• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.265-272
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• 2017

Some bacteria with different mechanisms for hydrocarbon degradation were isolated from oil-contaminated soils in Korea. Isolate Acinetobacter calcoaceticus SL1 showed biosurfactant- producing activity in oil-spreading test, and it exhibited a good emulsifying activity of 43.6 and 54.5% for diesel oil and n-hexane, respectively. It also has high cell surface hydrophobicity which can make it easily attaches to hydrocarbons and degrade them. It degraded 100% of 1,000 mg/L of n-octadecane and naphthalene, respectively in 3 days, 72.3% of 1,000 mg/L diesel oil in 7 days and 78.0% of 10,000 mg/L diesel oil in oil-contaminated soil during 28 days. Isolated strains Bacillus amyloliquefaciens S10 and B. subtilis GO9 can produce biosurfactant and formed 6.34 and 2.5 cm diameter of clear zones, respectively in oil-spreading test. Surface tension of their culture supernatant reduced from 74.6 to 34.4 and 33.3 mN/m, respectively during incubation, and critical micelle concentrations of culture supernatants were 2.0 and 5.9%, respectively. Consortium of A. calcoaceticus SL1 and B. amyloliquefaciens S10 degraded 77.8% of 10,000 mg/L diesel oil in 3 days, which indicated more efficient oil degradation than that by A. calcoaceticus SL1 alone. If these bacteria were applied together as a consortium to oil-contaminated sites, they may show a high removal rate of petroleum hydrocarbons.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.209-215
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• 2016

Chlorhexidine has long been used in mouth washes for the control of dental caries, gingivitis and dental plaque. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) is the lowest concentration of an antimicrobial substance to inhibit the growth of bacteria. Concentrations lower than the MIC are called sub minimal inhibitory concentrations (sub-MICs). Many studies have reported that sub-MICs of antimicrobial substances can affect the virulence of bacteria. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of sub-MIC chlorhexidine on biofilm formation and coaggregation of oral early colonizers, such as Streptococcus gordonii, Actinomyces naeslundii and Actinomyces odontolyticus. The biofilm formation of S. gordonii, A. naeslundii and A. odontolyticus was not affected by sub-MIC chlorhexidine. However, the biofilm formation of S. mutans increased after incubation with sub-MIC chlorhexidine. In addition, cell surface hydrophobicity of S. mutans treated with sub-MIC of chlorhexidine, decreased when compared with the group not treated with chlorhexidine. However, significant differences were seen with other bacteria. Coaggregation of A. naeslundii with A. odontolyticus reduced by sub-MIC chlorhexidine, whereas the coaggreagation of A. naeslundii with S. gordonii remained unaffected. These results indicate that sub-MIC chlorhexidine could influence the binding properties, such as biofilm formation, hydrophobicity and coaggregation, in early colonizing streptococci and actinomycetes.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1490-1499
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• 2016

In this study, 69 lactobacilli isolated from Tibetan Qula, a raw yak milk cheese, were screened for their potential use as probiotics. The isolates were tested in terms of: Their ability to survive at pH 2.0, pH 3.0, and in the presence of 0.3% bile salts; tolerance of simulated gastric and intestinal juices; antimicrobial activity; sensitivity against 11 specific antibiotics; and their cell surface hydrophobicity. The results show that out of the 69 strains, 29 strains (42%) had survival rates above 90% after 2 h of incubation at pH values of 2.0 or 3.0. Of these 29 strains, 21 strains showed a tolerance for 0.3% bile salt. Incubation of these 21 isolates in simulated gastrointestinal fluid for 3 h revealed survival rates above 90%; the survival rate for 20 of these isolates remained above 90% after 4 h of incubation in simulated intestinal fluid. The viable counts of bacteria after incubation in simulated gastric fluid for 3 h and simulated intestinal fluid for 4 h were both significantly different compared with the counts at 0 h (p<0.001). Further screening performed on the above 20 isolates indicated that all 20 lactobacilli strains exhibited inhibitory activity against Micrococcus luteus ATCC 4698, Bacillus subtilis ATCC 6633, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC 19115, and Salmonella enterica ATCC 43971. Moreover, all of the strains were resistant to vancomycin and streptomycin. Of the 20 strains, three were resistant to all 11 elected antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, tetracycline, penicillin G, ampicillin, streptomycin, polymyxin B, vancomycin, chloramphenicol, rifampicin, and gentamicin) in this study, and five were sensitive to more than half of the antibiotics. Additionally, the cell surface hydrophobicity of seven of the 20 lactobacilli strains was above 70%, including strains Lactobacillus casei 1,133 (92%), Lactobacillus plantarum 1086-1 (82%), Lactobacillus casei 1089 (81%), Lactobacillus casei 1138 (79%), Lactobacillus buchneri 1059 (78%), Lactobacillus plantarum 1141 (75%), and Lactobacillus plantarum 1197 (71%). Together, these results suggest that these seven strains are good probiotic candidates, and that tolerance against bile acid, simulated gastric and intestinal juices, antimicrobial activity, antibiotic resistance, and cell surface hydrophobicity could be adopted for preliminary screening of potentially probiotic lactobacilli.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.992-1000
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• 2005

Campylobacter is one of the emerging foodborne pathogens, and its worldwide incidence rate is extremely high. This study was undertaken to isolate and identify Campylobacter strains from chicken carcasses in the local markets, and analyze their characteristics regarding oxygen tolerance. They were isolated after aerobic enrichment and identified by biochemical, physiological, and morphological characteristics, PCR, and 16S rDNA sequencing. Their oxygen tolerances were analyzed in terms of the cell surface hydrophobicity, cell fatty acid composition, and oxidoreductase. Five strains of C. jejuni were isolated and identified from 61 isolates from 50 chickens. Among them, C. jejuni IC21 grew well in Brucella broth and commercial milk under aerobic condition. However, in the aerobic exposure, the cell surface hydrophobicity of C. jejuni IC21 was almost the same as the other isolates, even though its morphology changed from the spiral-bacilli form into the coccoid form. Fatty acid analyses showed that all Campylobacter strains had a high composition of $C_{19:1}$, cyclopropane fatty acid, and that the amount of the other fatty acids were very similar between them. Interestingly, however, only oxidoreductase activities of C. jejuni IC21 increased highly under aerobic exposure even though its activities were almost the same as the other C. jejuni strains just after microaerobic culture. It had 11.8 times higher catalase activity, 4.4 times higher for SOD, and 2.0 times higher for NADH oxidase activities. Therefore, in the case of the aero-adaptive C. jejuni IC21, expression of oxidoreductase significantly increased under oxidative stressed condition, which might allow it to survive for a longer time and grow on food under aerobic exposure. Such new strain might be one of the explanations for the increase of campylobacteriosis.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2002.04a
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• pp.319-322
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• 2002

The bacterial transport in soil media was studied. Nonionic surfactants, enhanced the bacterial transports in soil media. The transport rate in soil column was increased by increasing the number of ethylene oxide in polyoxyethylene oxide surfactants. Ionic strength of solution affected the microbial transport characteristics in soil. The hydrophobicity of cell surface was proved that one of important characteristics on the bacterial transport in soil media.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.618-624
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• 2002

Effect of the roasted barley tea in commercial markets on the adherence to the saliva-coated hydroxyapatite(HA) beads and the cell surface hydrophobicity of Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus as cariogenic microorganism was examined in vitro. Adherence activity and hydrophobicity in bacteria tested in all the barley tea samples decreased and the values were different according to the type of tea and the type of treatment. The inhibition of bacterial adsorption to HA beads suggest that barley tea active molecules as catechins and melanoidins may adsorb to a host surface, preventing the tooth receptor from interacting with any bacterial adhesions. The obtained results showed that the barley tea may inhibit bacterial adherence, the first step of the pathogenesis of dental caries in which these microorganism are involved.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1194-1200
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• 2012

Lactic acid bacteria are generally recognized as beneficial probiotic organisms. Recent studies revealed that the potential of probiotic strains was essentially dependent on the bacterial-binding and adhesion capabilities to gut epithelial cells and the hydrophobicity of the cell surface. In this study, we screened some indigenous lactic acid bacteria from Kimchi and selected one lactic acid bacterium as a potential probiotic based on its cell surface hydrophobicity. Analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences of probiotic isolates indicated that the selected isolate (BCNU 9070 strain) was a member of Pediococcus pentosaceus. P. pentosaceus BCNU 9070 showed resistance to bile acids and acidic pH. The P. pentosaceus BCNU 9070 strain also inhibited the cell growth of six food-borne pathogens including Listeria monocytogenes and Shigella sonnei. In addition, the P. pentosaceus BCNU 9070 strain expressed bile salt hydrolase activity and showed an ability to assimilate cholesterol in vitro. On the basis of these results, P. pentosaceus BCNU 9070 is considered to have probiotic potential for applications in functional foodstuffs.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 2009

The effect of physico-electrochemical properties of carbon bipolar plate(BPP) on hydrogen and formic acid fuel cell performance has been investigated. BPP made of conventional graphite and carbon fiber composite were compared with the factors of interfacial contact resistance (ICR), corrosion behaviours, and hydrophobicity. Among them, the ICR of carbon fiber composite BPP has 50% higher than conventional graphite and the surface of carbon fiber composite BPP became rougher due to weaker corrosion resistance. Fuel cell performance was strongly dependent of ICR value of carbon bipolar plate.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1495-1500
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• 2008

In an attempt to develop a probiotic formulation for poultry feed, a number of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were isolated from chicken intestinal specimens and a series of in vitro experiments were performed to evaluate their efficacy as a potential probiotic candidate. A total of 650 LAB strains were isolated and screened for their antagonistic potential against each other. Among all the isolates only three isolates (TMU121, 094 and 457) demonstrated a wide spectrum of inhibition and were thus selected for detailed investigations. All three selected isolates were able to inhibit the growth of E. coli and Salmonella species, although to variable extent. The nature of the inhibitory substance produced by the isolates TMU121 and 094 appeared to be associated with bacteriocin, as their activity was completely lost after treatment with proteolytic enzymes, while pH neutralization and catalase enzyme had no effect on the residual activity. In contrast, isolate TMU457 was able to resist the effect of proteolytic enzymes while pH neutralization completely destroyed its activity. Attempts were made to study the acid, bile tolerance and cell surface hydrophobicity of these isolates. TMU121 showed high bile salt tolerance (0.3%) and high cell surface hydrophobicity compared to the other two strains studied, while TMU094 appeared the most pH resistant strain. Based on these results, the three selected LAB isolates were considered as potential ingredients for a chicken probiotic feed formulation and were identified to species level based on their carbohydrate fermentation pattern by using API 50CH test kits. The three strains were identified as Lactobacillus fermentum TMU121, Lactobacillus rhamnosus TMU094, and Pediococcus pentosaceous TMU457.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.94-106
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• 1990

사람들이나 동물의 소화관의 상재균으로서 중요한 Lactobacillus acidophilus의 여러균주를 사용하여 세포표면의 성상을 조사하였다. 불리한 세포벽의 negative 염색한 표본을 전자현미경으로 검토한 결과 사용한 21주중 15주는 세포벽외층에 단백질로 구성딘 regular array를 생산하고 있음을 알았다. RA를 구성하는 단백질의 분자량은 41KDa-48KDa이었다 아미노사노성 및 Staphylococcus au-reus V8 protease로 한정분해 후 및 N-chlorosuccini-mide로 부분절단후의 peptide map에서 Johnson등의 분류의 subgroup A-1에 속하는 균주가 생산하는 RA단백질은 불균질하였으나 그외 균주의 RA단백질은 같은 subgroup에 속하고 있어도 불균질하였음을 알았다 따라서 RA단백질은 불균질하였으나 그외 균주의 RA단백질은 같은 subgroup에 속하고 있어도 불균질하였음을 알았다 따라서 RA생산의 유무 및 RA단백질의 분자량측정과 peptide mapping을 행하면 지금까지 행해온 DNA-hybridization과 같은 복잡한 절차를 사용하지 않아도 subgroup A-1의 L. acidophilus가 동정 가능함을 알았다 L acidophilus의 세포표면소수성은 일반적으로 RA를 생산하지 않는 균주보다는 RA를 생사하는 균주에 높은 것이많았다 RA생산균주에 있어서는 RA단백질은 세포표면소수성과 직접관계하고 있는 것은 적었다.