• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.444-450
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• 2011

Perchlorate ($ClO_4^-$) is a contaminant found in surface water and soil/ground water. Autotrophic perchlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) use hydrogen gas ($H_2$) as an electron donor to remove perchlorate. Since iron corrosion can produce $H_2$, feasibility of autotrophic perchlorate-removal using zero-valent iron (ZVI) was examined in this study using activated sludge that is easily available from a wastewater treatment plant. Batch test showed that activated sludge microorganisms could successfully degrade perchlorate in the presence of ZVI. The perchlorate biodegradation was confirmed by molar yield of $Cl^-$ as perchlorate was degraded. Scanning electron microscope revealed that rod-shaped microorganisms on the surface of iron particles used for the autotrophic perchlorate-removal, suggesting that iron particles could serve as supporting media for the formation of biofilm as well. DGGE analyses revealed that microbial profile of the inoculum (activated sludge) was different from that of biofilm sample obtained from the ZVI-added enrichment culture used for $ClO_4^-$-degradation. A major band of the biofilm sample was most closely related to the class Clostridia.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.368-373
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• 2010

Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii Henry is a short and creeping evergreen shrub which reaches about 60 cm in height and only occurs in the northeast Asia and in the top of high mountains over the Korea. The Korea Forest Service protects it strictly by law since J. chinensis var. sargentii is an eccentric plant and possibly may be exterminated soon in Korea. This study was carried out to develop the propagation technique by cutting for conservation of genetic resources of J. chinensis var. sargentii. The rooting responses of branch cuttings, obtained from hard(May) and semi-hard wood shoots (August) to four growth regulators, namely, IAA, IBA, NAA and Rooton(exceptionally powder method) applied at various concentrations(0, 100, 200, 500, 1000 and 2000 $mgL^{-1}$) were examined in mixed soil media. Rooting rate showed significant difference between cutting times, among kinds and among concentrations of growth regulators. The optimum cutting time was April to May in hardwood cutting. The application of IBA 1000 $mgL^{-1}$(rooting rate : 36.4%) was most effective in callus formation and rooting of cutting. Relatively, rooting of cutting of the control taken in May was 30.4%. Root characteristics such as number, length and diameter of root were not significantly affected by kinds and concentrations of growth regulators in hardwood cutting.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.277-284
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• 2012

In the present study, the effects of plant growth regulators on adventitious shoot and root formation of various explants of $in$ $vitro$ seedlings of $Solanum$ $nigrum$ L. were investigated to determine the optimum conditions for the high-efficiency plant regeneration of this species. The formation of adventitious shoots was higher in leaf explants than in cotyledon, hypocotyl, or epicotyl explants at low concentrations (0.5~2.0 mg $L^{-1}$ ) of 6-benzylaminopurine (BAP). The number of adventitious shoots and the shoot length were also higher in both leaf and cotyledon explants. In particular, 2.0 mg $L^{-1}$ BAP was most effective for stimulating the induction and multiplication of adventitious shoots. In terms of root formation and root development from shoots that were separated from multiple shoots, indole butyric acid (IBA) and indole acetic acid (IAA) were more effective than ${\alpha}$-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA). The percentage of rooting as well as the number of roots per shoot (4.0), root length (7.82 cm), and shoot length (8.76 cm) was highest on MS media supplemented with 0.05 mg $L^{-1}$ IAA. Furthermore, 100% of the regenerated plantlets survived when transplanted to compost soil. These results suggest that leaf explants are the best source for the high-efficiency regeneration of $S.$ $nigrum$ L., and that 2.0 mg $L^{-1}$ BAP and 0.05 mg $L^{-1}$ IAA are the best conditions for shoot and root induction, respectively.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2015

Bacterial diversity was studied in the rhizosphere of Suaeda japonica Makino, which is native to Suncheon Bay in South Korea. Soil samples from several sites were diluted serially, and pure isolation was performed by subculture using marine agar and tryptic soy agar media. Genomic DNA was extracted from 29 pure, isolated bacterial strains, after which their 16S rDNA sequences were amplified and analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis was performed to confirm their genetic relationship. The 29 bacterial strains were classified into five groups: phylum Firmicutes (44.8%), Gamma proteobacteria group (27.6%), Alpha proteobacteria group (10.3%), phylum Bacteriodetes (10.3%), and phylum Actinobacteria (6.8%). The most widely distributed genera were Bacillus (phylum Firmicutes), and Marinobacterium, Halomonas, and Vibrio (Gamma proteobacteria group). To confirm the bacterial diversity in rhizospheres of S. japonica, the diversity index was used at the genus level. The results show that bacterial diversity differed at each of the sampling sites. These 29 bacterial strains are thought to play a major role in material cycling at Suncheon Bay, in overcoming the sea/mud flat-specific environmental stress. Furthermore, some strains are assumed to be involved in a positive interaction with the halophyte S. japonica, as rhizospheric flora, with induction of growth promotion and plant defense mechanism.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.589-595
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• 2011

This work focused on screening and characterizing antibiotic-producing actinomycetes to develop new antibiotics that can overcome the growing resistance of disease-causing microbes. One-hundred actinomycetes strains were isolated from soil samples from Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea using various kinds of actinomycetes isolation media, including a starch casein agar medium and potato dextrose agar (PDA). Among them, strain BCNU 1030 was determined to show strong antimicrobial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Biochemical, physiological, and 16S rRNA sequence analyses indicated that strain BCNU 1030 belonged to the genus Streptomyces. Strain BCNU 1030 exhibited antibiotic activity against a wide range of bacteria, especially methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of BCNU 1030 dichloromethane extract was determined to be $0.78\;{\mu}g/ml$ for MRSA CCARM 3090. Therefore, Streptomyces sp. BCNU 1030 has potential for anti-MRSA drug development.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.232-237
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• 1998

A bacterial strain producing high levels of an extracellular ${eta}$-mannanase and intracellular ${eta}$-mannosidase and ${alpha}$-galactosidase was isolated from soil. The strain isolated was identified as a strain of Sporolactobacillus sp. and designated as Sporolactobacillus sp. M20l. Synthesis of ${eta}$-mannanase by Sporolactobacillus sp. M20l was induced by sucrose, maltose, or locust bean gum. The highest induction rate was obtained with 2% locust bean gum added to the culture medium as a sole carbon source. On the other hand, induction of ${eta}$-mannosidase was observed only with locust bean gum. The optimal media for the enzyme production were established as follows: for ${eta}$-mannanase; 2% locust bean gum, 0.5% peptone, 0.2% KH$_2$PO$_4$, 80 mg/l MgSO$_4$, and 8 mg/l ZnSO$_4$ (pH 6.0), and for ${eta}$-mannosidase; 2% locust bean gum, 0.5% yeast extract, 0.2% KH$_2$PO$_4$, 80 mg/l MgSO$_4$, and 8 mg/l ZnSO$_4$ (pH 5.0). The optimal culture temperatures for production of ${eta}$-mannanase and ${eta}$-mannosidase were found to be 37$^{\circ}C$ and 3$0^{\circ}C$, respectively. Under the optimal culture conditions, the production of ${eta}$-mannanase and ${eta}$-mannosidase reached the highest levels of 10.6 units/ml and 1.35 units/ml after 30 h and 24 h cultivation, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.153-160
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• 1992

To investigate the potential of paper mill sludge and briquet ash as cultural media in turfgrass, zoysiagrass was grown in the mixtures prepared with paper mill sludge and briquet ash. The mixtures were consisted of sludge and briquet ash in the ratio by volume 3:1, 2:1, 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 in the order. To compare the growth responses, some plants were grown in the medium containing sand(3), field soil(1) and peatmoss (1) by volume anti regarded as control. 1. Activated sludge mixed with sand increased plant height, fresh weight, and dry weight more than 1.5-2.0 times compared to those of the control. The highest plant growth was shown in mixtures containing 67% activated sludge. 2. Plant density per $100cm^2$ and chlorophyll content were higher in all mixtures containing activated sludge than control. 3. The growth of zoysiagrass was reduced along with the increase of non-activated sludge ratio, but no difference was found in chlorophyll content. 4. Plant height, fresh weight and dry weight were greater in activated sludge combined with sand compared to the briquet ash mixtures, but the difference of shoot density between two mixtures was not shown. 5. Even though non-activated sludge appeared not to be appropriate to the growth of seedlings, the number of tillers of plant propagated with rhizome was more increased compared to control when briquet ash content was less than 75%.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2008

Salt accumulation in soils of greenhouse due to the massive application of nitrogen fertilizers causes salt stress on the various crops, a serious problem in domestic agriculture. Since the majority of the salinity is nitrate, the excess nitrate should be removed; therefore, a bacterial strain having high capacity of nitrate uptake and identified as Enterobacter amnigenus GG0461 was isolated from the soils of greenhouse. Optimum conditions for the bacterial growth and nitrate uptake were investigated. GG0461 was able to grow without nitrate; however, nitrate facilitated the growth. The rate of nitrate uptake increased at alkaline pH and both growth and nitrate uptake were maximal at pH 8-9. When the initial pH of culture medium was increased to pH 8 or 9, it was decreased to neutral upon bacterial growth and nitrate uptake. These results imply that the major factor mediating bacterial nitrate uptake is a nitrate/proton antiporter. The fact was supported by the effect of nitrate addition in the absence of nitrate, since the addition of nitrate greatly increased the nitrate uptake and rapidly decreased pH of media.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.175-182
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• 2009

Simple, reproducible, high frequency, improved plant regeneration protocol in Eastern Cottonwood (Populus deltoides) clones, WIMCO199 and L34, has been reported. Initially, aseptic cultures established from axillary buds of nodal segments from mature plus trees on MS liquid medium supplemented with $0.25mg\;1^{-1}$ KIN and $0.25mg\;1^{-1}$ IAA. Nodal and internodal segments were found to be extra-prolific over shoot apices during course of aseptic culture establishment, while $0.25mg\;1^{-1}$ KIN concentration played a stimulatory role in high frequency plant regeneration. Diverse explants, such as various leaf segments, internodes, and roots from in vitro raised cultures, were employed. Direct plant regeneration was at high frequency of 92% in internodes, 88% in leaf segments, and 43% in root segments. This led to the formation of multiple shoot clusters on established culture media with rapid proliferation rates. Many-fold enhanced shoot elongation and growth of the clusters could be achieved on liquid MS medium supplemented with borosilicate glass beads, which offer physical support for proliferating shoots leading to faster growth in comparison to semi-solid agar or direct liquid medium. SEM examination of initial cultures confirmed direct plant regeneration events without intervening calli. In vitro regenerated plants induced roots on half-strength MS medium with $0.15mg\;1^{-1}$ IAA. Rooted 5- to 6-week-old in vitro regenerated plants were transferred into a transgenic greenhouse in pots containing 1:1 mixture of vermicompost and soil at $27{\pm}2^{\circ}C$ for hardening and acclimatization. 14- to 15-week-old well-established hardened plants were transplanted to the field and grown to maturity. The mature in vitro raised poplar trees exhibited a high survival rate of 85%; 4-year-old healthy trees attained an average height of 8 m and an average trunk diameter of 25 cm and have performed well under field conditions. The regeneration protocol presented here will be very useful for undertaking genetic manipulation, providing a value addition to Eastern Cottonwood propagation in future.

• Journal of Chitin and Chitosan
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.285-292
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• 2018

In this study, for the purpose of decomposing food waste, the strain was screened from traditional fermented food and soils. The enzyme activity (protease, amylase, cellulase, lipase) experiment was carried out using the paper disc method in 212 strains isolated from 5% NaCl media. Among them, only the strains having enzyme activity of more than 2 (soil) or more than 4 (traditional fermented food) with the halozone of enzyme activity of 15 mm or more were selected first, and microorganism identification through 16S rRNA sequencing was performed. Finally, were identified such as Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, Bacillus siamensis, Bacillus licheniformis, Bacillus aquimaris, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus koreensis, Bacillus stratoshericus, Bacillus aryabhattai, Bacillus safensis, Marinobacter hydrocarbonoclasticus. 11 species of mixed strains were confirmed that the culture time was 24 hours, the incubation temperature was $30^{\circ}C$ and the optimum pH was 7.0. In order to confirm the degree of decomposition of standard food wastes (100 g) by treating 11 kinds of mixed strains (25%), solid content of more than $2000{\mu}m$ was determined to be 103 g for the sterilized water group and 18 g for the mixed strains group. And the rest was decomposed to a size of less than $2000{\mu}m$.