• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.11 no.12
• /
• pp.4826-4832
• /
• 2010

The study has been done for about two months through June 2 to July 30 of 2010. The study subjects are three herbal-pharmaceutical companies located in Seoul. Each of them purchased thirteen types of medicinal herbs, then the study did analysis for microbial contamination status of bacteria and fungi. Here, the study focuses on settling out fundamental data bases regarding the investigation standards of microbial contamination. As comparing the study results with contamination limits of bacteria and fungi which are represented by $10^7$ CFU/g and $10^4$ CFU/g in number respectively, the total percentage of fungi contamination which is 12.8% is higher than that of bacteria is only 7.7%. In the DNA homology analysis regarding 16S rRNA gene, 117 of colonization have been selected as study subjects. Including B. cereus composing of resistant spores, soil microbes account for approximately 96.6%. It indicates that it is important to establish collection and preservation systems in handling medicinal herbs. Also, it is critical to manage microbial contamination limits. In conclusion, the study proposes the needs to study on possible mingling of bacteria and fungi in manufacturing process, and microbial contamination status in medicinal herbs.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.43 no.2
• /
• pp.142-149
• /
• 2015

Bioaerosols are comprised of particles 0.02-100 μm in size that originate in natural and artificial environments, and as a result of human activities. They consist of microorganisms including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and protozoa; fungal spores; microbial toxins; pollen; plant or animal material; expectorated liquid from humans; and glucans (peptidoglycan and β-glucan). Bioaerosols can cause respiratory and other diseases in humans and animals. In this study, bioaerosol samples acquired from agricultural sources, livestock, a sewage treatment plant, a beach, and a pristine area were analyzed to identify and phylogenetically characterize culturable microorganisms. The isolated bacteria exhibited regional differences, with different species dominating. However, Bacillus cereus was isolated in all samples, with a total of 31 strains isolated from all areas, and Acinetobacter baumannii was isolated from an indoor poultry farm. In addition, bacteria determined to be of novel genus or species of the genera Domibacillus, Chryceobacterium, Nocardioides and family Comamonadaceae were isolated from the agricultural, livestock and beach environments.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
• /
• 2017.06a
• /
• pp.344-344
• /
• 2017

The glycoprotein known as glomalin-related soil protein (GRSP) is abundantly produced on the hyphae and spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in soil and roots. GRSP play a decisive role in the soil aggregation, but GRSP was also sensitive to agricultural managements. Thus, our objectives were to assess the effect of different cover crop incorporation on the GRSP content in soil and growth of subsequent soybean and maize. Pot experiments with the incorporation of four cover crops were set up. The same amount (666g) of aboveground plant parts of wheat (AMF host), hairy vetch (AMF host), mustard (non-host) and rapeseed (non-host) was separately incorporated into soils. The aboveground plant parts and roots of soybean and maize were grown in each incorporated pots and sampled at 6 and 9 weeks after sowing. Our results showed that the different cover crops incorporation affected soil biological and chemical properties such as EC, $NO_3-N$ content, ${\beta}-glucosidase$ activity, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and GRSP content. The soil EC and $NO_3-N$ content in the hairy vetch, mustard and rapeseed was higher compared to the wheat. The ${\beta}-glucosidase$ activity in the wheat and hairy vetch was significantly higher than that in the mustard and rapeseed, and the ALP activity in the wheat was significantly higher than that in the hairy vetch, mustard, and rapeseed. The GRSP content in the mustard and rapeseed was significantly lower than that of the hairy vetch and wheat. Moreover, The top dry weight and leaf area of soybean and maize in the hairy vetch at 6 weeks were significantly higher compared to the other treatments. Our results indicated that the incorporation of mustard and rapeseed may cause indirectly the decrease of GRSP content and soil enzyme activity in soil. One possible explanation for the decrease of GRSP in non-AMF host crop treatments may be the decrease of AMF density in the soil. AMF are not able to form a symbiotic relationship with Brassicaceae roots due to the release of anti-fungal compounds. This means the AMF may not be able to produce GRSP in the soil. However, the differences in the benefit of cover crop incorporation were shown only by a pot experiment. Comparative investigations of crop residue managements would be applied to both pot experiment and field study to clarify a better selection of cover crops in rotation to encourage GRSP production.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.85-90
• /
• 2013

This study investigated the internal and external morphological characteristics of decomposition and browning of oak sawdust medium for ground bed cultivation of Lentinula edodes. Within fifty days after L. edodes inoculation, surface hyphae on the bed browned. In 110 days, the fungal hyphae occupied and decomposed wood fibers, vessels and parenchymatous cells from the inside as white profuse hyphal mass was amorphously dissolving the saw dust particles from the outer surface. Most of the white hyphal bed surface became cleanly brown, however, some colony surface became blackened and slimy with contaminating bacteria, hyphae and spores. The brown layer was ca. 0.34 mm thick with highly dense and white hyphal mass beneath, whereas the blackened layer was ca. 1.17 mm thick with shrunken hyphae and less decomposed sawdust particles beneath. The surface hardness of the brown surface was ca. $0.73kgf/cm^2$, soft and resilient, while that of the blackened was ca. $0.91kgf/cm^2$, hard and nonresilient. By 150 days Lentinula edodes mushrooms fruited only on the brown surface and not on the blackened medium.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.26 no.3
• /
• pp.324-333
• /
• 2016

Objectives: We aimed to compare the sampling performance of different flow-based impactor samplers for collecting fungal spores and bacteria and to explore the association of the level of bioaerosols with activity patterns of occupants in daycare center settings. Methods: For comparison of sampling performance, two different flow-based samplers (greater than 100 L/min or not) were selected; a low flow-based sampler (one-stage Andersen sampler) and two high flow-based samplers (DUO SAS SUPER 360 sampler, BUCK bio-culture sampler). We collected airborne mold and bacteria in 30 daycare centers with various levels of contaminated air. Three repeat samplings per each sampler were performed. Mold and bacteria were grown for 96 hours at $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$ and 48 hours at $35{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, respectively. The Andersen and SAS samplers were used for investigating the association between the level of bioaerosols and the activity patterns of occupants in daycares. Particular matters 10($PM_{10}$), temperature, and relative humidity were monitored as well. Samplings were carried out with one-hour interval from 9 to 5 O'clock. For statistical comparisons, Kruskal-Wallis test, Wilcoxon's signed rank test, and multiple regression analysis were carried out. Results: The airborne level of molds by the low flow-based sampler were significantly higher than that of high flow-based samplers (indoor, P=0.037; outdoor, P=0.041). However, no statistical difference was observed in the airborne level of bacteria by each sampler. Also the level of bioaerosols varied by the time, particularly with different activity patterns in daycare centers. The higher level of mold and bacteria were observed in play time in indoor. Similarly, the concentrations of $PM_{10}$ were significantly associated with the level of bioaerosols (P<0.05). Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the flow rate of sampler, rather than total air volume, could be able to affect the results of sampling. Also, the level of airborne mold and bacteria vary behavior patterns of occupants in indoor of daycare settings. Therefore, different samplers with other flow rate may be selected for mold or bacteria sampling, and activity patterns should be considered for bioaerosol sampling as well.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.299-305
• /
• 2017

BACKGROUND: Although the filamentous fungal pathogen Colletotrichum species causing anthracnose disease on various fruits including peach, apple, persimmon and grape, there is no report on Japanese plum in Korea. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 2016, diseased fruits showing typical anthracnose symptoms of Japanese plum were collected in market and ochards. Diseased tissue was cut off and disinfected subsequently with 70% ethanol for 1 min, and in 1% sodium hypochloride solution for 1 min, followed by three washes with sterile distilled water. The disinfected tissues were placed onto potato dextrose agar (PDA), and incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ in the dark for 5 to 7 days. For single-spore isolation, conidia were scraped off the plate using a loop, and suspended with 10 mL sterile distilled water. One hundred microliter of the conidial suspension was spread on PDA plates and incubated at $25^{\circ}C$. Finally, one germinated conidium was transferred onto PDA plates. Morphological and cultural characteries of colonies and spores of isolated Colletotrichum were observed after 7 to 10 days incubation on PDA. Molecular identification of isolates were analyzed by comparing rDNA-ITS gene sequences with NCBI GeneBank. CONCLUSION: Of eleven isolates of Colletotrichum isolated from anthracnose diseased Japanese plum fruits, six were identified as C. acutatum, and five as C. gloeosporioides based on diagnostic characteristics such as colony growth rate, shape and size of conidia, and rDNA-ITS sequences. This is the first report of Colletotrichum causing the anthracnose on Japanese plum in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.47 no.4
• /
• pp.375-380
• /
• 2011

We isolated an endophytic actionmycete from root tissues of rice plant collected from paddy field near Dankook University, Cheonan, Korea. Surface sterilized roots were laid on the selective agar plates and incubated. The powdery actinomycete colonies appeared on the root surface after four weeks incubation. We isolated a strain JK-5 among them and could determine its taxonomical position as Streptomyces diastaticus subsp. ardesiacus by using 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing. The chemotaxonomical and morphological studies confirmed the taxonomical position of the strain JK-5. The shape of aerial hyphae was flexible and they contained spore chains with more than 30 smooth spherical spores per chain. Cell walls contained LL-diaminopimelic acid. There was no characteristic sugar in whole-cell hydrolysates. The major fatty acids were anteiso-15:0, anteiso-17:0 and iso-16:0. The specific menaquinones, MK-9 ($H_6$), MK-9 ($H_8$), were detected. The GC content was 72%. Antifungal activities of the strain JK-5 were relatively strong against fungal plant pathogens. The endophytic growth of the strain JK-5 was confirmed by SEM observation of the root and stem of the infected rice plant.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
• /
• v.58 no.2
• /
• pp.167-173
• /
• 2005

Background : Airborne particles during Yellow Sand phenomena are known to be associated with the respiratory disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the concentration and metal component properties of Yellow Sand particles and compare with airborne microbial concentration and species in non Yellow Sand and Yellow Sand phenomena. Methods : Samplings were carried out in 2002 in Seosan, during non Yellow Sand and Yellow Sand phenomena. Samples were taken using the 8-stage Cascade impactor and metallic elements were analyzed by XRF. Those were culture on the media for bacterial and fungal culture and celline for virus. Results : The concentration of total suspended particulate matter were respectively $80.2{\mu}g/m^3$, $40.3{\mu}g/m^3$ in non Yellow Sand and Yellow Sand phenomena. The concentration of metallic elements such as Ca, Fe, Cu and Zn in Yellow Sand phenomena were higher than its in non Yellow Sand. Two bacteria, Bacillus species and Staphylococcus were grown in two periods. In both periods, several fungal spores(Mucor species, Cladosporum, Alternaria, Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Alternaria species) were identified. The differences of bacteria and fungus species not observed in Yellow Sand and non Yellow Sand. Any viruses were not isolated in between both periods. Conclusions : The concentration of total suspended particulate matter and some metallic elements in Yellow Sand phenomena were higher than its in non Yellow Sand. The difference of bacteria and fungus species was not observed in non Yellow Sand and Yellow Sand phenomena.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.22 no.5
• /
• pp.297-304
• /
• 2007

For large and rapid screening of high-yielding mutants of lovastatin produced by filamentous fungal cells of Aspergillus terreus, one of the most important stage is to test as large amounts of mutated strains as possible. For this purpose, we intended to develop a miniaturized cultivation method using $7m{\ell}$ culture tube instead of traditional $250m{\ell}$ flask (working volume $50m{\ell}$). For obtaining large amounts of conidiospores to be used as inoculums for miniaturized cultures, 4 components i.e., glucose, sucrose, yeast extract and $KH_2PO_4$ were intensively investigated, which had been observed to show positive effect on enhancement of spore production through Plackett-Burman design experimet. When optimum concentrations of these components that were determined through application of response surface method (RSM) based on central composite design (CCD) were used, maximum spore numbers amounting to $1.9\times10^{10}$ spores/plate were obtained, resulting in approximately 190 fold increase as compared to the commonly used PDA sporulation medium. Using the miniaturized cultures, intensive strain development programs were carried out for screening of lovastatin high-yielding as well as highly reproducible mutants. It was observed that, for maximum production of lovastatin, the producers should be activated through 'PaB' adaptation process during the early solid culture stage. In addition, they should be proliferated in condensed filamentous forms in miniaturized growth cultures, so that optimum amounts of highly active cells could be transferred to the production culture-tube as reproducible inoculums. Under these highly controlled fermentation conditions, compact-pelleted morphology of optimum size (less than 1 mm in diameter) was successfully induced in the miniaturized production cultures, which proved essential for maximal utilization of the producers' physiology leading to significantly enhanced production of lovastatin. As a result of continuous screening in the miniaturized cultures, lovastatin production levels of the 81% of the daughter cells derived from the high-yielding producers turned out to be in the range of 80%$\sim$120% of the lovastatin production level of the parallel flask cultures. These results demonstrate that the miniaturized cultivation method developed in this study is efficient high throughput system for large and rapid screening of highly stable and productive strains.

• Journal of the Korean Geographical Society
• /
• v.40 no.4 s.109
• /
• pp.428-440
• /
• 2005

There is currently no agreement among archaeologists, environmental historians, and paleoecologists as to the relative significance of pre- and post-Conquest human impact on the environments of Highland Mexico. This paper presents the results of pollen, microscopic charcoal, dung fungal spore, isotope, and magnetic susceptibility analyses on ca. 4m sediment core. The coring site is Hoya Rincon de Parangueo, one of the seven maar lakes in the Valle do Santiago. Amaranthaceae pollen, one of important disturbance indicators and Zea mays pollen obviously indicate two periods of agricultural activities. The first period begins ca. 400 B.C. and ends ca. A.D. 850. The second begins around A.D. 1550 and continues to the present. During the first period, the degree of agricultural activities was related to periodical sunspot cycles and the most intense activities were present between ca. A.D. 150-ca. A.D. 400. The abrupt increase of $\delta^{18}O$ around 280cm may reflect that an important transition to a dry phase took place around A.D. 450. People probably stopped cultivating crops due to dry conditions prevailing since ca. A.D. 450. The second period, the post-Conquest, exhibits a dramatic increase of sporormiella, dung fungal spores resulted fron the introduction of cattle. Low Poaceae frequency and charcoal production and high $\delta^{13}C$ values, magnetic susceptibility, and organic contents all indicate the arrival of the Spanish. Most importantly, it seems that mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) could have benefits from declined fire frequencies caused by cattle grazing. The study area is now entirely dominated by woody plants like mesquite, which clearly demonstrates that serious vegetation change occurred in the study area.