• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.960-968
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• 2003

A bacterial isolate showing a strong endochitosanase activity was isolated from soil and then characterized. The isolate was identified and designated as Bacillus cereus P16, based on morphological and biochemical properties, assimilation tests, cellular fatty acids pattern, along with 16S rRNA gene sequence. The optimized medium for producing extracellular chitosanase in a batch culture contained 1% tryptone, 0.5% chitosan, and 1% NaCl (pH 7.0). Powder chitosan and tryptone served the best as carbon and nitrogen sources, respectively, for the chitosanase production. Chitosanase activity was the highest when culture was completed at $37^{\circ}C$ among various temperatures ($20-42^{\circ}C$) tested in a shaking incubator (200 rpm). The levels of chitosanase activity in the culture fluid were 2.0 U/ml and 3.8 U/ml, respectively, when incubated in a flask for 60 h and in a jar fermenter for 24 h. The culture supernatant showed a strong liquefying activity on the soluble chitosan. The viscosity of 1% chitosan solution, that was incubated with the culture supernatant, was rapidly decreased, suggesting the secretion of endochitosanolytic enzymes by P16. The culture fluid revealed six endo-type chitosanase isozymes, two major (38 and 45 kD), and four minor (54, 65, 82, and 96 kD) forms by staining profile. The crude enzymes were very stable, and full activity was maintained for 4 weeks at $4^{\circ}C\;or\;-20^{\circ}C$ in the culture supernatant, suggesting a highly desirable stability rate for making an industrial application of the crude enzymes. The supernatant also cleaved the insoluble chitosan powder, but the hydrolysis rate was much lower. The enzymic degradation products of chitosan contained $(GlcN)_n$ (n=2-8). The concentration of chitosan in the reaction mixture of the crude enzyme affected the chitooligosaccharides composition of the hydrolysis products. When the higher concentration of chitosan was used, the higher degree of polymerized chitooligosaccharides were produced. By comparison with other commercial chitosanase preparations, P16 was indeed found to be a valuable enzyme source for industrial production of chitooligosaccharides from chitosan.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.512-521
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• 2016

A bacterial strain was isolated from a soil sample collected on Jeju Island, Korea. The strain, designated WJ-2, exhibited a high xylanase activity, whereas cellulase activity was not detected. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of WJ-2 was highly similar to type strains of the genus Streptomyces. A neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain WJ-2 is phylogenetically related to Streptomyces atrovirens. Furthermore, DNA-DNA hybridization analysis confirmed that strain WJ-2 is a novel subspecies of Streptomyces atrovirens. The genomic DNA G+C content was 73.98 mol% and the major fatty acid present was anteiso-C15:0 (36.19%). The growth and xylanase production of strain WJ-2 were significantly enhanced by using soytone and xylan as nitrogen and carbon sources, respectively. Crude enzyme preparations from the culture broth of strain WJ-2 exhibited maximal total xylanase activities at pH 7.0 and $55^{\circ}C$. Thin-layer chromatography analysis revealed that the crude enzyme degrades beechwood xylan to yield xylobiose and xylotriose as the principal hydrolyzed end products.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.596-602
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• 2019

In September 2017, the rhizospheric soil of Tetragonia tetragonoides (Pall.) Kuntze was further sampled. One hundred and thirty eight species of microorganisms were isolated from the soil. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) production, siderophore production, and phosphate degradation were examined in order to confirm bacterial growth from isolated microorganisms. As a result, most strains were able to produce auxins or siderophores and to solubilize phosphate. In addition, 138 isolated strains were treated with tobacco extract and conferred pathogen resistance to host plants upon treatment. As a result, 35 strains that were able to reduce pathophysiology by more the 60% were selected. Among them, 6 strains with high induced systemic resistance (ISR) activity were found. All of these strains belong to the genus Bacillus according to the 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Bacillus aryabhattai KUDC6619 showed outstanding effects with reduced infection in tobacco and pepper plants. Probably, these Bacillus species play a beneficial role by association with T. tetragonoides for its survival in the harsh conditions found on the island of Dokdo.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.8
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• pp.1269-1275
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• 2006

The selection of multienzyme complex-producing bacteria under aerobic condition was conducted for improving the degradation of lignocellulosic substances. The criteria for selection were cellulase and xylanase enzyme production, the presence of cellulose-binding domains and/or xylan-binding domains in enzymes to bind to insoluble substances, the adhesion of bacterial cells to insoluble substances, and the production of multiple cellulases and xylanases in a form of a high molecular weight complex. Among the six Bacillus strains, isolated from various sources and deposited in our laboratory, Paenibacillus curdlanolyticus B-6 strain was the best producer of cellulase and xylanase enzymes, which have both cellulose-binding factors (CBFs) and xylan-binding factors (XBFs). Moreover, multiple carboxymethyl cellulases (CMCases) and xylanases were produced by the strain B-6. The zymograms analysis showed at least 9 types of xylanases and 6 types of CMCases associated in a protein band of xylanase and cellulase with high molecular weight. These cells also enabled to adhere to both avicel and insoluble xylan, which were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the strain B-6 produced the multienzyme complex, which may be cellulosome or xylanosome. Thus, P. curdlanolyticus B-6 was selected to study the role and interaction between the enzymes and their substrates and the cooperation of multiple enzymes to enhance the hydrolysis due to the complex structure for efficient cellulases and xylanases degradation of insoluble polysaccharides.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.994-1001
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• 2001

An easier way of understanding the BNR system was proposed from the study on substrate, nutrient removal tendency, microbial community and its metabolic function by applying the municipal settled sewage. During the anaerobic period, the phosphorus release rate per VFACOD we varied depending on the phosphorus content in the sludge. When the phosphorus content in the sludge was $6\%$ VSS, according to influent VFACOD, the phosphorus release rate and PHA production were $0.35 gPO_4P/gVFACOD$ and 1.0 gPHA/gVFACOD, respectively. The $NO_3N$ requirement for the phosphorus uptake as an electron acceptor was about $0.5 gNO_3N/gPO_4P_{uptake}$ based on the proposed equation with PHA, biomass, production, and the concentration of phosphorus release/uptake. Bacterial-community analysis of the sludge, as determined by FISH and 16SrDNA characterization FISH, revealed that the beta-subclass proteobacteria were the most abundant group ($27.9\%$ of the proteobacteria-specific probe EUB338), and it was likely that representative of the beta-subclass played key roles in activated sludge. The next dominant group found was the gamma-protebacteria ($15.4\%$ of probe EUB338). 16S rDNA clone library analysis showed that the members of${\beta}$- and ${\gamma}$-proteobacteria were also the most abundant groups, and $21.5\%$ (PN2 and PN4) and $15.4\%$ (PN1 and PN5) of total clones were the genera of denitrifying bacteria and PAO, respectively. Prediction of the microbial community composition was made with phosphorus content (Pv, $\%$ P/VSS) in wasted sludge and profiles of COD, PHA, $PO_4P,\;and\;NO_3N$ in an anaerobic-anoxic SBR unit. Generally, the predicted microbial composition based upon metabolic function, i.e., as measured by stoichiometry, is fairly similar to that measure by the unculturable dependent method. In this study, a proposal was made on he microbial community composition that was more easily approached to analyze the reactor behavior.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.40-46
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• 2006

A bacterial strain producing high level of a phytase was isolated from cattle feces and identified as Bacillus subtilis, and designated as Bacillus sp. CF 5-26. The production of the phytase from Bacillus sp. CF 5-26 reached the highest level after 72 hours at $37^{\circ}C$. The optimum condition of the media for the production of phytase was 10% rice bran extract, 0.1% whey protein powder, $0.01%\;CaCl_{2},\;0.01%\;KH_{2}PO_4$. The phytase was purified 20.3 folds with ethanol precipitation, Sephadex G-100, CM Sepharose CL-6B and Sephacryl S-100-HR column chromatography. The molecular weight of the purified enzyme was estimated to be 66 kDa on SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The purified phytase activity was stable up pH 5.0, 7.0, 11.0 and the remaining activity was 50% when it was treated at $100^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. The substrate specificity of phytase was most active against sodium phytate and inositol polyphosphate compound. And the phytase hydrolysed tripolyphosphate and pyrophosphate a little. The Km value for the sodium phytate was 0.64 mM and the Vmax value was $4.41\;{\mu}mol/min$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.438-444
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• 2007

Bacillus licheniformis N1 is a biological control agent to control gray mold diseases caused by Botrytis cinerea. Various formulations of B. licheniformis N1 were generated and evaluated for the activity to control strawberry gray mold. The wettable powder type formulation N1E was selected in pot experiments with remarkable disease control activity on both strawberry leaves and flowers. The N1E formulation contained 400 g of com starch, 50 ml of olive oil, and 50 g of sucrose per a liter of bacterial fermentation culture. Optimum dilution of N1E to appropriately control the strawberry gray mold appeared to be 100-fold dilution in plastic house artificial infection experiments. The significant reduction of symptom development in the senescent leaves was apparent by the treatment of N1E at 100-fold dilution when N1E was applied before Bo. cinerea inoculation, but not after the inoculation. Both artificial infection experiments in a plastic house and natural infection experiments in the farm plastic house under production conditions revealed that the disease severity of gray mold on strawberry leaves and flowers was significantly reduced by N1E treatment. The disease control value of N1E on strawberry leaves was 81% under production conditions, as compared with the 61.5% conferred by a chemical fungicide, iprodione. This study suggests that our previously generated formulation of B. licheniformis N1 will be effective to control strawberry gray mold by its preventive activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.718-731
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• 2018

The beneficial effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) have been intensively investigated in recent decades with special focus on modulation of the host intestinal microbiota. Numerous discoveries of effective probiotics are driven by a significantly increasing demand for dietary supplements. Consequently, technological advances in the large-scale production and lyophilization are needed by probiotic-related industries for producing probiotic LAB for commercial use. Our study had a dual objective, to determine the optimum growth medium composition and to investigate appropriate cryoprotective additives (CPAs) for Lactobacillus salivarius, and compare its responses with other Lactobacillus species. The one-factor-at-a-time method and central composite design were applied to determine the optimal medium composition for L. salivarius cultivation. The following composition of the medium was established (per liter): 21.64 g maltose, 85 g yeast extract, 1.21 ml Tween 80, 6 g sodium acetate, $0.2g\;MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, $0.02g\;MnSO_4{\cdot}H_2O$, $1g\;K_2HPO_4$, $1.5g\;KH_2PO_4$, $0.01g\;FeSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, and 1 g sodium citrate. A cryoprotective additive combination comprising 10% (w/v) skim milk and 10% (w/v) sucrose supplemented with 2.5% (w/v) sodium glutamate was selected for L. salivarius, and its effectiveness was confirmed using culture-independent methods in the freeze-dried cells of the Lactobacillus strains. In conclusion, the optimized medium enhanced the species-specific cultivation of L. salivarius. On the other hand, the cryoprotective effects of the selected CPA mixture may also be dependent on the bacterial strain. This study highlights the necessity for precise and advanced processing techniques for large-scale production of probiotics in the food and feed industries.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.571-582
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• 2020

Quorum sensing (QS)-mediated infections cause severe diseases in human beings. The control of infectious diseases by inhibiting QS using antipathogenic drugs is a promising approach as antibiotics are proving inefficient in treating these diseases. Marine fungal (Pestalotiopsis sydowiana PPR) extract was found to possess effective antipathogenic characteristics. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of the fungal extract against test pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 was 1,000 ㎍/ml. Sub-MIC concentrations (250 and 500 ㎍/ml) of fungal extract reduced QS-regulated virulence phenotypes such as the production of pyocyanin, chitinase, protease, elastase, and staphylolytic activity in P. aeruginosa PAO1 by 84.15%, 73.15%, 67.37%, 62.37%, and 33.65%, respectively. Moreover, it also reduced the production of exopolysaccharides (74.99%), rhamnolipids (68.01%), and alginate (54.98%), and inhibited the biofilm formation of the bacteria by 90.54%. In silico analysis revealed that the metabolite of P. sydowiana PPR binds to the bacterial QS receptor proteins (LasR and RhlR) similar to their respective natural signaling molecules. Cyclo(-Leu-Pro) (CLP) and 4-Hydroxyphenylacetamide (4-HPA) were identified as potent bioactive compounds among the metabolites of P. sydowiana PPR using in silico approaches. The MIC values of CLP and 4-HPA against P. aeruginosa PAO1 were determined as 250 and 125 ㎍/ml, respectively. All the antivirulence assays were conducted at sub-MIC concentrations of CLP (125 ㎍/ml) and 4-HPA (62.5 ㎍/ml), which resulted in marked reduction in all the investigated virulence factors. This was further supported by gene expression studies. The findings suggest that the metabolites of P. sydowiana PPR can be employed as promising QS inhibitors that target pathogenic bacteria.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.744-756
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory effect and the antimicrobial activity to skin flora of essential oil from rosemary that naturally grown in Jeju. rosemary essential oil was extracted by water distillation essential oil extraction method. In order to confirm the anti-inflammatory activity of rosemary essential oil, it was confirmed that the production of NO and $PGE_2$ induced by LPS in RAW 264.7 cells was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blot analysis showed that the expression of iNOS and COX-2, which are biosynthetic enzymes, decreased in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, production of $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-6 the pro-inflammatory cytokines were inhibited. Antimicrobial activities of three S. epidermidis and three P. acnes strains including two antibiotic resistant strains were observed in paper disc method and MIC and MBC tests showed inhibition of bacterial growth and death. From the results of the experiment, we confirmed that rosemary essential oil has the anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial efficacy and it could be used as a cosmetic and skin care material in the future.