• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.30 no.9
• /
• pp.1367-1378
• /
• 2020

The polyphagous eri silk moth, Samia ricini, is associated with various symbiotic gut bacteria believed to provide several benefits to the host. The larvae of S. ricini were subjected to isolation of gut bacteria using culture-dependent 16S rRNA generic characterization, metagenomics analysis and qualitative enzymatic assays. Sixty culturable aerobic gut bacterial isolates comprising Firmicutes (54%) and Proteobacteria (46%); and twelve culturable facultative anaerobic bacteria comprising Proteobacteria (92%) and Firmicutes (8%) were identified inhabiting the gut of S. ricini. The results of metagenomics analysis revealed the presence of a diverse community of both culturable and un-culturable gut bacteria belonging to Proteobacteria (60%) and Firmicutes (20%) associated with seven orders. An analysis of the results of culturable isolation indicates that these bacterial isolates inhabited all the three compartments of the gut. Investigation on persistence of bacteria coupled with metagenomics analysis of the fifth instar suggested that bacteria persist in the gut across the different instar stages. In addition, enzymatic assays indicated that 48 and 75% of culturable aerobic, and 75% of anaerobic gut bacterial isolates had cellulolytic, lipolytic and nitrate reductase activities, thus suggesting that they may be involved in food digestion and nutritional provision to the host. These bacterial isolates may be good sources for profiling novel genes and biomolecules for biotechnological application.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
• /
• v.42 no.2
• /
• pp.126-132
• /
• 2016

Objectives: This study aims to provide basic data regarding the bacterial total plate count in the atmospheric environment for related studies. Methods: Total plate count and the identification of culturable bacteria in the atmospheric environment in Incheon took place in 2015 using periodic survey. Correlationship analysis was performed between the number of culturable bacteria and environmental elements. In addition, an estimation of novel bacterial species was undertaken using the similarities and phylogenetic tree based on the 16S rRNA gene. Results: The total plate count of culturable bacteria was on average $176CFU/m^3$, and did not exceed $610CFU/m^3$ in the atmospheric environment. Periodic monthly measuring of total plate count was highest in June at $293CFU/m^3$, while the lowest was in July at $125CFU/m^3$. Furthermore, as a result of the identification of culturable bacteria, the genera Arthrobacter and Kocuria were dominant, while novel bacterial taxa that belong to the genera Chryseobacterium and Herbiconiux were separated. Conclusion: The total number of culturable bacteria from the atmospheric environment in Korea is on average $176CFU/m^3$. In addition, the genera Arthrobacter and Kocuria dominate. The presence of novel bacterial taxa are expected in the atmospheric environment, such as belonging to the genera Chryseobacterium and Herbiconiux.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
• /
• 2007.10a
• /
• pp.70.1-70.1
• /
• 2007

See Full Text

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.21 no.2
• /
• pp.93-98
• /
• 2005

Molecular ecological studies of microbial communities revealed that only tiny fraction of total microorganisms in nature have been identified and characterized, because the majority of them have not been cultivated. A concept, metagenome, represents the total microbial genome in natural ecosystem consisting of genomes from both culturable microorganisms and viable but non-culturable bacteria. The construction and screening of metagenomic libraries in culturable bacteria constitute a valuable resource for obtaining novel microbial genes and products. Several novel enzymes and antibiotics have been identified from the metagenomic approaches in many different microbial communities. Phenotypic analysis of the introduced unknown genes in culturable bacteria could be an important way for functional genomics of unculturable bacteria. However, estimation of the number of clones required to uncover the microbial diversity from various environments has been almost impossible due to the enormous microbial diversity and various microbial population structure. Massive construction of metagenomic libraries and development of high throughput screening technology should be necessary to obtain valuable microbial resources. This paper presents the recent progress in metagenomic studies including our results and potential of metagenomics in plant pathology and agriculture.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
• /
• v.41 no.4
• /
• pp.157-162
• /
• 2023

In the field of microbiology, numerous types of bacteria live dormant to survive stresses such as pasteurization and antibiotics. Some bacteria become 'persisters' by inactivating their ribosomes, allowing them to 'sleep' through stress and revive when the stress has been removed. Under stress, some cells morph into hollow, lifeless structures known as 'cell shells.' In microbiology, these cells have been confused with viable cells in the 'viable but non-culturable cells' phenomenon. Therefore, this review addressed the concept that when revival occurs, the always-viable persister cells revive, instead of the dead cell husks.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.180-185
• /
• 2002

The direct viable count (DVC) and plate count (PC) methods was used to measure the number of bacteria in potable groundwater samples collected from bottled water from the market, mineral water, and edible groundwater near the urban areas and the stock farming congested areas. As a result, the number of living bacteria by DVC was comprised 30~80% of the total direct count (TDC), whereas the number of living bacteria by PC was around l~30% of DVC. Such results show that viable but non-culturable (VBNC) bacteria exist in the potable groundwater with high percentages. On the other hand, upon measuring the value from the conventional nutrient broth (NB), $10^-2$ fold diluted nutrient broth (DNB), and R2A broth, the values from the DNB and R2A showed 2~50 times higher than the conventional NB medium. These results indicate that oligotrophic bacterial groups which can multiply in the low nutrient broth abundantly exist in the oligotrophic environment like potable groundwater.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.868-876
• /
• 2015

This study was conducted to measure the concentrations of total culturable bacteria (TCB) and to identify the bacteria in thirty public facilities (7 elderly-care facilities, 4 hypermarkets, 4 university hospitals, 7 child care facilities, 4 subway stations and 4 bus terminals) in Seoul and Gyeonggi-Do Province. Although all concentrations measured in these study facilities did not exceed the national maintenance standard, it is believed that elderly-, child-care facilities should be high priority facilities to improve the indoor air quality and it is important to study the health effects and the airborne bacteria concentration of public facilities including non-culturable bacteria or allergen.

• Journal of fish pathology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.49-60
• /
• 2024

A viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state is a survival strategy adopted by bacteria when faced with unfavorable environmental conditions, rendering them unable to grow on nutrient agar while maintaining low metabolic activity. This study explored the impact of temperature and nutrient availability on inducing VBNC state in Edwardsiella piscicida, the most important bacterial fish pathogen, and assessed its pathogenicity at VBNC state. E. piscicida was suspended in filtered sterile seawater and exposed to three different temperatures (4, 10, and 25℃) to induce the VBNC state. Subsequently, the induced VBNC cells were subjected to resuscitation by either raising the temperature to 28℃ or inoculating them in brain heart infusion broth supplemented with 1% NaCl. A propidium monoazide (PMA)-qPCR method was also developed to selectively quantify live (VBNC or culturable) E. piscicida cells. The results showed that the bacteria entered the VBNC state after approximately 1 month at 4℃ and 25℃, and 2 months at 10℃. The VBNC E. piscicida cells were successfully revived within 3 days in a nutrient-rich environment at 28℃, highlighting the significance of temperature and nutrition in inducing and resuscitating the VBNC state. In pathogenicity tests, resuscitated E. piscicida cells exhibited high pathogenicity in olive flounder comparable to cultured bacteria, while VBNC cells showed no signs of infection, suggesting they are unlikely to resuscitate in fish. In conclusion, this study contributes to our understanding of fish pathogen ecology by investigating the characteristics of the VBNC state under varying temperature and nutrition conditions.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.76-87
• /
• 2024

Halophilic bacteria are promising reservoirs for halotolerant enzymes that have gained much attention in biotechnological applications due to their remarkable activity and stability. In this study, 62 halophilic bacterial strains isolated from a solar saltern were screened for the production of various extracellular enzymes. The results revealed that 31 strains (50%) were positive for amylase production while 26 strains (41.9%) were positive for protease. Further, 22 strains (35.48%) exhibited β-glucosidase activity and only 17 (27.41%) demonstrated lipase activity. Of the investigated halophiles, ten strains growing in the presence of ≥15% NaCl (w/v) were selected and identified based on their 16S rRNA gene sequences as Halomonas meridiana, Salinivibrio costicola, Virgibacillus oceani, Virgibacillus marismortui, Marinobacter lipolyticus, Halobacillus karajensis, Salicola salis, Pseudoalteromonas shioyasakiensis, Salinicoccus amylolyticus, and Paracoccus salipaludis. Therefore, the present study highlights the diversity of the culturable halophilic bacteria in a Mediterranean solar saltern, harboring various valuable halotolerant enzymes.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.22-28
• /
• 2019

The bacterial diversity of an Antarctic hard coral, Errina fissurata, was examined by isolating bacterial colonies from crushed coral tissue and by sequencing their 16S rRNA gene. From the analyzed results, the bacteria were classified as Actinobacteria (56%), Firmicutes (35%) and Proteobacteria (9%). The thirty-four isolates were cultured in liquid media at different temperatures and their growth was assessed over time. The majority of the isolates displayed their highest growth rate at 25℃ during the first three days of cultivation, even though the coral was from a cold environment. Nevertheless, strains showing their highest growth rate at low temperatures (15℃ and 4℃) were also found. This study reports the composition of an Antarctic hard coral-associated culturable bacterial community and their growth behavior at different temperatures.