• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.35 no.2
• /
• pp.178-187
• /
• 2019

Plants are exposed to biotic stresses caused by pathogen attack and complex abiotic stresses including heat and drought by dynamic climate changes. To alleviate these stresses, we investigated two bacterial stains, H26-2 and H30-3 in two cultivars ('Ryeokkwang' and 'Buram-3-ho') of Chinese cabbage in plastic pots in a greenhouse. We evaluated effects of bacterial strains on plant growth-promotion and mitigation of heat and drought stresses; the role of exopolysaccharides as one of bacterial determinants on alleviating stresses; biocontrol activity against soft rot caused by Pectobacterium carotovorum subsp. carotovorum PCC21. Strains H26-2 and H30-3 significantly increased fresh weights compared to a $MgSO_4$ solution; reduced leaf wilting and promoted recovery after re-watering under heat and drought stresses. Chinese cabbages treated with H26-2 and H30-3 increased leaf abscisic acid (ABA) content and reduced stomatal opening after stresses treatments, in addition, these strains stably colonized and maintained their populations in rhizosphere during heat and drought stresses. As well as tested bacterial cells, exopolysaccharides (EPS) of H30-3 could be one of bacterial determinants for alleviation of tested stresses in Chinese cabbages, however, the effects were different to cultivars of Chinese cabbages. In addition to bacterial activity to abiotic stresses, H30-3 could suppress incidence (%) of soft rot in 'Buram-3-ho'. The tested strains were identified as Bacillus aryabhattai H26-2 and B. siamensis H30-3 based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Taken together, H26-2 and H30-3 could be candidates for both plant growth promotion and mitigation of heat and drought stresses in Chinese cabbage.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.35 no.3
• /
• pp.191-195
• /
• 2007

Four bacteria producing viscous exopolysaccharides (EPSs) were isolated from Korean fermented vegetables (Cucumber kimchi, Young radish kimchi, Green onion kimchi) using a selection medium intended for isolating bacteria with tannin-degrading activity. They were identified phylogenetically by 16S rDNA sequence analysis and found to be very close to Enterobacter cowan ii, Escherichia senegalensis, Enterobacter asburiae, and Enterobacter ludwigii. Strain CK31, the most efficient EPS-producer, produced a heteropolysaccharide with an approximate molecular weight of 420 kDa. The neutral sugar fraction of the EPS was composed of rhamnose, fucose, arabinose, mannose, galactose, and glucose.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.979-984
• /
• 2007

The physicochemical properties of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) produced by marine bacterium Zoogloea sp. KCCM10036 were investigated. Two types of isolated EPSs were shown to have average relative molecular masses $(M_r)\;of\;4.07{\times}10^6$ of CBP (cell-bound polysaccharide) and $3.43{\times}10^6$ of WSP (water-soluble polysaccharide), respectively. When the CBP was utilized as an emulsifier, it stabilized the emulsifier, for up to 148 h. Compared with other commercially available hydrocolloids such as xanthan gum, the Tween series, and Triton, the CBP showed much better emulsifying capability on a water-in-oil system. Phase separation occurred in the Tween series after 24 h, whereas the emulsion was better stabilized by the CBP. The CBP thus has potential as an emulsifying agent in commercial emulsions. The flocculating activity was also greatest at 0.01% (w/v) and decreased at higher concentrations than the optimized concentration of the WSP and CBP. The results also showed that both types of expolysaccharides from Zoogloea sp. had excellent flocculating activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.20 no.1
• /
• pp.161-168
• /
• 2010

In this study, the metabolic activities of five strains of Pediococcus spp., in terms of the quantities they produced of lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, exopolysaccharides, and proteolytic activity, were determined. Lactic acid levels produced by these strains were found to be in the range of 2.5-5.6 mg/ml. All strains produced hydrogen peroxide. The P. pentosaceus Z13P strain produced the maximum amount (0.25 mg/ml) of proteolytic activity. Exopolysaccharide (EPS) production by the Pediococcus strains during growth in MRS (de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe) medium was in the range 25-64 mg/l. The susceptibility of 10 different antibiotics against these strains was also tested. All strains were found to be resistant to amoxicillin, gentamicin, and vancomycin. Antimicrobial effects of the Pediococcus spp. on pathogens were also determined by an agar diffusion method. All of the strains were able to inhibit L. monocytogenes. The tolerance of the strains to low pH, their resistance to bile salts of strains, and their abilities to autoaggregate and coaggregate with L. monocytogenes were also evaluated.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.21 no.11
• /
• pp.1184-1192
• /
• 2011

A bacterial isolate (strain JS-2) characterized as Bacillus sp. was challenged with high concentrations of toxic selenite ions. The microbe was found to transform the toxic, soluble, colorless selenite (${SeO_3}^{2-}$) oxyions to nontoxic, insoluble, red elemental selenium ($Se^0$). This process of biotransformation was accompanied by cytoplasmic and surface accumulation of electron dense selenium ($Se^0$) granules, as revealed in electron micrographs. The cells grown in the presence of selenite oxyions secreted large quantities of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). There were quantitative and qualitative differences in the cell wall fatty acids of the culture grown in the presence of selenite ions. The relative percentage of total saturated fatty acid and cyclic fatty acid increased significantly, whereas the amount of total unsaturated fatty acids decreased when the cells were exposed to selenite stress. All these physiological adaptive responses evidently indicate a potentially important role of cell wall fatty acids and extracellular polymeric substances in determining bacterial adaptation towards selenite-induced toxicity, which thereby explains the remarkable competitiveness and ability of this microbe to survive the environmental stress.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.190-197
• /
• 2013

Three slime-forming lactic acid bacteria were isolated from traditional Korean fermented soy sauce and soybean paste and shown to produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) in sucrose media. By isolating the strains, examining their morphological characteristics and determining their 16S rDNA sequences, N58-5 and K6-7 were identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides and N45- 10 as Leuconostoc citreum. The acid and bile tolerances of these three strains were investigated. Amongst the three lactic acid bacteria, Leuc. citreum N45-10 exhibited the highest viability ($10^5-10^6$ CFU/ml) in 0.05 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 0.3) for 2 h, in artificial gastric juice for 2 h and in 0.3%, 0.5% oxgall for 24h. Leuc. mesenteroides K6-7, N58-5 and Leuc. citreum N45- 10 were grown in sucrose liquid medium and 8.16 g/L, 3.65 g/L, 16.17 g/L of EPS was collected, respectively. The hydrolyzed EPS was analyzed by HPLC in order to determine the sugar composition of EPS. Leuc. mesenteroides K6-7 and N58-5 showed two peaks indicating glucose and fructose, thus they were determined to be hetero-type polysaccharides. Leuc. citreum N45-10 showed only the glucose polymer, indicating it to be a homo-type polysaccharide. In addition, all three lactic acid bacterial hemolysis did not demonstrate a clear zone in blood agar in the area surrounding a lactic acid bacteria colony.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.43 no.5
• /
• pp.749-755
• /
• 2014

Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) have been widely used in the food industry as viscofying, stabilizing, and emulsifying agents as well as in the pharmaceutical industry for their immunomodulatory, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammatory effects. A total of 458 lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains isolated from several kinds of soybean pastes were screened for the production of homo-EPS (HoPS). LAB isolates were primarily screened using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and further screened polymerase chain reaction (PCR) targeting genes involved in HoPS production. Six LAB isolates producing high amounts of HoPS were identified by TLC. Among these isolates, glucansucrase gene was amplified in two strains (JSA57, JSB22), whereas the fructansucrase gene was detected in three strains (JSA57, JSB22, JSB66). After isolating the strains, their morphological characteristics and 16S rDNA sequences were determined. Six species were identified as L. alimentarius HSB15, L. plantarum JSA22, L. pentosus JSA57, L. brevis JSB22, L. alimentarius JSB66, and L. parabrevis JSB89. To evaluate the potential probiotic properties of these LAB, their survival rates against a simulated intestinal environment were determined. After 2 hr of incubation in artificial gastric juice, survival rates of JSA57, JSB90, JSB22, and JSB66 were all greater than 50%. After 2 hr of incubation in bile juice, viable cell count of JSB22 was similar with initial vial cell counts. Growth of the six LAB was screened in arabino-oligosaccharide (AOS)-containing MRS broth. Results showed that growth of the isolates selectively increased after culture in AOS-containing media. Strain JSB22 (6 hr), JSB66 (6 hr), HSB15 (20 hr), and JSA22 (29 hr) showed maximum growth rate. Especially, JSB22 showed the highest growth rate. These results suggest that EPS-producing LAB isolated from Deonjang could be applied as synbiotics.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.229-235
• /
• 2016

Korea has a long history of brewing traditional rice wine using a authentic starter culture called nuruk, which contains natural microbial flora. Because rice wine is consumed fresh without filtration, its viable cells contribute to the biological activities of the wine. In numerous studies, microbial strains isolated from rice wine have been screened for their functionalities, which were mainly probiotic properties and antimicrobial activities. Indeed, some lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were confirmed to have strong probiotic activities as well as other health-promoting effects. Moreover, some of the isolated probiotic strains produced functional compounds, such as exopolysaccharides and γ-aminobutyric acid. For antimicrobial activities, some LAB and yeast strains were identified to produce bacteriocins and killer toxins, respectively, with significantly broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity. These functional strains originating from traditional rice wine and their metabolites can be used directly for the production of value-added food products.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.34 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2006

Harmful algal blooms (HABs or red tides), caused by uncontrolled proliferation of marine phytoplankton, impose a severe environmental problem and occasionally threaten even public health. We sequenced the genome of an EPS-producing marine bacterium Hahella chejuensis that produces a red pigment with the lytic activity against red-tide dinoflagellates at parts per billion level. H. chejuensis is the first sequenced species among algicidal bacteria as well as in the order Oceanospirillales. Sequence analysis indicated a distant relationship to the Pseudomonas group. Its 7.2-megabase genome encodes basic metabolic functions and a large number of proteins involved in regulation or transport. One of the prominent features of the H. chejuensis genome is a multitude of genes of functional equivalence or of possible foreign origin. A significant proportion (${\sim}23%$) of the genome appears to be of foreign origin, i.e. genomic islands, which encode genes for biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides, toxins, polyketides or non-ribosomal peptides, iron utilization, motility, type III protein secretion and pigment production. Molecular structure of the algicidal pigment was determined to be prodigiosin by LC-ESI-MS/MS and NMR analyses. The genomics-based research on H. chejuensis opens a new possibility for controlling algal blooms by exploiting biotic interactions in the natural environment and provides a model in marine bioprospecting through genome research.

• Biomedical Science Letters
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2000

To identity the genes responsible for the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharide, recombinant plasmids pUEX10 and pLEX10 were constructed from plasmid pLEX3 which was isolated from the recombinant cosmid library of Zoogloea ramigera 115. The complete nucleotide sequence of the 1.7 kb genomic DNA insert in plasmid pUEX10 was determined. Its analysis identified two open reading frames (ORF3 & ORF4) which could encode two proteins. The amino acid sequence derived from ORF3 showed the homology with gumC protein in Xanthomonas campestris as well as exoP protein in Rhizobium melizoti. The partial amino acid sequence of ORF4 showed the homology with polysaccharide export protein in Thermotoga maritima. Z. ramigera 115SLR and Z. ramigera 115SLR/pLEX10 showed the similar pattern for EPS production. Yield of exopolysaccharides produced by Z. ramigera 115SLR and Z. ramigera 115SLR/pLEX10 was 0.26% (w/v) and 0.16% (w/v), respectively.