• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.409-422
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• 2022

Southern blight caused by Sclerotium rolfsii is a serious soilborne disease in economically important crops including pepper. In this study, we conducted a selection of antagonistic bacterial strains and organic materials to biologically control the disease. Out of 39 strains isolated from soils at Jinju in Korea, strain JJ2-01 showed the highest mycelial growth inhibition; garlic oil among various organic materials significantly reduced disease incidence and severity. When a combination of strain JJ2-01 and garlic oil, or each was drenched into the pepper plants, combined treatment and garlic oil significantly suppressed the disease development, however, acid phosphatase activity in garlic oil-treated plants decreased. In the case of combined treatment, the soil activities did not affect by treatment, while soil urease activity was significantly increased by the combined treatment. Therefore, given soil quality and health for sustainable agriculture, the combination of strain JJ2-01 and garlic acid was an effective application for environmental-friendly control of Southern blight in pepper plants.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.12
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• pp.1553-1560
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• 2022

A Gram-stain-negative, rod-shaped bacterial strain, JC4^T, was isolated from a freshwater sample and determined the taxonomic position. Initial identification based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain JC4^T is affiliated to the genus Mucilaginibacter with a sequence similarity of 97.97% to Mucilaginibacter rigui WPCB133^T. The average nucleotide identity and digital DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain JC4^T and Mucilaginibacter species were estimated below 80.92% and 23.9%, respectively. Strain JC4^T contained summed feature 3 (C_16:1 ω7c and/or C_16:1 ω6c) and iso-C_15:0 as predominant cellular fatty acids. The dominant polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylethanolamine, one unidentified aminophospholipid, one unidentified phospholipid, and two unidentified lipids. The respiratory quinone was MK-7. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain JC4^T was determined to be 42.44%. The above polyphasic evidences support that strain JC4^T represents a novel species of the genus Mucilaginibacter, for which the name Mucilaginibacter aquariorum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JC4^T (= KCTC 92230^T = LMG 32715^T).

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.97-110
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• 2024

The Serranidae is high-quality fish species with good meat quality and is traded at high price, and is attracting attention in South Korea as a cultured species that creates high added value. However, the high-density fish farming for mass production increases the risk of mass mortality due to infectious diseases, leading to enormous economic losses. Therefore, in order to safely prevent and protect farmed fish from serious infectious diseases, it is necessary to conduct disease monitoring on a regular basis. In this study, Hyporthodus septemfasciatus, Epinephelus moara, and the hybrid longtooth grouper (E. moara ♀×E. lanceolatus ♂) were collected once a month from fish farm of Garorim and Aquabiotech Co., Ltd for a total of six months, from July to December 2023. We investigated infections of five species of bacterial diseases, including Flavobacterium columnare, six species of viral diseases, including LCDV (lymphocystis disease virus), and parasitic pathogens in grouper farms. As the result, Vibrio vulnificus and V. harveyi were detected in H. septemfasciatus in August, in the case of viral diseases, NNV was detected in H. septemfasciatus from July to August using RT-PCR or PCR. Finally, In the case of parasitic diseases, Tricodina sp. was detected in E. moara and the hybrid longtooth grouper from August to December.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.1029-1039
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• 2024

This study explores beneficial bacteria isolated from the roots and rhizosphere soil of Khao Rai Leum Pua Phetchabun rice plants. A total of 315 bacterial isolates (KK001 to KK315) were obtained. Plant growth-promoting traits (phosphate solubilization and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production), and antimicrobial activity against three rice pathogens (Curvularia lunata NUF001, Bipolaris oryzae 2464, and Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae) were assessed. KK074 was the most prolific in IAA production, generating 362.6 ± 28.0 ㎍/ml, and KK007 excelled in tricalcium phosphate solubilization, achieving 714.2 ± 12.1 ㎍/ml. In antimicrobial assays using the dual culture method, KK024 and KK281 exhibited strong inhibitory activity against C. lunata, and KK269 was particularly effective against B. oryzae. In the evaluation of antimicrobial metabolite production, KK281 and KK288 exhibited strong antifungal activities in cell-free supernatants. Given the superior performance of KK281, taxonomically identified as Bacillus sp. KK281, it was investigated further. Lipopeptide extracts from KK281 had significant antimicrobial activity against C. lunata and a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 3.1 mg/ml against X. oryzae pv. oryzae. LC-ESI-MS/MS analysis revealed the presence of surfactin in the lipopeptide extract. The crude extract was non-cytotoxic to the L-929 cell line at tested concentrations. In conclusion, the in vitro plant growth-promoting and disease-controlling attributes of Bacillus sp. KK281 make it a strong candidate for field evaluation to boost plant growth and manage disease in upland rice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1027-1035
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• 2015

A strain GP32 which produces a highly viscous extracellular polysaccharide was conducted with soil samples and identified as Pseudomonas species. The culture flask conditions for the production of extracellular polysaccharide by Pseudomonas sp. GP32 were investigated. The most suitable carbon and nitrogen source for extracellular polysaccharide production were galactose and (NH₄)₂SO₄. The optimum carbon/nitrogen ratio for the production of extracellular polysaccharide was around 50. The optimum pH and temperature for extracellular polysaccharide production was 7.5 and 32℃, respectively. In batch fermentation using a jar fermentor, the highest extracellular polysaccharide content (15.7 g/l) was obtained after 70 hr of cultivation. The extracellular polysaccharide produced by Pseudomonas sp. GP32 (designated Biopol32) was purified by ethanol precipitation, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) precipitation, and gel permeation chromatography. Biopol32, which has an estimated molecular weight of over 3×10⁷ datons, is a novel polysaccharide derived from sugar components consisting of galactose, glucose, gulcouronic acid and galactouronic acid in an approximate molar ratio of 1.85 : 3.24 : 1.00 : 1.42. The solution of Biopol32 showed non-Newtonian characteristics. The viscosity of Biopol32 exhibited appeared to be higher at all concentration compared to that of zooglan from Zoogloea ramigera. An analysis of the flocculating efficiency of Biopol32 in industry wastewater (food, textile, and paper wastewater) revealed chemical oxygen demand (COD) reduction rates 58.4-67.3% and suspended solid (SS) removal rates 82.6-91.3%. Based on these results, Biopol32 is a possible candidate for industrial applications such as wastewater treatment.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.7
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• pp.1115-1124
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• 2013

The present study was conducted to ensure the diversity of domestic solar salt by analyzing the composition and microbiological characteristics of solar salt (from Docho island: DS) and the flower of salt produced in different Korean salt flats (Sinui island: SF, Bigum island: BF, and Docho island: DF). The analyses showed that the moisture content of the three types of flower of salt and solar salt ranged from 10.54~13.82% and NaCl content ranged from 78.81~84.61%. The mineral content of those salts ranged from 3.57~5.51%. The content of insoluble matter in these salts was $0.01{\pm}0.00{\sim}0.05{\pm}0.00%$. The sand content of these salts was $0.01{\pm}0.01{\sim}0.03{\pm}0.01%$. By Hunter's color value analysis, the color of the flower of salt was brighter and whiter than solar salt. The salinity of the flower of salt was a little higher than solar salt as well. The magnesium and potassium ion content of DF was $9,886.72{\pm}104.78mg/kg$ and $2,975.23{\pm}79.73mg/kg$, respectively, which was lower than the content in SF, BF, and DS. The heavy metal content of all salts was acceptable under the Korean Food Sanitation Law. The flower of salt was confirmed to be sweeter and preferable to solar salt. More than 80% of the solar salt crystals were 2~3 mm in size, whereas crystals from the flower of salt were 0.5~2 mm in size. The bacterial diversity of DF and DS were investigated by culture and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) methods. The number of cultured bacteria in flower of salt was approximately three times more than solar salt. By DGGE analysis, major microbes of DF were Maritimibacter sp., Cupriavidus sp., and unculturable bacteria, and those of DS were Cupriavidus sp., Dunalidella salina and unculturable bacteria. The results of DGGE analysis showed that major microorganisms in solar salts were composed of unidentified and unculturable bacteria and only a few microorganisms were culturable.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.192-201
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• 2016

Recently, Psychrobacter sp. ArcL13 strain showing the extracellular lipase activity was isolated from the Chuckchi Sea of the Arctic Ocean. However, due to the low expression levels of the enzyme in the natural strain, the production of recombinant lipase is crucial for various applications. Identification of the gene for the enzyme is prerequisite for the production of the recombinant protein. Therefore, in the present study, a novel lipase gene (ArcL13-Lip) was isolated from Psychrobacter sp. ArcL13 strain by gene prospecting using PCR, and its complete nucleotide sequence was determined. Sequence analysis showed that ArcL13-Lip has high amino acid sequence similarity to lipases from bacteria of some Psychrobacter genus (84-90%) despite low nucleotide sequence similarity. The lipase gene was cloned into the bacterial expression plasmid and expressed in E. coli. SDS-PAGE analysis of the cells showed that ArcL13-Lip was expressed as inclusion bodies with a molecular mass of about 35 kDa. Refolding was achieved by diluting the unfolded protein into refolding buffers containing various additives, and the highest refolding efficiency was seen in the glucose-containing buffer. Refolded ArcL13-Lip showed high hydrolytic activity toward p-nitrophenyl caprylate and p-nitrophenyl decanoate among different p-nitrophenyl esters. Recombinant ArcL13-Lip displayed maximal activity at $40^{\circ}C$ and pH 8.0 with p-nitrophenyl caprylate as a substrate. Activity assays performed at various temperatures showed that ArcL13-Lip is a cold-active lipase with about 40% and 73% of enzymatic activity at $10^{\circ}C$ and $20^{\circ}C$, respectively, compared to its maximal activity at $40^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.895-902
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• 2014

Bacterial cellulose (BC) has played important role as new functional material for food industry and industrial products based on its unique properties. The interest in BC from static cultures has increased steadily in recent years because of its potential for use in medicine and cosmetics. In this study, we investigated culture condition for BC production by Acetobacter sp. F15 in static culture. The strain F15, which was isolated from decayed fruit, was selected on the basis of BC thickness. The optimal medium compositions for BC production were glucose 7%, soytone 12%, $K_2HPO_4$ 0.2%, $NaH_2PO_4{\cdot}_2H_2O$ 0.2%, lactic acid 0.05% and ethanol 0.3%, respectively. The strain F15 was able to produce BC at $26^{\circ}C-36^{\circ}C$ with a maximum at $32^{\circ}C$. BC production occurred at pH 4.5-8 with a maximum at pH 6.5. Under these conditions, a maximum BC thickness of 12.15 mm was achieved after 9 days of cultivation; this value was about 2.3-fold higher than the thickness in basic medium. Scanning electron micrographs showed that BC from the optimal medium was more compact than plant cellulose and was reticulated structure consisting of ultrafine cellulose fibrils. BC from the optimal medium was found to be of cellulose type I, the same as typical native cellulose.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.309-313
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• 2012

The purpose of this study is to simultaneously detect and identify specific genus of Lactobacillus distributed in vagina of healthy women in their twenties by using multiplex primer. Vaginal fluid samples were taken from 166 women who were healthy and did not have vaginosis symptoms caused by bacterial infection. Six species of lactic acid bacteria belong to Lactobacillus genus that are known to inhabit in healthy vagina were selected to make a species-specific multiplex primer. Multiplex primer I was specified to selectively detect L. iners, L. crispatus, L. gasseri and multiplex primer II was specified to selectively detect L. acidophilus, L. jensenii, L. fermentum. L. crispatus (77%) was most frequently detected, and L. acidophilus (57%) and L. jensenii (57%) were relatively higher than others. Although the proportion of L. iners (59%) was a little higher than those of L. acidophilus and L. jensenii, this should be further validated in healthy women's vagina to be sure since they often appear in women having bacterial vaginosis and/or during the antibiotic therapy. Conclusively, the multiplex PCR technique using the species-specific primer could a useful tool to predict variation of vaginal health condition and process of recovery from vaginal disease.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.164-172
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• 2012

In this study, samples were collected from Lake Soyang in Kangwon-do in order to isolate novel Flavobacterium sp. strains. Totally, 21 strains of Flavobacterium showing 97%~98% similarity in 16S rRNA were selected and thoroughly investigated individual characteristics and ecological differences. As results, we could categorize Flavobacterium isolated from Lake Soyang into four major node groups, where most of Flavobacterium belonged to single group. Next, fatty acid analyses were performed demonstrating similar pattern of the majority of fatty acids as either iso $C_{15:0}$ or summed feature 3 (comprised $C_{16:1}$ ${\omega}7c$ and/or $C_{16:1}$ ${\omega}6c$) of the other Flavobacterium. However, other phenotypic data were different from the other Flavobacterium sp. Group. Our data showed that genetically related species of Flavobacterium have been distributed in Lake Soyang. Those Flavobacterium strains were phenotypically different from previously reported genus of Flavobacterium species. Taken together, we speculated that isolated Flavobacterium strains from Lake Soyang might be ecologically important members to maintain ecosystem.