• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.234-243
• /
• 2018

The Antarctic Ocean contains numerous microorganisms that produce novel biocatalysts that can have applications in various industries. We screened various psychrophilic bacterial strains isolated from the Ross Sea and found that a Croceibacter atlanticus strain (Stock No. 40-F12) showed high lipolytic activity on a tributyrin plate. We isolated the corresponding lipase gene (lipCA) by shotgun cloning and expressed the LipCA enzyme in Escherichia coli cells. Homology modeling of LipCA was carried out using the Spain Arreo lake metagenome alpha/beta hydrolase as a template. According to the model, LipCA has an ${\alpha}/{\beta}$ hydrolase fold, Gly-X-Ser-X-Glymotif, and lid sequence, indicating that LipCA is a typical lipase enzyme. Active LipCA enzyme was purified fromthe cell-free extract by ammonium sulfate precipitation and gel filtration chromatography. We determined its enzymatic properties including optimum temperature and pH, stability, substrate specificity, and organic solvent stability. LipCA was immobilized by the cross-linked enzyme aggregate (CLEA) method and its enzymatic properties were compared to those of free LipCA. After cross-linking, temperature, pH, and organic solvent stability increased considerably, whereas substrate specificities did not changed. The LipCA CLEA was recovered by centrifugation and showed approximately 40% activity after 4th recovery. This is the first report of the expression, characterization, and immobilization of a C. atlanticus lipase, and this lipase could have potential industrial application.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.904-911
• /
• 2019

Objective: The study was conducted to evaluate the effects of night light regimen on growth performance, antioxidant status and health of Lingnan Yellow broiler chickens from 1 to 21 days of age. Methods: A completely randomized factorial design involved 2 photoperiods (constant lighting [CL], 24 L:0 D and intermittent lighting [INL], 17 L:3 D:1 L:3 D)${\times}2$ light intensities (10 lx and 30 lx). A total of one thousand six hundred and eighty 1-d-old Lingnan Yellow broiler chicks were randomly divided into 4 treatments with 6 replicates (70 birds per replicate). The experiment lasted for 21 d. Results: Photoperiods and light intensities had no effect on average daily gain, feed conversion ratio, and mortality of the broiler chickens (p>0.05). The INL had a significant effect on average daily feed intake (p<0.05) of broiler chickens compared with CL. Photoperiod and light intensity had an interactive effect on melatonin (MT) concentration (p<0.05). At CL, reducing light intensity increased MT concentration; INL birds had higher MT but MT concentration was not affected by light intensity. There was an interactive effect on glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase (CAT) in serum and total antioxidant capability (T-AOC) in liver between photoperiod and light intensity. With the decrease of light intensity, the activities of GPx and CAT in serum and T-AOC in liver increased in CL group (p<0.05). Broiler chickens reared under INL had better antioxidant status and 10 lx treatments had higher activities of CAT in serum than 30 lx (p<0.05). Different photoperiods and light intensities had no effect on malondialdehyde. There was an interaction between photoperiod and light intensity on serum creatine kinase (CK) concentration (p<0.05). At CL, the elevated light intensity resulted in an increase in CK content; INL birds had lower CK concentration especially in low light intensity group. Besides, INL and low light intensity significantly reduced the concentration of serum corticosterone and heat shock protein 70 (p<0.05). Serum immunoglobulin M contents were increased in broiler chickens reared under the INL compared with CL group (p<0.05). Conclusion: Results above suggest that the night light regimen of INL and 10 lx could be beneficial to the broiler chickens from 1 to 21 days of age due to the better health status and electricity savings.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.13 no.10
• /
• pp.1399-1406
• /
• 2000

A continuous culture study was conducted to determine the impact of ruminal degradable soy protein (S-RDP) level and dilution rate (D) on growth of ruminal non-structural carbohydrate-fermenting microbes. Corn starch, urea and isolated soy protein (ISP) were used to formulate three diets with S-RDP levels of 0, 35 and 70% of total dietary CP. Two Ds were 0.03 and $0.06h^{-1}$ of the fermenter volume in a single-effluent continuous culture system. As S-RDP levels increased, digestibilities of dietary dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and crude protein (CP) linearly (p=0.001) decreased, whereas digestion of dietary starch linearly (p=0.001) increased. Increasing D from 0.03 to $0.06h^{-1}$ resulted in decreased digestibilities of dietary DM and OM, but had no effect on digestibilities of dietary starch (p=0.77) and CP (p=0.103). Fermenter pH, the concentration of volatile fatty acids (VFA) and daily VFA production were unaffected (p=0.159-0.517) by S-RDP levels. Molar percentages of acetate, propionate and butyrate were greatly affected by S-RDP levels (p=0.016-0.091), but unaffected by D (p=0.331-0.442). With increasing S-RDP levels and D, daily bacterial counts, daily microbial N production (DMNP) and microbial efficiency (MOEFF; grams of microbial N produced per kilogram of OM truly digested) were enhanced (p=0.001). The increased microbial efficiency with increasing S-RDP levels is probably the result of peptides or amino acids that served as a stimulus for optimal protein synthesis. The quantity of ruminal degradable protein from soy proteins required for optimum protein synthesis of non-structural carbohydrate-fermenting microbes appears to be equivalent to 9.5% of dietary fermented OM.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.420-427
• /
• 2007

We investigated the temperature effects on the virulence, development, reproduction, and otility of two Korean isolates of entomopathogenic nematodes, Steinernema glaseri Dongrae strain and S. longicaudum Nonsan strain. In addition, we studied the growth and virulence of their respective symbiotic bacterium, Xenorhabdus poinarii for S. glaseri and Xenorhabdus sp. for S. longicaudum, in an insect host at different temperatures. Insects infected with the nematode-bacterium complex or the symbiotic bacterium was placed at $13^{\circ}C,\;18^{\circ}C,\;24^{\circ}C,\;30^{\circ}C,\;or\;35^{\circ}C$ in the dark and the various parameters were monitored. Both nematode species caused mortality at all temperatures tested, with higher mortalities occurring at temperatures between $24^{\circ}C\;and\;30^{\circ}C$. However, S. longicaudum was better adapted to cold temperatures and caused higher mortality at $18^{\circ}C$ than S. glaseri. Both nematode species developed to adult at all temperatures, but no progeny production occurred at $13^{\circ}C\;or\;35^{\circ}C$. For S. glaseri, nematode progeny production was best at inocula levels above 20 infective juveniles/host at $24^{\circ}C\;and\;30^{\circ}C$, but for S. longicaudum, progeny production was generally better at $24^{\circ}C$. Steinernema glaseri showed the greatest motility at $30^{\circ}C$, whereas S. longicaudum showed good motility at $24^{\circ}C\;and\;30^{\circ}C$. Both bacterial species grew at all tested temperatures, but Xenorhabdus sp. was more virulent at low temperatures $(13^{\circ}C\;and\;18^{\circ}C)$ than X. poinarii.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
• /
• v.22 no.4
• /
• pp.424-431
• /
• 2011

The Sulfur-Iodine(SI) thermochemical hydrogen production process consists of three sections, which are so called the Bunsen reaction section, the $H_2SO_4$ decomposition section and the HI decomposition section. In order to identify the phase separation characteristics in the reaction conditions with the high solubility of $SO_2$, we conducted the Bunsen reaction at the low temperatures, ranging from 283 to 298K, with the $I_2/H_2O$ molar ratios of 2.5/16.0 and 3.5/16.0. The molar ratios of HI/$H_2SO_4$ products obtained from low temperature Bunsen reactions were ca. 2, indicating that there were no side reactions. The amount of reacted $SO_2$ was increased with decreasing the temperature, while the amounts of unreacted $I_2$ and $H_2O$ were decreased. In the phase separation of the products, the amount of a $H_2SO_4$ impurity in $HI_x$ phase was increased with decreasing the temperature, though the temperature has little affected on HI and $I_2$ impurities in $H_2SO_4$ phase.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.335-343
• /
• 2018

Objective: Remarkable difference in cellular activity was found between early and late subpassaged embryonic stem cell (ESCs) lines, which can be created by subtle changes in cell manipulation protocol. This study subsequently examined whether post-thaw subculture of early subpassaged ESC lines could further affect the activity of the ESCs. Methods: Fresh (as a control treatment) or cryopreserved F1 hybrid (B6CBAF1) early ESC lines (C57BL/6xCBA) of the 4 (P4) or the 19 passage (P19) were subcultured once, twice or six times under the same condition. The post-thaw survival of the ESCs was monitored after the post-treatment subculture and the ability of cell proliferation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, apoptosis and mitochondrial ATP synthesis was subsequently examined. Results: Regardless of the subculture number, P19 ESCs showed better (p<0.05) doubling time and less ATP production than P4 ESCs and such difference was not influenced by fresh or cryopreservation. The difference between P4 and P19 ESC lines became decreased as the post-treatment subculture was increased and the six times subculture eliminated such difference. Similarly, transient but prominent difference in ROS production and apoptotic cell number was detected between P4 and P19 ESCs only at the 1st subculture after treatment, but no statistical differences between two ESC lines was detected in other observations. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that post-thaw subculture of ESCs under the same environment is recommended for standardizing their cellular activity. The activity of cell proliferation ability and ATP synthesis can be used as parameters for quality control of ESCs.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
• /
• v.46 no.1
• /
• pp.189-193
• /
• 2008

In this study, the effect of reaction conditions on the transesterification of soybean oil and methanol was investigated in a high-pressure-fixed-bed-reactor-system with zinc aluminate catalysts. Without catalysts, high-pressure-reaction at $300^{\circ}C$ and 1,200 psi brought 19% yields of methyl esters, which was caused by the approach of reaction condition to supercritical point of methanol. However, except the specific reaction condition, the yields in the reaction with no catalyst were very low below 4.5%. The zinc aluminate was prepared as catalyst by coprecipitation and characterized with $N_2$ gas adsorption/desorption and X-ray diffraction. With catalyst, the effect of the reaction parameters such as temperature, pressure, and molar ratio of reactants on biodiesel production was demonstrated. The higher temperature, pressure, and methanol molar ratio to soybean oil, the more yields of methyl esters. It was proved that among the reaction parameters, the reaction temperature be the most influential variable on methyl ester yields.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.16 no.6
• /
• pp.843-851
• /
• 2003

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of pre-wilting Bana grass (Pennisetum purpureum x P. americanum) herbage under sunny conditions for 0, 6, 18, 24, 32 and 48 h and ensiling it with maize meal. Four levels of maize meal(viz., 0, 5, 10 and 15% on fresh weight (Fw) basis) were tested. The experiment had a split-plot design. Wilting increased the concentration of water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) significantly (p<0.001) on a Fw basis, although there were no significant changes on DM basis. Unwilted grass contained $36.1g{\cdot}WSC{\cdot}kg^{-1}{\cdot}Fw$ ($127.6g{\cdot}kg^{-1}{\cdot}DM$) and this increased to $64.1g{\cdot}WSC{\cdot}kg^{-1}{\cdot}Fw$ ($116.7g{\cdot}kg^{-1}{\cdot}DM$) after 48 h of pre-wilting. Wilting also increased the DM content of herbage significantly (p>0.001) from 250 to $620g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$, between 0 and 48 h respectively. The concentration of fermentation end-products decreased (except butyric acid) and pH increased when the period of wilting increased, indicating that fermentation was restricted. In particular, lactic acid content declined from 50.8 to $26.2g{\cdot}kg^{-1}{\cdot}DM$ (p<0.01) and the residual WSC contents of silage increased from 2.7 with fresh herbage to $18.1g{\cdot}kg^{-1}{\cdot}DM$ with 48 h of wilting (p<0.001). Rapid wilting for 24 h, to a DM of $450g{\cdot}kg^{-1}$ was optimum since important increases in pH, residual WSC and DMD occurred at this level of wilting. Acetic acid, butyric acid and ammoniacal-N contents were lowest with 24 h of wilting. There were no significant interactions between length of wilting and the incorporation of maize meal. Wilting had a greater influence on fermentation than the incorporation of maize meal. Addition of maize meal facilitated fermentation by increasing forage DM content and reducing effluent production. In addition, the maize meal increased DMD. It was concluded that maize meal should generally be incorporated at a level of 5% on fresh weight basis.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
• /
• v.30 no.1
• /
• pp.45-50
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study is to produce wanted sex progeny of genetically confined White Hanwoo (albinism) with preselected sex sperm. One bull of White Hanwoo was chosen for semen donor and X sperm was sorted by MoFlo XDP cell sorter. To compare the pregnancy and birth rates, KPN straw was used as control, total number of unsorted sperm was $20{\times}10^6/straw$. Sexed X frozen semen with $20{\times}10^6$ cells or $4{\times}10^6$ cells per straw were in seminated twice on Hanwoo heifers. The abnormality of the sexed X semen was $24.9{\pm}7.31%$ and distal reflex abnormality of mid piece was significantly (p<0.05) higher (11.7%) compared with that of KPN 768 (5.6%). There were no differences on the pregnancy and birth rates between $2{\times}10^6$ cells or $4{\times}10^6$ cells of X-sperm but KPN semen showed significant differences (p<0.05). The pregnancy rates of KPN 768, $2{\times}10^6$ cells and $4{\times}10^6$ cells X-sperm of White Hanwoo cattle were 85.0%, 26.3% and 50%. The birth rates were 80.0%, 15.8% and 21.4%, respectively. The female offspring rates of KPN 768, $2{\times}10^6$ cells and $4{\times}10^6$ cells X-sperm of White Hanwoo cattle were 43.8%, 100% and 100% (p<0.05). These results indicated that sex sorted White Hanwoo could be used for the production of wanted progeny with $2{\times}10^6$ cells/straw for AI. To increase the efficiency of calf production, the sperm number of sex sorted semen will be optimized for sex selection of White Hanwoo progeny.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.12
• /
• pp.1796-1802
• /
• 2017

Objective: This experiment was conducted to evaluate the optimal space allowance on growth performance, blood profile and pork quality of growing-finishing pigs. Methods: A total of ninety crossbred pigs [$(Yorkshire{\times}Landrace){\times}Duroc$, $30.25{\pm}1.13kg$] were allocated into three treatments (0.96: four pigs/pen, $0.96m^2/pig$; 0.80: five pigs/pen, $0.80m^2/pig$; 0.69: six pigs/pen, $0.69m^2/pig$) in a randomized complete block design. Pigs were housed in balanced sex and had free access to feed in all phases for 14 weeks (growing phase I, growing phase II, finishing phase I, and finishing phase II). Results: There was no statistical difference in growing phase, but a linear decrease was observed on average daily gain (ADG, p<0.01), average daily feed intake (ADFI, p<0.01), and body weight (BW, p<0.01) with decreasing space allowance in late finishing phase. On the other hand, a quadratic effect was observed on gain to feed ratio in early finishing phase (p<0.03). Consequently, overall ADG, ADFI, and final BW linearly declined in response to decreased space allowance (p<0.01). The pH of pork had no significant difference in 1 hour after slaughter, whereas there was a linear decrease in 24 h after slaughter with decreasing space allowance. Floor area allowance did not affect pork colors, but shear force linearly increased as floor space decreased (p<0.01). There was a linear increase in serum cortisol concentration on 14 week (p<0.05) with decreased space allocation. Serum IgG was linearly ameliorated as space allowance increased on 10 week (p<0.05) and 14 week (p<0.01). Conclusion: Data from current study indicated that stress derived from reduced space allowance deteriorates the immune system as well as growth performance of pigs, resulting in poor pork quality. Recommended adequate space allowance in a grow-to-finish production system is more than $0.80m^2/pig$ for maximizing growth performance and production efficiency.