• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.564-577
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• 2017

We investigated whether external environmental factors acted as a trigger for flowering in the draft bamboo (Sasa borealis (Hack.) Makino) blooming area of Mt. Baekwoon located in Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province. We then considered the cause for flowering, flowering patterns and life history strategies of the draft bamboo based on the investigation. There were no differences in soil, physical conditions, and light amount between the draft bamboo flowering and non-flowering areas. The precipitation and temperature of the areas in Korea and Japan where it blossomed from 2014 to 2017 were similar to the normal year values (for the past 30 years). Moreover, most of the draft bamboo died after flowering on a large scale, but some did not, or some culms were developed again. In other words, the draft bamboo bloomed simultaneously regardless of external environmental factors, and most of the culms were dead, but some were left alive. Therefore, it is considered that the flowering is triggered by the specific genes (referred as to clock genes) expressed periodically by a biological clock rather than the external environmental factors. Meanwhile, the draft bamboos generally bloom on a large scale by synchronizing with other ones in the distance but may also bloom several times separately on a small scale. It may be a kind of an insurance system established to disperse the risk of failed sexual propagation when flowering once in a lifetime. The results reveal that the long-period monocarpy of the draft bamboo has been strengthened to optimize the sexual propagation to overcome the increased environmental instability caused by the expansion of distribution of tropical bamboos and bamboo species to the temperate regions.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.847-854
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• 2011

To deal with issues from global climate changes, renewable bioenergy has become important. Algae have been regarded as a good resource for biorefinery and bioenergy, and also have potential capability to remove nutrient and non-decompositional pollutants for wastewater advanced treatment. Although algal-bacterial ecological interaction would be a crucially important factor in using algae for wastewater advanced treatment and resource recovery from wastewater, very little is known about ecological interaction between algae and bacteria in a real wastewater environment. In this study, under a real municipal wastewater condition, we characterized wastewater pollutant treatability and bacterial communities in response to growth of Ankistrodesmus gracilis SAG278-2, which can grow in wastewater and has a high lipid contents. The growth of algal population using the wastewater was inhibited by increase in wastewater bacteria while bacterial survival and cellular decay rate were not influenced by the algal growth. Removals of recalcitrant organic matters and total nitrogen were improved in the presence of algal growth. According to T-RFLP and statistical analysis, algal growth affected time-course changes in bacterial community structures. The following 16S rRNA gene amplicon, cloning results showed that the algal growth changes in bacterial community structure, and that bacterial populations belonging to Sediminibacterium, Sphingobacterium, Mucilaginibacter genera were identified as cooperative with the algal growth in the wastewater.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.265-270
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• 2006

Cultivated hot pepper crops showing severe mosaic symptom were found in Korea in 2004 and their causal agent was identified as Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). These pepper crops was resistant to the virus in the filled, and they belonged to pathotype 0 (P0) resistant pepper. Resistance screening of selected pepper plants showed that a pepper isolate of CMV was the P0 resistance-breaking virus. This P0 resistance-breaking isolate of CMV, named as Ca-P1, was isolated from leaves of the virus-infected Capsicum annuum cv. Manidda that showed systemic severe mosaic symptom. Ca-P1-CMV could induce systemic mosaic symptoms on P0-susceptible (P0-S) and P0-resistant (P0-R) cultivars whereas an ordinary strain (Fny-CMV) could not infect P0-R. This result suggests that Ca-P1-CMV can overcome P0 resistant pepper cultivars. To analyze its genome sequence, the complete nucleotide sequence of RNA3 of Ca-P1-CMV was determined from the infectious full-length cDNA clone of the virus. RNA3 of Ca-P1-CMV consisted of 2,219 nucleotides. Overall sequence homology of RNA3-encoded two viral proteins (movement protein and coat protein) revealed high similarity (75.2-97.2%) with the known CMV strains. By sequence analysis with known representative strains of CMV, Ca-P1-CMV belongs to a typical member of CMV subgroup IB. The resistance and resistance-breaking mechanisms of pepper and counterpart CMV, respectively, remain to be investigated, which will enrich the genetic resources and accelerate CMV-resistant pepper breeding programs.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.919-926
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• 2009

Enrichment of anaerobic ammonium oxidation (ANAMMOX) bacteria is the essential step for operating full-scale ANAMMOX bioreactor because adding a significant amount of seeding sludge is required to stabilize the ANAMMOX reactor. In this study, the enrichment of ANAMMOX bacteria from an activated sludge using sequencing batch reactor was conducted and verified by analyzing changes in the microbial community structure. ANAMMOX bacteria were successfully enriched for 70 days and the substrate removal efficiencies showed 98.5% and 90.7% for $NH_4\;^+$ and $NO_2\;^-$ in the activity test, respectively. The phylogenetic trees of Planctomycetes phylum showed that the diverse microbial community structure of an activated sludge was remarkably simplified after the enrichment. All 36 clones, obtained after the enrichment, were affiliated with ANAMMOX bacteria of Candidatus Brocadia (36%) and Candidatus Anammoxoglobus (64%) genera. The quantification using real-time quantitative PCR (RTQ-PCR) revea ed that the 16S rDNA concentration of ANAMMOX bacteria was 74.8% compared to the granular ANAMMOX sludge obtained from an upflow ANAMMOX sludge bed reactor which had been operated for more than one year. The results of molecular analysis supported that the enriched sludge could be used as a seeding sludge for a full-scale ANAMMOX bioreactor.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.1529-1537
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• 2009

To elucidate further the antitumor effects of a natural L-arginine analogue, L-canavanine, the mechanism underlying apoptogenic activity of L-canavanine and its modulation by protein tyrosine kinase $p56^{lck}$ was investigated in human Jurkat T cells. When the cells were treated with 1.25 to 2.5 mM L-canavanine for 36 h, several apoptotic events including mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta\Psi}m$) loss, activation of caspase-9, -3, -8, and -7, poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) degradation, and DNA fragmentation were induced without alteration in the levels of Fas or FasL. These apoptotic changes were more significant in $p56^{lck}$-deficient Jurkat clone JCaM1.6 than in $p56^{lck}$-positive Jurkat clone E6.1. The L-canavanine-induced apoptosis observed in $p56^{lck}$-deficient JCaM1.6 cells was significantly reduced by introducing $p56^{lck}$ gene into JCaM1.6 cells by stable transfection. Treatment of JCaM1.6/lck cells with L-canavanine caused a transient 1.6-fold increase in the kinase activity of $p56^{lck}$. Both FADD-positive wild-type Jurkat T cell clone A3 and FADD-deficient Jurkat T cell clone I2.1 exhibited a similar susceptibility to the cytotoxicity of L-canavanine, excluding involvement of Fas/FasL system in triggering L-canavanine-induced apoptosis. The L-canavanine-induced apoptotic sub-$G_1$ peak and activation of caspase-3, -8, and -7 were abrogated by pan-caspase inhibitor (z-VAD-fmk), whereas L-canavanine-induced activation of caspase-9 was not affected. These results demonstrated that L-canavanine caused apoptosis of Jurkat T cells via the loss of ${\Delta\Psi}m$, and the activation of caspase-9, -3, -8, and -7, leading to PARP degradation, and that the $p56^{lck}$ kinase attenuated the ${\Delta\Psi}m$ loss and activation of caspases, and thus contributed as a negative regulator to L-canavanine-induced apoptosis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.994-1001
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• 2001

An easier way of understanding the BNR system was proposed from the study on substrate, nutrient removal tendency, microbial community and its metabolic function by applying the municipal settled sewage. During the anaerobic period, the phosphorus release rate per VFACOD we varied depending on the phosphorus content in the sludge. When the phosphorus content in the sludge was $6\%$ VSS, according to influent VFACOD, the phosphorus release rate and PHA production were $0.35 gPO_4P/gVFACOD$ and 1.0 gPHA/gVFACOD, respectively. The $NO_3N$ requirement for the phosphorus uptake as an electron acceptor was about $0.5 gNO_3N/gPO_4P_{uptake}$ based on the proposed equation with PHA, biomass, production, and the concentration of phosphorus release/uptake. Bacterial-community analysis of the sludge, as determined by FISH and 16SrDNA characterization FISH, revealed that the beta-subclass proteobacteria were the most abundant group ($27.9\%$ of the proteobacteria-specific probe EUB338), and it was likely that representative of the beta-subclass played key roles in activated sludge. The next dominant group found was the gamma-protebacteria ($15.4\%$ of probe EUB338). 16S rDNA clone library analysis showed that the members of${\beta}$- and ${\gamma}$-proteobacteria were also the most abundant groups, and $21.5\%$ (PN2 and PN4) and $15.4\%$ (PN1 and PN5) of total clones were the genera of denitrifying bacteria and PAO, respectively. Prediction of the microbial community composition was made with phosphorus content (Pv, $\%$ P/VSS) in wasted sludge and profiles of COD, PHA, $PO_4P,\;and\;NO_3N$ in an anaerobic-anoxic SBR unit. Generally, the predicted microbial composition based upon metabolic function, i.e., as measured by stoichiometry, is fairly similar to that measure by the unculturable dependent method. In this study, a proposal was made on he microbial community composition that was more easily approached to analyze the reactor behavior.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.207-218
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• 2008

The impacts of planted transgenic rice varieties on bacterial communities in paddy soils were monitored using both cultivation and molecular methods. The rice field plot consisted of eighteen subplots planted with two genetically modified (GM) rice and four non-GM rice plants in three replicates. Analysis with denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes revealed that the bacterial community structures were quite similar to each other in a given month, suggesting that there were no significant differences in bacterial communities between GM and non-GM rice soils. The bacterial community structures appeared to be generally stable with the seasons, as shown by a slight variation of microbial population levels and DGGE banding patterns over the year. Comparison analysis of 16S rDNA clone libraries constructed from soil bacterial DNA showed that there were no significant differences between GM and non-GM soil libraries but revealed seasonal differences of phyla distribution between August and December. The composition profile of phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA) between GM and non-GM soils also was not significantly different to each other. When soil DNAs were analyzed with PCR by using primers for the bar gene, which was introduced into GM rice, positive DNA bands were found in October and December soils. However, no bar gene sequence was detected in PCR analysis with DNAs extracted from both cultured and uncultured soil bacterial fractions. The result of this study suggested that, in spite of seasonal variations of bacterial communities and persistence of the bar gene, the bacterial communities of the experimental rice field were not significantly affected by cultivation of GM rice varieties.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2008

The diversity of sulfate reducing bacteria was investigated in different depths of sediments in Lake Sihwa, Korea and Lake Aha, China by PCR amplification, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) and clone libraries targeting dissimilatory sulfite redectase (dsr) gene. In the analysis of DGGE band patterns, the community compositions of dsr gene in the sediments of both lakes were significantly different whereas bands in all depths of each environment revealed similar patterns. Bands from Lake Sihwa were produced much more than those from Lake Aha, demonstrating a higher diversity of dsr gene in Lake Sihwa. Total 68 clones containing dsr gene were obtained to analyze their sequences. Sequences from the sediment of Lake Sihwa were affiliated to Deltaproteobacteria, the Gram-positive thermophilic sulfate reducers belonging to the genus Desulforomaculum and archaeal thermophilic SRB belonging to the genus Archaeoglobus, whereas sequences from the sediments of Lake Aha were related to genus Desulfotomaculum. Clones retrieved from sediment of Lake Sihwa revealed a higher numbers than those of Lake Aha, demonstrating a higher diversity of dsr gene in Lake Sihwa. Most of clones (59%) were distantly related to the known cultivated SRB with $60\sim65%$ of similarity, which were clustered only the sequences from the environments showed less than 90% similarity. These habitat specific sequences suggested that the clustered dsr sequences represent species or groups of species that were indigenous to these environments. This study showed that these lakes have a specific bacterial communities having dsr gene distinct from those in other environments such as soil and marine ecosystems around the world.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 2001

A cDNA clone encoding the ribosomal protein S20 has been isolated from the Schizosaccharomyces pombe cDNA library by colony hybridization. The insert contained in the original plasmid pYJ10 was transferred intro shuttle vector pRS316 generate plasmid pYJll. The dDNA insert of plasmid pYJll, contains 484 nucleotides and encodes a protein of 118 amino acids with a calculated mass of 13,544 daltons. The deduced amino acid sequence of S. pombe ribosomal protein S20 is very homologous with fruit fly, rat, and budding yeast counterparts. It is also homologous with Xenopus S22 ribosomal protein. S. pombe ribosomal protein S20 appears to be relatively hydruphobic except the C-terminal region. The 728 bp upstream region of the S20 gene was amplified from chromosomal DNA and transferred into the BamHI/EcoRI site of the promoterles $\beta$-galactosidase gene of the vector YEp357R, which resulted in fusion plasmid pYS20. The synthesis of $\beta$-galactosidase from the fusion plasmid appeared to be the highest in the mid-exponential phase. The S. pombe cells with the fusion plasmid grown at 35$\^{C}$ gave lower $\beta$-galactosidase activity than the cells grown at 30$\^{C}$. Computer analysis showed the consensus sequence CAGTCACA in the upstream regions of various ribosomal protein genes in S. pombe, which would be involved in the coordinated expression of small ribosomal proteins.

• ALGAE
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.145-148
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• 2004

As a result of the 2-year monthly monitoring of the phytoplankton community at 3 stations in Mankyeong Estuary, Korea, we learned that cyan bacterial species of the genus Anabaena occurred at most sampling points with huge salinity differences (0.1-32.5 psu). We isolated several clones of Anabaena spp. from the monitoring stations, and screen out two euryhaline and nitrogen-fixing Anabaena clones, CB-MAL21 and CB-MAL22. The two clones were grown under various environmental gradients such as temperature (20, 30, 35 and 40$^{\circ}C$), salinity (0, 2, 5, 15 and 30psu), and $PO_4^{3-}$-P concentration (0, 1.6, 8.0, 40 and 200 ${\mu}M$M). Growth of CB-MAL21 and CB-MAL22 was measured by daily monitoring of chlorophyll fluorescence from each experimental culture for more than three serial transfers. Both the two experimental clones did not grow at 0psu. Maximal growth rates of the two clones were markedly reduced at lower $PO_4^{3-}$-P concentrations showing negligible growth at 0 and 1.6 ${\mu}M$M. However, growth of CB-MAL21 was not affected by low $NO_3^--$ concentration in culture media, showing the nitrogen-fixing ability. Maximum biomass yields of the two clones decreased dramatically at 35 and 40$^{\circ}C$. Optimal growth conditions for the two experimental clones were determined to be 20-30$^{\circ}C$, 40 ${\mu}M$M $PO_4^{3-}$-P, and wide salinity range from 5.0 to over 30psu. Best growth of CB-MAL21 was shown at (20$^{\circ}C$-15psu), which is less saline and cooler condition than those (i.e., 30$^{\circ}C$-30psu) for the best growth of CB-MAL22. The euryhaline and nitrogen-fixing CB-MAL21 strain thus can be a candidate laboratory culture for the future cyan bacterial marine biotechnology in temperate coastal waters.