• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.345-352
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• 2021

BACKGROUND: Salinity is one of the major limiting factors in agriculture that affect the growth and productivity of crops. It is economically difficult to artificially purify the soil affected by salt. Therefore, the use of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) in an effort to reduce stress caused by salt is emerging as a cost-effective and environment-friendly method. In this study, the purpose was to isolate the salt-tolerant bacteria from the rhizosphere soil and identify their ability to promote plant growth under salt stress condition. METHODS AND RESULTS: The isolates KST-1, KST-2, AST-3, and AST-4 that showed plant growth-promoting activity for barley in salt conditions were close to Bacillus cereus (KST-1, KST-2, and AST-4) and Bacillus thuringiensis (AST-3) and showed high salt tolerance up to 7% of additional NaCl to the media. When inoculated to barley, the strains had only minor effect on the length of the barley. However, the concentrations of chlorophyll in the barley leaves were found to be higher from the bacteria-inoculated pots than those from the uninoculated control. In particular, the chlorophyll concentration in Bacillus cereus AST-4 experiment was 5.45 times higher than that of the uninoculated control under the same experimental condition. CONCLUSION(S): The isolated salt-tolerant bacteria were found to influence on chlorophyll concentration of the barley. As represented by the strain AST-4, microbes may suggest a cost-effective and environmentally benign method to alleviate salt stress of crops cultivated in salt-accumulated soils such as reclaimed lands.

• Coupled systems mechanics
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.649-668
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• 2018

In this paper, we present a numerical model for fluid-structure interaction between structure built of porous media and acoustic fluid, which provides both pore pressure inside porous media and hydrodynamic pressures and hydrodynamic forces exerted on the upstream face of the structure in an unified manner and simplifies fluid-structure interaction problems. The first original feature of the proposed model concerns the structure built of saturated porous medium whose response is obtained with coupled discrete beam lattice model, which is based on Voronoi cell representation with cohesive links as linear elastic Timoshenko beam finite elements. The motion of the pore fluid is governed by Darcy's law, and the coupling between the solid phase and the pore fluid is introduced in the model through Biot's porous media theory. The pore pressure field is discretized with CST (Constant Strain Triangle) finite elements, which coincide with Delaunay triangles. By exploiting Hammer quadrature rule for numerical integration on CST elements, and duality property between Voronoi diagram and Delaunay triangulation, the numerical implementation of the coupling results with an additional pore pressure degree of freedom placed at each node of a Timoshenko beam finite element. The second original point of the model concerns the motion of the outside fluid which is modeled with mixed displacement/pressure based formulation. The chosen finite element representations of the structure response and the outside fluid motion ensures for the structure and fluid finite elements to be connected directly at the common nodes at the fluid-structure interface, because they share both the displacement and the pressure degrees of freedom. Numerical simulations presented in this paper show an excellent agreement between the numerically obtained results and the analytical solutions.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.152-161
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• 2022

Several types of chemical bactericides have been used to control fire blight. However, their excessive usage leads to environmental deterioration. Therefore, several researchers have analyzed antagonistic microorganisms as promising, effective, and safe biological control agents (BCAs). The primary aim of this study was to screen for potential antagonistic bacteria that suppress Erwinia amylovora. Among the 45 isolates studied, 5 strains showed the largest inhibition zone against E. amylovora. 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified them as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (KPB 15), B. stratosphericus (KPB 21), B. altitudinis (KPB 25), B. safensis (KPB 31), and B. subtilis (KPB 39). KPB 25 and 31 reduced the lesion size of fire blight by 50% in immature apple fruits, and did not show antagonism against each other. Therefore, KPB 25 and 31 were selected to develop an antagonistic mixture against fire blight. Although the mixture with KPB 25 and 31 showed a slightly increased ability to reduce lesion size on immature fruits, they did not exhibit a synergistic effect in reducing E. amylovora population compared to each strain alone. Nevertheless, we have identified these two strains as useful and novel BCAs against fire blight with additional benefits safety and potential in developing a mixture without loss of their activity, owing to the absence of antagonism against each other.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.911-917
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• 2022

As valuable antibiotics, microbial natural products have been in use for decades in various fields. Among them are polyene compounds including nystatin, amphotericin, and nystatin-like Pseudonocardia polyenes (NPPs). Polyene macrolides are known to possess various biological effects, such as antifungal and antiviral activities. NPP A1, which is produced by Pseudonocardia autotrophica, contains a unique disaccharide moiety in the tetraene macrolide backbone. NPP B1, with a heptane structure and improved antifungal activity, was then developed via genetic manipulation of the NPP A1 biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC). Here, we generated a Streptomyces artificial chromosomal DNA library to isolate a large-sized NPP B1 BGC. The NPP B1 BGC was successfully isolated from P. autotrophica chromosome through the construction and screening of a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) library, even though the isolated 140-kb BAC clone (named pNPPB1s) lacked approximately 8 kb of the right-end portion of the NPP B1 BGC. The additional introduction of the pNPPB1s as well as co-expression of the 32-kb portion including the missing 8 kb led to a 7.3-fold increase in the production level of NPP B1 in P. autotrophica. The qRT-PCR confirmed that the transcription level of NPP B1 BGC was significantly increased in the P. autotrophica strain containing two copies of the NPP B1 BGCs. Interestingly, the NPP B1 exhibited a previously unidentified SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) inhibition activity in vitro. These results suggest that the Streptomyces BAC cloning of a large-sized, natural product BGC is a valuable approach for titer improvement and biological activity screening of natural products in actinomycetes.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.36-43
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• 2022

The general screen used to separate the particle size of recycled aggregate has restrictions when dealing with moisturized materials because of the blockage phenomenon. Therefore, in this study, to improve the separation efficiency of the conventional screen, the excellence of additional vibrating device based on spring was decided by a simulation experiment based on the discrete element method (DEM). The motion characteristic was investigated by analyzing the displacement, amplitude, and strain angle based on the spring design. Further, the particle motion was simulated by applying spring motion. The material flow and separation efficiency of the screen applied spring were confirmed as 9.2 kg/s and 97 %, respectively. Consequently, the improvement in the screen applied with blockage prevention spring was confirmed by comparing with the conventional screen.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Building Construction Conference
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• 2021.11a
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• pp.125-126
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• 2021

In order to improve the housing culture, construction changes for the utilization of diverse and multifunctional spaces are appearing in response to the increasing diverse needs of consumers. Cellular Light-weight Concrete (CLC) is being developed for use in fire-resistant heat-insulating walls and non-bearing walls. However, manufacturing non-uniformity has become a problem as a drawback due to the use of foamed bubbles and normal temperature curing, and additional research is required. Therefore, in order to suppress cracks due to drying shrinkage, silica sand is mixed with CLC to try to understand its characteristics. In the experiment, the compressive strength from 7 to 28 days of age was measured via a constant temperature and humidity chamber, and the drying shrinkage was analyzed according to each condition using a strain gauge. The compressive strength of matrix tends to decrease as the substitution rate of silica sand increases. This is judged by the result derived from the fact that the specific surface area of silica sand is smaller than that of slag. Based on KS F 2701 (ALC block), the compressive strength of 0.6 products is 4.9 MPa or more as a guide, so the maximum replacement rate of silica sand that satisfies this can be seen at 60%. Looking at the change in drying shrinkage for just 7 days, the shrinkage due to temperature change and drying is 0.7 mm, and the possibility of cracking due to shrinkage can be seen, and it seems that continuous improvement and supplementation are needed in the future.

• Journal of The Geomorphological Association of Korea
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.33-45
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• 2020

A number of unconsolidated deposits, consisting of a layer of gravels and silt, are found in Dangjeong-ri, Seocheon-gun in the western coast. From below in the stratigraphic sequence, the gravel layer ranging up to a maximum thickness of about 2 meters is interpreted as being formed by fluvial processes of an old channel (Dangjeong S.), and the overlying silt or sandy silt layer of 2 to 3 thickness meters is assumed to be emerged paleo-tidal sediments which was deposited in low tidal-energy environments. As the results of rock surface IRSL datings, the depositional ages of gravels are confirmed as ca. 78,000 ~ 83,000 years BP, indicating that the layer was formed in response to a high-stand sea level of MIS 5a along the Dangjeongcheon estuary. It is presumed that the relative height of 4.5 meter between the altitude of the stream bed (9.5 m) and the altitude of the bedrock boundary in the gravel layer (14 m) indicates the uplift amount since deposition. Paleo-sedimentary environments and an altitude of paleo-shoreline in the study area will be discussed with additional age dating focused on the silt layer.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.570-579
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• 2024

Root-nodule nitrogen-fixing bacteria are known for being specific to particular legumes. This study isolated the endophytic root-nodule bacteria from the nodules of legumes and examined them to determine whether they could be used to promote the formation of nodules in other legumes. Forty-six isolates were collected from five leguminous plants and screened for housekeeping (16S rRNA), nitrogen fixation (nifH), and nodulation (nodC) genes. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequencing and phylogenetic analysis, the bacterial isolates WC15, WC16, WC24, and GM5 were identified as Rhizobium, Sphingomonas, Methylobacterium, and Bradyrhizobium, respectively. The four isolates were found to have the nifH gene, and the study confirmed that one isolate (GM5) had both the nifH and nodC genes. The Salkowski method was used to measure the isolated bacteria for their capacity to produce phytohormone indole acetic acid (IAA). Additional experiments were performed to examine the effect of the isolated bacteria on root morphology and nodulation. Among the four tested isolates, both WC24 and GM5 induced nodulation in Glycine max. The gene expression studies revealed that GM5 had a higher expression of the nifH gene. The existence and expression of the nitrogen-fixing genes implied that the tested strain had the ability to fix the atmospheric nitrogen. These findings demonstrated that a nitrogen-fixing bacterium, Methylobacterium (WC24), isolated from a Trifolium repens, induced the formation of root nodules in non-host leguminous plants (Glycine max). This suggested the potential application of these rhizobia as biofertilizer. Further studies are required to verify the N₂-fixing efficiency of the isolates.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.9-17
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• 2018

To investigate the role of bkdR, sigL, yplP, and des genes which were known to be involved in fatty acid synthesis and sensitive at low temperature, deletion mutants of Bacillus subtilis CU1065 and JH642 were constructed. To determine the low temperature sensitivity of these genes, we compared the growth curves of cells at $37^{\circ}C$ and $15^{\circ}C$. At $37^{\circ}C$, wild type and deletion mutants showed almost similar growth but only bkdR deletion strain at $15^{\circ}C$ showed very slow growing compared with wild type. At $15^{\circ}C$ sigL and yplP deletions were somewhat slower or similar to those of wild type strain. Double and triple mutants for bkdR, sigL, yplP deletions were constructed and grown at $20^{\circ}C$ in LB agar to investigate cold sensitive growth. Double or triple deletions including bkdR deletion showed cold sensitive growing. In order to identify more clearly cold sensitive growth, the experiments were carried out under cold shock conditions in which the temperature was lowered from $37^{\circ}C$ to $15^{\circ}C$ at the point of 0.4 optical densities at 600 nm. In these cold shock experiments, only bkdR deletion showed significantly lower growing and additional des deletion increases cold sensitivity. The bkdR activates the bkd operon, which catabolized isoleucine, valine and leucine, amino acids and produce precursors for the synthesis of branched fatty acids. At cold shock growing of bkdR deletion strain, isoleucine recovered cold sensitivity of bkdR deletion but valine did not restore cold sensitivity. Isoleucine is used as a precursor for the synthesis of anteiso-branched fatty acids. On the other hand, valine is used as a precursor for the synthesis of iso-branched fatty acids. This indicates that anteiso-branched fatty acid plays an important role at the cold shock condition.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.331-337
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• 2012

Citrus melanose is one of important disease in citrus cultivation, reducing quality of citrus fruits and resulting in economic loss. Like other diseases in citrus, melanose was mainly protected by chemical fungicide in the field. Recently, alternative method of disease control is highly required due to the side effect of the chemicals. In this study four rhizobacterial strains TRH423-3, MRL408-3, THJ609-3, and TRH415-2 are selected by dual-culture testing its antifungal activity against Diaporthe citri causing citrus melanose. To investigate the protection efficacy of the selected rhizobacterial strains to citrus melanose, the bacteria were pre-treated on citrus leaves following inoculation with melanose pathogen. Pre-treatment with all selected rhizobacterial strains showed disease suppression in which the levels of protection rates were different by the rhizobacterial strains. Additional treatment with the rhizobacterial strains after the pathogen inoculation enhanced protection rates in all cases. The strain MRL408-3 and TRH423-3 were identified as Burkholderia gladioli, TRH415-2 as Pseudomons fluorescens and THJ609-3 as Pseudomonas pudia as a result of analyzing the internal transcript spaces of the rhizobacterial strains rDNA. The selected rhizobacterial strains may be valuable as biological control agents in the environment-friendly citrus farm in which chemical application is limited.