• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제17권5호
• /
• pp.812-821
• /
• 2007

The ecosystems of certain abandoned mines contain arsenic-resistant bacteria capable of performing detoxification when an ars gene is present in the bacterial genome. The ars gene has already been isolated from Pseudomonas putida and identified as a member of the membrane transport regulatory deoxyribonucleic acid family. The arsenite-oxidizing bacterial strains isolated in the present study were found to grow in the presence of 66.7 mM sodium arsenate($V;\;Na_2HAsO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$), yet experienced inhibited growth when the sodium arsenite($III;\;NaAsO_2$) concentration was higher than 26 mM. Batch experiment results showed that Pseudomonas putida strain OS-5 completely oxidized 1 mM of As(III) to As(V) within 35 h. An arsB gene encoding a membrane transport regulatory protein was observed in arsenite-oxidizing Pseudomonas putida strain OS-5, whereas arsB, arsH, and arrA were detected in strain OS-19, arsD and arsB were isolated from strain RW-18, and arsR, arsD, and arsB were found in E. coli strain OS-80. The leader gene of arsR, -arsD, was observed in a weak acid position. Thus, for bacteria exposed to weak acidity, the ars system may cause changes to the ecosystems of As-contaminated mines. Accordingly, the present results suggest that arsR, arsD, arsAB, arsA, arsB, arsC, arsH, arrA, arrB, aoxA, aoxB, aoxC, aoxD, aroA, and aroB may be useful for arsenite-oxidizing bacteria in abandoned arsenic-contaminated mines.

• Environmental Engineering Research
• /
• 제15권1호
• /
• pp.15-21
• /
• 2010

This study was conducted to evaluated seawater bacteria and their seasonal characteristics in the arsenic contaminated coastal seawater of Yeosu Bay, the Republic of Korea. Arsenite-oxidizing bacteria play an important role in the seawater of the arsenic contaminated bay, with a variety of arsenic resistance system (ars) genotypes being present during summer. Specifically, Bacillus sp. strain SeaH-As22w (FJ607342), isolated from the bay, were found to contain the arsB, arrA and aoxR type operons, which are involved in arsenic resistance. The isolated bacteria showed relatively high tolerance to sodium arsenite (III; $NaAsO_2$) at concentrations as high as 50 mM. Additionally, batch seawater experiments showed that Bacillus sp. strain SeaH-As22w completely oxidized 1 mM of As (III) to As (V) within 10 days. Ecologically, the arsenic-oxidizing potential plays an important role in arsenic toxicity and mobility in As-contaminated coastal seawater of Yeosu Bay during all seasons because it facilitates the activity of Bacillus sp. groups.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제21권5호
• /
• pp.464-469
• /
• 2011

The arsH gene is one of the arsenic resistance system in bacteria and eukaryotes. The ArsH protein was annotated as a NADPH-dependent flavin mononucleotide (FMN) reductase with unknown biological function. Here we report for the first time that the ArsH protein showed high ferric reductase activity. Glu104 was an essential residue for maintaining the stability of the FMN cofactor. The ArsH protein may perform an important role for cytosolic ferric iron assimilation in vivo.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제32권6호
• /
• pp.547-553
• /
• 1999

Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are essential enzymes catalyzing the attachment of specific amino acids to cognate tRNAs. In the present work, the substrate analogue L-methionine hydroxamate was used to identify functional residues located in the active site of the E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS). This compound inhibited bacteria, yeast, and human MetRS activities to a similar degree, suggesting a conserved active site structure and mechanism between MetRSs of different phylogenetic domains. Mutants of the E. coli MetRS resistant to methionine hydroxamate were also isolated. These mutants contained a substitution either at T10, Y15, or Y94. These residues are highly conserved among the different MetRSs and the mutants showed decreased aminoacylation activity, suggesting their functional and structural significances. The putative roles of these residues are discussed on a structural basis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제20권1호
• /
• pp.169-178
• /
• 2010

The microbial community structure in Thailand soils contaminated with low and high levels of arsenic was determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Band pattern analysis indicated that the bacterial community was not significantly different in the two soils. Phylogenetic analysis obtained by excising and sequencing six bands indicated that the soils were dominated by Arthrobacter koreensis and $\beta$-Proteobacteria. Two hundred and sixty-two bacterial isolates were obtained from arsenic-contaminated soils. The majority of the As-resistant isolates were Gramnegative bacteria. MIC studies indicated that all of the tested bacteria had greater resistance to arsenate than arsenite. Some strains were capable of growing in medium containing up to 1,500 mg/l arsenite and arsenate. Correlations analysis of resistance patterns of arsenite resistance indicated that the isolated bacteria could be categorized into 13 groups, with a maximum similarity value of 100%. All strains were also evaluated for resistance to eight antibiotics. The antibiotic resistance patterns divided the strains into 100 unique groups, indicating that the strains were very diverse. Isolates from each antibiotic resistance group were characterized in more detail by using the repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR (rep-PCR) DNA fingerprinting technique with ERIC primers. The PCR products were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The genetic relatedness of 100 bacterial fingerprints, determined by using the Pearson product-moment similarity coefficient, showed that the isolates could be divided into four clusters, with similarity values ranging from 5-99%. Although many isolates were genetically diverse, others were clonal in nature. Additionally, the arsenic-resistant isolates were examined for the presence of arsenic resistance (ars) genes by using PCR, and 30% of the isolates were found to carry an arsenate reductase encoded by the arsC gene.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제22권6호
• /
• pp.763-770
• /
• 2012

Pseudomonas fluorescens 2112, isolated in Korea as an indigenous antagonistic bacteria, can produce 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol (2,4-DAPG) and the siderophore pyoveridin2112 for the control of phytophthora blight of red-pepper. P. fluorescens 2112 was classified into a new genotype C among the 17 genotypes of 2,4-DAPG producers, by phlD restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The colonizing ability of P. fluorescens 2112 in pea rhizosphere was equal to the well-known pea colonizers, P. fluorescens Q8r1 (genotype D) and MVP1-4 (genotype P), after 6 cycling cultivations for 18 weeks. Four tested 2,4-DAPG-producing Pseudomonas spp. could colonize with about a 96% dominance ratio against total bacteria in pea rhizosphere. The strain P. fluorescens 2112 was as good a colonizer as other Pseudomonas spp. genotypes in pea plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제12권1호
• /
• pp.31-38
• /
• 2002

Bacteria have evolved various types of resistance mechanism to toxic heavy metals, such as arsenic and antimony. An arsenical and antimonial resistant bacterium was isolated from a shallow creek draining a coal-mining area near Taebaek City, in Kangwon-Do, Korea. The isolated bacterium was identified and named as Pseudomonas sp. KM20 after biochemical and physiological studies were conducted. A plasmid was identified and its function was studied. Original cells harboring the plasmid were able to grow in the presence of 15 mM sodium arsenite, while the plasmid-cured (plasmidless) strain was sensitive to as little as 0.5 mM sodium arsenate. These results indicated that the plasmid of Pseudomonas sp. KM20 does indeed encode the arsenic resistance determinant. In growth experiments, prior exposure to 0.1 mM arsenate allowed immediate growth when they were challenged with 5 mM arsenate, 5 mM arsenite, or 0.1 mM antimonite. These results suggested that the arsenate, arsenite, and antimonite resistance determinants of Pseudomonas sp. KM20 plasmid were indeed inducible. When induced, plasmid-bearing resistance cells showed a decreased accumulation $of\;73^As$ and showed an enhanced efflux $of\;^73As$. These results suggested that plasmid encoded a transport system that extruded the toxic metalloids, resulting in the lowering of the intracellular concentration of toxic oxyanion. In a Southern blot study, hybridization with an E. coli R773 arsA-specific probe strongly suggested the absence of an arsA cistron in the plasmid-associated arsenical and antimonial resistance determinant of Pseudomonas sp. KM20.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
• /
• 제48권4호
• /
• pp.167-169
• /
• 2005

Crude extract of bioconverted linoleic acid using Pseudomonas aeruginosa PR3 was evaluated for its antibacterial activity against food-borne pathogenic bacteria. Crude extract showed antibacterial activity against four Gram-positive bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 6538), S. aureus (KCTC 1916), Listeria monocytogenes (ATCC 19166), and Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633), and one Gramnegative bacterium, Pseudomonas aeruginosa (KCTC 2004), with minimum inhibitory concentrations ranging from 750 to $1,500\;{\mu}g{\cdot}ml^{-1}$. S. aureus and B. subtilis were selected for growth inhibition assays with bioconverted linoleic acid. Major antibacterial effects occurred at lag phase.

• Journal of Biosystems Engineering
• /
• 제36권2호
• /
• pp.109-115
• /
• 2011

Drying characteristics of squids under two dry conditions were investigated using far infrared and heated air. Dry temperatures of 40, 50 and $60^{\circ}C$ with air speed of 0.6, 0.8 and 1.2 m/s were used for evaluating far infrared squid drying. Heated air squid drying at 40 and $50^{\circ}C$ with air speed of 0.8 m/s was used as a control treatment. The two drying were evaluated in terms of drying rate, color, TBA value, aerobic bacteria, cutting shear, penetration strength, and energy consumption. The drying rate of far infrared drying was relatively faster than that of heated air drying. The drying time of far infrared drying was reduced as the drying temperature increased. The color difference of far infrared dried squids was from 18.81 to 22.85, and heated air dried squid had the color different from 23.94 to 24.09. Far infrared dried squid had relatively smaller TBA values that indicate a level of rancidity. The aerobic bacteria of heated air dried squid increased from $970{\times}10^3$ to $40,000{\times}10^3$ CFU/g before and after drying, respectively. Far infrared dried squid had relatively smaller increase (from $970{\times}10^3$ to $40,000{\times}10^3$ CFU/g). The cutting shear and penetration strength for far infrared dried squids was relatively lower. In addition, far infrared squid drying consumed relatively less energy compared to heated air drying.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
• /
• 제42권2호
• /
• pp.121-130
• /
• 2014

Bacteria 군집 차이를 이용한 신속한 한국산 및 중국산 김치 원산지 판별 가능성의 검토를 위하여 Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) 분석법을 적용하였다. T-RFLP 분석은 김치발효에 관여하는 주요 유산균의 빠르고, 재현성 있는 검출에는 효과적이었지만, 종(species) 수준에서의 미생물 확인에는 한계를 가지고 있어 한국산 및 중국산 김치에 특이적으로 존재하는 bacteria의 검출에는 부적합한 것으로 평가되었다. T-RFLP를 적용한 발효과정 중의 한국산 및 중국산 김치에 존재하는 bacteria 군집 천이 분석은 비슷한 양상으로 나타났고, Bacillus 속이 발효 후기까지 검출되었다. 또한 Bacillus 속은 발효 후기에 포자를 형성하는 것으로 확인되었다.