• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.129-136
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• 2000

To understand host-defence mechanism of clam(Ruditapes philippinarum) hemocyte against foreign materials, classification and their seasonal change in the number were performed. clams collected from a farm in Julpo Bay, Gochang, Chollabuk-Do were used in this experiment. Lots of hemocytes were found between the muscle fibers and connetive tissue of posterior adductor muscle. Hemocytes of R. philippinarum were classified into granulocytes and agranulocytes. Granulocytes were composed of three types, basophilic granulocyte, acidophilic granulocyte and fibrocyte in accordance with the staining affinities of their cytoplasmic granules. Fibrocyte has filopodia and vesicle in endoplasm and bigger than other granulocytes in size. Agranulocytes were less in the number and smaller in the size compared to those of granulocytes. Hyalinocytes had no granule in their cytoplasm. The nucleus located in the center of the cell was oval or spherical shaped. In electron microscopic observation, granulocytes and hyalinocytes contained electron-dense vesicles and some small lucid vesicles in their cytoplasm, respectively. Granulocytes phagocytosed more zymosan particles than hyalinocytes. Acidophilic granulocytes showed higher phagocytic ratio than basophilic granulocytes. Total hemocyte numbers showed the highest at April to August and the lowest at October to December. In the composition of each hemocyte, basophilic granulocytes were always more than acidophilic granulocytes and hyalinocytes.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.09a
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• pp.350-353
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• 2004

in order to develop a new technique for the removal of arsenic compoundsfrom acidified water, the removal of arsenic compounds by an acidophilic moss, Jungermannia vulcanicola Steph. was investigated in this study. The result of vial tests for arsenic removal is dependent on the biological activity of moss. The presence of phosphate inhibited the arsenic removal. And the acclimatization of moss by the media containing arsenic increased the its capability of arsenic remova.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.162-167
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• 2007

A genetic transfer system for introducing foreign genes to biomining microorganisms is urgently needed. Thus, a conjugative gene transfer system was investigated for a moderately thermophilic, extremely acidophilic biomining bacterium, Acidithiobacillus caldus MTH-04. The broad-hostrange IncP plasmids RP4 and R68.45 were transferred directly into A. caldus MTH-04 from Escherichia coli by conjugation at relatively high frequencies. Additionally the broad-hostrange IncQ plasmids pJRD215, pVLT33, and pVLT35 were also transferred into A. caldus MTH-04 with the help of plasmid RP4 or strains with plasmid RP4 integrated into their chromosome, such as E. coli SM10. The $Km^r\;and\;Sm^r$ selectable markers from these plasmids were successfully expressed in A. caldus MTH-04. Futhermore, the IncP and IncQ plasmids were transferred back into E. coli cells from A. caldus MTH-04, thereby confirming the initial transfer of these plasmids from E. coli to A. caldus MTH-04. All the IncP and IncQ plasmids studied were stable in A. caldus MTH-04. Consequently, this development of a conjugational system for A. caldus MTH-04 will greatly facilitate its genetic study.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.9-18
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• 2012

This study was carried out to leach valuable metal ions from the mine waste ore using the adapted indigenous bacteria. In order to tolerance the heavy metals, the indigenous bacteria were repeatedly subcultured in the adaptation-medium containing $CuSO_4{\cdot}5H_2O$ for 3 weeks and 6 weeks, respectively. As the adaptation experiment processed, the pH was rapidly decrease in the adaptation-medium of 6 weeks more than the 3 weeks. The result of bioleaching with the adapted bacteria for 42 days, the pH value of leaching-medium in the 3 weeks tend to increased, whereas the pH of the 6 weeks decreased. In decreasing the pH value in the adaptation-medium and in the leaching-medium, it was identified that the indigenous bacteria were adapted $Cu^{2+}$ the ion and the mine waste ores. The contents of Cu, Fe and Zn in the leaching solution were usually higher leached in 6 weeks than 3 weeks due to the adaptation. Considering the bioleaching rates of Cu, Fe and Zn from these leaching solutions, the highest increasing the efficiency metal ion were found to be Fe. Accordingly, it is expected that the more valuable element ions can be leached out from the any mine waste, if the adapted bacteria with heavy metals will apply in future bioleaching experiments.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.525-537
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• 2024

Pilins are protein subunits of pili. The pilins of type IV pili (T4P) in pathogenic bacteria are well characterized, but anything is known about the T4P proteins in acidophilic chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms such as the genus Acidithiobacillus. The interest in T4P of A. thiooxidans is because of their possible role in cell recruitment and bacterial aggregation on the surface of minerals during biooxidation of sulfide minerals. In this study we present a successful ad hoc methodology for the heterologous expression and purification of extracellular proteins such as the minor pilin PilV of the T4P of A. thiooxidans, a pilin exposed to extreme conditions of acidity and high oxidation-reduction potentials, and that interact with metal sulfides in an environment rich in dissolved minerals. Once obtained, the model structure of A. thiooxidans PilV revealed the core basic architecture of T4P pilins. Because of the acidophilic condition, we carried out in silico characterization of the protonation status of acidic and basic residues of PilV in order to calculate the ionization state at specific pH values and evaluated their pH stability. Further biophysical characterization was done using UV-visible and fluorescence spectroscopy and the results showed that PilV remains soluble and stable even after exposure to significant changes of pH. PilV has a unique amino acid composition that exhibits acid stability, with significant biotechnology implications such as biooxidation of sulfide minerals. The biophysics profiles of PilV open new paradigms about resilient proteins and stimulate the study of other pilins from extremophiles.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.325-329
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• 1997

Microbial treatment of the powdered waste tire was studied to recycle the waste tires. Chemoautotrophic acidophilic, iron-oxidizing bacterium was employed to unvulcanize the powdered tires. Biotreated rubber powder was compared to a untreated and a chemically treated powder. The results showed sulfur content of rubber powder(1.33%) were decreased to 1.22% by chemical treatment and 1.12% by microbial treatment for 20 days, 0.88%, for 30 days. One of the problems of the powdered utilization of the waste tires is that rubber powder leads to decrease mechanical properties when it is compounded with other virgin polymers. When tee biotreated powder was compounded with natural rubber, the mechanical properties were less decreased when untreated or chemically treated powder. Therefore, the microbial treatment can be one of useful methods to recycle the waste tire.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.649-659
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• 2017

Extremophilic microorganisms have established a diversity of molecular strategies in order to survive in extreme conditions. Biocatalysts isolated by these organisms are termed extremozymes, and possess extraordinary properties of salt allowance, thermostability, and cold adaptivity. Extremozymes are very resistant to extreme conditions owing to their great solidity, and they pose new opportunities for biocatalysis and biotransformations, as well as for the development of the economy and new line of research, through their application. Thermophilic proteins, piezophilic proteins, acidophilic proteins, and halophilic proteins have been studied during the last few years. Amylases, proteases, lipases, pullulanases, cellulases, chitinases, xylanases, pectinases, isomerases, esterases, and dehydrogenases have great potential application for biotechnology, such as in agricultural, chemical, biomedical, and biotechnological processes. The study of extremozymes and their main applications have emerged during recent years.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.225-229
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• 1996

We experienced a case of well-differentiated acinic cell carcinoma of the parotid gland in a 65 year-old woman, which was correctly diagnosed preoperatively by fine needle aspiration(FNA) cytology. FNA cytology smears showed clusters or sheets of monomorphic acinic cells having reticulated or finely vacuolated basophilic or acidophilic cytoplasm. The cellular population was homogeneous or slightly polymorphic, having centrally located, round nuclei with finely reticular chromatin and inconspicuous nucleoli. Herein we report this case with its histologic features and review of literatures.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.39-44
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• 2010

Acidithiobacillus caldus is an acidophilic, chemolithotrophic bacterium that plays an important role in bioleaching. Gene transformation into A. caldus is difficult, and only the conjugation method was reported successful, which was a relatively sophisticated method. In this research, electrotransformation of A. caldus species was achieved for the first time using A. caldus Y-3 and plasmid pJRD215. Transformants were confirmed by colony PCR specific to the str gene on pJRD215, and the recovery of the plasmid from the presumptive transformants. Optimizations were made and the transformation efficiency was increased from 0.8 to $3.6{\times}10^4$ transformants/${\mu}g$ plasmid DNA. The developed electrotransformation method was convenient in introducing foreign genes into A. caldus.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.56-61
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• 2004

A plasmid pSDK-l containing the Escherichia coli phosphofructokinase-l gene (pfkA) was constructed, and transferred into extremely acidophilic Acidithiobacillus thiooxidans Tt-7 by conjugation with the aid of plasmid RP4 at a frequency of $10^{-5}$ per recipient. This plasmid was stable in A. thiooxidans. The pfkA gene from E. coli could be expressed in this obligately autotrophic bacterium, but the enzyme activity (21.6 U/g protein) was lower than that in E. coli (K12: 85.9 Dig protein; DF1010 carrying plasmid pSDK-l: 96.6 U/g protein). In the presence of glucose, the Tt-7 transconjugants consumed glucose, leading to a better growth yield.