• BMB Reports
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.319-325
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• 2003

Changes in the concentrations of $\gamma$-aminobutyric acid (GABA), soluble calcium ions, glutamic acid, and the activity of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD) were investigated in non-germinated vs. germinated brown rice. Brown rice was germinated for 72 h by applying each of the following solutions: (1) distilled water, (2) 5 mM lactic acid, (3) 50 ppm chitosan in 5 mM lactic acid, (4) 5 mM glutamic acid, and (5) 50 ppm chitosan in 5 mM glutamic acid. GABA concentrations were enhanced in all of the germinated brown rice when compared to the non-germinated brown rice. The GABA concentration was highest in the chitosan/glutamic acid that germinated brown rice at 2,011 nmol/g fresh weight, which was 13 times higher than the GABA concentration in the non-germinated brown rice at 154 nmol/g fresh weight. The concentrations of glutamic acid were significantly decreased in all of the germinated rice, regardless of the germination solution. Soluble calcium and GAD were higher in the germinated brown rice with the chitosan/glutamic acid solution when compared to the rice that was germinated in the other solutions. GAD that was partially purified from germinated brown rice was stimulated about 3.6-fold by the addition of calmodulin in the presence of calcium. These data show that the germination of brown rice in a chitosan/glutamic acid solution can significantly increase GABA synthesis activity and the concentration of GABA.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1745-1748
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• 2019

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) plays important roles in host physiology. However, the effects of GABA are greatly restricted due to its low bioavailability in the human body. Here, a high acid-tolerance GABA-producing strain, Lactobacillus brevis Bmb5, was isolated from kimchi. Bmb5 converted glutamate to GABA (7.23 ± 0.68 ㎍/μl) at a rate of 72.3%. The expression of gadB gene, encoding the enzyme involved in the decarboxylation of glutamate to GABA, was decreased upon incubation. Our findings indicate GABA production in Bmb5 is not directly correlated with gadB gene expression, providing new insight into the mechanisms underlying GABA production in Lactobacillus.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.447-455
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• 2021

Strains of four Bacillus spp. were respectively inoculated into sterilized soybeans and the free amino acid profiles of the resulting cultures were analyzed to discern their metabolic traits. After 30 days of culture, B. licheniformis showed the highest production of serine, threonine, and glutamic acid; B. subtilis exhibited the highest production of alanine, asparagine, glycine, leucine, proline, tryptophan, and lysine. B. velezensis increased the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) concentration to >200% of that in the control samples. B. sonorensis produced a somewhat similar amino acid profile with B. licheniformis. Comparative genomic analysis of the four Bacillus strains and the genetic profiles of the produced free amino acids revealed that genes involved in glutamate and arginine metabolism were not common to the four strains. The genes gadA/B (encoding a glutamate decarboxylase), rocE (amino acid permease), and puuD (γ-glutamyl-γ-aminobutyrate hydrolase) determined GABA production, and their presence was species-specific. Taken together, B. licheniformis and B. velezensis were respectively shown to have high potential to increase concentrations of glutamic acid and GABA, while B. subtilis has the ability to increase essential amino acid concentrations in fermented soybean foods.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.213-220
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• 2018

This study was conducted to investigate changes in the quality of Gochujang following the addition of sea tangle Saccharina japonica powder fermented by lactic acid bacteria (FSP). Gochujang was prepared with or without FSP and fermented at $16^{\circ}C$ for 24 weeks, as detailed in a previous study. No significant physicochemical changes in moisture, crude protein content, pH, salinity and amino nitrogen content were observed among the varieties of Gochujangs evaluated (Commercial Gochujang, Gallic-Gochujang and FSP-Gochujang). In addition, we detected no significant differences in microbiological profiles. However, following addition of FSP to Gochujang, the color was affected and antioxidant properties were enhanced. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of FSP-Gochujang increased by 58.8% and 24.8% compared with Commercial Gochujang and Gallic-Gochujang, respectively. Furthermore, analysis of the free amino acid content revealed higher levels of ${\gamma}$-Aminobutyric acid (100.9 mg/100 g), a biofunctional ingredient, in FSP-Gochujang. Thus, these results suggest the potential for development of a traditional Korean fermented food with enhanced antioxidant activity and ${\gamma}$-Aminobutyric acid content using FSP.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.209-221
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• 2019

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter that exerts several physiological functions and positive effects on human health. The aim of this study was to isolate and characterize the strains that had GABA-producing abilities from various fermented fish products. A total of 91 acid-producing strains were isolated from 41 samples of fermented fish products, and 27 strains showing GABA-producing abilities were identified by the 16S rDNA sequences. Among the strains, 31% strains tolerated at high-salt environment of 10-20% throughout the fermentation of fish sauces. The 27 isolates that produced GABA at various concentrations did so in the range of 5 to 454 mM. These GABA-producing isolates were identified as lactic acid bacteria of 14 strains, which included twelve Lactococcus lactis, one Enterococcus faecium, and one Lactococcus pentosus; eight Bacillus cereus group, which included seven B. thuringiensis and one B. cereus; and five Staphylococcus spp. Interestingly, with Vietnamese fish sauces, we mostly identified species of B. thuringiensis and Staphylococcus spp., while with Korean fermented fish products, the majority of the strains identified belonged to L. lactis. Among the strains, B. thuringiensis LH2134 produced the highest levels of GABA at 366 mM among the strains identified from Vietnamese fish sauces, whereas L. lactis LA43, a new strain isolated from Korean jeotgal (salted shrimp paste), produced the highest amount of GABA at 454 mM and the glutamate concentration in the medium was essential for GABA accumulation. Therefore, such the isolates might serve as good starters for development of more GABA-reinforced foods among fermented fish products.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.237-245
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• 2017

Lactic acid fermentation of Flammulina velutipes (FV) powder was optimized to produce higher content of ${\gamma}-aminobutyric$ acid (GABA). FV powder (10%) was fermented with 0.5% yeast extract, 1% glucose, 5% mono sodium-L-glutamate (MSG) by Lactobacillus plantarum EJ2014 for 5 days at $30^{\circ}C$. The pH decreased from 6.1 to 4.4 for first 2 days after then increased to 6.2 for following 5 days. While the acidity increased from 0.5% to 1.3% for 2 days, after then decreased to 0.4% for 5 days. Viable cell count showed higher value of $2.2{\times}10^9CFU/mL$ after fermentation for 5 days. In particular, 3.54% MSG as a substrate was completely utilized during lactic acid fermentation, indicating higher 2.31% GABA content. The fermented FV powder showed higher antioxidant properties than that of un-fermented FV power. $IC_{50}$ values of DPPH radical scavenging and ABTS radical scavenging activities were 1.11 mg/mL and 2.58 mg/mL, respectively. Conclusively, natural fermented seasoning from the lactic acid fermentation of 30g of FV powder and 1 g of roasted wheat bran could provide the functional ingredients with 17% GABA, probiotics and dietary fiber, which is used for health food and functional seasoning.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2022

In this study, a new lactic acid bacterium (LAB) that could produce gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) was isolated from Oenanthe javanica (water celery) and identified as an Enteroccoccus casseliflavus strain. Until recently, there have been many studies on the gamma-aminobutyric acid producing lactic acid bacterium, as well as on some lactic acid bacterium in Enteroococcs genus, but none on the species E. casseliflavus. Therefore, in the purpose of finding the optimal conditions for GABA production of E. casseliflavus PL05, the effects of several conditions including the type of mediums, growth temperatures, initial pH, growth time, L-mono sodium glutamate (MSG) concentration, and carbon source were tested. The study revealed that the PL05 strain grew better in the Brain Heart Infusion (BHI) medium than in the Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) or Tryptic Soy Broth (TSB) medium. Also, similar results were obtained with GABA production conditions. As a result of analysis on the GABA production yield by concentration of MSG, a GABA substrate, the highest production was found at 7% of MSG concentration. However, since similar level of production was found at 5%, it is considered to be more efficient to use 5% MSG concentration. The analysis on the growth and GABA production yield by carbon sources showed the highest results when maltose was used. From the final test under the optimal conditions found, 140.06±0.71 mM of GABA was produced over 24 hours with the conversion rate of 78.95%. Lastly, from the sensitivity analysis on the 10 different antibiotics, including vancomycin, it was found that there were not confirmed cases of resistance.

• Proceedings of the Korean Fiber Society Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.49-52
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• 2002

합성 고분자의 생분해는 환경 보존이라는 측면에서 중요시 되고 있으며 봉합사나 bone fixation, 그리고 implant와 같은 의학적 응용면에서도 상당한 관심의 대상이 되어오고 있다 glycolic acid, L-lactic acid, $\varepsilon$-caprolactone에 근거하는 지방족 폴리에스터는 생분해성 봉합사로서 응용되고 있으나 여전히 열적, 기계적 가공특성과 같은 적정특성들이 부족하다.$^1$ 한편 폴리아마이드는 유사한 구조를 갖는 폴리에스터와 비교할 때에 상대적으로 높은 유리전이온도와 높은 융점을 가지고 있는 반면 높은 흡습성으로 인한 물성저하가 야기될 수 있다. (중략)

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.104-109
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• 2007

Lactic acid bacteria that accumulated ${\gamma}-aminobutyric$ acid (GABA) in culture medium were screened to identify strains with high GAB A-producing ability. One strain, MS, which was isolated from kimchi, showed the highest GABA-producing ability among the screened strains. MS was identified as Lactobacillus buchneri based on Gram-staining, metabolic characteristics, and 16S rDNA sequence determination, Optimum culture conditions for GABA production were determined: MRS broth containing 5% MSG, 1% NaCl, and 1% glucose, at an initial pH of 5.0, the incubation temperature at $30^{\circ}C$ for 36 h. Under these conditions, MS produced GABA at a concentration of 251 mM with a 94% GABA conversion rate. Moreover, culture extracts of Lb. buchneri MS partially or completely protected neuronal cells against neurotoxicantinduced cell death.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.144-150
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• 2012

${\gamma}$-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a non-protein amino acid that is widely distributed in plant and animal kingdom. GABA is found in tissues of the central nervous system (CNS) in animals. GABA functions as a the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the CNS by acting through the GABA receptors. Clinical studies have revealed the relationship between an increased intake of GABA or analogues with several health benefits, including lowering of blood pressure in mildly hypertensive animals and humans. Furthermore, GABA would also has an inhibitory effect on cancer cell proliferation, stimulates cancer cell apoptosis and plays a role in alcohol-associated diseases and schizophrenia. In plants, interest in the GABA emerged mainly from experimental observations that GABA is largely and rapidly produced in large amounts in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. In this study, we speculated the properties and metabolism of GABA in plant and functions in relation to the responses to environmental stresses.