• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.1590-1595
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• 2009

Alternative methods for controlling bacterial endospore contamination are desired in a range of industries and applications. Attention has recently turned to natural products, such as essential oils, which have sporicidal activity. In this study, a selection of essential oils was investigated to identify those with activity against Bacillus subtilis spores. Spores were exposed to 13 essential oils, and surviving spores were enumerated. Cardamom, tea tree, and juniper leaf oils were the most effective, reducing the number of viable spores by 3 logs at concentrations above 1%. Sporicidal activity was enhanced at high temperatures ($60^{\circ}C$) or longer exposure times (up to 1 week). Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis identified the components of the active essential oils. However, none of the major oil components exhibited equivalent activity to the whole oils. The fact that oil components, either alone or in combination, did not show the same level of sporicidal activity as the complete oils suggested that minor components may be involved, or that these act synergistically with major components. Scanning electron microscopy was used to examine spores after exposure to essential oils and suggested that leakage of spore contents was the likely mode of sporicidal action. Our data have shown that essential oils exert sporicidal activity and may be useful in applications where bacterial spore reduction is desired.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.122-127
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• 1991

A bacterial strain NO. 32 which produced thermostable ${\alpha}$-amylase was isolated from soil and identified to genus of Bacillus. To enhance ${\alpha}$-amylase productivity, a successive mutation of Bacillus sp. No. 32 was attempted with treatment of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG). The resulting mutant, Bacillus sp. No. 32H417, which is risistant to refampicin and deficient in spore formation, produced about 90-fold high level of ${\alpha}$-amylase when compared with parental strain. The properties of the enzyme for thermostability were investigated. The optimal temperature and pH for enzyme reaction were 95$^{\circ}C$ and pH6.5, respectively, in the presence of 0.3mM $Ca^{2+}$ as an effective stabilizer.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.580-587
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• 1995

In order to produce the bacteriolytic enzyme, bacterial strains capable of excreting a large amount of the enzyme were screened from the coastal sea water samples in Pusan. The bacterial strain SH-1, which showed the highest activity among 43 bacteriolytic enzyme producing bacteria, was finally selected for further studies. The strain SH-1 was an endospore-forming grampositive rod, and the position of spore was paracentral. These morphological characteristics assigned the isolated strain to the morphological group I classified by Gordon. The fatty acid composition of the bacterial stain was analyzed to be consisted of branched chains of iso-Cn and anteiso-Cn. Based on the percent content of the branched chain (93.85%), the isolates could be identified as a species of Bacillus. According to the experimental results of the API system (API 50CHB & API 20E) the strain was identified as Bacillus subtilis. Numerical texonomy, in which 82 major characters were examined using several species of Bacillus as the standard bacteria, indicated that the strain SH-1 showed 90% similarity to Bacillus subtilis. Thus, the isolated strain SH-1 could be identified as Bacillus subtilis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.749-759
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• 2009

A survey of Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner) strains isolated from Spanish citrus orchards has been performed, and the strains were tested for insecticidal activity against the Mediterranean fruit fly Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann), a key citrus pest in Spain. From a total of 150 environmental samples, 376 isolates were selected, recording a total B. thuringiensis index of 0.52. The collection was characterized by means of phase-contrast microscopy, SDS-PAGE, and PCR analysis with primer pairs detecting toxin genes cry1, cry2, cry3, cry4, cry5, cry7, cry8, cry9, cry10, cry11, cry12, cry14, cry17, cry19, cry21, cry27, cry39, cry44, cyt1, and cyt2. Diverse crystal inclusion morphologies were identified: bipyramidal (45%), round (40%), adhered to the spore (7%), small (5%), and irregular (3%). SDS-PAGE of spore-crystal preparations revealed 39 different electrophoresis patterns. All primer pairs used in PCR tests gave positive amplifications in strains of our collection, except for primers for detection of cry3, cry19, cry39, or cry44 genes. Strains containing cry1, cry2, cry4, and cry27 genes were the most abundant (48.7%, 46%, 11.2%, and 8.2% of the strains, respectively). Ten different genetic profiles were found, although a total of 109 strains did not amplify with the set of primers used. Screening for toxicity against C. capitata adults was performed using both spore-crystal and soluble fractions. Mortality levels were less than 30%. We have developed a large and diverse B. thuringiensis strain collection with huge potential to control several agricultural pests; however, further research is needed to find out Bt strains active against C. capitata.

• BMB Reports
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2009

Alanine racemase catalyzes the interconversion of L-alanine and D-alanine and plays a crucial role in spore germination and cell wall biosynthesis. In this study, alanine racemase produced by Bacillus anthracis was expressed and purified as a monomer in Escherichia coli and the importance of lysine 41 in the cofactor binding octapeptide and tyrosine 270 in catalysis was evaluated. The native enzyme exhibited an apparent $K_m$ of 3 mM for L-alanine, and a $V_{max}$ of $295\;{\mu}moles/min/mg$, with the optimum activity occurring at $37^{\circ}C$ and a pH of 8-9. The activity observed in the absence of exogenous pyridoxal 5'-phosphate suggested that the cofactor is bound to the enzyme. Additionally, the UV-visible absorption spectra indicated that the activity was pH independece, of VV-visible absorption spectra suggests that the bound PLP exists as a protonated Schiff's base. Furthermore, the loss of activity observed in the apoenzyme suggested that bound PLP is required for catalysis. Finally, the enzyme followed non-competitive and mixed inhibition kinetics for hydroxylamine and propionate with a $K_i$of $160\;{\mu}M$ and 30 mM, respectively.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.134-139
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• 2012

Inhibition effects on spore germination and mycelia growth for gray mold (Botrytis cinerea) were investigated in vitro using environment-friendly agricultural materials as well as environment-friendly pesticides. The inhibition effect on mycelia growth of gray mold is the highest when the gray mold mycelia were treated with a pesticide (commercial name: Koreayeok, Jihabudea KM, Sootingtan, Sootingstar) that contains a mixture of Bacillus subtilis, resulting in 100% inhibition of the mycelia growth. Meanwhile, the range of less than 20% inhibition effects on the growth of gray mold mycelia was observed with other commercial agricultural materials. The significant inhibition effects on spore germination of gray mold fungus were shown in vitro with two water dispersible pesticides containing sulfur [BTB (97.7%) and SulfurStar (92.3%)], respectively. These in vitro results of inhibiting of the spore germination and mycelia growth together cannot found. It remains to be determined whether the selected environment-friendly agricultural materials in effective control of gray mold in vitro can be used to control gray mold in field.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.336-342
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• 2009

To confirm the antimicobial mechanism of Torilis japonica, antimicrobial profile was observed on various spore conditions by combining 0.1% (3 mM) torilin with antimicrobial activity and 0.27% water fraction with germinants. A 75% ethanol extract of T. japonica fruit reduced Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633 spore counts by 3 log cycles and reduced the vegetative cells to undetectable level (by about 6 log cycles) (both in terms of CFU/mL). Further fractionating the ethanol extract into n-hexane and water fractions revealed that the former reduced the spore count by 1 log cycle whereas the latter had no effect. The antimicrobial active compound was isolated and purified from the hexane layer, and identified as torilin ($C_{22}H_{32}O_5$). The water fraction of the ethanol layer did not show antimicrobial activity, whereas the antimicrobial effect of 0.1% (3 mM) torilin was significantly enhanced in the presence of the water fraction (0.27%). This result can be explained by synergistic effects of the water fraction containing considerable amounts of germinants such as L-alanine and K+ ions that triggered germination.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.7
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• pp.53-63
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• 1967

In order to identify the bacteria living on the cocoons in Korea, the isolated bacterias' morphological. cultural and physiological characters has been determined through the detailed study. The second aim of this experiment was to protect against the bacteria which damage silk protein during storage. 1. The twelve strains of the bacteria were isolated and identified in the cocoons produced in Korea. The results of the identification are as the following. No 1, No 8; Bacillus subtilis variation No 2, ; Bacillus stearothermophilus No 3, ; Bacillus circulans No 5, No 6; Bacillus thuringiensis No 7, No 11; Bacillus brevis No 12, No l0; Bacillus cereus variation

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.1469-1473
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• 2011

The efficacy of antimicrobial agents and heat treatments on spore inactivation was investigated. Grapefruit seed extract (GFE) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) were used and as antimicrobial agents, and heat treatments were conducted at $70^{\circ}C$, $80^{\circ}C$, and $90^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes. Heat treatments at $90^{\circ}C$ were the most effective on spore inactivation as a single treatment and caused a 2.3 log reduction. When combined with a single treatment to discover synergistic effects, 1% GFE with $80^{\circ}C$ heat treatments and 0.5 mM EDTA with $80^{\circ}C$ heat treatments resulted in 2.1 log and 3.2 log reductions, respectively, though they did not show reductions at each single treatment (GFE 1% (v/v), EDTA 0.5 mM, $80^{\circ}C$). So it was concluded that by combining GFE, EDTA in low concentration treatment, and heat treatment, B. cereus spores can be effectively inactivated.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2014

Terminal Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis was adopted to explore rapid differentiation in the diversity and dynamics of bacteria in kimchi made in Korea and China for future application in kimchi origin discrimination. T-RFLP analysis supported the reproducible and rapid detection of major lactic acid bacteria known to be involved in kimchi fermentation. The taxonomic resolution level of this T-RFLP analysis was between the species and genus level, but was not specific enough for the detection of a bacterium found only in one origin, either Korea or China. The bacterial community structure successions in kimchi samples from Korea and China analyzed by T-RFLP analysis occurred with a similar pattern. Bacillus spp. which were not detected in the early microbial studies of kimchi were constantly detected until the late fermentation stage of kimchi in our T-RFLP analysis and their existence was proved by culture-based identification. Additionally, sporulation of Bacillus spp. during kimchi fermentation was discovered.