• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.47 no.1
• /
• pp.38-49
• /
• 2011

Bioaerosols generated from wastewater treatment plants may create health risks for plant workers and nearby residents. To determine the levels of culturable airborne bacteria and fungi in bioaerosols, samples were seasonally collected above and near the aeration tanks of one feces-urine and three sewage treatment plants in Ulsan, Korea with an impaction-type sampler. In the feces-urine treatment plant, concentrations of heterotrophic bacteria were between $1.3({\pm}0.2){\times}10^3$ and $2.6({\pm}1.2){\times}10^4$ MPN/$m^3$ above the aeration tank and between $1.7({\pm}1.0){\times}10^2$ and $7.2({\pm}2.2){\times}10^3$ MPN/$m^3$ near the aeration tank. Coliform bacteria were detected both above and near the aeration tank. In cases of sewage treatment plant, the numbers of heterotrophic bacteria ranged from $1.9({\pm}1.2){\times}10^1$ to $1.8({\pm}1.2){\times}10^4$ MPN/$m^3$ above the aeration tank and from $5.0({\pm}2.8){\times}10^0$ to $6.6({\pm}2.0){\times}10^3$ MPN/$m^3$ near the aeration tank. At reference sites, the concentrations of heterotrophs in ambient air were measured between $7.0{\times}10^0$ and $2.7{\times}10^1$ MPN/$m^3$. When we isolated and tentatively identified heterotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas luteola was the most dominant species in bioaerosols from wastewater treatment plants, whereas the most abundant one in reference samples was Micrococcus sp. When we measured fungal concentrations in bioaerosols, they were rather similar regardless of sampling locations and seasons, and such genera as Cladosporium, Alternaria, and Penicillium were commonly identified.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.8-15
• /
• 2012

Bioaerosols generated from composting facilities and landfills may create health risks for workers and nearby residents. To determine the levels of culturable airborne bacteria and fungi in bioaerosols, samples were seasonally collected at a composting facility and a landfill in Ulsan, Korea with an impaction-type sampler. Concentrations of heterotrophic bacteria averaged (in $MPN/m^3$) $6.5{\times}10^3$ (range $1.5{\times}10^2-1.5{\times}10^4$) in the composting facility and $3.9{\times}10^3$ (range $6.0{\times}10^1-9.3{\times}10^3$) at the entrance of the facility. These concentrations were 460 and 280 times higher than those of reference sites. Coliform bacteria were detected both inside and entrance of the facility. On the landfill, heterotrophic bacterial concentrations averaged (in $MPN/m^3$) $4.9{\times}10^2$ (range $1.7{\times}10^2-1.0{\times}10^3$), while they averaged $3.7{\times}10^2$ (range $4.8{\times}10^1-1.3{\times}10^3$) at the parking lot of the landfill. These concentrations were 35 and 26 times higher than those of reference sites. When we isolated and tentatively identified heterotrophic bacteria, Pseudomonas luteola was the most dominant species in bioaerosols from the composting facility, whereas the most abundant one in reference samples was Micrococcus sp. Average concentrations of airborne fungi were measured between $4.8{\times}10^2$ and $7.9{\times}10^2\;MPN/m^3$ depending on sites, which were 2.1-3.4 times higher compared to those of reference sites. While Cladosporium, Alternaria, and Penicillium were commonly identified fungal genera, genus Aspergillus was identified only in bioaerosols from the composting facility.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.70-75
• /
• 2013

Seven medicinal plant extracts were tested for antifungal activities against six species of the major turfgrass pathogenic fungi (Colletotrichum graminicola, Pythium spp., Rhizoctonia cerealis, Rhizoctonia solani AG1-1, Rhizoctonia solani AG2-2, and Sclerotinia homoeocarpa) using paper disk diffusion method. Three medicinal plant extracts, including Pinus densiflora showed antifungal activities. In suppression of mycelium growth test, on medium adding P. densiflora extract showed that inhibition rate of mycelium growth were above 80% in 10 mg/10 ml concentration of the extract. The inhibition rate of Pythium spp. was 100% and C. graminicola was 84.3% in 10 mg/10 ml concentrations of P. densiflora extract, respectively. In particularly, the inhibition rate of Pythium spp. was 89.5% in 2 mg/10 ml concentrations of P. densiflora extract. As a result, P. densiflora extract showed high antifungal activity to Pythium spp. and C. graminicola of the turfgrass pathogen in in vitro test.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.37-42
• /
• 2011

I isolated the actinomycete strain KH223 from soil samples collected from the Kye Ryong mountain area. This strain is antagonistic to the multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. KH223 was confirmed as belonging to the genus Streptomyces based on the scanning electronmicroscopy(SEM) observations of the diaminopimelicacid(DAP) type and morphological and physiological characteristics. Comparison of the 16S rDNA nucleotide sequences revealed that KH223 has a relationship with Streptomyces galbus. Production of antibiotics by KH223 was most favorable when cultured on a glucose, polypeptone, and yeast extract(PY) medium for 6 days at 27$^{\circ}C$. The supernatant was found to exhibit an antimicrobial effect on various kinds of bacteria and fungi. Particularly, butanol and ethylacetate extracts of KH223 and cyclo(trp-trp) exhibited significant activity against A. baumannii at concentration ranges of 0.8-12.5 ${\mu}g$/mL, 5.0-25 ${\mu}g$/mL and 12.5${\rightarrow}$100 ${\mu}g$/mL, respectively. Moreover, in contrast to cyclo(trp-trp) had shown to activity against Micrococcus luteus JCM 1464 at the concentration of 12.5 ${\mu}g$/mL, the butanol extract of KH223 showed significant activity against Bacillus subtilis IAM 1069 and Micrococcus luteus JCM 1464 at the concentration of 0.4 and 0.8 ${\mu}g$/mL, respectively. These results suggest that KH223 may have a great potential in the production of new antibiotics to combat multidrug-resistant pathogens and further studies may be warranted for the same.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.393-405
• /
• 1989

This study was carried out to treatment test for bovine mastitis by the determination of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) based on firefly bioluminescence. The results obtained are followed; 1. In the susceptibility test, cephalothin which looks the most effective were sensitive to Staphylococcus sp. (72.3%), Micrococcus sp. (84.2%), Streptococcus sp. (72.7%) and Gram positive bacilli (72.7%), Gram negative bacilli were sensitive to gentamicin (92.3%) and Yeast-like-fungi was the most sensitive to clotrimazole, and nystatin in order. 2. When the number of bacteria, such as Staphylococcus aureus, Candida tropicalis isolated from the mastitis milk were counted by conventional agar plating technique, and compared with the concentration of bacterial ATP, it gave a good linear relationship. The content of ATP per Staphylococcus aureus, cell was 3.1fM and Candida tropicalis showed the high level of A TP (90fM). 3. The ATP assay was applied to the determination of minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of various antibiotics. When Staphylococcus aureus was incubated in the presence of different concentration of tetracycline, erythromycin, kanamycin and streptomycin sulfate and the growth was monitored by the conventional agar plating technique and ATP assay, both methods shown the same results that they were 1mcg/ml, 2mcg/ml, 6.25mcg/ml and 8mcg/ml, respectively. 4. For the determination of susceptibility of sensitive and resistant Staphylococcus au reus isolated for the milk with mastitis to tetracycline, erythromycin kanamycin and streptomycin sulfate, the minimum time required for the test was determined by the assay of ATP every 30 minutes during incubation of 3 hours at $37^{\circ}C$. ATP concentration time curve calculated on both resistant and sensitive strains incubated 3 hours as the optimum time for the determination of susceptibilities of various antibiotics exemed. The ATP concentration of each test broth (antibiotic containing), expressed as a percentage of its own control brith (antibioticfree) indicated values of 30% to be indicative of each antibiotic sensitivity. Single time point ATP assay carried out on the various sensitive and resistant of Staphylococcus aureus to antibiotics examined after 3 hours at $37^{\circ}C$ correlated exactly with disc diffusion and MIC. 5. In the cure of intramammary treatment of bovine mastitis in lactating quarters, the cure rate of Staphylococcal mastitis showed to cephalexin (80%), cloxacillin and gentamicin (70%), ampicillin and oxytetracycline (60%), and Streptococcal mastitis showed to cephalexin (85%), penicillin (80%), cloxacillin and oxytetracycline (75%), and ampicillin (70%), but intramammary antimycotic drug (clotrimazol) were only a little effect about fungal mastitis.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.93-102
• /
• 1980

Fungi which were capable of producing gluconic acid were isolated from soil and tree leave samples, which had been collected in Seoul ana its vicinity. Among the 19 strains isolated, a strain named arbitrarily KUF-O4 was selected as a test strain chiefty because of its efficiency in gluconic acid production. The strain was identified as an Aspergillus sp. through its morphological properties. Optimum conditions for the gluconic acid production of KUF-O4 were investigated. The results obtained are as follows. 1. An incubation period of at least 30 hours was required for a good yield of gluconic acid. 2. A medium containing 10％ glucose needed at least 3 ％ CaCo$_3$to maintain the optimum pH for the production of gluconic acid during fermentation. 3. As a carbon source, glucose was the most effective one among the carbon sources tested. 4. As a nitrogen source, an ammonium salt was more effective than any other form of nitrogen compounds. 5. As mineral source, a small amount of both KH$_2$PO$_4$and MgSO$_4$was found to be necessary to increase the efficiency of the gluconic acid production.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.163-169
• /
• 2009

Lovastatin (also known as Mevinolin, Mevacor, and Monacolin K), an inhibitor of the HMG-CoA reductase produced by Aspergillus terreus and other fungi, is used to reduce serum cholesterol levels in human beings. It is derived biosynthetically from two polyketides. One of these is a nonaketide that undergoes cyclization at a hexahydronaphthalene ring system, and the other is a simple diketide, 2-methylbutyrate. Two primer pairs were designed based on the amino acid sequences of lovastatin polyketide synthase and lovastatin diketide synthase for the PCR screening of lovastatin-producing strains. Among the seven selected strains, SJ-2 evidenced the highest level of lovastatin production in both liquid and solid cultures. Soybeans with SJ-2 were treated via 1 hour of heat shock at $30^{\circ}C$ for the mass production of lovastatin. The heat-treated soybeans were inoculated on rice bran and the koji extract was obtained after 15 days of incubation. It yielded the highest level of lovastatin production among the strains, and also evidenced 75% inhibition activity against HMG-CoA reductase. We developed an efficient PCR screening method for lovastatin-producing strains, using lovastatin biosynthesis genes.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.94-98
• /
• 1997

This experiment was conducted to investigate the distribution of the soil microflora of Daekwanryung highlands of Kwangwon Province. It was found that soil microorganisms each as Bacteria, Actinomycetes, Fungi, Pseudomonas spp. and Erwnia sp. were mostly in the top 0-15 cm profile. It also was found that soil microflora population was affected in many ways by kind of cropping plant. The number of Erwinia sp. that is one of the soil born plant pathogenic bacteria was more abundant in potato field than chinese cabbage soil. It was also studied difference of mountain and grassland soils from cropping soils.

• Research in Plant Disease
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.234-242
• /
• 2023

In early spring, water-soaked lesions appeared on the petals and leaves of gaenari (Forsythia koreana), and the tissues were necrotic and dry. Cankers appeared on the infected branches around late spring and the above part of a branch withered and died. However, it was very rare that the base of the cankered-branch died. The identical fungi were isolated from the lesions on various tissues, and they grew with white colonies on potato dextrose agar medium. The fungus grew most actively at 23℃ and produced many sclerotia of various sizes. In a pathogenicity assay in which mycelial and sclerotial suspensions were inoculated on each organ of forsythia, it was found that the pathogen infects the flower only, but not the leaves or branches. Symptoms on the flowers spread to the next leaves and branches over time and the infected branches were eventually withered. To identify the isolates, DNA sequences of four phylogenetic markers including ITS, LSU, Tub2, and CAL were analyzed and all isolates were identified as a species in the genus Septotinia. This is not only the first report of gaenari (forsythia) shoot blight caused by the fungus Septotinia sp., but also the first report on the genus Septotinia as a plant pathogen in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.79 no.3
• /
• pp.302-308
• /
• 1990

This study was conducted to determine the effects of mycorrhizal inoculation and ortet ages on the rooting of Quercus acutissima cuttings. The cuttings taken from 12-week-, 2-year-, 4-year-, and 20-year-old plants were rooted in mid summer in the rooting medium (vermiculite 2 : peatmoss 1 by volume) with or without Pisolithus tinctorius (Pt) and Glomus sp. inocula and IBA under intermittent misting system in an open shed. The average percentages of rooting were about 82%, 49%, 29%, and 13% for cuttings taken from 12-week-, 2-year-. 4-year-, and 20-year-old seedlings, respectively. Pt inoculation, enhanced rooting of cuttings at all age classes, except 12-week-old seedlings, with the highest enhancement(22%) observed in cuttings taken from 20-year-old trees. The highest percentage of rooting in each age group eras 88.9% in 12-week-old seedlings treated with Pt plus 3.000ppm IBA, 75% in 2-Year-old plants with 1,000ppm IBA, 58.3% in 4-year-old plants with 3.000ppm IBA and 22% in 20-year-old plants. The addition of Glomus sp. fungus inoculum failed to enhance rooting. Pt mycorrhizal inoculation enhanced root dry weight, length, and diamter of adventitious roots at cuttings taken from 12-week- and 20-year-old trees, except the cuttings taken from 4-year-old seedlings. Rooted cuttings had more total nitrogen content in the leaves than unrooted cuttings, and the greater rooting response was associated with the higher phosphorus content in the leaves.