• Geosystem Engineering
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• 제21권5호
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• pp.291-296
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• 2018

The aim of this work is to study the effect of aggregate type on the physico-mechanical properties and microstructure of bio-mortar (BM). Three different aggregates such as sand, dolomite and basalt were used. BM was prepared by mixing aggregates with bacterial cells (Sporosarcina Pasteurii) and one equimolar (1 M) of $urea/CaCl_2.2H_2O$. The results proved that the chemical composition and physical properties of aggregates play an important role in the microbial precipitation rate as well as size, morphology and crystallinity of the precipitated calcite, which strongly reflects on the properties of the prepared BM. The BM containing dolomite gave the highest compressive strength and lowest water absorption.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제44권3호
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• pp.179-185
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• 2021

Vancomycin response regulator (VncR) is a pneumococcal response regulator of the VncRS two-component signal transduction system (TCS) of Streptococcus pneumoniae. VncRS regulates bacterial autolysis and vancomycin resistance. VncR contains two different functional domains, the N-terminal receiver domain and C-terminal effector domain. Here, we investigated VncR C-terminal DNA binding domain (VncRc) structure using a crystallization approach. Crystallization was performed using the micro-batch method. The crystals diffracted to a 1.964 Å resolution and belonged to space group P212121. The crystal unit-cell parameters were a = 25.71 Å, b = 52.97 Å, and c = 60.61 Å. The structure of VncRc had a helix-turn-helix motif highly similar to the response regulator PhoB of Escherichia coli. In isothermal titration calorimetry and size exclusion chromatography results, VncR formed a complex with VncS, a sensor histidine kinase of pneumococcal TCS. Determination of VncR structure will provide insight into the mechanism by how VncR binds to target genes.

• Journal of Species Research
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.356-363
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• 2021

Heterotrophic nanoflagellates (HNFs, 2-20 ㎛ in size) are substantially capable of controlling bacterial abundance in aquatic environments, and microbial taxonomists have studied ecologically important and abundant HNFs for a long time. However, the classifications of HNFs have rarely been reported in Korea on the basis of morphology and 18S rDNA sequencing. Here, previously reported five HNFs from non-Korean habitats were isolated from Korean coastal seawater or intertidal sediments for the first time. Light microscopic observations and 18S rDNA phylogenetic trees revealed that the five isolated species were Cafeteria burkhardae strain PH003, Cafeteria graefeae strain UL001, Aplanochytrium minuta (formerly Labyrinthuloides minuta) strain PH004, Neobodo curvifilus strain KM017 (formerly Procryptobia sorokini), and Ancyromonas micra (formerly Planomonas micra) strain IG005. Being morphologically and phylogenetically indistinct from its closest species, all isolates from Korea were therefore regarded as identical species detected in other countries. Thus, this result indicates an expansion of known habitats that range from those of the five isolates in natural ecosystems on Earth.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제47권1호
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• pp.100006.1-100006.10
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• 2024

Nitric oxide (NO) serves as an evolutionarily conserved signaling molecule that plays an important role in a wide variety of cellular processes. Extensive studies in Drosophila melanogaster have revealed that NO signaling is required for development, physiology, and stress responses in many different types of cells. In neuronal cells, multiple NO signaling pathways appear to operate in different combinations to regulate learning and memory formation, synaptic transmission, selective synaptic connections, axon degeneration, and axon regrowth. During organ development, elevated NO signaling suppresses cell cycle progression, whereas downregulated NO leads to an increase in larval body size via modulation of hormone signaling. The most striking feature of the Drosophila NO synthase is that various stressors, such as neuropeptides, aberrant proteins, hypoxia, bacterial infection, and mechanical injury, can activate Drosophila NO synthase, initially regulating cellular physiology to enable cells to survive. However, under severe stress or pathophysiological conditions, high levels of NO promote regulated cell death and the development of neurodegenerative diseases. In this review, I highlight and discuss the current understanding of molecular mechanisms by which NO signaling regulates distinct cellular functions and behaviors.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제3권2호
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• pp.153-159
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• 1999

In an artificial pH-gradient batch culture system, the effects of acidification on the species composition of a heterotrophic bacterial community were analyzed. As a result of this study, it was found that total bacteria numbers were not affected by acidification and that the population of hetero-trophic bacteria decreased as pH became lower. The heterotrophic bacteria isolated from the entire pH gradient were 12 genera and 22 species. Among them, 64% were gram negative and 36% were gram positive bacteria. As pH decreased, the distribution rate of gram negative bacteria increased while that of gram positive bacteria decreased. The diversity of genera decreased from 13 to 5 as pH decreased from 7 to 3. The G+C content of all of the 202 isolated strains varied from 22.8 to 77.0%, and increased in interspecies of same genus as pH decreased. As a result of clustering analysis, the diversity index of species ranged from 1.13 to 2.37, and it had lower indices as pH decreased. In order to evaluate the diversity of numbers of sample of different size, a rarefaction method was used to analyze the expected number of species appearance according to pH. The statistical significance of species diversity was verified by the fact that the number decreased at lower pH.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.325-333
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• 1997

Recent evidence indicates that growth factors modulate response of mammary epithelial cells to environmental stress. The objective of this study was to examine the cellular and biochemical responses of mammary tissue to environmental stress caused by artificial mastitis. For experimental a, pp.oach, toxins of most mastitis causing organisms(Staph. aureus or Strep. agalactiae) and heat stress(42$^{\circ}C$) were artificially exposed to mammary tissue. Effects of these environmental stresses on cell growth, cell death and heat shock protein synthesis were examined. Lactating mammary tissure were cultured under basal medium(DMEM) su, pp.emented with insulin(10$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml) and aldosterone(1$\mu\textrm{g}$/ml). All treatment groups in heat stress at 42$^{\circ}C$ incubation significantly decreased DNA synthesis rates in comparison with those at 39$^{\circ}C$(P<0.05), however, these decreased DNAa synthesis rates were recovered by addition of adenosine(10$\mu$M) and IGFI(10ng/ml). Similar results were obtained when tissue growth rates were measured by DNA content/tissue. Strep. agalactiae toxin did not significantly decreased DNA content/tissue in comparison with no treatment of bacterial toxin with or without heat stress, however, tended to decrease DNA contents/tissue without heat stress. In the fluorography analysis, heat stress(42$^{\circ}C$ incubation) slightly increased 35S-methoionine labelled 70kd protein synthesis. These results indicate that environmental stress caused by artificial mastitis slightly decreased mammary growth or mammary size, however, these results could be recovered by addition of adenosine and IGF-I.

• 한국응용곤충학회지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.1-5
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• 1975

본 실험은 벼흰빛잎마름병에 대한 저항성계통선발에 필요한 인공접종법 개발을 위해 시도한 것으로서 병원균의 접종농도와 식물체의 노유가 본병의 발전에 미치는 영향에 관해 중점을 두었다. 일정한 환경조건하에서 본병에 대한 식물의 감수성은 식물의 묘령이 어릴 때 일수록 예민하게 나타났으며 식물의 생장과 더불어 점차 둔감해지는 경향이었다. 파종후 14, 37, 48 및 58일째 되는 식물에서 본병에 대한 저항성과 이병성 계통을 선별할 수 있는 병원균의 적정농도는 각각 $10^6,\;10^7,\;10^7-10^{-9}$및$10^9 cells/ml.,$였다. 어린 식물에 대해 지나치게 높은 농도의 접종액은 식물의 품종에 관계없이 단시일에 고사시키는 결과를 초래하였고 묘령이 많은 식물에 대해 일정수준 이하의 세균접종농도를 적용했을 때는 식물의 품종간 특성을 구별할 수 없었다.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제47권3호
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• pp.179-187
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• 2011

고찰을 통해 난배양성 토양세균의 특징과 배양에 성공한 사례 및 성공하기 위해 알아야 될 지식들이 무엇인지에 대해 기술하였다. 먼저 배지는 목적한 세균이 토양에서 느리게 성장하다가 실험실의 빠른 성장조건으로 전환하도록 알맞게 선택되어야 하는데 일반적으로 기질, 질소 및 인 등의 농도를 낮게 조절해야 한다. 새로운 배지를 만들기 위해서는 분자생태학적 연구도 병행되어야 한다. 세균 세포 간 음성적 상호작용을 줄이기 위해 평판배양 시 접종량도 평판 당 세포수가 50개 이하로 조절해야 한다. pH나 염농도 같은 성장조건은 실제 환경조건과 맞춰야 하며 배양온도는 낮거나 다양하게 그리고 배양기간은 길게 잡아야 한다. 새로운 배지에서 분리될 수많은 토양 미생물 콜로니들 중에서 단지 몇 개만이 난배양성이므로 이들이 기존에 배양이 되지 않았던 미생물인지를 신속 정확히 검출하는 방법이 필요하다. 또한 많은 토양세균들이 군집 내에서 서로 협력하며 살아가기 때문에 공동배양이나 상등액을 이용해서 토양 미생물을 농화증식하고 이를 순수 분리하면 배양에 성공할 수 있을 것이다.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.107-114
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• 2015

Endophytes provide multifarious benefits such as promotion of plant growth and yield, suppression of phyto-pathogens, phosphate solubilising and fixation nitrogen. A study has been carried out to explore growth promotion and antifungal activities of endophytes of mulberry (Morus spp.). Endophytic bacteria were isolated from mulberry plants and studied their cultural, morphological characters, growth promotion as well as their antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia bataticola and Fusarium oxysporum , two mulberry root rot associated pathogens. Except two isolates, all bacteria were colourless and the colony size of eight isolates was small. The margin of five isolates was irregular and the consistency of three isolates was creamy, six isolates was slimy and one was mucoid. Texture of seven isolates was convex and others were flat. Eight isolates were gram positive and the rest Gram negative, five were cocci and others were bacilli (rod shaped). Four isolates were motile and all were catalase positive and only three isolates were oxidase positive. Spore staining was positive only for two isolates. The growth promotion study showed that there was significant difference in root length and seedling length. The antagonistic effect of the bacterial isolates was tested against R. bataticola showed significant (p <0.05) influence of the bacteria, days after inoculation and their interaction on the inhibition of fungal growth. The isolate En-7 completely inhibited the fungus followed by En-5 (66.67%). The bacterial isolates significantly (p <0.05) inhibited growth of F. oxysporum in PDA. The mean inhibition was higher (70.45%) in case of En-7 followed by En-8 (68.65%) and En-10 (66.44%). The study reveals that some endophytic bacteria associated with mulberry have growth promotion and antifungal activity and could be explored for promotion of mulberry growth and managing root rot disease.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.353-360
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• 1998

A bacterial strain PN33 producing large amounts of extracellular pectin lyase (PNL, EC 4.2.2.10) was isolated from soil. The isolated bacterium was identified as a strain of Bacillus sp. Production of PNL by the strain was induced only by pectins, with a higher degree of esterification, which had been added to the culture medium as a sole carbon source. The optimal medium for PNL production was determined to consist of 10 g pectin, 2 g yeast extract, 4 g $K_2HPO_4{\cdot}3H_2O$, 0.6 g $MgSO_4$, and 0.11 g $CaCl_2$ per liter (pH 7.0). The PNL activity in the culture supernatant reached the highest level of 132 mU/ml after 32 h cultivation at $37^{\circ}C$ in the optimal medium. The PNL produced was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate fractionation (50~80%), and cation exchange and size exclusion chromatographies. The molecular mass of the enzyme was estimated to be approximately 52 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Almost the same mass was determined by nondenaturing PAGE, indicating that the functional enzyme had a monomeric structure. As expected, the PNL exhibited higher activities on the highly esterified pectins whereas it gave no detectable activity on polygalacturonic acid. The enzyme showed the highest activity at the acidic pH of 6.0, exceptional for a bacterial PNL. Maximum activity was measured at $40^{\circ}C$, although the stability f the purified enzyme was poor at this temperature. alcium (1 mM) was found to activate the PNL activity by $50\%$, and also remarkably increased the thermal stability f the enzyme. Phenylmethylsulfonylfluoride (PMSF) and iethylpyrocarbonate (DEPC) inhibited the PNL activity lmost completely at the concentration of 5 mM. This result ndicates that some serine and histidine residues of the nzyme may play an essential role for catalytic function of he enzyme.