• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1577-1584
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• 2010

In total, 140 halotolerant bacterial strains were isolated from both the soil of barren fields and the rhizosphere of six naturally growing halophytic plants in the vicinity of the Yellow Sea, near the city of Incheon in the Republic of Korea. All of these strains were characterized for multiple plant growth promoting traits, such as the production of indole acetic acid (IAA), nitrogen fixation, phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) solubilization, thiosulfate ($S_2O_3$) oxidation, the production of ammonia ($NH_3$), and the production of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes such as protease, chitinase, pectinase, cellulase, and lipase under in vitro conditions. From the original 140 strains tested, on the basis of the latter tests for plant growth promotional activity, 36 were selected for further examination. These 36 halotolerant bacterial strains were then tested for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity. Twenty-five of these were found to be positive, and to be exhibiting significantly varying levels of activity. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses of the 36 halotolerant strains showed that they belong to 10 different bacterial genera: Bacillus, Brevibacterium, Planococcus, Zhihengliuella, Halomonas, Exiguobacterium, Oceanimonas, Corynebacterium, Arthrobacter, and Micrococcus. Inoculation of the 14 halotolerant bacterial strains to ameliorate salt stress (150 mM NaCl) in canola plants produced an increase in root length of between 5.2% and 47.8%, and dry weight of between 16.2% and 43%, in comparison with the uninoculated positive controls. In particular, three of the bacteria, Brevibacterium epidermidis RS15, Micrococcus yunnanensis RS222, and Bacillus aryabhattai RS341, all showed more than 40% increase in root elongation and dry weight when compared with uninoculated salt-stressed canola seedlings. These results indicate that certain halotolerant bacteria, isolated from coastal soils, have a real potential to enhance plant growth under saline stress, through the reduction of ethylene production via ACC deaminase activity.

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

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.254-261
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• 2014

The scientific information between microbial activities and chemical properties of reclaimed tidal soil is not enough to apply for reclamation projects. This study was conducted to investigate the relation between chemical properties and microbial activities of reclaimed tidal lands located at western coastal area (25 samples from Nampo, Ewon, Sukmoon and Shihwa sites). Most of the reclaimed soils showed chemical characteristics as salinity soil except Nampo site. The major component influenced the salinity of reclaimed soil was identified as a sodium from the relationship between EC and exchangeable cation. With an increase in EC of soil, the population of mesophilic bacteria decreases whereas halotolerant and halophilic bacteria increases. The population of mesophilic bacteria increased with an increase in both organic matter and dehydrogenase activity. However, the population of halotolerant and halophilic bacteria decreased with an increase in organic matter. Based on the relation between chemical property and microbial activity of reclaimed tidal soil, electrical conductivity and organic matter as chemical properties of soil, population of mesophilic bacteria, halotolerant and halophilic bacteria and dehydrogenase activity as microbial activities could be the major parameters for reclamation process.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.381-387
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• 2016

The scientific information on the microbial differentiation according to the changes in chemical properties of paddy soil in reclaimed tidal lands is not enough to understand the reclamation processes. The changes in microflora based on the chemical properties of paddy soils at the same sites of reclaimed tidal lands (21 samples from Nampo, Ewon, Sukmoon and Shihwa sites) were investigated in 2013 and 2015. In general, organic matter in paddy soils increased whereas pH decreased with the reclamation time. The electrical conductivities (EC) of soil samples were closely related to the exchangeable $Na^+$. With an increases in EC of paddy soils from 0.39 to $48.9dS\;m^{-1}$, the ratios (%) of halotolerant and halophilic bacteria to mesophilic bacteria proportionally increased from 0.2% to 102,000%. The population of halotolerant and halophilic bacteria in total microflora was also differentiated with the changes in EC of the same sites from reclaimed tidal soils within 2 years. The population of mesophilic bacteria decreased with an increase in EC above $5dS\;m^{-1}$. The microflora including halotolerant and halophilic bacteria could be a candidate as a biological parameter in evaluating the reclamation processes in addition to the chemical index of EC.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.193-199
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• 2006

Halotolerant spore-forming Gram-positive bacteria were isolated from the root, rhizosphere, and non-rhizosphere soil of Blutaparon portulacoides. The different isolates were characterized genetically using an amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), and phenotypically based on their colonial morphology, physiology, and nutritional requirements. Three different 16S rRNA gene-based genotypes were observed at a 100% similarity using the enzymes HinfI, MspI, and RsaI, and the phenotypic results also followed the ARDRA groupings. Selected strains, representing the different ARDRA groups, were analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing, and members of the genera Halobaeillus, Virgibacillus, and Oceanobacillus were found. Two isolates showed low 16S rDNA sequence similarities with the closest related species of Halobacillus, indicating the presence of new species among the isolates. The majority of the strains isolated in this study seemed to belong to the species O. iheyensis and were compared using an AP-PCR to determine whether they had a clonal origin or not. Different patterns allowed the grouping of the strains according to Pearson's coefficient, and the resulting dendrogram revealed the formation of two main clusters, denoted as A and B. All the strains isolated from the soil were grouped into cluster A, whereas cluster B was exclusively composed of the strains associated with the B. portulacoides roots. This is the first report on the isolation and characterization of halotolerant spore-forming Gram-positive bacteria that coexist with B. portulacoides. As such, these new strains may be a potential source for the discovery of bioactive compounds with industrial value.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.240-243
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• 2001

The effect of cryoprotectants and suspending solutions on the preservation of marine heterotophic bacteria was investigated. Six halotolerant and four halophilic bacterial isolates suspended in either distilled water or artificial seawater were preserved in glycerol and dimethylsulfoxide at -70$\^{C}$, respectively. After one year of preservation, the recovery rates on the appropriate agar plates were estimated. The survival rate was found to be dependent on the strain tested, regardless of the preservation conditions tested.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.137-140
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• 2001

The objective of this study was isolation of halotolerant lactic acid bacteria for fermentation of food wastes. 5 strains of lactic acid bacteria were isolated from fermented foods. Among isolated strains, the strain 5-2 was selected according to the growth characteristics in food wastes containing medium. The selected strain 5-2 was identified as Pediococcus acidilactici based on its biochemical characteristics.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.167-172
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• 2000

Twenty-five halotolerant gram-positlve bacteria were isolated from the coastal seawater 01 Cheju Island and Incheon J&yakdo Chemosystematic and phenotypic characteristics were used to iuvestigate the taxonomic position of these bacteria. According to their chemosystematic characteristics, the twenty-tive isolates were divided into 4 groups. Group 1 bacteria possesed 40.1 to 49.9 inol% m DNA G+C content, menaquinone-7 as a major quinone, and meso-Alpm as a diamino acid of peptidoglycan. Group 1 tam were identified as Bacilluspumilis, Bacillus lichenifbrrizis, Bacillus megaterium, Bncill~rsubtilis. Group 2 bacteria possessed 63.9 to 66.4 mol% and MK-8. They were all in the genus Arth~obaclm-. Group 3 bacteria possessed 31.0 to 37.6 mol% and MK-7. They were identified as Staphylococcus haeniol.viicvs, Siaph~~lococc~is sapropl~j~ticns, and Siaphylococcus intermediru.. Group 4 bacterium possessed 72.0mol% and MK-8 and was identified as ~Lficrococcus ltdtezm. Bacillus species accounted for 68% of h e total isolates.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.9
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• pp.1724-1724
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• 2017

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.130-133
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• 1991

The distribution of acid producing bacteria and general bacteria in 23 samples of Korean traditional Meju loaves was investigated and the strains isolated from the samples identified. The acid producing bacteria occurred more in outer part than inner part and anaerobic acid producing bacteria showed higher tendency of occurrence compared with the aerobes in each part. The average number of nonhalophilic and halotolerant bacteria belonging to aerobes were counted as $24{\times}10^6$ and $33{\times}10^5$ and the average number of those belonging to anaerobes $10{\times}10^7$ and $58{\times}10^5$ cells/g, respectively. The general bacteria isolated more in outer part than inner part and its average number was $62{\times}10^7$ cells/g. In the isolates, 2 aerobic acid producing strains were identified as Micrococcus spp., 3 anaerobic acid producing strains as Streptococcus sp., Pediococcus sp. and Lactobacillus sp., and 2 strains of aerobic general bacteria as Bacillus spp.