• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1506-1512
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• 2023

Quantitative analysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) has been widely used as a diagnostic tool in the food and medical industries. Particularly, the pathogenesis of a few diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is closely related to high ATP concentrations. A bioluminescent D-luciferin/luciferase system, which includes a luciferase (FLuc) from the firefly Photinus pyralis as a key component, is the most commonly used method for the detection and quantification of ATP. Here, instead of isolating FLuc produced in recombinant Escherichia coli, we aimed to develop a whole-cell biocatalyst system that does not require extraction and purification of FLuc. To this end, the gene coding for FLuc was introduced into the genome of probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii using the CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing system. The linear relationship (r² = 0.9561) between ATP levels and bioluminescence generated from the engineered S. boulardii expressing FLuc was observed in vitro. To explore the feasibility of using the engineered S. boulardii expressing FLuc as a whole-cell biosensor to detect inflammation biomarker (i.e., ATP) in the gut, a colitis mouse model was established using dextran sodium sulfate as a colitogenic compound. Our findings demonstrated that the whole-cell biosensor can detect elevated ATP levels during gut inflammation in mice. Therefore, the simple and powerful method developed herein could be applied for non-invasive IBD diagnosis.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.336-344
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• 1998

Effects of ochratoxin A (OTA) on embryo development were studied in cultured whole embryos from 9.5 day gestation rat for 48 h. OTA (more than $0.5{\mu}g/ml$) induced microcephaly in the cultured rat whole embryos. Protein and DNA content, and DNA synthesis were significantly inhibited by OTA. We next examined whether the microcephaly seen in cultured whole embryo partially results from inhibition of differentiation of embryonic midbrain cells. Embryonic midbrain cells were extracted from 12 day gestation rat embryos, and cultured for 96 hr. OTA ibhibited cell differentiation about 50% over control. We also tested whether OTA-induced embryotoxicity would be associated with oxidative damages. We measured the ${\gamma}$-glutamyltranspeptidase (${\gamma}$-GT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activities, and glutathione (GSH) content in both cultured whole embryos and embryonic midbrain cells. OTA decreased GSH content, whereas slightly increased ${\gamma}$-GT activity, but GPX activity was not significantly changed. These results show that OTA caused the microcephaly and its effect may be partially due to the inhibition of cell differentiation of embryonic midbrain cells, but the role of oxidative damages is not clear in embryotoxicity.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.272-274
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• 2002

The anterior brain vesicle of ascidian larvae contains two distinct pigment cells. Ultrastructure of these pigment cells has been shown that the anterior pigment cell is an otolith for perception of gravity and the posterior pigment cell is an ocellus for light reception. The larva has remarkably simple central nervous system (CNS) composed of about 330 cells. We focused to study neural networks of visual systems. In the present paper, we report the whole structure of the photoreceptors of the ascidian larva visualized by an antibody against arrestin. Visual arrestin is the key protein for the termination of phototransduction and one of the abundant proteins in photoreceptors. Recently, we cloned an arrestin homologue gene, Ci-arr and the expression of Ci-arr was found to be restricted to the photoreceptors in the ocellus. To study the whole structure of the photoreceptors in the larva, we prepared an antibody against Ci-Arr. It is found that anti Ci-Arr antibody specifically stains the photoreceptors, including the cell bodies, the axons, and the nerve terminals. The photoreceptor cell bodies lies in row outside the pigment cup which penetrate the pigment cell and is continuous with the outer segments of the photoreceptor cell, inside the concavity of the pigments. The axons form bundle into a single tract. The tract extends toward the midline, where the nerve terminals diverge and seem to form synapses

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.343-348
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• 1994

Enterobacter sp. producing -$\beta$-galactosidase with high transgalactosylation activity was isolated from dairy wastewater. The isolate had common biochemical features to E. aerogenes and E. cloacae. Enzyme production increased as the cell mass increased with optimum enzyme activity of 0.21 Unit/mg-protein (o-nitro-phenyl-$\beta$ -D-galactoside (ONPG) as substrate) until 8 hr of culture. Whole cells permeabilized by toluene were used to produce galacto-oligosaccharide. Optimum toluene concentration, temperature and pH for -$\beta$-galactosidase activity of permeabilized whole cells were 10% (v/v), $50^{\circ}C$ and 6.0, respectively. A maximum of 38% (w/w) of galacto-oligosaccharide was obtained with lactose concentration of 20% (w/w) at $40^\{\circ}C$ and pH 6.0.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.25 no.10B
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• pp.1641-1647
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• 2000

This paper presents an analysis of coverage and capacity for the multi-layer CDMA cellular system. The multi-layer CDMA system that shares a common frequency band consists of macrocells for outdoor users and picocells for indoor users. Though macrocells and picocells interfere with each other the capacity of the whole system can be increased, We have analyzed the effect of muual interference upon cell coverage soft handover areas and capacities. The parameters involved in the engineering of the system are discussed. The study results sow that we can control the service coverage of indoor picocells with the system parameters set properly. It is also show that the capacity of the whole system that the capacity of the whole system can be enhanced smoothly by deploying the indoor picocells within existing macrocells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.388-394
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• 2005

In order to investigate the distribution of dominant Bifidobacterium species in intestinal microflora of Korean adults and seniors, SDS-PAGE profiles of whole cell proteins were used for the identification of bifidobacteria. To confirm the reliability of SDS-PAGE, the Bifidobacterium species identified by SDS-PAGE of whole cell proteins were validated by using 16S rDNA sequencing analysis. The results of SDS­PAGE corresponded well with those determined by the analysis of 16S rDNA sequencing. Based on the analysis of SDS-PAGE patterns on unidentified fecal strains which showed positive in fructose-6-phosphate phosphoketolase activity, B. adolescentis, B. longum, and B. bifidum were identified in the feces of adults, and B. adolescentis, B. longum, B. bifidum, B. breve, and B. dentium were identified in those of seniors. In most of the fecal samples tested, the predominant Bifidobacterium species consisted of only a few species, and differences in the distribution and numbers of Bifidobacterium species were observed between adults and seniors. B. adolescentis and B. longum were found to be the most common species in feces of adults, but not in seniors. Accordingly, the distribution and abundance of bifidobacteria in the human intestinal microflora varied depending on the age of hosts.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.175-183
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• 2004

The dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamiyavanichii Balech, a producer of toxins causing paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), has recently been considered as one of main organisms responsible for toxication of shellfish in Japan. In this study, A. tamiyavanichii was subjected to a molecular phylogenetic analysis inferred from 28S rDNA D1-D2 sequences and a species-specific LSU rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide DNA probe was designed to identify A. tamiyavanichii using the whole cell-FISH (fluorescence in situ hybridization). The sequences of the 28S rDNA D1-D2 region of A. tamiyavanichii showed no difference from A. cohorticular AF1746l4 (present name A. tamiyavanichii) and formed a distinct clade from the 'tamarensis species complex'. The probe, TAMID2, reacted specifically with A. tamiyavanichii cultured cells, without any cross-reaction with other species belonging to the same genus, including A. tamarense, A. catenella, A. affine, A. fraterculus, A. insuetum and A. pseudogonyaulax. In a test of cross-reactivity with a field sample, TAMID2 reacted consistently with only A. tamiyavanichii, indicating that the present protocol involving the TAMID2 probe might be useful for detecting toxic A. tamiyavanichii in a simple and rapid manner.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.452-458
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• 2015

The biocatalytic efficiency of recombinant Corynebacterium glutamicum ATCC 13032 expressing the secondary alcohol dehydrogenase of Micrococcus luteus NCTC2665 was studied. Recombinant C. glutamicum converts ricinoleic acid to a product, identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry as 12-ketooleic acid (12-oxo-cis-9-octadecenoic acid). The effects of pH, reaction temperature, and non-ionic detergent on recombinant C. glutamiucm whole cell bioconversion were examined. The determined optimal conditions for production of 12-ketooleic acid are pH 8.0, 35℃, and 0.05 g/l Tween80. Under these conditions, recombinant C. glutamicum produces 3.3 mM 12-ketooleic acid, with a 72% (mol/mol) maximum conversion yield, and 1.1 g/l/h volumetric productivity in 2 h; and 3.9 mM 12-ketooleic acid, with a 74% (mol/mol) maximum conversion yield, and 0.69 g/l/h maximum volumetric productivity in 4 h of fermentation. This study constitutes the first report of significant production of 12-ketooleic acid using a recombinant Corynebacterium glutamicum-based biocatalyst.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.365-371
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• 1989

Microbiological conversion of sterols to 17-ketosteroids has been recognized as a source for commercial preparation of steroidal drugs. In order to develop bacterial strains and process with Brevibacterium lipolyticum IAM 1398 capable of converting cholesterol to 1,4-Androstadiene-3,17-dione (ADD) at about 27% yield, we studied on strain improvement, fermentation condition and whole cell immobilization. By using UV and/or NTG as mutagens, a mutant to convert cholesterol to ADD with higher yield than 60% was selected. Better production of ADD was manifested in the case of maltose used as a supplemental carbon source, and yeast extract or soytone as a nitrogen source. Addition of tween 80 (0.05%) as a surfactant beneficial for increasing the productivity. The optimal initial pH of the medium was 6.5 and optimal culture temperature was $30^{\circ}C$. Whole cell immobilization by using carrageenan, agar, alginate and acrylamide was carried out and the activity of conversion was tested. In the case of carrageenan and agar, immobilized cells were active for at least two cycles of fermentation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.1922-1929
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• 2007

A simple whole-cell-based sensing system is proposed for determining the cell mass of H. pluvialis using ultraviolet fluorescence spectroscopy. An emission signal at 368 nm was used to detect the various kinds of green, green-brown, brown-red, and red H. pluvialis cells. The fluorescence emission intensities of the cells were highest at 368 nm with an excitation wavelength of 227 nm. An excitation wavelength of 227 nm was then selected for cell-mass sensing, as the emission fluorescence intensities of the cell suspensions were highest at this wavelength after subtracting the background interference. The emission fluorescence intensities of HPLC-grade water, filtered water, and HPLC-grade water containing a modified Bold's basal medium (MBBM) were measured and the difference was less than 1.6 for the selected wavelengths. Moreover, there was no difference in the emission intensity at 368 nm among suspensions of the various morphological states of the cells. A calibration curve of the fluorescence emission intensities. and cell mass was obtained with a high correlation ($R^2=0.9938$) for the various morphological forms of H. pluvialis. Accordingly, the proposed method showed no significant dependency on the various morphological cell forms, making it applicable for cell-mass measurement. A high correlation was found between the fluorescence emission intensities and the dry cell weight with a mixture of green, green-brown, brown-red, and red cells. In conclusion, the proposed model can be directly used for cell-mass sensing without any pretreatment and has potential use as a noninvasive method for the online determination of algal biomass.