• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.125-130
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• 2005

In the absence of exogeneous nitrogen supply, evaluation of a symbiosis effectiveness of Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110 in a supernodulating soybean mutant, SS2-2, its wild type, Sinpaldalkong 2, and control genotype, Jangyeobkong, was conducted in this study. Nodules in SS2-2 were initially white and similar to its wild type, Sinpaldalkong 2. At the late stage, the wild type nodules became dark pinkish by maturation, by contrast, mature nodules in SS2-2 remained light green to pinkish, indicating a lack of leghemoglobin. Tap root length was short in nodulated symbiotic SS2-2 than that of its wild type and the control genotype. Nodulated root length and nodule density on root length were significantly increased by B. japonicum inoculation, but no significant increase was observed on root length and percentage of nodulation to total root length. Regardless of Bradyrhizobium inoculation, SS2-2 showed higher nodule dry weight and higher acetylene reduction activity (ARA) when compared with its wild type and the control genotype. Inoculation of B. japonicum leaded the increase of ARA in 47 days after planting (DAP), in part because of nodule development. Supernodulating mutant, SS2-2, less responded to B. japonicum induction in terms of nitrogen fixation and nodulation characteristics than its wild type. Thus, interaction of supernodulating soybean mutant with Bradyrhizobium had less symbiotically associated response than normal nodulating soybean.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.826-828
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• 2002

In our previous studies, we have cloned and characterized a gene region from Bradyrhizobium japonicum ,which is involved in the synthesis of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In this study, we have expanded the sequence analysis of the region and found an additional open reading frame (orf), which appeared to be divergently transcribed from the rfaF gene. Sequence alignment of the orf revealed a significant similarity with rfaD genes of Salmonella typhimurium , Escherichia coli, and Neisseria gonorrhoeae. These genes encode a heptose-6-epimerase, which catalyzes the interconversion of ADP -D -glycerol-D-manno-heptose to ADP-L-glycero-D-manno-heptose. This divergent organization of the rfaF and rfaD genes is different from that of other Gram-negative bacteria where two genes form an operon. A rfaD- mutant of E. coli was successfully transformed with plasmid constructs containing the rfaD gene of B. japonicum. Novobiocin sensitivity test showed that the rfaD gene from B. japonicum could complement the rfaD mutation in E. coli, which confirms the functionality of the cloned B. japonicum gene.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 1996

Bradyrhizobium japonicum with different colony morphology populated in five Yeongnam soils of Korea was examined for intrinsic antibiotic resistance to eight antibiotics, serological property by immunoblot and immunodiffusion, and protein profile differentiation by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Colony morphological distribution of one hundred and twenty B. japonicum isolates was 47% for "dry". 41% for "wet", and 12% for "dry/wet" type. The total isolates showed such a strong correlation between the morphology and antibiotic resistance. Colony morphology, which though was dominantly consisted of the same type within a serogroup, wasn't absolutely linked to serological property of B. japonicum. Based on these data, colony morphology was too simple to identify variations with B. japonicum isolates : antibiotic resistance such complicated compared with serological analyses.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.247-252
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• 1998

To obtain the basic information for suitable use of soybean-Bradyrhizobium japonicum symbiosis, on soybean cv. Danweonkong and Namhaekong the symbiotic potential of B. japonicum indigenous to plain upland (PU), plain paddy(PP), and mountainous upland(MU) soils in southern part of Korea were surveyed and discussed. Populations of B. japonicum in soils were the highest in MU soils with $5.7{\times}10^4\;cells/g.soil$ followed by PU with $5.0{\times}10^4$ and PP soils with $4.0{\times}10^3\;cells/g.soil$. Shoot dry weight at flowering stage and grain yields at harvesting stage, which mutually showed an high correlation $(P{\leqq}0.001)$, were high in the order of PU > MU > PP soil inocula. Amongst PU soils, Namhae acid Seonsan soils were prominent inocula for shoot dry weight and Kimhae for grain yields at P 0.05, respectively. In cases of nodule number and nodule mass surveyed at the flowering stage, shoot dry weight gave an higher correlation with the latter $(r=0.439^*)$ than the former $(r=0.383^*);$ grain yields with the former $(r=0.505^{**})$ that flue latter $(r=0.449^{**})$. In comparison with Namhaekong showed 1.7 and 1.4 fold higher values in shoot dry weight and grain yields per nodule mass, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 1993

Nucleotide sequences of nodD and nodA from Bradyrhizobium sp. SNUOOI were determined. The open reading frame (ORF) of nodD was 942 bp in length and encoded 314 amino acids. while ORF of nodA, sequence of which is the first one among legume symbionts Bradyrhizobium, was 630 bp and encoded 210 amino acids. The nucleotide sequence of nodD showed 99.4% homology with nodDI of B. japonicum USDAllO. while that of nodA showed 81.5% with B. sp. (Parasponial. At the 5' of nodYAB operon and nodD, consensus nod box sequences composed of 9 bp unit repeated four times and two times respectively were found. Also an A.T-rich sequence was found at 5' of nodD.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.602-605
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• 2001

Low-temperature adaptation and protection for environmental stresses were studied in the gram-negative soil bacterium Bradyrhizobium japonicum 61A101c. B. japonicum was more resistant to alcohol, $H_2O_2$, heat and freezing following a pretreatment at $4^{\circ}C$, resulting in approximately 10 to 1,000 folds increased survival compared to mid-exponential-phase cells grown at an optimal temperature at $28^{\circ}C$. This phenomena relate to the cold shock protein expressed when cells are exposed to a downshift in temperature. To confirm the presence of cold shock protein genes in B. japonicum, a PCR strategy was employed using a degenerate primer set, which successfully amplified a putative csp gene fragment. Sequence analysis of the PCR product(200bp) revealed csp-like sequences that were up to 96% identical to csp gene of S. typhimurium.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.1280-1285
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• 2005

Using the nodY::lacZ fusion system in Bradyrhizobium japonicum USDA 110, 22 flavonoids, which have structurally different features, were tested to define the role of the substituted functional groups as an inducer or inhibitor for the nod gene expression. A functional ,group of 4'-OH on the B-ring and the double bond between 2-C and 3-C on the C ring were required to induce the nod gene expression in B. japonicum USDA 110. In the case of isoflavones, the 4'-methoxyl group, which blocks the open 4'-OH functional group, did not significantly lower inducing activity, as compared with isoflavones with 4'-OH. However, all flavonols tested, which have a 3-OH functional group on the C-ring, did not induce, but inhibited the nod gene expression. Flavone, 7-hydroxyflavone, and kaempferol (5,7,4'-trihydroxyflavonol) at $1\;{\mu}M$ concentration significantly inhibited the nod gene expression induced by 7,4'-dihydroxyflavone. However, 7-hydroxy-4'-methoxyflavone at $1\;{\mu}M$ concentration showed a synergistic effect with genistein and 7,4'-dihydroxyflavone on the induction activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.656-659
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• 2005

Small peptides synthesized by nonribosomal peptide synthetases (NRPSs) genes are found in bacteria and fungi. While some microbial taxa have few, others make a large number and variety. However, biochemical characterization of the products synthesized by NPRS demands a great deal of efforts. Since the completion of genome projects of numerous microorganisms, the numbers of available NRPSs genes are being expanded. Prediction of the peptides encoded by NRPS could save time and efforts. We chose the NRPS gene from Bradyrhizobium japonicum as a model to predict the peptide structure encoded by NRPS genes. Using computational analyses, the domain structure of this gene was defined, and the structure of a peptide synthesized by this NRPS was deduced. It was found that it encoded a tripeptide consisting of proline-serine-phenylalanine. This method would be helpful to predict the structure of small peptides with various NPRS genes from the genome sequence.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.1324-1326
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• 2004

In previous studies, we isolated an isogenic LPS mutant of Bradyrhizobium japonicum 61A101C, which was completely devoid of O-polysaccharide and had altered cell surface characteristics. Subsequently, the mutated gene was identified, cloned, and used to complement the LPS mutant strain JS314 to restore the phenotype. Since it has been reported that in Escherichia coli LPS O-polysaccharide is involved in resistance to an organic acid such as acetic acid under low pH (Barna et al., Molecular Microbiology 43: 629-640, 2002), we compared the organic acid resistance of the three B. japonicum strains; wild-type 61A101C, the LPS mutant JS314, and the complemented strain to determine whether the role of O-polysaccharide in the resistance to organic acid could be generalized. Growth of all three strains was inhibited by the presence of 3 mM acetic acid under acidic condition (pH 5.5). To our surprise, however, in the presence of 2 mM acetic acid, wild-type and the complemented strains did not grow while the $LPS^-$ mutant showed a significant growth. Therefore, unlike in E. coli, the lack of O­polysaccharide of LPS appears to render B. japonicum more resistant to organic acid.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.296-300
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• 2002

Bacterial cell surface components are the major factors responsible for pathogenesis and bioremediation. In particular, the surface of a Gram-negative bacterium cell has a variety of components compared to that of a Gram-positive cell. In our previous study, we isolated an isogenic mutant of Bradyrhizobium japonicum, which exhibited altered cell surface characteristics, including an increased hydrophobicity. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic analysis of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the mutant demonstrated that the O-polysaccharide part was completely absent. Meanwhile, a gel permeation chromatographic analysis of the exopolysaccharide (EPS) in the mutant demonstrated that it was unaltered. Since LPSs are known to have several anion groups that interact with various cation groups and metal ions, the mutant provided an opportunity to examine the direct role of LPS in metal binding by B. japonicum. Using atomic absorption spectrophotometry, it was clearly demonstrated that LPS was involved in metal binding. The binding capacity of the LPS mutant to various metal ions $(Cd^{2+},\;Cu^{2+},\;Pb^{2+},\;and\;Zn^{2+})$ was 50-70% lower than that of the wild-type strain. Also, through an EPS analysis and desorption experiment, it was found that EPS and centrifugal force had no effect on the metal binding. Accordingly, it would appear that LPS molecules on B. japonicum effect the properties, which precipitate more distinctly metal-rich mineral phase.