• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.154-161
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• 1998

To investigate whether the introduced genetic marker is useful to detect the survivalship and activity of the natural bacteria under the stressed conditions, one Gram-negative isolate, KP964 was transformed to the luminous phenotype by transferring luxAB gene. Under the starvation-stress this luminous bacterial culturability (determined by colony-forming-units [CFU] on agar plate) decreased rapidly below the detection limit by 37 days, while its total cell number (determined by AODC) remained almost the same as its initial inocular size. At that time period, the viable cell number was estimated to be 1400 times higher than its CFU number. The bioiuminescence (determined by relative light units [RLU]) produced under the same condition was also monitored and found to decrease more rapidly than the culturability by 5-fold. Under the other stresses, e.g., osmotic shocks, acid shock, and exposure to toxic chemicals, this bacterial strain did not show the reliable correlation between CFU and RLU. These results might not suggest the direct estimation of bioiuminescence from the stressed bacteria be an index of both the survivalship and its activity. However, when the stressed bacterial cells were incubated under the favorable condition by relieving from the existing stress, the potential bioiuminescence (the lag periods before the increase of bioiuminescence, the increase rates of bioiuminescence, and the maximal levels of bioiuminescence) was shown to be highly dependent upon the strengths of the stresses exposed to the bacterial cells. Therefore, analysis of the potential bioiuminescence from the stressed bacteria revealed good relationships with survival as well as activity.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.115-120
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• 2004

A Gram (-), rod-shaped bacterium in size of 1.3∼$1.8{\times}0.35{\mu}m$ inhibiting the growth of cyanobacterium (Ana-baena cylindrica) was isolated and designated NG-2 in this manuscript. This isolate showed positive reactions for catalase and oxidase, and optimal growth conditions of 35∼TEX>$40<^{\circ}C$ and pH 9.0. In a mixed-culture of A. cylindrica and the isolate, each microorganism grew inverse-proportionally, and the cyanobacterial vegetative cells almost completely disappeared within 24 hours. NG-2 lysed A. cylindrica only under light, which means that lytic activity of NG-2 was dependent on the photosynthetic activity of host. When observed under phase contrast microscope, the isolate lysed vegetative cells of A. cylindrica in scattered state in a liquid medium, whereas het-erocysts have not been lysed. When cyanobacterial cell walls have been lysed partly, NG-2 attatched around A. cylindrica filament and formed colony, then encouraged complete lysis of cyanobacterial cells. The isolate showed similar lytic activity in natural water as in an artificial medium. And lytic activity of NG-2 was enhanced when attached on expandable polystyrene bead.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.175-187
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• 2018

Myxobacteria produce diverse secondary metabolites for predation, self-defense, intercellular signaling, and other unknown functions. Many secondary metabolites isolated from myxobacteria show pharmaceutically useful bioactivity such as anticancer, antibacterial, and antifungal activities with a unique mechanism of action. Therefore, a large number of myxobacterial strains have been isolated globally and many bioactive compounds have been purified from them. However, 16S rRNA database analysis indicates that there are far more types of myxobacterial species in the wild than have ever been isolated, and genome sequence analysis suggests that each myxobacterium is capable of producing much more metabolites than already known. In this article, the current status of studies on the secondary metabolites from myxobacteria, their biosynthetic genes, biological functions, and transcriptional regulatory factors governing gene expression were reviewed.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.241-248
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• 2006

Conditions for extraction of antimicrobial materials from licorice root, Glycyrrhiza glabra, were optimized. Among solvents tested, 95% ethanol gave highest antimicrobial activity, and was chosen as optimal extracting solvent. Extraction temperature and time were optimal at room temperature and for 12 hr, respectively. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 95% ethanol extracts was determined against 14 microorganisms. Reference microorganisms included 6 Gram(-) bacteria, 4 Gram(+) bacteria, and 4 yeast strains. Ethanol extract exerted very strong growth inhibition on Gram(+) bacteria, while was moderately effective for Gram(-) bacteria and yeasts. Treatment at $180^{\circ}C$ for 30 min or extreme pHs merely destroyed antimicrobial activity of ethanol extract. These findings suggest ethanol extract of G glabra may be useful as natural preservative.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.354-361
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• 2018

This study was carried out to isolate soil bacteria with antimicrobial activity and evaluate antimicrobial substances produced by isolated bacteria. Among many isolates Bacillus subtilis DS660 and Paenibacillus polymyxa DS842 showed high antimicrobial activities against 6 species of microbial residents on human skin and 3 species of pathogenic bacteria. DS660 and DS842 showed 15.3~26.8 and 11.3~27.5 mm of inhibition zone diameter, respectively on nutrient agar medium against most target bacteria and fungi. DS660 and DS842 produced $57{\pm}8$ and $170{\pm}15{\mu}mol/ml$ of siderophore, respectively as an antimicrobial substance. Analysis of ethyl acetate extract of culture supernatants of DS660 and DS842 suggested production of glycolipid biosurfactant which reduced surface tension of culture supernatant of DS660 and DS842 from 60.0 to 40.3 and 30.3 mN/m, respectively. DS660 and DS842 also showed $169.2{\pm}9.9$ and $357.2{\pm}13.7nmol/min/mg$ protein of ${\beta}-1,3$-glucanase activity, respectively, and hydrolyzed cell wall components of 3 bacterial species. These results suggest that B. subtilis DS660 and P. polymyxa DS842 may be utilized as an environment-friendly biocontrol agent against some skin microbes and pathogenic bacteria.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.163-171
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• 1994

The effects of diesel oil on the microbial community in sandy loam soil were investigated, and the effects of bioremediation which was performed to enhance the removal of diesel oil from soil were also measured. The residual percentage of diesel oil was about 50% after 16 week incubation period. The bioremediation treatment increased the removal rate at 60~95%. When the soil was contaminated with diesel oil, the direct bacterial count, length of fungal hyphae, aerobic heterotroph and hydrocarbon degrader were increased by 2~3 orders of magnitude. The bioremediation further increased these numbers 10 to 100-fold. There were no difinite patterns of change in fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis activity in bioremediation-untreated soil, but about 10 times of increase of activity was observed in bioremediation-treated soil. Similar change was occurred in soil dehydrogenase activity.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.393-399
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• 2001

In order to improve functionality of kochujang which is one of the traditional foods in Korea, sea tangle powder(2, 4, 6 and 8% sea tangle powder on the glutinous rice weight basis) was added to the raw material of kochujang and then investigated the bacterial counts and enzyme activities with control kochujang during the fermentation at 3$0^{\circ}C$ for 120 days. Bacterial count was about 10$^4$ cfu/g at initial stage of fermentation and then maintained 10$^{8}$ cfu/g after 60 days of fermentation. $\alpha$-amylase activity was gradually reduced during fermentation periods, so the activity was lost almost at late of fermentation $\beta$-amylase activity was rapid increased until 30 days of fermentation and the rapid decreased at 60 days of fermentation and after 90 days was slightly decreased. Activities of acidic protease and neutral protease were increased until 30 days of fermentation and then these were shown irregularities decreased.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.886-892
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• 2015

The antimicrobial effects of ten isothiocyanates (ITCs) present in cruciferous vegetables and radish root hydrolysate were investigated against pathogenic bacteria from olive flounder. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) were measured against two gram-positive bacterial strains (Streptococcus parauberis, S. iniae) and four gram-negative bacterial strains (Edwardsiella tarda, Vibrio ichthyoenteri, V. harveyi, Photobacterium damselae) by using a broth microdilution technique. The antibacterial activity of ITCs was in the order sulforaphane > sulforaphene > phenylethyl ITC > erucin > benzyl ITC > iberin > I3C > allyl ITC > phenyl ITC > hexyl ITC. The susceptibility of fish pathogens to ITCs was in the order of V. harveyi > E. tarda > P. damselae > S. parauberis > S. iniae > V. ichthyoenteri. Antimicrobial activity (MIC) of radish root hydrolysate was 0.250 mg/mL against S. iniae, 0.438 mg/mL against S. parauberis, and 0.500 mg/mL against both E. tarda and V. harveyi. The aliphatic ITCs were potent inhibitors of the growth of fish pathogens, followed by aromatic ITCs and indolyl ITC. The presence of a double bond in the chemical structure of ITCs decreased antibacterial activity, while ITCs with a thiol (-S-) group and a longer carbon chain increased antibacterial activity. These results suggest that ITCs have strong antibacterial activities and may be useful in the prevention of fish pathogens.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.5
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• pp.823-827
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• 2004

Antimicrobial effect of Lithospermum erythrorhizon extracts against food-borne pathogens was investigated. L. erythrorhizon was extracted with methanol at room temperature, and the extraction was sequentially fractionated using petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and methanol. Antimicrobial activity of L. erythrorhizon extracts was determined using paper disc method against food-borne pathogens and food spoilage bacteria. Ethyl acetate extracts of L. erythrorhizon showed the highest activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Shigella dysenteriae. Synergistic effect was found in combined extracts of L. erythrorhizon and Sophora subprostrata as compared with each extract alone. Growth inhibition curve was determined using ethyl acetate extracts of L. erythrorhizon, against S. aureus and S. dysenteriae. Ethyl acetate extract of L. erythrorhizon, showed strong antimicrobial activity against S. aureus at 4,000 ppm, retarding growth of S. aureus more than 48 hr and S. dysenteriae up to 12 hr.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.104-109
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• 1998

Methanol extracts from 84 Indian plant samples (50 species in 31 families) and 27 African plant samples (20 species in 12 families) in vitro were tested for their growth-inhibitory activities against Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bifidobacterium longum, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Clostridium perfringens, and Escherichia coli, using a paper disc agar diffusion method under $O_2-free$ conditions. The responses varied with bacterial strain, plant species and plant part. Extracts from Cymbopogon citratus whole plants, Ocimum basilicum whole plant, Madhuca indica flowers, and Aegle marmelos leaves among Indian plant samples moderately or strongly inhibited the growth of Cl, perfringens whereas moderate growth-inhibitory activity against E. coli was obtained from extract of Indian O. basilicum whole plants. These plant extracts did not affect the growth of the lactic acid forming bacteria tested. These results may be an indication of at least one of the pharmacological actions of these tropical plants.