• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.299-304
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• 2016

When used for amplicon sequencing, Illumina platforms produce more than hundreds of sequence artefacts, which affects operational taxonomic units based analyses such as differential abundance and network analyses. Nevertheless it has become a major tool for fecal microbial community analysis. In addition, results from sequence-based fecal microbial community analysis vary depending on conditions of samples (i.e., freshness, time of storage and quantity). We investigated if freeze-drying samples could improve quality of sequence data. Our results showed reduced number of possible artefacts while maintaining overall microbial community structure. Therefore, freeze-drying feces prior to DNA extraction is recommended for Illumina-based microbial community analysis.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.399-405
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• 2021

A number of studies have been conducted to prevent obesity due to the worldwide increasing rate of obesity and its adverse effects on our health. Recently, a relationship between obesity and gut microbiome has been reported. Fecal and cecal microbiota are generally targeted for examining the gut microbiome during dietary interventions. There is, however, no common understanding on which microbiota and how results elucidated from the data would differ. In this study, we conducted dietary induced obesity study and compared fecal and cecal microbiota affected by dietary interventions. Normal Diet and high fat diet were fed to 6 weeks old mice for 12 weeks, and 16 S rRNA genes amplified from fecal and cecal DNA were sequenced using MiSeq. Our results show that the 𝛼-diversity showed significant differences between the dietary interventions as well as cecal and fecal microbiota. The difference in the taxonomic compositions between cecal and fecal microbiota had become clearer at the family and genus level. At the genus level, Faecalibaculum and Lactobacillus were more abundant in the cecal and fecal microbiota, respectively. In general dietary intervention studies, dietary effects are more significant than type difference. However, the microbiota analysis results should be interpreted carefully, considering both diet and samples (feces/caecum).

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.415-418
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• 2013

Since the development of the next generation sequencing (NGS) technology, 16S rRNA gene sequencing has become a major tool for microbial community analysis. Recently, human microbiome project (HMP) has been completed to identify microbes associated with human health and diseases. HMP achieved characterization of several diseases caused by bacteria, especially the ones in human gut. While human intestinal bacteria have been well characterized, little have been studied about other animal intestinal bacteria. In this study, we surveyed diversity of livestock animal fecal microbiota and discuss importance of studying fecal microbiota. Here, we report the initiation of the fecal microbiome project in South Korea.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.285-291
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• 2000

To investigate the variations of physicochemical factors and microbial populations in seven stations at water region of Gangjin bay, nutritive salts, water temperature, transparency, suspended solid, salinity, COD, DO, pH, heterotrophic bacteria, fungi and fecal coliform were analysed four times from February to October, 1999. Total fecal coliform and heterotrophic bacterial population during investigation periods ranged 16.1~166.0 CFU/ml and $5.0{\times}10^3$~$13.1{\times}10^3$CFU/ml, respectively. Stational mean values of these bacterial population showed higher densities at the inlet of fresh water inflow than those of other stations. When the aspects of abiotic and biotic parameters measured were analyzed, ecosystem of Gangjin bay was regulated by factors such as inflow of fresh water, nutrient salts, salinity and variation of water temperature during four seasons.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 1999

The study on the bacterial distribution was performed to evaluate the bacteriological safety in 4 deep confined aquifers drilled for drinking. All the investigated aquifers were oligotrophic, howevec bacterial densities and activities and the number of indicator bacteria in C-2 boreholes were much higher than those in other boreholes. Fecal pollution was observed in 3 boreholcs except C-1 borehole. The ratio of gram positive bacteria of the C-2 borehole was much lower than those 01 another boreholes. The numbers of total colifonns, fecal coliforms, and fecal Slreptococcus in the C-2 boreholes were 61, 33, 55 CFU (250 ml)$^{-1}$

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.283-292
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• 2015

The total global emission of $CO_2$ from soils is recognized as one of the largest fluxes in the global carbon cycle. Especially it is necessary to quantify the amount of $CO_2$ emitted by the organic material decomposition processes of microorganisms in the soil, because it becomes one of a factor for determining the carbon stocks in the soil. This study was conducted to estimate the impact of the Korean water deer(Hydropotes inermis)' feces to the soil organic matter. Also, effects of Korean water deer' feces on $CO_2$ emissions of soil and land use pattern dependent $CO_2$ flux quantification are studied. The organic materials in the Korean water deer' feces significantly changed organic matter content of soil and influenced the activity of soil microorganisms, both changing of respiration of the soil and physical chemical components in soil. In particular, C/N ratio and the $CO_2$ flux of soil of four regions (Rice paddy, Fallow ground, Salix koreensis community, Phragmites australis community) showed a statistically highly significant correlation (P<0.01) with the presence or absence of feces. $CO_2$ flux of soil affected by the feces was 2-20 times higher than the soil unaffected by the feces. This study has great significance to quantify the extent of the material circulation and its impact to the terrestrial ecosystem and soil zone throughout Korean water deer' feces. Feces of wildlife can affect soil and soil material circulation.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.1 s.106
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• pp.106-111
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• 2004

Fecal coliform bacteria is one of the most common cause of water quality impairments in Virginia, USA. Instream concentrations of fecal coliform (FC) bacteria were routinely monitored to assess surface water quality of the Polecat Creek watershed. Median concentration in water samples collected from 1995 to 2000 ranged from 80 cfu/100 mL to t 70 cfu/100 mL, while geometric mean concentrations ranged from 81 cfu/100 mL to 141 cfu/100 mL. The dilution and deposition by Lake Caroline may cause to lower FC concentration at monitoring site QPB, as compared FC concentration at QPD. Higher in-stream FC concentration occurred during the summer period(June-August), and lower concentration typically occurred during the winter period (December-February). This is due to more cattle in streams, and greater survival and regrowth of FC bacteria under warmer condition. The findings of this study can be helpful in planning the water quality monitoring program to avoid the inaccurate assessment of water quality due to the timing of sample collection.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.81-85
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• 2015

Since the banning of antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs), the death of livestock has been increased, thus there is a strong demand for AGP-alternatives. Modulation of gut microbiota has been reported to affect host physiological functions and suggested to be a novel approach for developing AGP-alternatives. However, little has been understood about livestock gut microbiota compared to that of humans. We conducted preliminary study provide fundamental information regarding to regional differences in swine gut microbiota. Swine fecal samples were obtained from farms in Jeju (n=40), Gwangju (n=28), and Haenam (n=30). MiSeq was used to sequence 16S rRNA V4 region, and Mothur pipeline (Schloss et al., 2009) was used for data processing. A total of 5,642,125 reads were obtained and 3,868,143 reads were remained after removing erroneous reads. Analysis of taxonomic composition at the phylum level indicated greater abundance of Firmicutes among Jeju swine, and cluster analysis of distribution of operational taxonomic units also showed regional differences among swine gut microbiota. In addition, correlation analysis between non-metric multidimensional scaling and abundance of phyla suggested that the phyla Actinobacter, Verrucomicrobia, Firmicutes, and Fibrobacteres were driving factors for the regional differences. Livestock gut microbiota may be affected by diet and practices in farms. Our results indicated significant regional differences in swine gut microbiota, suggesting that future livestock gut microbiota studies should be designed with the regional differences in mind.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.563-569
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• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the dose-response of chitooligosaccharide (with a molecular weight of 1~3 kDa) on antimicrobial activity and lipid lowering functions in rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats were given experimental diets containing 0 (control), 0.5, 2, or 5% chitooligosaccharide (COS) for 5 weeks. Weight gain and food intake were significantly lower in rats fed 5% COS than control rats and rats fed 0.5 and 2% COS. The numbers of fecal bacteria, including bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, bacteroides, total anaerobes, and total aerobes, which reflect gut microbiota, were significantly decreased in rats fed 5% COS. Plasma triglyceride concentrations significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner in rats fed 2% or 5% COS, while plasma total cholesterol was not significantly different among groups. The hepatic concentration of triglycerides was lower in rats fed 5% COS, and fecal triglycerides significantly increased in rats fed 5% COS. These results indicate that 5% COS supplementation in a diet may exert antimicrobial activity in vivo, and inhibit the proliferation of typical gut microbes, while lowering lipids.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.64 no.1
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• pp.75-81
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• 2021

Recent gut microbiota studies have revealed the important roles of gut microbiota for our health. Increasing numbers of health functional foods have been developed every year. Development of functional food often includes ex- and in-vivo experiment to verify the beneficial effects of the functional food. To investigate effects of functional food on gut microbiota, animal models were often conducted. Beneficial effects of food can be evaluated based on how gut microbiota was shifted by food, which results in either increase in beneficial bacteria, decrease in potentially pathogenic bacteria or both. As animal experiments are generally time-consuming and laborious, we investigate how well in-vitro investigation of fecal microbiota may reflect dietary health benefits. Here, we tested 15 kinds of diets using two human subjects' fecal materials. Our results showed varying gut microbiota shifts according to diets, which suggested generally known beneficial diets (i.e. Kimchi, Chunggukjang) increased Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Therefore, we suggest that in vitro fecal microbiota analysis could be used to evaluate beneficial effects of diets. Moreover, this method may be ideal to establish personalized diet.