• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.722-727
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• 2007

Mucilage containing ${\gamma}-polyglutamic$ acid (PGA) was efficiently generated by the solid-state fermentation (SSF) of soybean grit by Bacillus firmus NA-1. B. firmus NA-1 was shown to be a glutamate-dependent strain for PGA production. The SSF of soybean grit was optimized in order to produce mucilage with a fortification of 5% glutamate, resulting in higher levels of mucilage production (6.14%) and a higher consistency index ($1.1\;Pa\;sec^n$). The sticky mucilage was comprised of 38% PGA, 7% levan, and some biopolymers. With regard to the viscoelastic properties of the mucilage solution, the viscous modulus (G") obtained from soybean grit fortified with 5% glutamate was approximately 64 times higher titan that of the mucilage solution obtained without glutamate. Although the addition of glutamate in the SSF of soybean grit influenced the rate of PGA production, the molecular weight of PGA remained unaltered, and was detected in a range between 1,400-1,440 kDa.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.475-479
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• 2011

Chitosan is a natural polymer that has many physicochemical(polycationic, reactive OH and $NH_2$ groups) and biological(bioactive, biocompatible, and biodegradable) properties. In this study, chitosan nanoparticles were prepared using poly-${\gamma}$-glutamic acid(${\gamma}$-PGA) as gelling agent. Nanoparticles were formed by ionic interaction between carboxylic groups in ${\gamma}$-PGA and amino groups in chitosan. Chitosan(0.1~1 g) was dissolved in 100 ml of acetic acid (1% v/v) at room temperature and stirred overnight to ensure a complete solubility. An amount of 0.1 g of ${\gamma}$-PGA was dissolved in 90 ml of distilled water at room temperature. Chitosan solution was dropped through needle into beaker containing ${\gamma}$-PGA solution under gentle stirring at room temperature. The average particle sizes were in the range of 80~300 nm. The prepared chitosan/${\gamma}$-PGA nanoparticles were used to examine their removal of several heavy metal ions($Cd^{2+}$, $Pb^{2+}$, $Zn^{2+}$, $Cu^{2+}$, and $Ni^{2+}$) as adsorbents in aqueous solution. The heavy metal removal capacity of the nanoparticles was in the order of $Cu^{2+}$ > $Pb^{2+}$ > $Cd^{2+}$ > $Ni^{2+}$ > $Zn^{2+}$.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.2 s.75
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• pp.175-179
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• 2006

A bacterium that produced a large amount of poly-$\gamma$-glutamate (PGA) was isolated from the compost and designated as Bacillus subtilis CH-10. The optimum temperature and pH for PGA production were at $37^{\circ}C$ and 7.5, respectively. The maximum amount of PGA production (18.84 mg/ml) was obtained when it was grown in a medium containing 3% L-glutamate and 5% sucrose at $37^{\circ}C$ with shaking. The result that the L-glutamate significantly induced PGA production indicates that it produces a PGA by the glutamate dependent manner. Some properties of the PGA obtained at different times of cultivation were investigated by SDS-PAGE and ninhydrin analysis. The PGA production was elongated along with cultivation time and maximum amount was achieved at 96 h. Average molecular weight of PGA was estimated to be 1100 kDa by FDNB method.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1163-1169
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• 2015

Poly-gamma-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) is a natural polymer that is synthesized by Bacillus species and has been reported to have antitumor activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of γ-PGA on the treatment of vaginal intraepithelial neoplasia (VAIN). A retrospective observational study on γ-PGA therapy for biopsy-proven VAIN was conducted. The efficacy was assessed by evaluating the results of Pap cytology and the viral load of high-risk HPV at three time points: at enrollment, and at the first and second post-treatment visits. Of 17 patients treated with γ-PGA, only 12 patients who had a high-risk HPV infection were included in the analysis. Histology was VAIN1 in seven patients, VAIN2 in two patients, and VAIN3 in three patients. γ-PGA was administered for newly diagnosed VAIN in five (41.7%) patients and persistent VAIN in seven (58.3%) patients for the mean time of 4.5 months. At the first and second post-treatment visits, cytological regression was observed in five (41.7%) and six (50%) patients, respectively. Regarding the HPV load, the overall response rate was 66.7%, and the mean level was 670.6 ± 292.5 RLU at the first follow-up, which was lower than the initial viral load of 1,494.8 ± 434.5 RLU (p = 0.084). At the second follow-up, the overall response rate was 58.3%, and the mean viral load level was 924.2 ± 493.7 RLU. γ-PGA may be helpful for the cytological regression and reduction of viral load in patients with high-risk HPV-positive VAIN, suggesting that γ-PGA is a promising treatment option for primary or persistent VAIN.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 2016

The principal objective of this study was to produce a chitosan nanoparticle (NP) system for improving blood circulation. Chitosan NPs were prepared using fucoidan and $poly-{\gamma}-glutamic$ acid (PGA), denoted as CS/Fu and CS/Fu/PGA NPs, respectively. As the chitosan concentration was increased, the activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) of the NPs significantly increased (p<0.05). When the concentration of fucoidan and ${\gamma}-PGA$ was 5-20 and $1-10{\mu}g/mL$, respectively, the size of the CS/Fu and CS/Fu/PGA NPs was approximately 200 and 100 nm, respectively. With an increase in the fucoidan and PGA concentration, the APTT of CS/Fu and CS/Fu/PGA NPs significantly increased (p<0.05). These results suggest that CS/Fu and CS/Fu/PGA NPs could be used as a potent NP system for improving blood circulation.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.168-176
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• 2007

The sub-micron particles of poly ($\gamma-glutamic$ acid) (PGA) containing lysozyme have been prepared using supercritical antisolvent (SAS) precipitation process at various experimental conditions such as pressure, temperature, inner diameter of nozzle, and concentration. As overall results of the application of SAS process to this system, the smaller size powder has been produced as (i) increasing pressure, (ii) decreasing temperature, (iii) decreasing the inner diameter of nozzle, and (iv) decreasing the concentration of PGA and lysozyme. It is found by means of FT-IR analysis that during SAS process, the composition has changed from the original composition of PGA : lysozyme=50 : 50 into PGA : lysozyme=33 : 67 at final product powder. It means that PGA has higher solubility for the mixed solvent of carbon dioxide and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Due to such difference of solubility, this particle forms the core-shell structure of which the core consists mainly of lysozyme. It is also found that the residual DMSO amount of $7.8\times10^{-3}wt%$ exists inside the powder.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Manufacturing Process Engineers
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.35-41
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• 2014

Poly(g-glutamic acid) (g-PGA) is a very promising biodegradable polymer that is produced by microorganism of Bacillus subtilis. Because g-PGA is water-soluble, anionic, biodegradable, and even edible, its potential applications have been studied from an industrial standpoint. In this study, we fabricated porous g-PGA foams by means of a freeze-solvent extraction method for tissue-engineering applications. Porous g-PGA foams were chemically cross-linked using a hexamethylene diisocyanate solution. An aqueous basic solution was used to neutralize g-PGA foam for cell culturing. During an in vitro cell culture study, it was observed that primary rabbit ear chondrocytes were well at tached and spread over the surface oft hree-dimensional cross-linkedg-PGA foam. From these results, it is concluded that cross-linkedg-PGA foam is aprom is in gmaterial for tissue-engineering applications, especially those pertaining to the regeneration of human cartilage.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1424-1429
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• 2010

A poly(${\gamma}$-glutamic acid) (${\gamma}$PGA)-cholesterol conjugate was synthesized and its properties were then evaluated. The conjugate exhibited an amphiphilic nature derived from the hydrophilic ${\gamma}$PGA backbone and the hydrophobic cholesterol side chain. The conjugate spontaneously formed nanoparticles, becoming an aqueous solution when at low concentrations, and at high concentrations the result was the formation of a physical gel. By utilizing the self-aggregating properties of the conjugate in water, an artificial chaperone was developed. A complex of protein, with the nanoparticles of the conjugate, was formed and the protein was released upon the dissociation of the nanoparticles through the addition of ${\beta}$-cyclodextrin. For denatured carbonic anhydrase, the activity was recovered in the artificial chaperone of the nanoparticle conjugate.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.1279-1284
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• 2008

When cheonggukjgang was manufactured using a Bacillus subtilis CH10-1 starter culture, a short-term fermentation for 14-18 hr appeared to be the optimal for the raw cheonggukjang to avoid the formation of a bitter taste and to contain a high concentration of free sugars, whereas a long-term fermentation for more than 4 days was the optimal for the cheonggukjang for stew in order to contain a high concentration of free amino and organic acids, which are responsible for sweet, savory, and bitter tastes present in stewed cheonggukjang, During activation of murine splenic T cells with phytohemagglutinin (PHA), the presence of either poly-$\gamma$-glutamic acid ($\gamma$-PGA) or partially hydrolyzed $\gamma$-PGA resulted in reduction in the level of interferon-$\gamma$ production and enhancement in the level of interleukin-5 production, possibly due to suppression of Th1 activity and augmentation of Th2 activity. Taken together these results indicate that the raw cheonggukjang and the cheonggukjang for stew are different in their quality and taste as well as immunomodulating activity.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.509-514
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• 2007

In this study, we optimized the production of ${\gamma}-polyglutamic$ acid (PGA) in soybean milk cakes (SMC) fermented with Bacillus subtilis GT-D and B. subtilis KU-A, to be utilized as a functional food ingredient. PGA production was dependent upon the glutamate content, fermentation time, and type of Bacillus sp. The consistencies of the SMCs fermented by B. subtilis GT-D and B. subtilis KU-A were highest after 36 hr of fermentation, and then decreased gradually. The SMC fermented by B. subtilis KU-A had a higher consistency than the SMC fermented by B. subtilis GT-D. In the presence of 10% defatted soy flour (DFS), 5% glutamate in the SMC was efficiently converted into polyglutamic acid (PGA) for 24 hr, indicating a conversion yield above 96%, but its conversion then decreased with higher concentrations of glutamate. The soluble solid content (mucilage) of the SMC fermented with B. subtilis KU-A was 9.5%(w/w), and composed of 65.6% PGA (Mw 1,536 kDa) and some polysaccharides. However, the SMC fermented with B. subtilis GT-D had a mucilage content of 7.8%(w/w), and was composed of 66.4% PGA (Mw 1,409 kDa), 11.5% levan, and some polysaccharides. The viscoelastic values of the mucilage obtained using B. subtilis KU-A were much higher than those of mucilage obtained using B. subtilis GT-D. Also, the G'-value (elastic modulus) was higher than the G"-value (viscous modulus).