• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2019

We presented detailed morphological descriptions of the eggs, larvae and juvenile of Acanthaphritis unoorum based on specimens collected with bongo nets from Korean waters during the period May 2017-July 2018. We collected 18 individuals including eggs (n= 4, 0.77-0.85 mm in egg diameter), preflexion larvae (n= 6, 4.11-6.31 mm in standard length, SL), flexion larvae (n= 4, 6.60-7.82 mm SL), postflexion larvae (n= 3, 8.94-13.46 mm SL), and one juvenile (n= 1, 14.67 mm SL). The mitochondrial (mt) DNA 16S rRNA sequences of the eggs, and the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of the larvae were identical to those of A. unoorum adults (genetic distances <0.01). The A. unoorum larvae and the juvenile that we collected were morphologically similar to those of Dactylopsaron dimorphicum, but the A. unoorum specimens were readily distinguishable by the presence of lateral melanophores. This is the first record of A. unoorum in Korean waters. We propose a new Korean name for A. unoorum: "O-ri-bu-ri-nuntung-i".

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.79-90
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• 2019

Lichens are generally known as self-sufficient, symbiotic life-forms between fungi and algae/cyanobacteria, and they also provide shelter for a wide range of beneficial bacteria. Currently, bacterial-derived biodegradable polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) is grabbing the attention of many researchers as a promising alternative to non-degradable plastics. This study was conducted to develop a new method of PHA production using unexplored lichen-associated bacteria, which can simultaneously degrade two ubiquitous industrial toxins, anthracene and naphthalene. Here, 49 lichen-associated bacteria were isolated and tested for PHA synthesis. During the GC-MS analysis, a potential strain of EL19 was found to be a 3-hydroxyhexanoate (3-HHx) accumulator and identified as Pseudomonas sp. based on the 16S rRNA sequencing. GC analysis revealed that EL19 was capable of accumulating 30.62% and 19.63% of 3-HHx from naphthalene and anthracene, respectively, resulting in significant degradation of 98% and 96% of naphthalene and anthracene, respectively, within seven days. Moreover, the highly expressed phaC gene verified the genetic basis of $PHA_{mcl}$ production under nitrogen starvation conditions. Thus, this study strongly supports the hypothesis that lichen-associated bacteria can detoxify naphthalene and anthracene, store energy for extreme conditions, and probably help the associated lichen to live in extreme conditions. So far, this is the first investigation of lichen-associated bacteria that might utilize harmful toxins as feasible supplements and convert anthracene and naphthalene into eco-friendly 3-HHx. Implementation of the developed method would reduce the production cost of $PHA_{mcl}$ while removing harmful waste products from the environment.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.1218-1230
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• 2021

Cold-adapted plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) with multiple functions are an important resource for microbial fertilizers with low-temperature application. In this study, culturable cold-adapted PGPB strains with nitrogen fixation and phosphorus solubilization abilities were isolated. They were screened from root and rhizosphere of four dominant grass species in nondegraded alpine grasslands of the Qilian Mountains, China. Their other growth-promoting characteristics, including secretion of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), production of siderophores and ACC deaminase, and antifungal activity, were further studied by qualitative and quantitative methods. In addition, whether the PGPB strains could still exert plant growth-promoting activity at 4℃ was verified. The results showed that 67 isolates could maintain one or more growth-promoting traits at 4℃, and these isolates were defined as cold-adapted PGPB. They were divided into 8 genera by 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, of which Pseudomonas (64.2%) and Serratia (13.4%) were the common dominant genera, and a few specific genera varied among the plant species. A test-tube culture showed that inoculation of Elymus nutans seedlings with cold-adapted PGPB possessing different functional characteristics had a significant growth-promoting effect under controlled low-temperature conditions, including the development of the roots and aboveground parts. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that different growth-promoting characteristics made different contributions to the development of the roots and aboveground parts. These cold-adapted PGPB can be used as excellent strain resources suitable for the near-natural restoration of degraded alpine grasslands or agriculture stock production in cold areas.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1420-1429
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• 2021

The safety of the probiotic strain Q180, which exerts postprandial lipid-lowering effects, was bioinformatically and phenotypically evaluated. The genome of strain Q180 was completely sequenced, and single circular chromosome of 3,197,263 bp without any plasmid was generated. Phylogenetic and related analyses using16S rRNA gene and whole-genome sequences revealed that strain Q180 is a member of Lactiplantibacillus (Lp., formerly Lactobacillus) plantarum. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) genes were bioinformatically analyzed using all Lp. plantarum genomes available in GenBank, which showed that AMR genes are present differently depending on Lp. plantarum strains. Bioinformatic analysis demonstrated that some mobile genetic elements such as prophages and insertion sequences were identified in the genome of strain Q180, but because they did not contain harmful genes such as AMR genes and virulence factor (VF)- and toxin-related genes, it was suggested that there is no transferability of harmful genes. The minimum inhibition concentrations of seven tested antibiotics suggested by the European Food Safety Authority guidelines were slightly lower than or equal to the microbiological cut-off values for Lp. plantarum. Strain Q180 did not show hemolytic and gelatinase activities and biogenic amine-producing ability. Taken together, this study demonstrated the safety of strain Q180 in terms of absence of AMR genes and VF- and toxin-related genes as a probiotic strain.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.581-591
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• 2020

In this study, two types of reactors were operated to examine the properties of methanol uptake under the high-rate denitrification process. In a sequencing batch reactor, the denitrifying activity was enriched up to 0.80 g-N/g-VSS-day for 72 days. Then, the enriched denitrifying sludge was transferred to a completely stirred tank reactor (CSTR). At the final phase on Day 46-50, the nitrogen removal efficiency was around 100% and the total nitrogen removal rate reached 0.097±0.003 kg-N/㎥-day. During the continuous process, the sludge settling index (SVI30) was stabilized as 118.3 mL/g with the biomass concentration of 1,607 mg/L. The continuous denitrifying process was accelerated by using a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with a total nitrogen removal rate of 0.403±0.029 kg-N/㎥-day with a high biomass concentration of 8,433 mg-VSS/L. Because the reactor was open to ambient air with the dissolved oxygen range of 0.2-0.5 mg-O2/L, an increased organic carbon requirement of 5.58±0.70 COD/NO3--N was shown for the SBR in comparison to the value of 4.13±0.94 for the test of the same biomass in a completely anaerobic batch reactor. The molecular analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene showed that Methyloversatilis discipulorum and Hyphomicrobium zavarzinii were the responsible denitrifiers with the sole organic carbon source of methanol.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.747-755
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• 2021

The effects of the gut microbiome on both allergy and autoimmunity in dermatological diseases have been indicated in several recent studies. Chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) is a disease involving allergy and autoimmunity, and there is no report detailing the role of microbiota alterations in its development. This study was performed to identify the fecal microbial composition of CSU patients and investigate the different compositions and potential genetic functions on the fecal microbiota between CSU patients and normal controls. The gut microbiota of CSU patients and healthy individuals were obtained by 16s rRNA massive sequencing. Gut microbiota diversity and composition were compared, and bioinformatics analysis of the differences was performed. The gut microbiota composition results showed that Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobia were dominant microbiota in CSU patients. The differential analysis showed that relative abundance of the Proteobacteria (p = 0.03), Bacilli (p = 0.04), Enterobacterales (p = 0.03), Enterobacteriaceae (p = 0.03) was significantly increased in CSU patients. In contrast, the relative abundance of Megamonas, Megasphaera, and Dialister (all p < 0.05) in these patients significantly decreased compared with healthy controls. The different microbiological compositions impacted normal gastrointestinal functions based on function prediction, resulting in abnormal pathways, including transport and metabolism. We found CSU patients exhibited gut microbiota dysbiosis compared with healthy controls. Our results indicated CSU is associated with gut microbiota dysbiosis and pointed out that the bacterial taxa increased in CSU patients, which might be involved in the pathogenesis of CSU. These results provided clues for future microbial-based therapies on CSU.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.63 no.4
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• pp.429-437
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• 2020

This study aimed to investigate the change in physicochemical properties and lactic acid bacterial communities during kimchi fermentation at different temperatures (8, 15, and 25 ℃) using two molecular genetics approaches, multiplex polymerase chain reaction and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The pH during fermentation at 8, 15, and 25 ℃ decreased from 6.17 on the initial fermentation day to 3.92, 3.79, and 3.48 after 54, 30, and 24 days of fermentation, respectively, while the acidity increased from 0.24% to 1.12, 1.35, and 1.54%, respectively. In particular, the levels of lactic acid increased from 3.74 g/L on the initial day (day 0) to 14.43, 20.60, and 27.69 g/L during the fermentation after 24, 18, and 12 days at 8, 15, and 25 ℃, respectively, after that the lactic acid concentrations decreased slowly. The predominance of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in the fermented kimchi was dependent on fermentation stage and temperature: Lactobacillus sakei appeared during the initial stage and Leuconsotoc mesenteroides was observed during the optimum-ripening stage at 8, 15, and 25 ℃. Lac. sakei and Lactobacillus plantarum grew rapidly in kimchi produced at 8, 15, and 25 ℃. In addition, Weissella koreensis first appeared at days 12, 9, and 6 at 8, 15, and 25 ℃ of fermentation, respectively. This result suggests that LAB population dynamics are rather sensitive to environmental conditions, such as pH, acidity, salinity, temperature, and chemical factors including free sugar and organic acids.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.67-72
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• 2021

BACKGROUND: Biological iron redox transformation alters iron minerals, which may act as effective adsorbents for arsenate [As(V)] in the environments. In the viewpoint of alleviating arsenate, microbial Fe(III) reduction was sought under high concentration of As(V). In this study, Fe(III)-reducing bacteria were isolated from the wild plant rhizosphere soils collected at abandoned mine areas, which showed tolerance to high concentration of As(V), in pursuit of potential agents for As(V) bioremediation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Bacterial isolation was performed by a series of enrichment, transfer, and dilutions. Among the isolated strains, two strains (JSAR-1 and JSAR-3) with abilities of tolerance to 10 mM As(V) and Fe(III) reduction were selected. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA genesequences indicated the closest members of Pseudomonas stutzeri DSM 5190 and Paenibacillus selenii W126, respectively for JSAR-1 and JSAR-3. Ferric and ferrous iron concentrations were measured by ferrozine assay, and arsenic concentration was analyzed by ICP-AES, suggesting inability of As(V) reduction whereas ability of Fe(III) reduction. CONCLUSION: Fe(III)-reducing bacteria isolated from the enrichments with arsenate and ferric iron were found to be resistant to a high concentration of As(III) at 10 mM. We suppose that those kinds of microorganisms may suggest good application potentials for As(V) bioremediation, since the bacteria can transform Fe while surviving under As-contaminated environments. The isolated Fe(III)-reducing bacterial strains could contribute to transformations of iron minerals which may act as effective adsorbents for arsenate, and therefore contribute to As(V) immobilization

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2021

Dental health care workers (DHCW) are at a risk of occupational exposure to Helicobacter pylori from the aerosolized oral biofilms and saliva of patients. We designed this study to investigate the prevalence of H. pylori in the oral biofilms of a group of dental and non-dental undergraduates from Sri Lanka. After obtaining informed consent, oral biofilms were collected from 38 dental undergraduates (19 males and 19 females) undergoing clinical training and 33 non-dental undergraduates (14 males and 19 females). The participants were in the age range of 22-27 years and had healthy periodontium. Total DNA from the oral biofilms were extracted, and H. pylori DNA was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of 16S rRNA gene of H. pylori using JW22-JW23 primers, and the results were confirmed using PCR amplification of H. pylori-urease specific HPU1-HPU2 primers. Out of 71 participants, 11 (28.95%) dental and 3 (9.09%) non-dental undergraduates had H. pylori in their oral biofilms indicating an overall prevalence rate of 19.72% (14/71). Thus, the prevalence of H. pylori in oral biofilms was significantly higher in dental undergraduates than in non-dental undergraduates (p < 0.05). An odds ratio of 4.07 indicated that dental undergraduates were four times more likely to harbor H. pylori in their oral biofilms than non-dental undergraduates. Foregoing data support the fact that there may be greater occupational risk of exposure to H. pylori for dental undergraduates during clinical training than that for non-dental undergraduates, warranting meticulous infection control practices during clinical dentistry.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1701-1708
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• 2021

Food safety is the most important global health issue due to foodborne pathogens after consumption of contaminated food. Foodborne bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Staphylococcus aureus, Campylobacter spp., Bacillus cereus, Vibrio spp., Yersinia enterocolitica and Clostridium perfringens are leading causes of the majority of foodborne illnesses and deaths. These foodborne pathogens often come from the livestock feces, thus, we analyzed fecal microbial communities of three different livestock species to investigate the prevalence of foodborne pathogens in livestock feces using metagenomics analysis. Our data showed that alpha diversities of microbial communities were different according to livestock species. The microbial diversity of cattle feces was higher than that of chicken or pig feces. Moreover, microbial communities were significantly different among these three livestock species (cattle, chicken, and pig). At the genus level, Staphylococcus and Clostridium were found in all livestock feces, with chicken feces having higher relative abundances of Staphylococcus and Clostridium than cattle and pig feces. Genera Bacillus, Campylobacter, and Vibrio were detected in cattle feces. Chicken samples contained Bacillus, Listeria, and Salmonella with low relative abundance. Other genera such as Corynebacterium, Streptococcus, Neisseria, Helicobacter, Enterobacter, Klebsiella, and Pseudomonas known to be opportunistic pathogens were also detected in cattle, chicken, and pig feces. Results of this study might be useful for controlling the spread of foodborne pathogens in farm environments known to provide natural sources of these microorganisms.