• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.133-138
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• 2008

Fire can affect microbial community structure of soil through altered environmental conditions, nutrient availability, and biotic source for microbial re-colonization. We examined the influence of fire on chemical properties and soil enzyme activities of soil for 10 months. We also characterized the soil microbial community structure through ester-linked fatty acid analysis(EL-FAME). For this study, we established five burned plots(1*1 m) and 5 unburned plots outside the margin of fire. Soil was sampled three soil cores in a each plots and composited for analysis at 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10 month after fire. The fire caused an increase in soil pH, exchangeable Ca, and Mg, organic matter, available $P_2O_5$ compared to unburned sites. The content of $NH_4-N$ in burned site was significantly higher than that of unburned site and this effect continued for 8 months after fire. There was no difference of $NO_3-N$ content in soil between burned and unburned site. Fire caused no change in acid phosphatase and arylsulfatase activities but $\beta$-glucosidase and alkaline phosphatase activities in burned site were increased compared to unburned site. Microbial biomass as estimated by total concentration of EL-FAMEs in burned sites was significantly higher than that of unburned sites at one month after fire. Burned site decreased the EL-FAMEs indicative of gram-positive bacteria and tended to increase the fatty acid associated with gram-negative bacteria at one and three months after fire. The sum of EL-FAME compound $18:2{\omega}6,9c$ and $18:1{\omega}9c$ as served fungal biomarkers was decreased in burned site compared to unburned site.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.1075-1080
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• 2004

Dextransucrase (DSRB742) from Leuconostoc mesenteroides NRRL B-742CB is a glucosyltransferase that catalyzes the synthesis of dextran using sucrose, or the synthesis of oligosaccharides when acceptor molecules, like maltose, are present. The DSRB742 gene (dsrB742) was cloned and the properties were characterized. In order to identify critical amino acid residues, the DSRB742 amino acid sequence was aligned with glucosyltransferase sequences, and three amino acid residues reported as sucrose binding amino acids in Streptococcus glucosyltransferases were selected for site-directed mutagenesis experiments. Asp-533, Asp-536, and His-643 were independently replaced with Ala or Asn. D533A and D536A dextransucrases showed reduced dextran synthesis activities, 2.3% and 40.8% of DSRB742 dextransucrase, respectively, and D533N, D536N, H643A, end H643N dextransucrases showed complete suppression of dextran synthesis activities altogether. Additionally, D536N dextransucrase showed complete suppression of oligosaccharide synthesis activities. However, modifications at Asp-533 or at His-643 retained acceptor reaction activities in the range of 8.4% to 21.3% of DSRB742 acceptor reaction activity. Thus at least two carboxyl groups of Asp-533 and Asp-536, and His-643 as a proton donor, are essential for the catalysis process.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.905-912
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• 2007

A novel ${\beta}-glucosidase$ gene, bglA, was isolated from uncultured soil bacteria and characterized. Using genomic libraries constructed from soil DNA, a gene encoding a protein that hydrolyzes a fluorogenic analog of cellulose, 4-methylumbelliferyl ${\beta}-D-cellobioside$ (MUC), was isolated using a microtiter plate assay. The gene, bglA, was sequenced using a shotgun approach, and expressed in E. coli. The deduced 55-kDa amino acid sequence for bglA showed a 56% identity with the family 1 glycosyl hydrolase Chloroflexus aurantiacus. BglA included two conserved family 1 glycosyl hydrolase regions. When using $p-nitrophenyl-{\beta}-D-glucoside$ (pNPG) as the substrate, the maximum activity of the purified ${\beta}-glucosidase$ exhibited at pH 6.5 and $55^{\circ}C$, and was enhanced in the presence of $Mn^{2+}$. The $K_m\;and\;V_{max}$ values for the purified enzyme with pNPG were 0.16 mM and $19.10{\mu}mol/min$, respectively. The purified BglA enzyme hydrolyzed both pNPG and $p-nitrophenyl-{\beta}-D-fucoside$. The enzyme also exhibited substantial glycosyl hydrolase activities with natural glycosyl substrates, such as sophorose, cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, and cellopentaose, yet low hydrolytic activities with gentiobiose, salicin, and arbutin. Moreover, BglA was able to convert the major ginsenoside $Rb_1$ into the pharmaceutically active minor ginsenoside Rd within 24 h.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2012

Increasing concerns over green farming technology, plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGRP) having growth promoting as well as plant disease suppressing properties was recently preferred to use for biological control of plant pathogens infecting plant. We measured the influence of the selected microbial consortium agents-a mixture of PGPR strains-, commercial bio-fungicide, and chemical pesticides on soil microbial community in red pepper field. The activities of soil enzyme such as dehydrogenase, urease, phosphatase, ${\beta}$-glucosidase, and cellulase were analyzed to investigate that of soil microbial community. We also measured plant length, main stem, stem diameter, number of branches and yields of red-pepper in order to observe the red pepper growth promotion. The results of measuring enzyme activities were dehydrogenase 3.5584 ${\mu}g$ TPF $g^{-1}h^{-1}$, urease 15.8689 ${\mu}g$ $NH_4{^-}N$ $g^{-1}h^{-1}$, phosphatase 0.5692 ${\mu}g$ PNP $g^{-1}h^{-1}$, ${\beta}$-glucosidase 2.4785 ${\mu}g$ PNP $g^{-1}h^{-1}$, and cellulase 86.1597 ${\mu}g$ glucose $g^{-1}h^{-1}$ in the soil treated with the microbial consortium agents, so it came out to be very active in the soil. Observing the growth of red-peppers, the main-stem length and the stem diameter were 6.1% and 8.1% higher in the soil treated with the selected microbial consortium agent than the chemical pesticides. After harvesting, yields were 7.3% higher in the soil treated with selected microbial consortium agents than the chemical pesticides. These results showed that microbial consortium agents contribute to increasing soil microbial diversity, growth promoting, and yield of red pepper.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.600-608
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• 2016

Purpose: To investigate the antioxidant, physicochemical sensory, and microbial safety qualities of sunsik containing fermented Curcuma longa L. powder. Methods: Quality characteristics of samples were measured using pH, moisture content, crude ash content, color and sensory evaluation. Antioxidant activities of samples were compared using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging and 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid)(ABTS) cation radical scavenging activities. Microbial safety of samples were tested for Aerobic plate counts, Salmonella spp., Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, and Escherichia coli O157:H7. Results: The pH of samples was between pH 5.51 and pH 5.64, which was significantly lower than the optimum microbial living range. The DPPH and ABTS radical activities of sunsik containing 0.8% fermented Curcuma longa L. were significantly increased compared to that of the control (p<0.05). In sensory intensities, sunsik containing 0.8% fermented Curcuma longa L. showed significantly (p<0.05) similar savoy aroma and flavor, spicy aroma, spicy hot flavor, sweet flavor, and throat swallowing values to those of the control samples. Samples of sunsik added 0.8% and 1.2% fermented Curcuma longa L. showed significantly similar overall acceptance values to those of the control. All samples tested were found to free of microbes and microbiologically safe according to the food code standards. Conclusion: The sunsik added with 0.8% or 1.2% fermented Curcuma longa L. powder were successfully developed. we conclude that the developed sunsik with the fermented turmeric powder can be potentially high value products in the highly competitive sunsik food industry.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.41 no.9
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• pp.271-280
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• 2017

Background: Soil microorganisms play key roles in nutrient cycling and are distributed throughout the soil profile. Currently, there is little information about the characteristics of the microbial communities along the soil depth because most studies focus on microorganisms inhabiting the soil surface. To better understand the functions and composition of microbial communities and the biogeochemical factors that shape them at different soil depths, we analyzed microbial activities and bacterial and fungal community composition in soils up to a 120 cm depth at a fallow field located in central Korea. To examine the vertical difference of microbial activities and community composition, ${\beta}$-1,4-glucosidase, cellobiohydrolase, ${\beta}$-1,4-xylosidase, ${\beta}$-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase, and acid phosphatase activities were analyzed and barcoded pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes (bacteria) and internal transcribed spacer region (fungi) was conducted. Results: The activity of all the soil enzymes analyzed, along with soil C concentration, declined with soil depth. For example, acid phosphatase activity was $125.9({\pm}5.7({\pm}1SE))$, $30.9({\pm}0.9)$, $15.7({\pm}0.6)$, $6.7({\pm}0.9)$, and $3.3({\pm}0.3)nmol\;g^{-1}\;h^{-1}$ at 0-15, 15-30, 30-60, 60-90, and 90-120 cm soil depths, respectively. Among the bacterial groups, the abundance of Proteobacteria (38.5, 23.2, 23.3, 26.1, and 17.5% at 0-15, 15-30, 30-60, 60-90, and 90-120 cm soil depths, respectively) and Firmicutes (12.8, 11.3, 8.6, 4.3, and 0.4% at 0-15, 15-30, 30-60, 60-90, and 90-120 cm soil depths, respectively) decreased with soil depth. On the other hand, the abundance of Ascomycota (51.2, 48.6, 65.7, 46.1, and 45.7% at 15, 30, 60, 90, and 120 cm depths, respectively), a dominant fungal group at this site, showed no clear trend along the soil profile. Conclusions: Our results show that soil C availability can determine soil enzyme activity at different soil depths and that bacterial communities have a clear trend along the soil depth at this study site. These metagenomics studies, along with other studies on microbial functions, are expected to enhance our understanding on the complexity of soil microbial communities and their relationship with biogeochemical factors.

• Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.120-125
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• 2009

Water stress has become a major concern in agriculture. Korea suffers from limited agricultural water supply, and wastewater reuse has been recommended as an alternative solution.A study was performed to examine the effects of microorganism concentration in the ponded-water of a paddy rice field with reclaimed-water irrigation for evaluating the microbial risk to farmers and neighborhoodchildren.Most epidemiological studies were performed based on an upland field, and they may not directly applicable to paddy fields. Beta-Poisson model was used to estimate the microbial risk of pathogen ingestion. Their risk value increased significantly high level after irrigation and precipitation.It implies that agricultural activities such as plowing, and fertilizing, and precipitation need be practiced a few days after irrigation considering health risks. The results about field application of the microbial risk assessment using E. coli showed difference according to monitoring time and treatment plot. Result of the microbial risk assessment showed that risk values of ground-water and reclaimed secondary waste water irrigation were lower than directly use of wastewater treatment plants' effluent. This paper should be viewed as a first step in the application of quantitative microbial risk assessment of E. coli to wastewater reuse in a paddy rice farming.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.7-7
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• 2002

• The Microorganisms and Industry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.36-39
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• 1986

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Environmental Biology Conference
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• 2004.12a
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• pp.105-105
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• 2004