• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.10
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• pp.1589-1598
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• 2015

In this work, the anti-aging skin effects of bacteriochlorophyll a isolated from Rhodobacter sphaeroides are first reported, with notably low cytotoxicity in the range of 1% to 14% in adding 0.00078 (% (w/w)) of the extracts, compared with the normal growth of both human dermal fibroblast and keratinocyte cells without any treatment as a control. The highest production of procollagen from human fibroblast cells (CCD-986sk) was observed as 221.7 ng/ml with 0.001 (% (w/w)) of bacteriochlorophyll a, whereas 150 and 200 ng/ml of procollagen production resulted from addition of 0.001 (% (w/w)) of the photosynthetic bacteria. The bacteriochlorophyll-a-induced TNF-α production increased to 63.8%, which was lower secretion from HaCaT cells than that from addition of 0.00005 (% (w/w)) of bacteriochlorophyll a. Additionally, bacteriochlorophyll a upregulated the expression of genes related to skin anti-aging (i.e., keratin 10, involucrin, transglutaminase-1, and MMPs), by up to 4-15 times those of the control. However, crude extracts from R. sphaeroides did not enhance the expression level of these genes. Bacteriochlorophyll a showed higher antioxidant activity of 63.8% in DPPH free radical scavenging than those of water, ethanol, and 70% ethanol extracts (14.0%, 57.2%, and 12.6%, respectively). It was also shown that the high antioxidant activity could be attributed to the skin anti-aging effect of bacteriochlorophyll a, although R. sphaeroides itself would not exhibit significant anti-aging activities.

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.350-352
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• 2002

We examined the bacteriochlorophyill/bacteriopheophytin ratios in several species of purple bacteria containing only LHI. The pigment ratios depended greatly on species. Further, Rhodospirillum rubrum showed wide variation when grown under different light intensity, and Rhodobium marinum showed significant variation from culture to culture even under the same light conditions. The protein ratios of a/RC and $\beta$/RC estimated by SDS-PAGE of chromatophores of Rsp. rubrum and Rbi. marinum exhibited the ratio of $\beta$/$\alpha$ > 1. These findings gave us the novel idea that there are two types of LHl; one is a C-shaped open antenna composed by $\alpha$$\beta$ units surrounding a RC, and another is a small closed ring antenna composed by $\alpha$$\beta$ units located peripherally in a variable ratio to the core complex like LH2.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.643-648
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• 2002

For wastewater treatment and utilization of the biomass, a photosynthetic bacterium was isolated based on its cell growth rate, cell mass, and assimilating ability of organic acids. The isolate was a Gram-negative rod-shaped bacterium that contained a single polar flagellum and formed a lamellar intracytoplasmic membrane (ICM) system, including bacteriochlorophyll $\alpha$. The major isoprenoid quinone component was identified as ubiquinone Q-10, and the fatty acid composition was characterized as to contain relatively large amount of C-16:0 (18.74%) and C-18:1 (59.23%). Based on its morphology, phototrophic properties, quinone component, and fatty acid composition, the isolate appeared to be closely related to the Rhodopseudomonas subgroup of purple nonsulfur bacteria. A phylogenetic analysis of the isolate using its 16S rRNA gene sequence data also supported the phenotypic findings, and classified the isolate closely related to Rhodopseudomonas palustris. Accordingly, the nomenclature of the isolate was proposed as Rhodopseudomonas palustris KUGB306. A bench-scale photosynthetic bacteria (PSB) reactor using the isolate was designed and operated for the treatment of soybean curd wastewater.