• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.295-302
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• 2013

Indigo is utilized in various industries including textile dyeing, cosmetics, printing and medicinal products and its reduced form, leuco-indigo, is mainly used in these process. Chemical reducing agent (sodium dithionite, sodium sulfide, etc.) is preferred to use for the formation of leucoindigo in industry. In traditional indigo fermentation process, microorganisms can participate in the reduction of indigo and thus it has been known to reduce environmental pollution and noxious byproducts. However, in fermentation method using microorganisms it is difficult to standardize large scale production process due to low yield and reproducibility. In this study, we attempted to develop the indigo reduction process using microbial flora which was isolated from naturally fermented indigo vat or deduced by metagenomic approach. From the results of library analyses of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes from the traditional indigo fermentation vat sample (metagenome), it was confirmed that Alkalibacteriums (71%) was distinctly dominant in population. Some strains were identified after confirming that they become pure culture in nutrient media modified slightly. Four strains were separated in this process and each strain showed obvious reducing ability toward indigo in dyeing test. It is expected that the analyzed results will provide important data for standardizing the natural fermentation of indigo and investigating the mechanism of indigo reduction.

• Mycobiology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.303-310
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• 2015

The increasing emergence of lead drugs for the resistance produced by the pathogenic strains and arrival of new diseases have initiated the need for searching novel metabolites with best anticancer and antimicrobial properties than the existing one. With this view, the investigation was conducted for the isolation, identification, and biological evaluation of potential endophytic fungi of Aegle marmelos, a medicinal tree used for more than three decades, for curing various disorders. A total of 169 endophytic fungal strains obtained from sampling and among those 67 were pigmented strains. Upon antagonistic screening, five endophytic fungal strains exhibited antagonistic potentiality by inhibiting the pathogens. These five potent strains were characterized at molecular level by sequencing the amplified internal transcribed spacer (ITS) 1 and ITS 4 regions of rDNA and they were grouped under order Pleosporales, Eurotiales, and Capnodiales. The metabolites from the respective strains were produced in fungal culturing media and extracted using polar solvents. Further, the extracts of five endophytes manifested antimicrobial activity against tested clinical pathogens and Alternaria alternata (FC39BY), Al. citrimacularis (FC8ABr), and Curvularia australiensis (FC2AP) exhibited significant antimicrobial profile against 9 of 12 tested pathogens, showing broad spectrum activity. The antioxidant levels of all the five endophytes revealed the highest activity at least concentrations, and major activity was unveiled by the members of order Pleosporales FC2AP and FC8ABr. This research explains the value of endophytic fungal extracts and its significance of antimicrobial and antioxidant properties.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.211-217
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• 2013

Corynebacterium glutamicum is one of the well-studied industrial strain that is used for the production of nucleotides and amino acids. Recently, it has also been studied as a possible producer of organic acids such as succinic acid, based on its ability to produce organic acids under an oxygen deprivation condition. In this study, we conducted the optimization of medium components for improved succinate production from C. glutamicum under an oxygen deprivation condition by Plackett-Burman design and applied a response surface methodology. A Plackett-Burman design for ten factors such as glucose, ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, potassium phosphate ($K_2HPO_4$ and $KH_2PO_4$), iron sulfate, manganese sulfate, biotin, thiamine, and sodium bicarbonate was applied to evaluate the effects on succinate production. Glucose, ammonium sulfate, magnesium sulfate, and dipotassium phosphate were found to have significant influence on succinate production, and the optimal concentrations of these four factors were sequentially investigated by the response surface methodology using a Box-Behnken design. The optimal medium components obtained for achieving maximum concentration of succinic acid were as follows: glucose 10 g/l, magnesium sulfate 0.5 g/l, dipotassium phosphate ($K_2HPO_4$) 0.75 g/l, potassium dihydrogen phosphate ($KH_2PO_4$) 0.5 g/l, iron sulfate 6 mg/l, manganese sulfate 4.2 mg/l, biotin 0.2 mg/l, thiamine 0.2 mg/l, and sodium bicarbonate 100 mM. The parameters that differed from a normal BT medium were glucose changed from 40 g/l to 10 g/l, dipotassium phosphate ($K_2HPO_4$) 0.5 g/l changed to 0.75 g/l, and ammonium sulfate ($(NH_4)_2SO_4$) 7 g/l changed to 0 g/l. Under these conditions, the final succinic acid concentration was 16.3 mM, which is about 1.46 fold higher than the original medium (11.1 mM) at 24 h. This work showed the improvement of succinate production by a simple change of media components deduced from sequential optimization.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.232-239
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• 2009

This research investigated the characteristics of antibiotic resistance of bacteria in microbial communities from municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWTPs), and monitored seasonal changes of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) from MWTPs and Han river. When antibiotics were amended to either R2A agar (R2A) for general heterotrophs or MacConeky sorbitol agar (MSA) for coliform bacteria, all the MWTP samples exhibited multiple antibiotic resistance on the antibiotic-amended solid media. The antibiotic resistance appearing frequencies of ampicillin and sulfathiazole, respectively, were higher than reported data for other countries. The antibiotic resistance appearances differed depending upon the concentrations of primary substrate and nutrients and the types of cultivation media. The following 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis showed that the identified multiple-antibiotic resistant microbes on R2A plates were more likely to be known human-pathogenic bacteria than the background heterotrophic bacteria were, suggesting a high risk of antibiotic resistance appearance to public health. In addition, according to our investigation of seasonal changes of ARB from urban MWTP and river samples, the frequency of ARB appearances was shown to correlate positively with temperature. This indicates a possibility that global warming result in increase in microbial risk to public health.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.10
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• pp.919-929
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• 2020

Aromatic compounds are widely used in the chemical, food, polymer, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries and are produced by mainly chemical synthesis using benzene, toluene, and xylene or by plant extraction methods. Due to many rising threats, including the depletion of fossil fuels, global warming, the strengthening of international environmental regulations, and the excessive harvesting of plant resources, the microbial production of aromatic compounds using renewable biomass is regarded as a promising alternative. By integrating metabolic engineering with synthetic and systems biology, artificial biosynthetic pathways have been reconstituted from L-tryptophan biosynthetic pathway in relevant microorganisms, such as Escherichia coli and Corynebacterium glutamicum, enabling the production of a variety of value-added aromatic compounds, such as 5-hydroxytryptophan, serotonin, melatonin, 7-chloro-L-tryptophan, 7-bromo-L-tryptophan, indigo, indirubin, indole-3-acetic acid, violacein, and dexoyviolacein. In this review, we summarize the characteristics, usage, and biosynthetic pathways of these aromatic compounds and highlight the latest metabolic engineering strategies for the microbial production of aromatic compounds and suitable solution strategies to overcome problems in increasing production titers. It is expected that strain development based on systems metabolic engineering and the optimization of media and bioprocesses using renewable biomass will enable the development of commercially viable technologies for the microbial production of many aromatic compounds.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.165-171
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• 2021

To prevent the secondary hospital-acquired infection (cross-infection) from occurring in the general radiographic room in the department of radiology, the microbial measurement was conducted at the points making direct close contact with radiologists and patients. For the case of radiologists, the microbial measurement and incubation were focused on the x-ray tube handle of the radiation generating device, and, for the case of patients, the microbial measurement and incubation were focused on the chin supporting device, chest-contact point, and handle. Once disinfected with Aniosurf, the sterilized media were gathered and identified, and the microorganisms were confirmed. Based on the identification results, it was confirmed that the points making direct close contact with radiologists showed a value of 103 CFU for Proteus mirabilis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Bacillus spp. and Candida spp., and that the points making direct close contact with patients showed a value of 103~5 CFU for Proteus mirabilis, Enterococcu faecium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, NTM(Non-Tuberculosis Mycobacteria) and Candida spp.. It was also confirmed that the types and number of microorganisms gathered from the points making direct close contact with patients were greater. Fortunately, most of the involved microorganisms were observed to be on the skin surface and are known to become extinct when disinfected in accordance with the hospital-acquired infection control rules. However, since even minor exposure to such microorganisms may be lethal for patients with reduced immunity, caution must be taken. In particular, since the points making contact with patients showed a high level of microbial measurement, it was thought that it would be necessary for radiologists and personnel having frequent access to strictly disinfect the parts, such as instruments and handles, making frequent contact with patients. The purpose of this study was to announce the importance of safe microbial control in the radiographic inspection room in hospital, and this study is expected to be used as the baseline data for preventing hospital-acquired secondary infection and Nth infectious diseases.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.259-268
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• 2023

Rhodococcus sp. 3-2 strain has been reported to degrade benzimidazole-based pesticides, such as benomyl and carbendazim. Therefore, this study aimed to optimize culture medium composition and culture conditions to achieve cost-effective and efficient large-scale production of the Rhodococcus sp. 3-2 strain. The study identified that the optimal media composition for mass culture comprised 0.5% glucose, 0.5% yeast extract, 0.15% NaCl, 0.5% K₂HPO₄, 0.5% sodium succinate, and 0.1% MgSO₄. Additionally, a microbial agent was developed using a 1.5-ton fermenter, with skim milk (20%), monosodium glutamate (15%), and vitamin C (2%) as key components. The storage stability of the microbial agent has been confirmed, with advantages of low temperature conservation, which helps to sustain efficacy for at least six months. We also assessed the benomyl degradation activity of the microbial agent within field soil. The results revealed an over 90% degradation rate when the concentration of viable cells exceeded 2.65 × 10⁶ CFU/g after a minimum of five weeks had elapsed. Based on these findings, Rhodococcus sp. 3-2 strain can be considered a cost-effective microbial agent with diverse agricultural applications.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.159-162
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• 2021

A 5-year-old, intact male, poodle dog with right external auditory canal obstruction and subaural mass was presented. Physical examination revealed that right external auditory canal opening was absent and right head tilt was identified. Aspiration in right subaural mass revealed a small amount of dark brown exudate. Streptococcus canis and Staphylococcus spp. were identified on the microbial culture. Radiography of the skull was revealed absence of air-filled ear canal at the right external ear canal (EEC) level. Computed tomography (CT) revealed well capsulated, hypoattenuated mass in the right EEC region. On the contrast enhanced CT images, rim enhancement around the mass and ear canal obstruction were identified. Fluid attenuated material filled with right bulla. Mild thickening of the right tympanic bulla wall with mild lytic lesion of the ventral wall were found. Based on the images findings, the case was tentatively diagnosed as right external auditory canal atresia with otitis media. Total ear canal ablation and lateral bulla osteotomy was performed. The entire ear canal was removed, numerous hair in the canal and the thickening wall were founded. Right ear canal was sent for histopathological evaluation and found to otitis externa. The patient was followed up for two weeks and there were no complications. This report described the CT diagnosis of right EEC atresia with otitis media rarely reported in small breed dogs.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.886-893
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• 2013

Several indigenous sulfite-resistant yeasts were isolated at the microbial succession stage of yeast flora during spontaneous fermentation of Campbell Early grapes using a YPD plate that contained 200 mg/L or 500 mg/L potassium metabisulfite. When they were applied to the wine fermentation using the Campbell Early grape and apple juices, strains S13 and D8 showed strong alcohol fermentation and good flavor production. They were identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae in the phylogenetic analysis based on their ITS 1-5.8S-ITS II DNA sequences. The two yeast strains grew to a high cell density in the YPD media supplemented with 40%(w/v) glucose. They also grew rapidly in the YPD media at $40^{\circ}C$. While strain S13 showed some differences in cell density at the two temperatures, no marked difference was observed during the culture of strain D8. The strains grew relatively well at pH 5.0 and 9.0 compared with pH 7.0, which was the optimum pH for their growth. Especially, strain S13 cultivated in the YPD media at pH 9.0 grew to 93% of the growth of strain D8, which was obtained at pH 7.0.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.167-173
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• 1979

It is preented the removable moving screen media-activated sludge (REMSMAS) process by using the biological fixed-film systems. The substrate removal kinetic difference between the aeration-only completed mixing activated sludge (CMAS) process and REMSMAS process were observed. The substrate removal kinetics were developed based on the attached and suspended microbial growths. The units of the aeration-only CMAS process were continously operated with the normal detention time of 4.5, 6, 9.5 and 12 flours studies after steady-state condition and the operating of the REMSMAS units conducted with the normal detention time of 6 and 12 hours studies in nonsteady-state condition. The feed solution was diluted 18 times to the raw starch wastewater in of order to maintain the proper COD (950mg/l) and BOD (450mg/l) concentration. Design parameters related to the suspended microbial growths were caculated by the equations used in the aeration-only CMAS model and these parameters used to evalute the kinetic constants in the REMSMAS process. The kinetic constant values of $Y_2,\;K_d,(\mu_{max})_s\;and\;K_s$ from Monod equations were respectively 0.78, 0.027/hr, 1.1/hr and 95mg/l in the aeration-only CMAS process. The value of the aera capacity (F) appeared to be $9.1\;mg/cm^2-day$ and the mean value of the saturation constant $(K_g)$ appeared to be 53.5 mg/l in the REMSMAs process. Also, the substrate removal .ate of the REMSMAS process was higher than that of the normal activated sludge process when this system was operated in steady-state condition. However, the rate was reduced as the critical operating day was approached.