• KSBB Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.334-340
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• 2009

For the isolation of a plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, strain YK-5 was selected from approximately 400 thermostable strains isolated from special soil samples. Strain YK-5 produced an antifungal compound, and optimum carbon and nitrogen sources for the production of the antifungal compound were investigated against Aspergillus flavus as a test strain. Modified LB medium containing 1% peptone, 1% yeast extract and 5% black sugar was determined to be the optimal medium for growth and antifungal compound production. Culture broth of strain YK-5 potently inhibited growth of the phytopathogenic fungus Fusarium oxysporum KACC 40052 for 7 days. The plant growth-promotion function of strain YK-5 was tested against radish and rice in pot trials. Leaf number, plant height and root length in YK-5-treated radish markedly exceeded (> 60%) those of untreated radish. Leaf length and white rootlet development were markedly more prominent than in commercially-treated rice plants. Strain YK-5 was determined to be Bacillus subtilis YK-5 by physiological, chemotaxonomical, and phylogenetical analyses.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.385-390
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• 2015

In order to develop an eco-friendly biofertilizer, a plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), Bacillus sp., SH1RP8 was investigated. SH1RP8 was lyophilized via freeze-drying along with other protective agents that protect cells from lysis. The freezedried powder of Bacillus sp. SH1RP8, containing 5% skim milk (w/v), exhibited the highest survival rate of 30.6% among all the protective agents (skim milk, glucose, and peptone). The lyoprotective effect of the skim milk, mixture including 5% skim milk, and substrates on the survival of the test strain was examined. Control group was added only skim milk and test groups were added skim milk and other substrates. As a result, the group supplemented with both glycerol and 5% skim milk showed the protective effect much higher by 214.29% than the control group. Freeze-dried Bacillus sp. SH1RP8 could be a good candidate as a potential biofertilizer due to its effective PGPR activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.881-891
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• 2003

Paenibacillus polymyxa is a plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR) which can be used for biological control of plant diseases. Several bacterial strains were isolated from rotten roots of Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer) that were in storage. These strains were identified as P. polymyxa, based on a RAPD analysis using a P. polymyxa-specific primer, cultural and physiological characteristics, an analysis utilizing the Biolog system, gas chromatography of fatty acid methyl esters (GC-FAME), and the 16S rDNA sequence analysis. These strains were found to cause the rot in stored ginseng roots. Twenty-six P. polymyxa strains, including twenty GBR strains, were phylogenetically classified into two groups according to the ERIC and BOX-PCR analyses and 16S rDNA sequencing, and the resulting groupings systematized to the degrees of virulence of each strain in causing root rot. In particular, highly virulent GBR strains clustered together, and this group may be considered as subspecies or biovar. The virulence of the strains seemed to be related to their starch hydrolysis enzyme activity, but not their cellulase or hemicellulase activity, since strains with reduced or no starch-hydrolytic activity showed little or no virulence. Artificial inoculation of the highly virulent strain GBR-1 onto the root surfaces of Korean ginseng resulted in small brown lesions which were sunken and confined to the outer portion of the root. Ginseng root discs inoculated in vitro or two-year-old roots grown in soil drenched with the inoculum developed significant rot only when the inoculum density was $10^{6}-10^{7}$ or more colony-forming units (CFU) per ml. These results suggest that P. polymyxa might induce ginseng root rot if their population levels are high. Based on these results, it is recommended that the concentration of P. polymyxa should be monitored, when it is used as a biocontrol agent of ginseng, especially in the treatment of stored roots.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.311-317
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• 2006

Using PCR amplification, we cloned a cellulase gene (ce/H) from the Bacillus subtilis AH18 which has plant growth-promoting activity and antagonistic ability against pepper blight caused by Phytophthora capsici. The 1.6 kb PCR fragment contained the full sequence of the cellulase gene and the 1,582 bp gene deduced a 508 amino acid sequence. Similarity search in protein database revealed that the cellulase of B. subtilis AH18 was more than 98% homologous in the amino acid sequence to those of several major Bacillus spp. The ce/H was expressed in E. coli under an IPTG inducible lac promoter on the vector, had apparent molecular weight of about 55 kDa upon CMC-SDS-PAGE analysis. Partially purified cellulase had not only cellulolytic activity toward carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC) but also insoluble cellulose, such as Avicel and filter paper (Whatman No. 1). In addition, the cellulase could degrade a fungal cell wall of Phytophthora capsici. The optimum pH and temperature of the ce/H coded cellulase were determined to be pH 5.0 and $50^{\circ}C$. The enzyme activity was activated by $AgNO_3$ or $CoCl_2$. However its activity was Inhibited by $HgC1_2$. The enzyme activity was activated by hydroxy urea or sodium azide and inhibited by CDTA or EDTA. The results indicate that the cellulase gene, ce/H is an antifungal mechanism of B. subtilis AH18 against phytophthora blight disease in red-pepper.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.326-335
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• 2008

The siderophore ($siderophore_{AH18}$) of Bacillus subtilis AR18 was determined to be one of catechol type and purified by using Amberlite XAD-2, Sephadex LR-20 chromatography, and reversed-phase RPLC. The $Siderophore_{AH18}$ was identified bacillibactin with its structure by GC-MS, $^1H$-NMR, and $^{13}C$-NMR. $Siderophore_{AH18}$ (bacillibactin) had been confirmed its molecular weight of 883 and chemical structure of $(2,3-dihydroxybenzoate-glycine-threonine)_3$. Purified $siderophore_{AH18}$ showed strong biocontrol ability towards the spore of Phytophthora capsici on PDA and able to effectively suppress (55%) P. capsici causing red-pepper blight in the pot in vivo test.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.105-111
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• 2013

Biofilm formation of multifunctional plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), Pseudomonas fluorescens 2112 is necessary for P. fluorescens 2112 to have a positive impact on the rhizosphere of red-pepper. This study investigated whether signal molecules of the quorum sensing AHLs are produced in order to confirm biofilm formative ability. Through the use of Petri dish bioassays a blue circle formed evidence of AHLs. It was confirmed that P. fluorescens 2112 produced six-carbon-chain-long AHLs by TLC bioassay. The bacterial density of P. fluorescens 2112 on the top and bottom of pepper plant roots was estimated as $3{\times}10^5$ and $8{\times}10^3$ CFU/g root, respectively. P. fluorescens 2112 exist more with high-density of $3.5{\times}10^6$ CFU/g soil at a depth of 1 cm but at a low-density of $1.1{\times}10$ CFU/g soil at a depth of 5 cm, from the surface of rhizosphere soil. In addition, biofilm formation of P. fluorescens 2112 on the epidermises and the tips of the red-pepper roots were confirmed visually by SEM. Thus, the production of AHLs by P. fluorescens 2112 brings about quorum sensing signaling and the formation of biofilm on the roots which has a positive effect on economically important crops such as red-pepper by additionally producing a variety of antifungal substances and auxin.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.1001-1010
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• 2005

Bacillus megaterium KL39, an antibiotic-producing plant growth promoting rhizobacterium (PGPR), was selected from soil. The antifungal antibiotic, denoted KL39, was purified from culture filtrate by column chromatography using Dion HP-20, Silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, and prep-HPLC. Thin layer chromatography, employing the solvent system of ethanol:ammonia:water=8:1:1, showed the $R_{f}$. value of 0.32. The antibiotic KL39 showed a negative reaction with ninhydrin solution, positive with iodine vapor, and also positive with Ehrlich reagent. It was soluble in methanol, ethanol, butanol, and acetonitrile, but insoluble in chloroform, toluene, hexane, ethyl ether, or acetone. Its UV spectrum had the maximum absorption at 208 nm. Amino acid composition, FAB-mass, $^{1}H-NMR,\;^{13}C-NMR$, and atomic analyses showed that the antibiotic KL39 (MW=1,071) has a structure very similar to iturin E. The antibiotic KL39 has a broad antifungal spectrum against a variety of plant pathogenic fungi including Rhizoctonia solani, Pyricularia oryzae, Monilinia froeticola, Botrytis cinenea, Altenaria kikuchiana, Fusarium oxysporum, and F. solani. An MIC value of $10\;{\mu}g/ml$ was determined for Phytophthora capsici. Macromolecular incorporation studies with P. capsici using radioactive [$^{3}H-adenine$] as the precursor, indicated that the antibiotic KL39 strongly inhibits the DNA biosynthesis of the fungal cell. Microscopic observation of the antifungal action showed abnormal hyphal swelling of P. capsici. The purified antibiotic KL39 was very effective for the biocontrol of in vivo Phytophthora-blight disease of pepper.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2009

The genetic monitoring method was developed for the rapid detection of the PGPR and biocontrol agent, B. subtilis AH18 in red-pepper field soil by multiplex PCR using sid, aec and cel gene primers. The monitoring of B. subtilis AH18 in the soil was carried by amplified a 2,3-dihydro-2,3-dihydroxy benzoate dehydrogenase [EC: 1. 3. 1. 28]gene (sid - 794 bp : EF408238) which is a key enzyme of siderophore synthesis, an auxin efflux carrier gene (aec - 1,052 bp : EF408239) and a cellulase gene (cel - 1,582 bp : EF070194). The natural un sterilized soil was inoculated with B. subtilis AH18 to determine the sensitivity ($1.8\times10^5$ cfu/g) of multiplex PCR for the rapid dectection and then the strain was monitored successfully in rhizosphere or non-rhizosphere soil of red-pepper cultural soil. At 3 weeks after the treatment, density of the strain was monitored more abundantly in rhizosphere soil.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2007

The cellulase gene of Bacillus licheniformis K11 which has plant growth-promoting activity by auxin and antagonistic ability by siderophore was cloned in pUC18 using PCR employing heterologous primers. The 1.6kb PCR fragment contained the full sequence of the cellulase gene, denoted celW which has been reported to encode a 499 amino acid protein. Similarity search in protein data base revealed that the cellulase from B. licheniformis K11 was more than 97% identical in amino acid sequence to those of various Bacillus spp. The cellulase protein from B. licheniformis K11, overproduced in E. coli DH5${\alpha}$ by the lac promoter on the vector, had apparent molecular weight of 55 kDa upon CMC-SDS-PAGE analysis. The protein not only had enzymatic activity toward carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC), but also was able to degrade insoluble cellulose, such as Avicel and filter paper (Whatman$^{\circledR}$ No. 1). In addition, the cellulase could degrade a fungal cell wall of Phytophthora capsici. Consequently B. licheniformis K11 was able to suppress the peperblight causing P. capsici by its cellulase. Biochemical analysis showed that the enzyme had a maximum activity at 60$^{\circ}C$ and pH 6.0. Also, the enzyme activity was activated by Co$^{2+}$ of Mn$^{2+}$ but inhibited by Fe$^{3+}$ or Hg$^{2+}$. Moreover, enzyme activity was not inhibited by SDS or sodium azide.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.677-686
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• 2018

This study was carried out to determine the effect of Kluyvera sp. CL-2 (KACC 91283P) on the growth of watermelon (Citrullus vulgaris L.). The study consisted of three treatments, no treatment (NT), twice application of Kluyvera sp. CL-2 before transplanting (KC1), and five times application around transplanting (KC2). We determined the chemical properties of soil before and after the treatments, and compared the growth characteristics of watermelon among treatments. The treatment of Kluyvera sp. CL-2 at $1.0{\times}10^6cfu\;mL^{-1}$ significantly increased available $P_2O_5$. The organic matter showed to increase for all treatments, while soil pH, exchangeable Ca and Mg tended to decrease for all treatments. The leaf width was increased by 11.6% for KC1 and 26.2% for KC2 compared to NT. But there were no significant differences in yield, leaf length, fruit weight, fruit length, fruit width, and pericarp thickness among treatments. The contents of free sugars such as fructose and glucose were increased by microbial treatments but sucrose was not different from NT. The content of glucose in watermelon was increased by 13.8% in KC1 and 12.8% in KC2 compared to NT. The content of fructose increased by 14.6% in KC1 and by 39.8% in KC2 compared to NT. The results from the study imply that Kluyvera sp. CL-2 can be used to increase sugar content in watermelon.