm{T}_{3}$) grown in the field were resistant to bialaphos (Basta) at a dosage lethal to wild type plants.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.265-274
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• 2016

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are ubiquitous genetic modules that are evolutionally conserved in bacteria and archaea. TA systems composed of an intracellular toxin and its antidote (antitoxin) are currently classified into five types. Commonly, activation of toxins under stress conditions inhibits diverse cellular processes and consequently induces cell death or reversible growth inhibition. These effects of toxins play various physiological roles in such as regulation of gene expression, growth control (stress response), programmed cell arrest, persister cells, programmed cell death, phage protection, stabilization of mobile genetic elements or postsegregational killing of plasmid-free cells. Accordingly, bacterial TA systems are commonly considered as stress-responsive genetic modules. However, molecule screening for activation of toxin in TA system is available as development of antimicrobial agents. In addition, cytotoxic effect induced by toxin is used as effective cloning method with antitoxic effect of antitoxin; consequently cells containing cloning vector inserted a target gene can survive and false-positive transformants are removed. Also, TA system is applicable to efficient single protein production in biotechnology industry because toxins that are site-specific ribonuclease inhibit protein synthesis except for target protein. Furthermore, some TA systems that induce apoptosis in eukaryotic cells such as cancer cells or virus-infected cells would have a wide range of applications in eukaryotes, and it will lead to new ways of treating human disease. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on bacterial TA systems and their applications.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.36 no.2 s.103
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• pp.108-116
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• 2003

To investigate bacteria with algal Iytic activities against Anabaena cylindrica when water blooming occurs and to study enzyme profiles of alga-Iytic bacteria, various bacterial strains were isolated from surface waters and sediments in eutrophic lakes or reservoirs in Korea. Abacterial strain AK-07 was characterized and identified as Acinetobacter johnsonii based on its16S rDNA base sequence. When AK-07 was co-cultivated with A. cylindrica, bacterial cells propagated to $8\;{\times}\;10^8$ cfu $ml^{-1}$ and Iyses algal cells. However, culture filtrates of AK-07 did not exhibit algal Iytic activities. That suggesting the enzymes on the surfaces of the bacterium might be effective algal Iytic agents to cause Iyses of cells. Acinetobacter johnsonii AK-07 exhibited high degradation activities against A. cylindrica, and formed alginase, caseinase, lipase, fucodian hydrolase, and laminarinase. Moreover, glycosidases for example ${\beta}$-galatosidase, ${\beta}$-glucosidase, ${\beta}$-glucosaminidase, and ${\beta}$-xylosidase, which hydrolyzed ${\beta}$-0-glycosidic bonds, were found in cell-free extracts of A. johnsonii AK-07. Other glycosidase such as ${\alpha}$-galctosidases, ${\alpha}$-N-Ac-galctosidases, ${\alpha}$-mannosidases, and ${\alpha}$- L-fuco-sidases, which cleavage ${\alpha}$-0-glycosidic bondsare not detected. In the results, enzyme systemsof A. johnsonii AK-07 were very complex to do-grade cell walls of cyanobacteria. The polysaccharides or peptidoglycans of A. cylindrica maybe hydrolyzed and metabolized to a range of easily utilizable monosaccharides or other low molecular weight organic substances by strain AK-07 of A. johnsonii.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.396-401
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• 2000

The effect of gamma-irradiation on quality changes of Samjang, Korean traditional seasoned soy paste, was studied. Samjang was prepared, irradiated at 0, 2.5, 5, 10 kGy, and then stored at $25^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$, respectively. Non-irradiated control, sample 2%- ethanol added and sample heated at $80^{\circ}C$ for 30 min were prepared with the same conditions to be compared. The results showed that yeasts were completely eliminated by gamma-irradiation with dose at 2.5 kGy or more, and total bacteria decreased by 5 log cycles with doses at 10 kGy, showing a significant decrease during storage. The gamma irradiation treatment showed repressive effect on the swelling by gas production and browning formation of Samjang during storage. Also, the indicators of enzyme activity, such as amino nitrogen, protease activity and pH change in the gamma irradiation treatment were more stable than control. The sensory evaluations showed that irradiated samples were more acceptable. Therefore, it was considered that gamma irradiation was effective for processing Samjang and for maintaining better quality during subsequent storage.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2019

An auxin-producing bacterium Yangsong-1 was isolated from a button mushroom bed in Chung cheongnam-do. The strain Yangsong-1 was classified as a novel strain of Arthrobacter enclensis based on a chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analysis. The isolated A. enclensis Yangsong-1 was confirmed to produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), which is one of the auxin hormones. When the concentration of IAA was assessed by HPLC quantity analysis, the maximum concentration of IAA, $152.903mg\;L^{-1}$, was detected from the culture broth incubated in R2A medium containing 0.2% L-tryptophan for 48 h at $35^{\circ}C$. A negative relationship between IAA production and pH was estimated to show that the increase in IAA caused pH acidification of the culture. The effect of the supplement on L-tryptophan, a known precursor of IAA production, appeared to be at maximal production at 0.2% concentration and was rather reduced at concentration above 0.4%. To investigate the growth-promoting effects on the crops, the culture broth of A. enclensis Yangsong-1 was placed in water cultures and seed pots of mung beans and lettuce. In consequence, the adventitious root induction and root growth of mung beans and lettuce were 1.5 and 1.9 times higher, respectively, than those of the control.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.343-353
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• 2018

Our previous research demonstrated the essential role of the xenB gene in stress response to RDX by using Pseudomonas sp. HK-6 xenB knockout. We have extended this work to examine the cellular responses and altered proteomic profiles of the HK-6 xenA knockout mutant under RDX stress. The xenA mutant degraded RDX about 2-fold more slowly and its growth and survival rates were several-fold lower than the wild-type HK-6 strain. SEM revealed more severe morphological damages on the surface of the xenA mutant cells under RDX stress. The wild-type cells expressed proportionally-increased two stress shock proteins, DnaK and GroEL from the initial incubation time point or the relatively low RDX concentrations, but slightly less expressed at prolonged incubation period or higher RDX. However the xenA mutant did not produced DnaK and GroEL as RDX concentrations were gradually increased. The wild-type cells well maintained transcription levels of dnaA and groEL under increased RDX stress while those in the xenA mutant were decreased and eventually disappeared. The altered proteome profiles of xenA mutant cells under RDX stress also observed so that the 27 down-regulated plus the 3 up-regulated expression proteins were detected in 2-DE PAGE. These all results indicated that the intact xenA gene is necessary for maintaining cell integrity under the xenobiotic stress as well as performing an efficient RDX degradation process.