• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1054-1057
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• 2007

Lipases are industrially useful versatile enzymes that catalyze numerous different reactions including hydrolysis of triglycerides, transesterification, and chiral synthesis of esters under natural conditions. Although lipases from various sources have been widely used in industrial applications, such as in food, chemical, pharmaceutical, and detergent industries, there are still substantial current interests in developing new microbial lipases, specifically those functioning in abnormal conditions. We screened 17 lipase-producing yeast strains, which were prescreened for substrate specificity of lipase from more than 500 yeast strains from the Agricultural Research Service Culture Collection (Peoria, IL, U.S.A.), and selected Yarrowia lipolytica NRRL Y-2178 as a best lipase producer. This report presents new finding and optimal production of a novel extracellular alkaline lipase from Y. lipolytica NRRL Y-2178. Optimal culture conditions for lipase production by Y. lipolytica NRRL Y-2178 were 72 h incubation time, $27.5^{\circ}C$, pH 9.0. Glycerol and glucose were efficiently used as the most efficient carbon sources, and a combination of yeast extract and peptone was a good nitrogen source for lipase production by Y. lipolytica NRRL Y-2178. These results suggested that Y. lipolytica NRRL Y-2178 shows good industrial potential as a new alkaline lipase producer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.8
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• pp.1184-1194
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• 2020

Melanin is a major factor that darkens skin color as one of the defense systems to prevent the harmful effects of UV light. However, darkened skin from the localized or systemic accumulation of melanin is viewed in many cultures as an esthetic problem. Consequentially, searching for anti-melanogenic agents from natural sources is very popular worldwide. Previous screening of fermented rice products, obtained from various rice cultivars fermented with different sources of loog-pang (Thai traditional fermentation starter), revealed that the highest ability to reduce the melanin content in B16F10 melanoma cells was from unpolished black rice fermented with a defined starter mixture of microbes isolated from loog-pang E11. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of the fermented unpolished black rice (FUBR) on the inhibition of melanogenesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. The strongest reduction of cellular melanin content was found in the FUBR sap (FUBRS). The melanin reduction activity was consistent with the significant decrease in the intracellular tyrosinase activity. The FUBRS showed no cytotoxic effect to B16F10 melanoma or Hs68 human fibroblast cell lines. It also significantly reduced the transcript and protein expression levels of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TYRP-1), TYRP-2, and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor. Furthermore, it induced a significantly increased level of phosphorylated ERK, p38 and Akt signaling pathways, which likely contributed to the negative regulation of melanogenesis. From these results, a model for the mechanism of FUBRS on melanogenesis inhibition was proposed. Moreover, these results strongly suggested that FUBRS possesses anti-melanogenesis activity with high potential for cosmeceutical application as a skin depigmenting agent.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.920-924
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• 2007

Two experiments were carried out on a laboratory scale. The first involved a study of the effect of green tea on characteristics of fermented juice of epiphytic lactic acid bacteria (FJLB). FJLB was treated with 50 g/L of green tea products as follows: new shoot powder (FJLB+N), leaf powder (FJLB+L), commercial powder (FJLB+P), sterilized new shoot powder (FJLB+SN), sterilized leaf powder (FJLB+SL) or sterilized commercial powder (FJLB+SP). FJLB without any additive was also prepared (Untreated FJLB). After incubation, the number of microorganisms in FJLB were studied. Subsequently, these FJLB were applied at 10 ml/kg to chopped rhodesgrass to study their effects on fermentation. Compared with untreated FJLB, the addition of green tea increased (p<0.05) lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and also aerobic bacteria counts in FJLB. At 60 d of ensiling, all the FJLB treated silages were well preserved, pH and butyric acid content were lower (p<0.001) and lactic acid was higher (p<0.001) than that of the control. Lactic acid content was significantly higher (p<0.001) with treated FJLB than with untreated FJLB. FJLB treated with sterilized green tea decreased (p<0.001) the pH and the lactic acid content was higher (p<0.001) than that in the unsterilized green tea silages.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.739-747
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• 2016

The rational utilization of crop straw as a raw material for natural gas production is of economic significance. In order to increase the efficiency of biogas production from agricultural straw, seasonal restrictions must be overcome. Therefore, the potential for biogas production via anaerobic straw digestion was assessed by exposing fresh, silage, and dry yellow corn straw to cow dung liquid extract as a nitrogen source. The characteristics of anaerobic corn straw digestion were comprehensively evaluated by measuring the pH, gas production, chemical oxygen demand, methane production, and volatile fatty acid content, as well as applying a modified Gompertz model and high-throughput sequencing technology to the resident microbial community. The efficiency of biogas production from fresh straw (433.8 ml/g) was higher than that of production from straw silage and dry yellow straw (46.55 ml/g and 68.75 ml/g, respectively). The cumulative biogas production from fresh straw, silage straw, and dry yellow straw was 365 l^-1 g^-1 VS, 322 l^-1 g^-1 VS, and 304 l^-1 g^-1 VS, respectively, whereas cumulative methane production was 1,426.33%, 1,351.35%, and 1,286.14%, respectively, and potential biogas production was 470.06 ml^-1 g^-1 VS, 461.73 ml^-1 g^-1 VS, and 451.76 ml^-1 g^-1 VS, respectively. Microbial community analysis showed that the corn straw was mainly metabolized by acetate-utilizing methanogens, with Methanosaeta as the dominant archaeal community. These findings provide important guidance to the biogas industry and farmers with respect to rational and efficient utilization of crop straw resources as material for biogas production.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1823-1833
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• 2018

Fluorescence in-situ hybridization (FISH) is a common and popular method used to investigate microbial communities in natural and engineered environments. In this study, two specific 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes, CLZ and KCLZ, were designed and verified to quantify the genus Clostridium and the species Clostridium kluyveri. The optimal concentration of hybridization buffer solution for both probes was 30% (w/v). The specificity of the designed probes was high due to the use of pellets from pure reference strains. Feasibility was tested using samples of Chinese liquor from the famed Luzhou manufacturing cellar. The effectiveness of detecting target cells appears to vary widely in different environments. In pit mud, the detection effectiveness of the target cell by probes CLZ and KCLZ was 49.11% and 32.14%, respectively. Quantitative analysis by FISH technique of microbes in pit mud and fermented grains showed consistency with the results detected by qPCR and PCR-DGGE techniques, which showed that the probes CLZ and KCLZ were suitable to analyze the biomass of Clostridium spp. and C. kluyveri during liquor fermentation. Therefore, this study provides a method for quantitative analysis of Clostridium spp. and C. kluyveri and monitoring their community dynamics in microecosystems.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.77-94
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• 2011

It is not clear to assume the history of dyeing by persimmon juice without an early knowledge of an accurate record. However, the beginning of persimmon dyeing in Korea is estimated to be around the $13^th$-$14^th$ century, even though there are no supporting records. On the other hand, there are definite records of persimmon dyeing in Japan from around the 17th century. Persimmon juice was originally used for fishing tools in both Korea and Japan, but upon entering the Modern Era it eventually transfigured into a dye for fabric. In Korea, persimmon-dyed fabrics were used for traditional clothing until it also became a popular choice for modern clothes in the 1990s. In Japan, persimmon juice was originally used for varnishing surfaces of household items, but it recently became a material for arts, crafts, and even apparels. The main difference between persimmon dyeing of the two countries is the presence and absence of the fermentation process. In Korea, persimmons are picked and water is immediately added to its juice to produce the dye. In contrast, Japan produces a fermented persimmon dye. As a result, in Korea the dye can not be preserved for long periods, whilst in Japan it is matured in the storage for 2-3 years. Today's pursuit of eco-friendliness and wellness has prompted an inclination towards natural material clothes. Therefore, it is necessary for both countries to push scientific research into improving the storage methods and colorfastness of persimmon-dyed products for the increase of use consumption in other areas of persimmon and arrowroot dyed fabrics, and the development of environment friendly materials.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.266-272
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• 2012

Hyperglycemia or high glucose (HG), is the hallmark of diabetes, known to induce oxidative stress, release of chemokines, and cytokines, which confer endothelial cell damage. On the other hand, microbial transformation of organic materials often leads to certain changes in their product structures which could enhance their biological activities. The aim of this study was to investigate the beneficial effects of fermented Gastrodia elata (FGE) in HG induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) dysfunction. GE, fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which has an extensive history of safe use, exhibited higher phenolic compounds content than those of Gastrodia elata (GE). The HG-induced production of nitric oxide (NO) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were significantly attenuated by FGE pretreatment to the cells, in a concentration dependent manner. In addition, FGE showed marked activity in free radical scavenging. These results suggest that FGE possesses beneficial effects in protecting against the oxidative stress, and inflammatory conditions in endothelial cells, caused by HG.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.620-625
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• 2018

Liquid detergent based on sodium lauryl ethoxy sulfate (SLES) as main ingredient sometimes met gelling film on the surface when it is opened in the air. It was assumed because of the change of phase diagram of micelle by concentration change of surfactant, major ingredient of detergent when the water of detergent is evaporated. SLES showed strong hexagonal liquid crystal (LC) in 30~60 wt%, and lamellar LC over 60 wt%. In this research surface gelling formation of liquid detergent which is based on SLES as main ingredient was because of water evaporation. As water of detergent was evaporated, concentration of surfactant became higher. It was checked that surface gelling was LC of mixed surfactant system. Conclusionally we applied alpha olefin sulfonate (AOS) having good solubility, Sodium secondary alkane sulfonate (SAS) preventing hexagonal LC and hydrotrope sodium xylene sulfonate (SXS) and PEG1500 in order to prevent gelling film in SLES based liquid detergent. Like this, improved formula 4 and 5 can prevent the formation of gelling film on the surface of liquid detergent when it is opened in the air.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.705-711
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• 2003

The gellan was produced by Pseudomonas elodea under aerobic condition. In this study, the effects of inoculum size, carbon sources and concentration, nitrogen source, and C/N ratio on the cell growth and the production of gellan were evaluated. The maximum growth of P. elodea and gellan production was obtained at 5% (v/v) of inoculum size and glucose showed best results among 9 carbon sources tested. The maximum specific yield of 2.22 and productivity of $0.03 g/\ell$h were obtained at 1.0% (w/v) of glucose. The maximum gellan production was obtained at medium without ammonium nitrate. This indicates that nitrogen limitation is essential for the production of gellan. The highest cell and gellan production were obtained at 20 of C/N ratio.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.402-409
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• 2017

A novel peptide having free radical scavenging activity was separated, using an on-line high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) - ABTS screening method, from bovine skim milk fermented by Lactococcus lactis SL6 (KCTC 11865BP). It was further purified using reverse phase-HPLC (RP-HPLC) and sequenced by RP-HPLC-tandem mass spectrometry. The amino acid sequence of the identified peptide was determined to be Phe-Ser-Asp-Ile-Pro-Asn-Pro-Ile-Gly-Ser-Glu-Asn-Ser-Glu-Lys-Thr-Thr-Met-Pro-Leu-Trp (2,362 Da), which is corresponding to the C-terminal fragment of bovine ${\alpha}_{s1}$-casein (f179-199). The hydroxyl radicals scavenging activity ($IC_{50}$ $28.25{\pm}0.96{\mu}M$) of the peptide chemically synthesized based on the MS/MS data showed a slightly lower than that of the natural antioxidant Trolox ($IC_{50}$ $15.37{\pm}0.52{\mu}M$). Furthermore, derivatives of the antioxidant peptide were synthesized. The antioxidative activity of the derivatives whose all three proline residues replaced by alanine significantly decreased, whereas replacement of two proline residues in N-terminal region did not affect its antioxidative activity, indicating that $3^{rd}$ proline in C-terminal region is critical for the antioxidative activity of the peptide identified in this study. In addition, N-terminal region of the antioxidant peptide did not show its activity, whereas C-terminal region maintained antioxidative activity, suggesting that C-terminal region of the peptide is important for antioxidative activity.