• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.320-327
• /
• 2004

Three hundreds thirty two bacterial colonies which were able to degrade crude oil were isolated from soil sam­ples that were contaminated with oil in Daejeon area. Among them, one bacterial strain was selected for this study based on its higher oil degrading ability, and this selected bacterial strain was identified as Acinetobactor sp. B2 through physiological-biochemical tests and analysis of its 16S rRNA sequence. Acinetobactor sp. B2 was able to utilize various carbohydrates but did not utilize trehalose and mannitol as a sole carbon source. Acinetobactor sp. B2 showed a weak resistance to antibiotics such as kanamycin, streptomycin, tetracycline and spectinomycin, but showed a high resistance up to mg/ml unit to heavy metals such as Ba, Li, Mn, AI, Cr and Pb. The optimal growth temperature of Acinetobactor sp. B2 was $30^{\circ}C.$ The lipase produced by Acinetobactor sp. B2 was purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, DEAE-Toyopearl 650M ion exchange chromatography and Sephadex gel filtration chromatography. Its molecular mass was about 60 kDa and condition for the optimal activity was observed at $40^{\circ}C$ and pH 10, respectively. The activation energy of lipase for the hydrolysis of p­nitrophenyl palmitate was 2.7 kcal/mol in the temperature range of 4 to $37^{\circ}C,$ and the enzyme was unstable at the temperature higher than $60^{\circ}C.$ The Michaelis constant $(K_m)\;and\;V_{max}$ for p-nitrophenyl palmitate were 21.8 uM and $270.3\;{\mu}M\;min^{-1}mg^{-1},$ respectively. This enzyme was strongly inhibited by 10 mM $Cd^{2+},\;Co^{2+},\;Fe^{2+},\;Hg^{2+},$ EDTA and 2-Mercaptoethalol.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.5 no.1
• /
• pp.11-23
• /
• 1986

Soils and rice plants in wastewater irrigated area of the Mangyeong River receiving waster from the Jeonju Industrial Complex and municipal sewage were sampled at two depths to assess the nature and content of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn, particularly with respect to distance from wastewater source. For metal levels of soils in these area, no difference in the heavy metal contents between the surface and the subsurface soils was found. Total contents of Cu, Pb and Zn in soils were negatively correlated with distance from the source. A positive correlation was found between contents of total and 0.1N-HCl extractable or $1N-CH_3COONH_4$ extractable heavy metals in surface soils of these area. Total contents of heavy metals in soils were positively correlated with clay, soil organic matter and cation exchange capacity. Heavy metal contents of brown rice sampled at the Jeon-ju Industrial Complex area ranged from 0.15 to 0.91 ppm for Cd, from 1.13 to 5.68 ppm for Cu, from 0.22 to 7.16 ppm for Pb and from 11.74 to 38.66 ppm for Zn. Negative correlation was found between the contents of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn in the brown rice and the distance from the source. The contents of Cd, Cu and Zn in rice straw were positively correlated with those in the brown rice.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Grassland and Forage Science
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.109-116
• /
• 2007

Environmental stress is the major limiting factor in plant productivity. As an effort to solve the global food and environmental problems using the plant biotechnology, we have developed transgenic tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) plants via Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer method. To develop transgenic tall fescue plants with enhanced tolerance to the environmental stresses, both CuZn superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) genes were incorporated in a pIG121 binary vector and the both of the genes were controlled separately by an oxidative stress-inducible sweet potato peroxidase 2 (SWPA2) premoter expressed in chloroplasts. Leaf discs of transgenic plants showed 10-30% less damage compared to the wild-type when they exposed to a wide range of environmental stresses including methyl viologen (MV), $H_2O_2$ and heavy metals. In addition, when $200{\mu}M$ MV was sprayed onto the whole plants, transgenic plants showed a significant reduction of visible damage compared to wild-type plants that were almost damaged. These results suggest that over expression of CuZnSOD and APX genes in transgenic plants might be a useful strategy to protect the crops against a wide range of environmental stresses.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.33 no.3
• /
• pp.169-177
• /
• 2005

This study focuses on investigating roles of microorganisms in decontamination of reed rhizosphere in Sunchon Bay, Korea, which is considered one of the marsh and mud environment severely affected by human activities such as agriculture and fisheries. In general, the bay is known to play the role of the buffering zone to reduce the sudden impact or change by environmental stresses. In our initial efforts to elucidate the microbial functions in decontamination process in reed rhizosphere, pure bacteria capable of degrading aromatic hydrocarbons were isolated from reed (Phragmites communis) rhizosphere of Sunchon bay by enrichment culture using either benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, or xylene (BTEX) as a sole source of carbon and energy. Measurement of the rates of BTEX degradation and cell growth during the incubation in BTEX media under several temperature conditions demonstrated maximized degradation of BTEX at $37^{\circ}C$ in both strains. Both strains were also resistant to all the heavy metals and antibiotics tested in this study, as well as they grew well at $42^{\circ}C$. Identification of the isolates based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, and a variety of phenotypic and morphologic properties revealed that the two strains capable of BTEX catabolism were among Microbacterium sp., and Rhodococcus sp. with over $95{\%}$ confidence, designated Microbacterium sp. EMB-1 and Rhodococcus sp. EMB-2, respectively This result suggested that in the rhizosphere of reed, one of major salt marsh plants they might play an important roles in decontamination process of reed rhizosphere contaminated with petroleum such as BTEX.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
• /
• v.50 no.2
• /
• pp.170-176
• /
• 2018

This study examined the antioxidative effects of Cornis fructus (CF) extract on cultured C6 glioma cells. For this purpose, cytotoxicity analysis of chromium trioxide ($CrO_3$) was performed and the protective effects of the CF extract on $CrO_3$-induced cytotoxicity was examined after the C6 glioma cells were cultured for 48 hours. The antioxidative effects, such as electron donating activity (EDA) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity were also analyzed. In this study, $CrO_3$ decreased the cell viability in a dose dependent manner. The $XTT_{50}$ value was determined to be $33{\mu}M$ after the cells were treated for 48 hours at a concentrations of $20{\sim}40{\mu}M$ $CrO_3$. The catalase (CAT) antioxidant increased significantly the cell viability that had been decreased by $CrO_3$-induced cytotoxicity. Regarding the protective effect of the CF extract, the cell viability of the CF extract was increased significantly compared to that of $CrO_3$ only. In addition, the CF extract showed antioxidative effects, such as EDA and an inhibitory effect on the LDH activity. These findings suggest that the cytotoxicity of $CrO_3$ is correlated with oxidative stress, and the CF extract effectively prevented $CrO_3$-induced cytotoxicity through the antioxidative effects. In conclusion, natural products, such as the CF extract may be a useful therapeutic agent for the prevention or treatment of toxicity induced by heavy metals via oxidative stress.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.20 no.6
• /
• pp.838-844
• /
• 2010

A fibrinolytic enzyme of Streptomyces corcohrussi from soil sediment was purified by chromatography using DEAE-Sephadex A-50 and Sephadex G-50. The analysis of SDS-polyacrylamide gel suggested that the purified enzyme is a homogeneous protein and the molecular mass is approximately 34 kDa. The purified enzyme showed activity of 0.8 U/ml in a plasminogen-rich fibrin plate, while its activity in a plasminogen-free fibrin plate was only 0.36 U/ml. These results suggested that the purified enzyme acts as a plasminogen activator. The fibrinolytic activity of the enzyme under the supplementation of protease inhibitors, $\varepsilon$-ACA, t-AMCHA and mercuric chloride in the enzyme reaction was less than 24%, indicating that it could be modulated by the plasmin and/or fibrinogen inhibitors involved in the fibrinogen-to-fibrin converting process. As time passed, $Zn^{2+}$, a heavy metal ion, inhibited the activity to 34.1%. The optimum temperature of the purified enzyme was approximately $50^{\circ}C$ and over 92% of the enzyme activity was maintained between pH 5.0 and 8.0. Therefore, our results provide a potential fibrinolytic enzyme as a noble thrombolytic agent from S. corcohrussi.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.10
• /
• pp.1185-1190
• /
• 2017

Insects are gaining recognition as an alternative source of protein. As a result, more and more domestic farms have begun mass rearing of edible insects. In order to produce high quality insects, studies on the development of safe and nutritious feed sources are needed. Given the cost of rearing insects, agricultural and industrial by-products are good sources for feed. The efficient utilization of these by-products can help in reducing the cost of production and preventing environmental pollution. In the current study, Citrus unshiu peel (CP), soybean curd cake (SCC), soybean oil meal (SOM), and brewers dried grain (BDG) were investigated for their effects on larval growth and development of Protaetia brevitarsis. Interestingly, the feed with 10% SCC increased larval weight by 3.5 times. For the larval period, the group of 10% SCC was significantly shorter than the control. Furthermore, minerals such as Zn, Ca, K, Mg, Na, and P were recorded to be high in 10% SCC. A total of 17 amino acids were present in 10% SCC, of which tyrosine and arginine were predominant. The heavy metal contents were very small amounts or not detected in any of the investigated groups. These findings provided a scientific basis for the utilization of soybean curd cake as a nutritional feed source to promote larval growth and produce quality insects.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
• /
• v.13 no.1 s.28
• /
• pp.1-7
• /
• 2007

In order to develop the deep ocean water, the characteristics of vertical distribution of dissolved trace metals(Cd, Co, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) were investigated from Apr. to Oct., 2005 in the East Sea. Total six sampling sites were selected in Gangwon-Do and Gyeongsangbuk-Do. Accuracy of the analytical procedures was assessed by the SRM(CASS-4) for dissolved metals in seawater. The mean recoveries cf CASS-4 ranged from 89.4% for Co to 99.8% for Cd. In this study, the dissolved metal concentrations varied with space, time and element. The metal concentrations showed wide range in the surface. Cd, Ni and Zn showed a nutrient-type profile with surface depletion and enrichment at depths. However, Co, Cu and Pb were irregular in the vertical distribution. All metal concentrations studied in this study are lower than the criteria cf Korean drinking water.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.663-670
• /
• 1997

Four kinds of commercial vinegars were investigated to compare physicochemical properties (pH, acidity, color, tannin and metal content), minor components (free sugar, free amino and organic acid), and their organoleptic tastes. The ratio of nonvolatile organic acid to the total organic acid was decreased in the order of brewed, cider, brown rice, and persimmon vinegar. Especially malic acid content was appeared to be highly remarkable in cider vinegar. Glucose and fructose were the predominant components among free sugars regardless of the kinds of vinegar. Free amino acid contents in cider, brown rice and persimmon vinegars have shown a little deviation among the same kind of vinegar samples, but were obviously more abundant than those in brewed vinegars. Color preference, sourness and sweetness of the vinegars were not statistically different (p>0.05) among four kinds of vinegars, whereas overall taste preference, background taste preference and intensity showed significant differences (p<0.05) with respect to the type of vinegar. Brewed and cider vinegars have revealed higher sensory scores in overall and background taste preference than the persimmon and brown rice vinegars. Even though there were no high relationships between minor components and organoleptic taste in commercial vinegars the ratio of acetic acid to the total organic acid was significantly correlated (p<0.01) with the overall taste preference.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.30 no.5
• /
• pp.391-396
• /
• 1992

Anabaena variabilis A TCC 29413. a photoautotrophic and nitrogen fixing cyanobacteria. was investigated on the environmental factors regulating the growth and nitrogen lixation activity. A good growth of cyanobacteria] cells was observed due to nitrogen t1xation by the heterocyst differentiation in nitrogen free Allen and Arnon (]/8) medium. The nitrogenase activity was appeared to be in proportion to the cell growth lor 6 days then drastically decreased in the later growth period when the nitraTe was accumulated to high level in the culture to cause the inhibition. The optima] conditions lilr the cell growth and nitrogenase activity of A. varillbili.l were anaerobic. IO.OO0 lux. $30^{\circ}C$ and pH 8 with the nitrogen Cree minimal medium. The activity was significantly inhihited by the low concentrations of ammonium and nitrate. but was stimulated b) the ]ow Ieve] of phosphate and carbonate sources. The treatments of several toxic heavy metals showed strong inhibition of the cell growth and nitrogenase activity by O.3~10 ppm in the order of $Hg^{2+}$ > $Cd^{2+}$ > $Co^{2+}$ > $Zn^{2+}$ > $Ph^{2+}$, and the concentrations for 50% inhibition of the maximum activity were 0.41. 0.47. 0.5 L 0.66 and 8.1 ppm. respectively. The addition of carbohydrates (0.5~ 1.0%) in the dark condition stimulated the growth and activity in the order of sucrose > fructose > glucose.