• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.1112-1121
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• 2018

Jeotgal is a Korean traditional fermented seafood with a high concentration of salt. In this study, we isolated lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from galchi (Trichiurus lepturus, hairtail) and myeolchi (Engraulis japonicas, anchovy) jeotgal on MRS agar and MRS agar containing 5% NaCl (MRS agar+5% NaCl), and identified them by using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) as culture-dependent methods. We also performed polymerase chain reaction-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) as a culture-independent method to identify bacterial communities. Five samples of galchi-jeotgal and seven samples of myeolchi-jeotgal were collected from different regions in Korea. A total of 327 and 395 colonies were isolated from the galchi- and myeolchi-jeotgal samples, respectively. 16S rRNA gene sequencing and MALDI-TOF MS revealed that the genus Pediococcus was predominant on MRS agar, and Tetragenococcus halophilus on MRS agar+5% NaCl. PCR-DGGE revealed that T. halophilus, Tetragenococcus muriaticus, and Lactobacillus sakei were predominant in both types of jeotgal. T. halophilus was detected in all samples. Even though the same species were identified by both culture-dependent and -independent methods, many species identified by the culture-dependent methods were not in the bacterial list identified by the culture-independent methods. The distribution of bacteria in galchi-jeotgal was more diverse than in myeolchi-jeotgal. The diverse LAB in galchi- and myeolchi-jeotgals can be further studied as candidates for starter cultures to produce fermented foods.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.294-300
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• 2011

Proteolytic bacteria were isolated from Myeolchi-jeotgal and Saeu-jeotgal using high-salt-content media and their growths in the media containing 25% NaCl were monitored to draw the role of bacteria in the ripening of jeotgal. The most populous genus in Myeolchi-jeotgal detected on agar media with 15% NaCl was Bacillus and its relatives, while the most populous in Saeu-jeotgal was Staphylococcus. Among the isolates, Virgibacillus halodenitrificans from Myeolchi-jeotgal and Halobacillus trueperi from Saeu-jeotgal showed proteinase activities. The species from Myeolchi-jeotgal showed proteinase activity on the agar media with 8% NaCl were similar to those isolated from the media with 15% NaCl. The dominant of Myeolchi-jeotgal isolated at the 15% NaCl concentration may be involved in the proteolysis. The proteolytic species from Saeu-jeotgal on the agar media with 8% NaCl were the genera Bacillus, Salinicoccus, and Salimicrobium those were not the dominants at 15% NaCl condition. The dominant isolates from Saeu-jeotgal on agar media with 15% NaCl may not be involved in the proteolysis of Saeu-jeotgal. Vb. halodenitrificans and Staphylococcus equorum, the dominant species from Myeolchi-jeotgal and Saeu-jeotgal, showed growths at the nutrient broth containing 25% NaCl. They may play a significant role in the ripening of jeotgal and have a high possibility to be used as the starter.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.10
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• pp.1744-1752
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• 2017

Myeolchi jeotgals (MJs) were prepared with purified salt (PS), solar salt aged for 1 year (SS), and bamboo salt (BS) melted 3 times at 10% and 20% (w/w) concentrations, and fermented for 28 weeks at $15^{\circ}C$. BS MJ showed higher pH and lower titratable acidities than the other samples because of the alkalinity of bamboo salt. Lactic acid bacteria counts increased until 4-6 weeks and then decreased gradually, and were not detected after 20 weeks from MJs with 10% salt. Yeast counts of PS MJs were higher than those of BS and SS MJs. Bacilli were detected in relatively higher numbers throughout the 28 weeks, like marine bacteria, but archae were detected in lower numbers during the first 10 weeks. When 16S rRNA genes were amplified from total DNA from PS MJ (10% salt) at 12 weeks, Tetragenococcus halophilus was the major species. However, Staphylococcus epidermidis was the dominant species for BS MJ at the same time point. In SS MJ, T. halophilus was the dominant species and S. epidermidis was the next dominant species. BS and SS MJs showed higher amino-type nitrogen, ammonia-type nitrogen, and volatile basic nitrogen contents than PS MJs. SS and BS were better than PS for the production of high-quality MJs.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.289-297
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• 2021

Bacillus velezensis CJ1, showing significant fibrinolytic activity, was isolated from Myeolchi Jeotgal, a popular Korean fermented seafood. When B. velezensis CJ1 was grown on four different culture media, the culture on the Luria-Bertani (LB) broth showed the highest fibrinolytic activity (102.94 mU/μl) at 48 h. LB was also the best medium for growth. SDS-PAGE of culture supernatant showed four major bands, 38, 35, 27, and 22 kDa in size. Fibrin zymography showed four active bands, 50, 47, 40, and 30 kDa in size. A gene homologous to aprE of the Bacillus species was cloned by PCR. DNA sequencing showed that aprECJ1 can encode a protease consisting of 382 amino acids. The translated amino acid sequence of AprECJ1 showed high identity values with those of B. velezensis strains and other Bacillus species. The aprECJ1 gene was introduced into B. subtilis WB600 using an E. coli-Bacillus shuttle vector, pHY300PLK, and overexpressed. A 27 kDa band corresponding to the mature form of AprECJ1 was produced and confirmed by SDS-PAGE and fibrin zymography. B. subtilis WB600 [pHYaprECJ1] showed 1.8-fold higher fibrinolytic activity than B. velezensis CJ1 at 48 h.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.313-319
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• 2018

Halophilic lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from myeolchi-jeotgal (23% NaCl, w/v) fermented in jangdok (Korean earthenware) located outside a house. They were identified as Tetragenococcus halophilus by 16S rRNA and recA gene sequencing. Four T. halophilus isolates showing high protease activities were selected for further studies. Four strains grew well, reaching $OD_{600}$ values of 0.75-0.92 at 18% NaCl content (w/v) and 0.28-0.44 at 23% salt. They showed rapid growth, attaining $OD_{600}$ values of 1.1-1.2 at $20-30^{\circ}C$, but did not grow at $4^{\circ}C$. At $15^{\circ}C$, the highest $OD_{600}$ values, which exceeded 0.6, were observed at 20 days, and were higher than those of cultures at $37^{\circ}C$ and $42^{\circ}C$ (approximately 0.5). Four isolates grew best in broth where the initial pH was adjusted to 8 and did not grow at $pH{\leq}4$. T. halophilus BS2-36 showed the highest survival ratio of 18.7% after 2 hours of exposure at pH 3. BS2-36 showed the highest survival ratio (1.29%) in presence of 0.3% bile salts. T. halophilus BS2-36 seems a promising candidate as a starter for jeotgal and other fermented foods with high salinities.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2023

A map gene encoding methionyl-specific aminopeptidase (MAP; EC 3.4.11.18) was cloned from Tetragenococcus halophilus CY54. Translated amino acid sequence of CY54 MAP showed high similarities with those from Enterococcus faecalis (83.8%) and Streptococcus salivarius (62.2%) but low similarities with MAPs from Lactobacillus and Lactococcus genera. The map gene was overexpressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) using pET26b(+),pET26b(+), and the recombinant MAP was purified by using an Ni-NTA column. The size of recombinant MAP was 29 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE. The optimum pH and temperature of CY54 MAP were pH 5.0 and 60℃, respectively. The activity of CY54 MAP was most significantly increased by Co²⁺ ion (159%), and showed the highest activity at 12% NaCl. K_m and V_max were 0.64 ± 0.006 mM and 10.12 ± 0.014 U/mg protein, respectively when met-pNA was used as the substrate. This is the first report on a MAP from Tetragenococcus species.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.371-377
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• 2023

In this study, a pepA gene encoding glutamyl (aspartyl)-specific aminopeptidase (PepA; E.C. 3.4.11.7) was cloned from Tetragenococcus halophilus CY54. The translated PepA from T. halophilus CY54 showed very low similarities with PepAs from Lactobacillus and Lactococcus genera. The pepA from T. halophilus CY54 was overexpressed in E. coli BL21(DE3) using pET26b(+). The recombinant PepA was purified by using an Ni- NTA column. The size of the recombinant PepA was 39.13 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE, while its optimum pH and temperature were pH 5.0 and 60℃, respectively. In addition, the PepA was completely inactivated by 1 mM EDTA, indicating its metallopeptidase nature. The Km and Vmax of the PepA were 0.98 ± 0.006 mM and 0.1 ± 0.002 mM/min, respectively, when Glu-pNA was used as the substrate. This is the first report on PepA from Tetragenococcus species.