• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.897-904
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• 2019

Monascus purpureus recombinant mppC and mpp7 knockout strains were subjected to extractive fermentation in the context of azaphilone pigment production. Inclusion of Diaion HP-20 resin resulted in the selective production of unreduced azaphilone congeners, in addition to the early intermediate FK17-P2a, from ${\Delta}mppC$ and ${\Delta}mpp7$ strains that would otherwise mainly produce reduced congeners. Structural determination of two novel unreduced azaphilones from the ${\Delta}mpp7$ strain was accomplished. The unreduced azaphilone compound was converted into the cognate reduced congener in recombinant M. purpureus strains, demonstrating its intermediate role in azaphilone biosynthesis. This study demonstrates the possibility that extractive fermentation with Diaion HP-20 resin can be used to obtain cryptic azaphilone metabolites.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.611-615
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• 2008

Novel groups of uncultivable anaerobic thermophiles were isolated from compost by enrichment cultivation in medium with a cell-free extract of Geobacillus toebii. The cell-free extract of G. toebii provided the medium with growth-supporting factors (GSF) needed to cultivate the previously uncultured microorganisms. Twenty-nine GSF-requiring candidates were successfully cultivated, and 16 isolated novel bacterial strains were classified into three different groups of uncultivable bacteria. The similarity among these 16 isolates and a phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that these GSF-requiring strains represented novel groups within the family Clostridiaceae.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.182-188
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• 2014

Because bacterial isolates from only a few genera have been developed commercially as biopesticides, discovery and characterization of novel bacterial strains will be a key to market expansion. Our previous screen using plant bioassays identified 24 novel biocontrol isolates representing 12 different genera. In this study, we characterized the 3 isolates showing the best biocontrol activities. The isolates were Pantoea dispersa WCU35, Proteus myxofaciens WCU244, and Exiguobacterium acetylicum WCU292 based on 16S rRNA sequence analysis. The isolates showed differential production of extracellular enzymes, antimicrobial activity against various fungal or bacterial plant pathogens, and induced systemic resistance activity against tomato gray mold disease caused by Botrytis cinerea. E. acetylicum WCU292 lacked strong in vitro antimicrobial activity against plant pathogens, but induced systemic resistance against tomato gray mold disease. These results confirm that the trait of biological control is found in a wide variety of bacterial genera.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.237-249
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• 2020

The goal of this study was to isolate wild yeasts from waters and soils in Sangjubo of Nakdong river and Daechung dam in Daejeon city, Korea and investigate characteristics of previously unrecorded novel wild yeasts. In total, 94 strains from 39 different species of wild yeasts were isolated from 47 soils and waters samples obtained from Sangjubo in Nakdong river. Among these, 3 strains, including Rhodosporidium azoricum JSL-GRU-009, represented novel yeast strains which were previous recorded. Two hundred nine strains from 105 different species of wild yeasts were isolated from 130 soils and water samples obtained from Daechungdaegyo and Daechung dam of Shintanjin in Daejeon city, Korea. Ten strains including Bullera pseudoalba JSL-GRU-005 also represented newly recorded strains in Korea. All the 13 previously unrecorded yeasts were oval or global in shape, and nine strains, including R. azoricum JSL-GRU-009, formed ascospores. Ten strains grew well in vitamin-free medium. R. azoricum JSL-GRU-009 grew well in 20% glucose-containing yeast extract-peptone-dextrose (YPD) medium and 3 strains, including Rhodotorula oryzicola JSL-GRU-003, grew well in 5% NaCl-containing YPD medium.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.206-211
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• 2017

The physical method used to prevent a landslide has the risk of environmental pollution. Calcite forming bacteria (CFB) have been received increasing attention as a novel and environmental friendly strategy for the soil improvement. In this study, we selected 11 CFB strains with high calcite production. We also examined survivability and calcite productivity of the strains under various stress conditions to select strains with high resistance to various stresses. Two strains was selected by environment stress. Sphingobacterium sp. KJ-32 and Viridibacillus arenosi B-25 precipitate calcite more than other strains at pH 5 and $15^{\circ}C$ respectively. Bio-consolidated soil cakes were made using various calcium salts (calcium chloride, calcium acetate, calcium lactate, calcium gluconate) with mixed culture of 2 strains. Among them, the calcite made using calcium chloride was the largest. These observations demonstrate that this bio-consolidation technology has the potential for eco-friendly prevention of landslide and soil improvement.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.153-157
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• 2009

The production of extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamases ($ESBL_S$) of the TEM or SHV type by bacterial pathogens is a major threat to the use of the clinically important expanded-spectrum cephalosporins. The characterization of the SHV ESBLs producing Klebsiella pneumoniae strains present in clinical isolates is time-consuming processes. We describe here in the development of a novel system, which consists of a real time PCR. We found 11 K. pneumoniae strains to be presumptive strains ESBLs producers by clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI) guidelines. The double disk synergy test showed 8 ESBL positive and conventional PCR showed 10 SHV ESBL positive, which were K. pneumoniae strains isolates. By real time PCR analysis, SHV gene in 11 of 11 strains were identified. When sequencing analysis was compared with real time PCR, both analysis were presented 99% similarity. In this study, we used a rapid, sensitive, and specific real-time PCR (RT-PCR) method for detection of the assay SHV ESBL producing K. pneumoniae strains in clinical isolates.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.1305-1309
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• 2020

Insects possess biological defense systems that can effectively combat the invasion of external microorganisms and viruses, thereby supporting their survival in diverse environments. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a fast-acting weapon against invading pathogens, including various bacterial or fungal strains. A 37-residue antimicrobial peptide, papiliocin, derived from the swallowtail butterfly Papilio xuthus larvae, showed significant antimicrobial activities against several human pathogenic bacterial and fungal strains. Jelleines, isolated as novel antibacterial peptides from the Royal Jelly (RJ) of bees, exhibit broad-spectrum protection against microbial infections. In this study, we developed a novel antimicrobial peptide, PAJE (RWKIFKKPFKISIHL-NH₂), which is a hybrid peptide prepared by combining 1-7 amino acid residues (RWKIFKK-NH₂) of papiliocin and 1-8 amino acid residues (PFKISIHL-NH₂) of Jelleine-1 to alter length, charge distribution, net charge, volume, amphipaticity, and improve bacterial membrane interactions. This novel peptide exhibited increased hydrophobicity and net positive charge for binding effectively to the negatively charged membrane. PAJE demonstrated antimicrobial activity against both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria, with very low toxicity to eukaryotic cells and an inexpensive process of synthesis. Collectively, these findings suggest that this novel peptide possesses great potential as an antimicrobial agent.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1427-1434
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• 2022

Two novel, halotolerant strains of Martelella soudanensis, NC18^T and NC20, were isolated from deep subsurface sediment, deeply sequenced, and comparatively analyzed with related strains. Based on a phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences, the two strains grouped with members of the genus Martelella. Here, we sequenced the complete genomes of NC18^T and NC20 to understand the mechanisms of their halotolerance. The genome sizes and G+C content of the strains were 6.1 Mb and 61.8 mol%, respectively. Moreover, NC18^T and NC20 were predicted to contain 5,849 and 5,830 genes, and 5,502 and 5,585 protein-coding genes, respectively. Both strains contain the identically predicted 6 rRNAs and 48 tRNAs. The harboring of halotolerant-associated genes revealed that strains NC18^T and NC20 might tolerate high salinity through the accumulation of potassium ions in a "salt-in" strategy induced by K⁺ uptake protein (kup) and the K⁺ transport system (trkAH and kdpFABC). These two strains also use the ectoine transport system (dctPQM), the glycine betaine transport system (proVWX), and glycine betaine uptake protein (opu) to accumulate "compatible solutes," such as ectoine and glycine betaine, to protect cells from salt stress. This study reveals the halotolerance mechanism of strains NC18^T and NC20 in high salt environments and suggests potential applications for these halotolerant and halophilic strains in environmental biotechnology.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1189-1195
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• 2014

A strain-specific identification method is required to secure Chlorella strains with useful genetic traits, such as a fast growth rate or high lipid productivity, for application in biofuels, functional foods, and pharmaceuticals. Microsatellite markers based on simple sequence repeats can be a useful tool for this purpose. Therefore, this study developed five novel microsatellite markers (mChl-001, mChl-002, mChl-005, mChl-011, and mChl-012) using specific loci along the chloroplast genome of Chlorella vulgaris. The microsatellite markers were characterized based on their allelic diversities among nine strains of C. vulgaris with the same 18S rRNA sequence similarity. Each microsatellite marker exhibited 2~5 polymorphic allele types, and their combinations allowed discrimination between seven of the C. vulgaris strains. The two remaining strains were distinguished using one specific interspace region between the mChl-001 and mChl-005 loci, which was composed of about 27 single nucleotide polymorphisms, 13~15 specific sequence sites, and (T)n repeat sites. Thus, the polymorphic combination of the five microsatellite markers and one specific locus facilitated a clear distinction of C. vulgaris at the strain level, suggesting that the proposed microsatellite marker system can be useful for the accurate identification and classification of C. vulgaris.