• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.25-31
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• 2003

Delftia acidovorans 51-A isolated from river water degrades aniline. In order to clone genes involved in aniline degradation, transposon Tn5-B20 was inserted into the strain 51-A to generate a mutant strain 10-4-2 that cannot utilize aniline as a carbon source. The mutant strain was not an auxotroph but could not degrade aniline. Southern hybridization analysis indicated that the transposon was inserted into the mutant bacterial DNA as a single copy. Flanking DNA fragment of Tn5-B2O insertion was cloned and sequenced. DNA sequence analysis revealed three ORFs encoding TdnQ, TdnT, and TdnA 1 that arc responsible for catechol formation from aniline through oxidative deamination. The analysis also confirmed that Tn5-B2O was inserted at the immediate downstream of tdnA1. The result suggests that the transposon insertion behind tdirA1 disrupted the pathway of the catechol formation from aniline, resulting in the mutant phenotype, which cannot degrade aniline. A large plasmid over 100-kb in size was detected from D. acidovorans 51-A and Southern hybridization analysis with Tn5-B2O probe showed that the transposon was inserted on the plasmid named pTDN51. Our results indicated that the tdn genes on pTDN51 of D. acidovorans 51-A are involved in aniline degradation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.102-110
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• 2018

A bacterial strain capable of metabolizing myo-inositol (MI) and converting to other substances was isolated from soil of orchard. The isolate, named YB-46, was grown on minimal medium supplemented with MI as the sole carbon source and was presumed to belonging to genus Enterobacter according to the 16S rDNA sequence. Escherichia coli transformant converting MI into unknown metabolites was selected from a metagenomic library prepared with fosmid pCC1FOS vector. Plasmid was isolated from the transformant, and the inserted gene was partially sequenced. From the nucleotide sequence, an iolG gene was identified to encode myo-inositol dehydrogenase (IolG) consisting of 336 amino residues. The IolG showed amino acid sequence similarity of about 50% with IolG of Enterobacter aerogenes and Bacillus subtilis. The His-tagged IolG (HtIolG) fused with hexahistidine at C-terminus was produced and purified from cell extract of recombinant E. coli. The purified HtIolG showed maximal activity at $45^{\circ}C$ and pH 10.5 with the highest activity for MI and D-glucose, and more than 90% of maximal activity for D-chiro-inositol, D-mannitol and D-xylose. $K_m$ and $V_{max}$ values of the HtIolG for MI were 1.83 mM and $0.724{\mu}mol/min/mg$ under the optimal reaction condition, respectively. The activity of HtIolG was increased 1.7 folds by $Zn^{2+}$, but was significantly inhibited by $Co^{2+}$ and SDS.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.12
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• pp.69-82
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• 1994

This study was conducted to investigate the physiological characteristics and to isolate plasmid DNA of R. japonicum strains. The results obtained were as follows; Strains S117, S118, 005, 011 and DY-1 were slow-growers and showed alkaline reaction, whereas strains S110, S111, S114, S116, S120 and 010 were fast-growers and produced acid reaction in YEM broth. All the fast- and slow-growing R. japonicum showed gram negative and formed mucous white colony on agar plate. After 7 days, the colonies of the fast-growers were between 2.0 and 4.0mm in diameter, whereas those of slow-growers were approximately between 0.5 and 1.5mm. The fast-growers were uniformly sensitive to the pH of 4.5 and tolerant of the pH of 9.5, whereas the reverse was found for the slow-growers. All the fast-growers were able to grow in the presence of 2% NaCl however the slow-growers were not grown. All the microorganisms grew rapidly in simple mineral salt medium containing as the sole source of carbon. Starch was rarely utilized. All the fast-growers utilized sucrose. The slow-growing R. japonicum strains examined usually contained 1 to 3 plasmid DNA ranging between 15Kb and 250 Kb, whereas the fast-growing R. japonicum strains contained 1 to 3 plasmid DNA ranging from 20 Kb to 250Kb.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.395-401
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• 2002

Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) and methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK) have been widely used as solvents in various industries. Biodegradation of MEK and MIBK by Pseudomonas putida KT-3, which could utilize MEK or MIBK as a sole carbon source, was characterized, and the cosubstrate interaction in MEK/MIBK mixture was also studied. Within the range of initial MEK concentration (from 0.5 to 5.5 mM), an increased substrate concentration increased the specific degradation rate of MEK by P putida KT-3 (from 3.15 to 10.58 mmol/g DCW$\cdot$h), but the rate sightly increased at 11.0 mM of initial MEK concentation (11.28 mmol/g DCW$\cdot$h). The similar degradation rates of MIBK (4.69-4.92 mmol/g DCW$\cdot$h) were obtained at more than 3.0 mM of initial MIBK concentation. Kinetic analysis on the degradation of MEK/MIBK mixture by P. putida KT-3 showed that MEK or MIBK acted as a competitive inhibitor. Maximum degradation rate ($V_{max}$), saturation constant ($K_{m}$) and inhibition constant ($K_{1}$) were as follows: $V_{max,MEK}$=12.94 mmol/g DCW$\cdot$h; $K_{m,MEK}$=1.72 mmol/L; $K_{l,MEK}$=1.30 mmol/L; $V_{max,MIBK}$=5.00 mmol/g-DCW$\cdot$h; $K_{m,MIBK}$=0.42 mmol/L; $K_{l,MEK}$=0.77 mmol/L.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.114-120
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• 2002

A 1,989-bp genomic region encoding nickel resistance genes was isolated from Legionella pneumophila, a pathogen for legionellosis. From a sequencing and computer analysis, the region was found to harbor two structural genes, a nreB-like protein gene (1,149 bp) and a nreA-like protein gene (270 bp), in a row. Both genes exhibited a significant degree of similarity to the corresponding genes from Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 ($54\%$ amino acid sequence identity) and Achromobacter xylosoxidans 31A ($76\%$). The gene was successfully expressed in E. coli MG1655 and conferred a nickel resistance of up to 5 mM in an LB medium and 3 mM in a TMS medium including gluconate as the sole carbon source. E. coli harboring the nickel resistance gene also exhibited a substantial resistance to cobalt, yet no resistance to cadmium or zinc. Since the extracellular concentration of nickel remained constant during the whole period of cultivation, it was confirmed that the nickel resistance was provided by an efflux system like the $Ni^2＋$permease (nrsD) of Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803. Since polyphosphate (poly-P) is known as a global regulator for gene expression as well as a potential virulence factor in E. coli, the nickel resistance of a ppk mutant of E. coli MG 1655 harboring the nickel resistance gene from L. pneumophila was compared with that of its parental strain. The nickel resistance was significantly attenuated by ppk inactivation, which was more pronounced in an LB medium than in a TMS medium.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.309-315
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• 2005

In this study, the bacterial regrowth characteristics in drinking water were investigated for various nutrient concentrations and forms using improved BRP method as a traditional approach and specific regrowth rate as a new index. The results of bacterial regrowth potential for glucose and $NH_4^+-N$, which was evaluated by BRP method as a traditional index, appeared to be higher relative to that of acetate or humic acids as carbon source and $NO_2^--N\;or\;NO_3^--N$ as nitrogen sources, respectively. The results obtained by specific regrowth rate as a new index were similar to that of BRP method with respect to the nutrient conditions examined in this study; i.e., the specific regrowth rate for glucose(ranged from 0.005 to $0.082\;hr^{-1}$) was feater than that acetate and humic acids(ranged from 0.005 to $0.068\;hr^{-1}$ and from 0.005 to $0.008\;hr^{-1}$, respectively). And specific regrowth rate for $NH_4^+-N$ (ranged from 0.008 to $0.072\;hr^{-1}$) was feater than that $NO_2^--N\;and\;NO_3^--N$ (ranged from 0.008 to $0.055\;hr^{-1}$ and from 0.008 to $0.059\;hr^{-1}$, respectively). Therefore, specific regrowth rate can be applied in order to evaluate the bacterial regrowth potential in drinking water.

• Journal of Korean Society of Environmental Engineers
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.323-329
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• 2005

In this paper, performance of a hybrid sequential aerobic-anaerobic natural system was investigated. Continuous aerobic and anoxic conditions were created by alternatively placing waste stabilization pond (WSP) and wale. hyacinth pond (WHP). Two pilot-scale treatment lines were built and operated; The first consists of WSP integrated with WHP and the second of WSP connected with Dark Pond(DP), namely control system ponds which were used to examine the effects of water hyacinth on nitrification and de-nitrification. The overall performance in nitrogen was 86% reduction in WSP-WHP and 36% in WSP-control pond system. Nitrogen was mostly removed by nitrification and de-nitrification which simultaneously occurred in the same water hyacinth ponds. For the de-nitrification, benthic layer was found out to be adequate support as a carbon source. In addition, WSP-WHP system was very effective in reducing phosphorus. Overall P removal efficiency in WSP-WHP is 81%, while it is only 16% in WSP-control. difference in phosphorus reduction between those two systems is thought to be caused by the plants and probably their roots producing extra-cellular materials, but these aspects need to be further studied.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.25 no.4 s.83
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• pp.330-339
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• 1997

Botrytis cinerea T91-1 has shown to produce at least four different polygalacturonases in a liquid medium containing citrus pectin as a carbon source. One of the enzymes, its molecular weight was estimated as 37 kDa by denatured polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, was purified by a series of procedures including acetone precipitation, ion exchange, heparin affinity, and reverse phase column chromatographies. By viscometric analysis, the enzyme was revealed as an endo-polygalacturonase. The enzyme activity was inhibited by divalent cations such as $Ca^{2+}$, $Co^{2+}$, and $Cu^{2+}$. Km and Vmax for polygalacturonic acid hydrolysis were 0.33 mg/ml and 28.6 nM/min, respectively. The optimum temperature for enzymatic activity was $55^{\circ}C$ and the enzyme showed optimal pH values between 4.0 and 4.5. The enzyme was stable up to 12 hours in the range of pH 4 to 7 and at the temperature below $30^{\circ}C$. Amino acid sequence from N-terminal up to 6 amino acids determined by Edman degradation showed little homology with polygalacturonases from fungi and plants.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.76-82
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• 2003

To prepare evolved PHB depolymerase with increased activity for PHB or P(3HB-co-3HV) compared to the activity of the original PHB depolymerase from Alcaligenes faecalis T1, random mutation of the cloned PHB depolymerase gene was performed by using a DNA shuffling method. A library of mutated PHB depolymerase genes from A. faecalis T1 was fused to the ice nucleation protein (INP) gene from Pseudomonas syringae in pJHCl 1 and approximately 7,000 transformants were isolated. Using M9 minimal medium containing PHB or P(3HB-co-3HV) as the carbon source, mutants showing alteration in PHB depolymerase activity were selected from the transformants. The PHB depolymease activity of the transformants was confirmed by the formation of halo around colony and the turbidity decrease tests using culture supermatants. The catalytic activity of PHB depolymerase of the best mutant II-4 for PHB or P(3HB-co-13 mol% 3HV) was approximately 1.8-fold and 3.2-fold, respectively, higher than that of the original PHB depolymerase. DNA sequence analysis revealed that three amino acid residues (Ala209Val, Leu258Phe, and Asp263Thr) were substituted in II-4. From the mutational analysis, it was presumed that the substitution of amino acids near catalytic triad to more hydrophobic amino acids enhance the catalytic activity of PHB depolymerase from A. faecalis T1.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.125-133
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• 2012

Anaerobic digestion is an alternative method to digest food wastes and to produce methane that can be used as a renewable energy source. We investigated bacterial and archaeal community structures in a three-stage methane production process using food wastes with concomitant wastewater treatment. The three-stage methane process is composed of semianaerobic hydrolysis/acidogenic, anaerobic acidogenic, and strictly anaerobic methane production steps in which food wastes are converted methane and carbon dioxide. The microbial diversity was determined by the nucleotide sequences of 16S rRNA gene library and quantitative real-time PCR. The major eubacterial population of the three-stage methane process was belonging to VFA-oxidizing bacteria. The archaeal community consisted mainly of two species of hydrogenotrophic methanogen (Methanoculleus). Family Picrophilaceae (Order Thermoplasmatales) was also observed as a minor population. The predominance of hydrogenotrophic methanogen suggests that the main degradation pathway of this process is different from the classical methane production systems that have the pathway based on acetogenesis. The domination of hydrogenotrophic methanogen (Methanoculleus) may be caused by mesophilic digestion, neutral pH, high concentration of ammonia, short HRT, and interaction with VFA-oxidizing bacteria (Tepidanaerobacter etc.).