• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.216-225
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• 2020

An esterase gene, estA1, was cloned from Alteromonas sp. 39-G1 isolated from the Beaufort Sea. The gene is composed of 1,140 nucleotides and codes for a 41,190 Da protein containing 379 amino acids. As a result of a BLAST search, the protein sequence of esterase EstA1 was found to be identical to Alteromonas sp. esterase (GenBank: PHS53692). As far as we know, no research on this enzyme has yet been conducted. Phylogenetic analysis showed that esterase EstA1 was a member of the bacterial lipolytic enzyme family IV (hormone sensitive lipases). Two deletion mutants (Δ20 and Δ54) of the esterase EstA1 were produced in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) cells with part of the N-terminal of the protein removed and His-tag attached to the C-terminal. These enzymes exhibited the highest activity toward p-nitrophenyl (pNP) acetate (C₂) and had little or no activity towards pNP-esters with acyl chains longer than C₆. Their optimum temperature and pH of the catalytic activity were 45℃ and pH 8.0, respectively. As the NaCl concentration increased, their enzyme activities continued to increase and the highest enzyme activities were measured in 5 M NaCl. These enzymes were found to be stable for up to 8 h in the concentration of 3-5 M NaCl. Moreover, they have been found to be stable for various metal ions, detergents and organic solvents. These salt-tolerant and chemical-resistant properties suggest that the enzyme esterase EstA1 is both academically and industrially useful.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.11
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• pp.1728-1733
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• 2006

A Gram-negative, strictly aerobic, nonmotile, and nonspore-forming bacterial strain, designated $T5-12^T$, was isolated from compost and characterized using a polyphasic taxonomical approach. The isolate was positive for catalase and oxidase tests. It could degrade DNA, but was negative for degradation of macromolecules such as casein, collagen, starch, chitin, cellulose, and xylan. The DNA G+C content was 36.0 mol%. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was menaquinone 7 (MK-7). The major fatty acids were $iso-C_{15:0}$ (45.6%), $iso-C_{17:0}$ 3OH (17.2%), and summed feature 4 ($C_{16:0}\;{\omega}7c$ and/or $iso-C_{15:0}$ 2OH, 14.9%). Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain $T5-12^T$ fell within the radiation of the cluster comprising members of the genus Sphingobacterium. Strain $T5-12^T$ exhibited lower than 94% of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with respect to the type strains of recognized Sphingobacterium species. On the basis of its phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain $T5-12^T$ ($=KCTC\;12578^T=LMG\;23401^T=CCUG\;52467^T$) should be classified in the genus Sphingobacterium as the type strain of a novel species, for which the name Sphingobacterium composti sp. novo is proposed.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.36-39
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• 2014

Many bacteria colonized in the horse semen affect quality of the sperm and some may cause infection in the mare reproductive tract and infertility of susceptible mare. This study was initiated to determine the prevalence of bacteria in testes of Jeju horses by determining rRNA sequence. The samples were swabed from the testes of nine Jeju horses (aged from 8 to 12 months after birth). Bacteria isolated from testes were identified by 16S rDNA sequencing. 1.6-kbp PCR products for 16S rRNA coding region were obtained using the universal primers. The PCR products were further purified and sequenced. Maximum similar species were found by BLAST search in the GenBank DNA database. BLAST results showed that the sequences were similar to those of Acinetobacter sp (A. schindleri, A. ursingii)., Bacillus cereus, Corynebacterium glutamicum, Escherichia coli, Gamma proteobacterium, Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas mendocina, Shigella sonnei, Sphingomonas sp., Staphylococcus sp (S. cohnii, S. saprophyticus, S. xylosus)., and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia. DNA sequences for 16S rRNA is provided useful informations for species identification of pathogenic microorganisms for the reproductive organs in horses.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 2006

Seventy eight bacterial strains were isolated from several jeotgals using MRS and M 17 agar media. The probiotic properties such as tolerance of extreme growth condition, production of antimicrobial compound, production of hydrogen peroxide, and enzymatic activity of bile salt hydrolase were investigated. DHK 4, 10, 21 and 74 strains showed_a strong tolerance property against extreme conditions such as low pH and 0.5% oxgall-supplemented medium. DHK 10 and 47 strains produced hydrogen peroxide on TMB agar plate. DHK 8 and 10 strains produced antimicrobial compounds onto MRS agar against E. facalis. DHK 4, 6, 21, 29, 33, 63 and 87 strains had high activities of bile salt hydrolase. Especially, DHK 10 displayed a strong probiotic candidate; the abilities to produce the antimicrobial compound, hydrogen peroxide, and bile salt hydrolase. All these strains are assumed to be useful probiotic candidates. Among 78, twenty seven strains which have probiotic properties were tentatively identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Among them, 7 Lactobacillus spp., 6 Leuconosotoc spp., 2 Weisella spp., 1 Pediococcus sp., 1 Staphylococcus sp., 1 Enterococcus sp. and 2 Streptococcus spp. were tentatively identified.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2014

Minimal broth containing nicotine as a sole carbon source (MB/N) was used to isolate novel nicotine-degrading bacterial strains from tobacco plants and field soils. Comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence, phenotypic test and morphological tests showed that the position of these isolates were in the genus Arthrobacter of the family Micrococcaceae. The highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of the isolate NU11 and NU15 to type strains in the genus Arthrobacter were Arthrobacter equi (98.2%) which was presumably a novel strain and Arthrobacter nicotinovorans (99.8%), respectively. Both strain NU11 and NU15 showed rod shaped, Gram-positive characteristics and catalase activity, but did not show oxidase activity. The novel strain NU11 was found to degrade efficiently nicotine in MB/N medium by the analysis of UV absorption spectra and could be used as an organism in bioremediation technique.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.69-79
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• 2012

In an ongoing survey of the bioactive potential of microorganisms from Ladakh, India, the culture medium of a bacterial strain of a new Pseudomonas sp., strain ICTB-745, isolated from an alkaline soil sample collected from Leh, Ladakh, India, was found to contain metabolites that exhibited broad-spectrum antimicrobial and biosurfactant activities. Bioactivity-guided purification resulted in the isolation of four bioactive compounds. Their chemical structures were elucidated by $^1H$ and $^{13}C$ NMR, 2D-NMR (HMBC, HSQC, $^1H$,$^1H$-COSY, and DEPT-135), FT-IR, and mass spectroscopic methods, and were identified as 1-hydroxyphenazine, phenazine-1-carboxylic acid (PCA), rhamnolipid-1 (RL-1), and rhamnolipid-2 (RL-2). These metabolites exhibited various biological activities like antimicrobial and efficient cytotoxic potencies against different human tumor cell lines such as HeLa, HepG2, A549, and MDA MB 231. RL-1 and RL-2 exhibited a dose-dependent antifeedant activity against Spodoptera litura, producing about 82.06% and 73.66% antifeedant activity, whereas PCA showed a moderate antifeedant activity (63.67%) at 60 ${\mu}g/cm^2$ area of castor leaf. Furthermore, PCA, RL-1, and RL-2 exhibited about 65%, 52%, and 47% mortality, respectively, against Rhyzopertha dominica at 20 ${\mu}g/ml$. This is the first report of rhamnolipids as antifeedant metabolites against Spodoptera litura and as insecticidal metabolites against Rhyzopertha dominica. The metabolites from Pseudomonas sp. strain ICTB-745 have interesting potential for use as a biopesticide in pest control programs.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.633-637
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• 1994

A bacterial strain KSM-35 producing maltotetraose forming amylase was isolated from compost and identified as Streptomyces based on its morphological, cultural, and physiological characteristics. The amylase from Streptomyces sp. KSM-35 culture filtrate was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, followed by the liquid chromatographic procedures using DEAE-Toyo pearl and sephadex G-100 with 27.1% activity recovery. The molecular weight of the enzyme was estimated to be 50,000 and the isoelectric point 4.3. The main product by the amylase from soluble starch was maltotetraose which accounted for 56% of all the oligosaccharides detected after 26 hrs of reaction. Maltose (20%o) and maltotriose (16%) were the next important byproducts while glucose and maltopentaose were detected as traces.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.569-575
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• 2002

Two bacterial strains capable of degrading trichloroethylene (TCE), isolated form soils contaminated with various chlorinated alkenes, were identified as Alcaligenes odorous N6 and Nocardia sp. Hl7. In addition, four KCTC strains, including three strains of Pseudomonas putida and one strain of Sphingomonas chlorophenolica, exhibited an ability to degrade toluene. A. odorans N6 and Nocardia sp. H17 degraded 84% of the initial amount of TCE in a basal salts medium (BSM), containing 0.2 mM TCE as the sole source of carbon and energy, in a day. The optimal pH for growth was within a range of 7.0-8.0. A mixed culture of the four toluene-degrading isolates degraded 95% of 0.2 mM TCE with 1.5 mM toluene as an inducer, whereas no TCE was degraded by the same mixture without an inducer. When a mixed culture of all 6 isolates was used, the degradation efficiency of 0.2 mM TCE was 72% without an inducer, in a day, and 82% with toluene as an inducer. In a continuous treatment, 1,000 mg/1 of TCE in an artificial wastewater was completely removed within 18 h when an activated sludge was used along with the microbial mixture, which was 27 h laster than when only an activated sludge was used. Accordingly, it would appear that such a microbial mixture could be effectively applied to the biological treatment of wastewater containing TCE with or without an inducer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.742-753
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• 2012

Copper-containing compounds are introduced into the environment through agricultural chemicals, mining, and metal industries and cause severe detrimental effects on ecosystems. Certain microorganisms exposed to these stressors exhibit molecular mechanisms to maintain intracellular copper homeostasis and avoid toxicity. We have previously reported that the soil bacterial isolate Achromobacter sp. AO22 is multi-heavy metal tolerant and exhibits a mer operon associated with a Tn21 type transposon. The present study reports that AO22 also hosts a unique cop locus encoding copper homeostasis determinants. The putative cop genes were amplified from the strain AO22 using degenerate primers based on reported cop and pco sequences, and a constructed 10,552 base pair contig (GenBank Accession No. GU929214). BLAST analyses of the sequence revealed a unique cop locus of 10 complete open reading frames, designated copSRABGOFCDK, with unusual separation of copCD from copAB. The promoter areas exhibit two putative cop boxes, and copRS appear to be transcribed divergently from other genes. The putative protein CopA may be a copper oxidase involved in export to the periplasm, CopB is likely extracytoplasmic, CopC may be periplasmic, CopD is cytoplasmic/inner membrane, CopF is a P-type ATPase, and CopG, CopO, and CopK are likely copper chaperones. CopA, B, C, and D exhibit several potential copper ligands and CopS and CopR exhibit features of two-component regulatory systems. Sequences flanking indicate the AO22 cop locus may be present within a genomic island. Achromobacter sp. strain AO22 is thus an ideal candidate for understanding copper homeostasis mechanisms and exploiting them for copper biosensor or biosorption systems.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1386-1392
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• 2010

A bacterial strain designated GR5$^T$, previously isolated from a freshwater culture pond in Taiwan while screening for bacteria for antimicrobial compounds, was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Strain GR5$^T$ was found to be Gram-negative, aerobic, greenish-yellow colored, rod-shaped, and motile by means of a single polar flagellum. Growth occurred at $10-40^{\circ}C$ (optimum, $35^{\circ}C$), pH 7.0-8.0 (optimum pH 8.0), and with 0-2.0% NaCl (optimum, 0.5-1.0%). The major fatty acids were $C_{16:1}{\omega}7c$(36.3%), $C_{16:0}$(16.6%), $C_{12:0}$ 3-OH (12.5%), and $C_{18:1}{\omega}7c$(9.1%). The major respiratory quinone was Q-8, and the DNA G+C content of the genomic DNA was 51.9 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain GR5$^T$ belongs to the genus Rheinheimera, where its most closely related neighbors are Rheinheimera texasensis A62-14B$^T$ and Rheinheimera tangshanensis JA3-B52$^T$ with sequence similarities of 98.1% and 97.5%, respectively, and the sequence similarities to any other recognized species within Gammaproteobacteria are less than 96.5%. The mean level of DNA-DNA relatedness between strain GR5$^T$ and R. texasensis A62-14B$^T$, the strain most closely related to the isolate, was $26.5{\pm}7.6%$. Therefore, based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic data, strain GR5$^T$ should be classified as a novel species, for which the name Rheinheimera aquatica sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is GR5$^T$ (=BCRC 80081$^T$=LMG 25379$^T$).