• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2005

In order to develop a new microbial fungicide using endophytic bacteria for the control of anthracnoses occurring on various crops, a total of 260 bacterial strains were isolated from fresh tissues of 5 plant species. After they were cultured in broth medium, their antifungal activities were tested for in vivo antifungal activity against cucumber anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum orbiculare. As the results, liquid cultures of 28 strains showed potent antifungal activities more than $90\%$ against cucumber anthracnose. At 3-fold dilutions of liquid cultures, 18 strains inhibited the development of cucumber anthracnose of more than $70\%$. They were further tested for in vivo antifungal activity against red pepper anthracnose caused by C. coccodes and in vitro antifungal activity against C. acutatum, a fungal agent causing red pepper anthracnose. Among 18 strains, a bacterial strain EB215 isolated from cucumber roots displayed the most potent antifungal activity against Colletotrichum species. It was identified as Burkholderia cepacia based on its physiological and biochemical characteristics, Biolog test and 16S rDNA gene sequence. It also controlled effectively the development of rice blast (Magnaporthe grisea), rice sheath blight (Corticium sasaki), tomato gray mold (Botrytis cinerea), and tomato late blight (Phytophthora infestans). Studies on the characterization of antifungal substances produced by B. cepacia EB215 are in progress.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.452-460
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• 2016

This study was designed to develop a functional pharma-food using Salicornia europaea (SE). Tiny seeds from the mature SE were collected, and their biological activities were evaluated. The extraction yield of the seed in hot water was found to be 29.6% and the hot water extract (HWE) contained 25.7 mg/g total polyphenol (TP) and 11.5 mg/g total flavonoid (TF), which are similar to those contained in leaf and stem of SE. Among the subsequent organic solvent fractions, the ethylacetate (EA) fraction exhibited the highest content of TP (158.3 mg/g), TF (136.2 mg/g), and total sugar (228.3 mg/g). The EA fraction exhibited broad-range antibacterial activities against gram-positive bacteria, and the butanol fraction exhibited growth inhibitory effect against only Staphylococcus epidermidis. An antioxidation activity assay of the HWE and its fractions showed the EA fraction to have the highest radical scavenging activity with $RC_{50}$ values of 57.0, 29.0, and $28.9{\mu}g/ml$ against DPPH anion, ABTS cation, and nitrite, respectively. The $RC_{50}$ values of vitamin C against DPPH anion, ABTS cation, and nitrite were 10.7, 4.0, and $18.0{\mu}g/ml$, respectively, indicating that the EA fraction of SE has potent antioxidant compounds. In an anticoagulation assay, the EA fraction exhibited a 15-fold extended thrombin time at 5 mg/ml and activated partial thromboplastin time at 7 mg/ml, which are comparable to the activities of aspirin. The HWE and its fractions had no hemolysis activities against human RBCs at up to 1 mg/ml. These results suggest that the EA fraction from SE has a great potential as a new antibacterial and anticoagulation agent.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.99-104
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• 1976

Experiments were carried out to establish the effects of acids in neutralization after alkaline treatment of rice straw, with which cellulosic single cell protein can be produced by cellulose utilizing bacteria, Cellulomonas flavigena KIST 321, previously isolated by authors. Following results were obtained. 1. Rice straw as carbon source was pretreated with 10 volumes of 1 normality of NH$_4$OH or NaOH(NaOH/substrate：40％, and then washed with water or neutralized with H$_3$PO$_4$, H$_2$SO$_4$, HCl and CH$_3$COOH. Among the above mentioned methods, neutralization with H$_3$PO$_4$after alkaline treatment was proved to be the most effective on its digestibility and SCP production. Dry cell 12.28g/$\ell$ and 78％ digestibility were obtained. 2. When rice straw was treated with NaOH solution, the result suggested that the productibity of cell-mass was attained on treatment of rice straw with 6％ of NaOH (NaOH/substrate ratio) for 15～24hrs at room temperature. 3. When rice straw was treated with NaOH, a volume of water to substrate is adequate by two or three fold and the amount of NaOH can be economized up to 5％ for the weight of rice straw. 4. The steaming of rice straw at 121$^{\circ}C$ for 30min. in alkaline treatment of rice straw gave the similiar effectiveness to that at room temperature for 15～24hrs. and accelerated the sterilization of the substrate. 5. Finally, the level of inorganic phosphate in a medium was investigated. 11.2g of dry cell was produced at the concentration of 0.2％, phosphate (phosphorous level 0.04％) in medium even though treated rice straw was neutralized with HCI instead of H$_3$PO$_4$, and 12.2g/$\ell$ at the concentration of 0.3％ phosphate (phosphorous 0.04％) on neutralization with H$_2$SO$_4$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.166-173
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• 2006

This research has been performed to clarify the relationship between hydrogeochemistry and bacterial community structure in groundwater contaminated with landfill leachate. We collected and analyzed samples from 5 sites such as leachate (KSG1-12), treated leachate (KSG1-16), two contaminated groundwaters (KSG1-07 and KSG1-08) and non-contaminated groundwater (KSG1-13). pH was 8.83, 8.04, 6.87, 6.87 and 6.53 in order; redox potential (Eh) 108, 202, 47, 200 and 154 mV; electric conductivity (EC) 3710, 894, 1223, 559 and 169.9 $\mu$S/cm; suspended solids (SS) 86.45, 13.74, 4.18, 0.24 and 11.91 mg/L. In KSG01-12, the ion concentrations were higher especially in $Cl^-$ and $HCO_3^-$ than other sites. The concentrations of Fe, Mn and $SO_4^{2-}$ were higher In KSG1-07 than in KSG1-08, and vise versa in $NO_3^{2-}$. In the comparison of DGGE fingerprint patterns, the similarity was highest between KSG1-13 and KSG1-16 (57.2%), probably due to common properties like low or none contaminant concentrations. Otherwise KSG1-08 showed lowest similarities with KSG1-13 (25.8%) and KSG1-12 (27.6%), maybe because of the degree of contamination. The most dominant bacterial species in each site were involved in $\alpha$-Proteobacteria (55.6%) in KSG1-12, $\gamma$-Proteobacteria (50.0%) in KSG1-16, $\beta$-Proteobacteria (66.7%) in KSG1-07, $\gamma$-Proteobacteria (54.5%) in KSG1-08 and $\beta$-Proteobacteria (36.4%) in KSG1-13. These results indicate that the microbial community structure might be changed according to the flow of leachate in grounderwater, implying changes in concentrations of pollutants, available electron accepters and/or other environmental conditions.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.223-231
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• 1983

The productions of beta-exotoxin from sixteen Bacillus thuringiensis strains were examined by Micrococus flava primarily, and then measured by spectrophotometer during culturing in Conner and Hansen mineral salts medium at 28$^{\circ}C$. Also the toxic effects of the toxin to mice were checked. The growth of Bacillus thuringiensis K2 and BTK2-T1, -T13, -T33 and -T40 got into stationary phase at 6 hour culture and then maintained it up to 48 hours without severe fluctuation. The production of beta-exotoxin from the strains, BTK2, BTK2-T1, -T13, -T17 and -T33 appeared at 6 hour culture and the amounts of the toxin were about 40 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ at 6 hour culture, approximately 70 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ at 12 hours, approximately 85$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ from 24 hours to 48 hours. At 48 hour-culture, BTK2 produced 80 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ of beta-exotoxin (5.5$\times$10$^{8}$ cells/$m\ell$, BTK2-T13 produced 84 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ (4.3$\times$10$^{8}$ cells/$m\ell$), BTK2-T17 produced 87$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ (1.4$\times$10$^{8}$ cells/$m\ell$), and BTK2-T33 produced 84 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ (4.9$\times$10$^{8}$ cells/$m\ell$). All other serotypes also produced beta-exotoxin. At 48 hour culture, BTK-37 produced 88$\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$ (6.1$\times$10$^{8}$ cells/$m\ell$), BTK-35 produced 81 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$), and the rest of them produced less than 70 $\mu\textrm{g}$/$m\ell$. To check the toxicity of beta-exotoxin and B. thuringiensis, the cultured media with microorganisms were inoculated to mice by per os, intraperiloneal, subcutaneous and intracerebral injection, and nasal cavity inoculation for 30 days. However, the toxin did not kill all of the treated mice.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.90-95
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• 2008

In this study, a combined process of sequential anaerobic-aerobic digestion (SAAD), fluidized-bed bioreactor (FBBR), and ultrafiltration (UF) for the treatment of small scale food waste leachate was developed and evaluated. The SAAD process was tested for performance and stability by subjecting leachate from food waste to a two-phase anaerobic digestion. The main process used FBBR composed of aerators for oxygen supply and fluidization, three 5 ton reaction chambers containing an aerobic mesophilic microorganism immobilized in PE (polyethylene), and a sedimentation chamber. The HRTs (hydraulic retention time) of the combined SAAD-FBBR-UF process were 30, 7, and 1 day, and the operation temperature was set to the optimal one for microbial growth. The pilot process maintained its performance even when the CODcr of input leachate fluctuated largely. During the operation, average CODcr, TKN, TP, and salt of the effluent were 1,207mg/L, 100mg/L, 50 mg/L, and 0.01 %, which corresponded to the removal efficiencies of 99.4%, 98.6%, 89.6%, and 98.5%, respectively. These results show that the developed process is able to manage high concentration leachate from food waste and remove CODcr, TKN, TP, and salt effectively.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.106-120
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• 2018

Since 2018, the production and sales of ram-milk cheese ripened for over 60 days has been permitted in South Korea. Hence, this study aimed to examine the microbiological changes in 7 different types of Gouda cheese. During the aging period, traditional raw-milk Gouda Cheeses 1 and 2 did not contain Salmonella spp. during the 60-day storage period and no E. coli after 20-day storage. Coliform bacteria were not detected in Cheese 1 after 40 days; however, they were detected in Cheese 2 up to 60 days. Salmonella spp. were inhibited during the 60-day storage period in Cheese 3 (Salmonella spp.-contaminated raw-milk Gouda cheese), Cheese 4 (Cheese 3 contaminated with lactic acid bacteria DH 5 isolated from Kefir) and Cheese 5 (Cheese 3 contaminated with lactic acid bacteria DN1 isolated from Kefir). In particular, inhibition of Salmonella spp. was more prominent in Cheese 4 and Cheese 5 than in Cheese 3. During 60-day storage, Cheese 6 had a significantly reduced lactic acid bacteria. Furthermore, in Cheese 7, E. coli, E. Salmonella ssp. were rarely detected, and lactic acid bacteria were slightly greater in Cheese 7 than in other cheeses during the 60-day period. Moreover, all samples from Cheese 1 to Cheese 7 were not contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Clostridium perfringens, and E. coli O157:H7.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.93-104
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• 2010

In this study, we investigated the effects of frankincense essential oil (BSEO) on the immune cell change in the lung, BALF and PBMC using a mouse model of asthma. BALB/c mice after intraperitoneal OVA sensitization (day 1) were challenged intratracheally with OVA on day 14. Then, the asthma was induced by repeated OVA inhalation challenged. The asthma induced mice group inhaled 0.3% BSEO for 30 minutes per trial, three times a week, for 8 weeks using the nebulizer. After 12 weeks from the experiment, the mice was killed and the lung, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) were obtained. Next, the change of immune cells inside the separated tissues was observed to identity the effects of BSEO on the allergic asthma mice. In conclusion, the hypersensitive reaction of airway to the bronchoconstrictor in the allergic asthma induced mice was effectively suppressed in Frankincense group, in Bermagot, Eucalyptus, Chamomile, Marjoram and Frankincense groups, the natural aromatic essential oil groups. Furthermore, it was also confirmed that the weight of lung, total number of alveolus cells and the number of BALF, MNL and DLN increased after inducing allergic asthma were reduced. BSEO suppressed the percentage of $CD3e^+/CD19^-$, $B220^+/CD23^+$ and $CD11b^+/Gr-1^+$ cells in the lung tissue of allergic asthma mice. Moreover, BSEO also reduced the percentage of $CD4^+/CD8^-$, $B220^+/CD23^+$ and $CD3^+/CCR3^+$ cells in BALF. In addition, the percentage of $CD3e^+/CD19^-$, $CD3^+/CD69^+$ and $B220^+/CD23^+$ cells in PBMC was reduced. The results of this study indicate that BSEO would be effective to treat allergic asthma by the immune control suppressing the activity of immune cells in each tissue.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.267-274
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• 2014

High pressure processing (HPP) is a non-thermal method used to prevent bacterial growth in the food industry. Currently, pasteurization is the most common method in use for most milk processing, but this has the disadvantage that it leads to changes in the milk's nutritional and chemical properties. Therefore, the effects of HPP treatment on the microbiological and chemical properties of milk were investigated in this study. With the treatment of HPP at 600 MPa and $15^{\circ}C$ for 3 min, the quantity of microorganisms and lactic acid bacteria were reduced to the level of 2-3 log CFU/ml, and coliforms were not detected during a storage period of 15 d at $4^{\circ}C$. An analysis of milk proteins, such as ${\alpha}$-casein, ${\beta}$-casein, ${\kappa}$-casein, ${\alpha}$-lactalbumin, ${\beta}$-lactoglobulin by on-chip electorophoresis revealed that the electrophoretic pattern of the proteins from HPP-treated milk was different from that of conventionally treated commercial milk. While the quantities of vitamins and minerals in HPP-treated milk were seen to be comparable to amounts found in raw milk, the enzyme activity of lipase, protease and alkaline phosphatase after HPP treatment was reduced. These results suggest that HPP treatment is a viable method for the control of undesirable microorganisms in milk, allowing for minimal nutritional and chemical changes in the milk during the process.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.411-415
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• 2009

Some microorganisms are capable of leaching Mn(II) from nonsulfidic manganese ores indirectly via nonenzymatic processes. Such reductive dissolution requires organic substrates, such as glucose, sucrose, or galactose, as a source of carbon and energy for microbial growth. This study investigated characteristics of Mn(II) leaching from manganese nodules by using heterotrophic Bacillus sp. strain MR2 provided with corn starch as a less-expensive substrate. Leaching of Mn(II) at 25.6 g Mn(II) $kg^{-1}$ nodule $day^{-1}$ was accompanied with cell growth, but part of the produced Mn(II) re-adsorbed onto residual $MnO_2$ particles after 24 h. Direct contact of cells to manganese nodule was not necessary as a separation between them with a dialysis tube produced similar amount [24.6 g Mn(II) $kg^{-1}$ nodule $day^{-1}$]. These results indicated an involvement of extracellular diffusible compound(s) during Mn(II) leaching by strain MR2. In order to optimize a leaching process we tested factors that influence the reaction, and the most efficient conditions were $25\sim35^{\circ}C$, pH 5~7, inoculum density of 1.5~2.5% (v/v), pulp density of 2~3 g/L, and particle size <75 ${\mu}m$. Although Mn(II) leaching was enhanced as particle size decrease, we suggest <212 ${\mu}m$ as a proper size range since more grinding means more energy consumption The results would help for the improvement of bioleaching of manganese nodule as a less expensive, energy-efficient, and environment-friendly technology as compared to the existing physicochemical metal recovery technologies.