• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.201-207
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to investigate the potential of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains as probiotics. Two strains were isolated from healthy chicken cecum and their acid and bile tolerance, residual organic acids, antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria, and immunomodulation activity were measured. Identification of the isolated strains was performed using the API 50CHL system and phylogenetic analysis using 16S rDNA sequencing. The isolates were determined to be Lactobacillus sakei strains. The acid tolerance of strains L2 and L8 was high enough that 75% of the inoculum survived in pH 2 for 2 h. The bile tolerance of both strains was observed at a 1% Oxgall concentration in MRS broth. The production of organic acids (lactic acid and acetic acid) and pH changes during growth were monitored and the maximum concentrations were obtained after 48 h of incubation. Culture supernatants of the two LAB strains showed strong antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria. The heat-killed LAB cells also induced high levels of immune cell proliferation compared with the control, and stimulated IL-6 and TNF-α production in mouse macrophages. Therefore, L. sakei strains L2 and L8 can be considered suitable probiotic bacteria.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2012

To understand growth characteristics of eight dominant red tide species ($Prorocentrum$ $minimum$, $Heterocapsa$ $triquetra$, $Scrippsiella$ $trochoidea$, $Akashiwo$ $sanguinea$, $Chattonella$ $marina$, $Heterosigma$ $akashiwo$, $Amphidinium$ $carterae$ and $Rhodomonas$ $salina$) in the Korean coastal water, the growth rates were examined in relation with the impacts of water temperature and bio-volume. Of these, $P.$ $minimum$, $C.$ $marina$, $H.$ $akashiwo$, $A.$ $carterae$ and $R.$ $salina$ were eurythermal species with relatively high growth rates in a borad ranges (15 to $25^{\circ}C$) of water temperature. On the other hand, the growth rate of $H.$ $triquetra$, $S.$ $trochoidea$ and $A.$ $sanguinea$ were high in relatively mid temperature (optimum: $25^{\circ}C$) condition. In particular, $H.$ $triquetra$ was well adapted in low temperature of 5 to $15^{\circ}C$, implying that the species can survive and grows even at very low temperature. Based on results of our experiment, the growth characterestics of five eurythermal species and three mid temperature species may have dominated in Korean coastal water during summer season and fall season, respectively. Contrastively, the growth characteristics of $H.$ $triquetra$ make a consistently dominant during the cold winter season. In addition, the growth rates of large bio-volume species were lower than those of small bio-volume species, indicates that growth of single cells of several flagellates might be depended on the cells sizes.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.117-123
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• 2006

The water quality before and after a typhoon was investigated as a part of a study on the increase of organic matter and on the fundamental measures to counter chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the eutrophic Soho coastal seawaters of Gamak Bay. The dissolved oxygen (DO) saturations were <54% when water column was stratified. The DO saturation was similar at surface and in the bottom layer after a typhoon $(78\sim88%)$, and a very high DO saturation (234%) was observed in the surface water after mass phytoplankton growth. The highest values of $NH_4-N,\;NO_3-N,\;PO_4-P$, and $SiO_2-Si$ were 18.22, 38.90, 1.58, and $52.10{\mu}M$, respectively, when freshwater entered after heavy rainfall events. In addition, high concentrations of $NH_4-N,\;PO_4-P$, and $SiO_2-Si$ were detected with low DO saturations in bottom water (>5m). A maximum chlorophyll (Chl.) concentration of $311.0{\mu}gl^{-1}$ was observed after typhoon, when a high-density Scrippsiella trochoidea red tide occurred with cell density of 42,000 cells $ml^{-1}$. The algal growth potential (AGP) was high after the typhoon. Nitrogen was always a limiting nutrient for phytoplankton growth. The highest COD level was $10.55mgl^{-1}$, and the main reason of the variation in COD was likely to be phytoplankton growth $(r^2=0.612,\;p=0.000)$. Organic matter, which entered the water column when the typhoon stirred the sediments, seems to have little effects on COD increase.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.112-123
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• 2022

To assess the influence of environmental factors on the phytoplankton community structure and total phytoplankton biomass during four seasons in 2014, we investigated the abiotic and biotic factors at 25 stations in the Busan coastal region. The phytoplankton community and total phytoplankton biomass were strongly dependent on the discharge from the Nakdong River, and the high density of phytoplankton was related with the introduction of the Tsushima Warm Current (TWC), particularly in the thermohaline fronts of the fall season. The relationship between the salinity and nutrient (Dissolved inorganic nitrogen=DIN: R²=0.72, p<0.001 and Dissolved inorganic silicon=DSi: R²=0.78, p<0.001) highly correlated with the river discharge, implying that those nutrients have played a crucial role in the growth of diatom and cryptophyta. The total phytoplankton biomass was highest in the summer followed by autumn, spring, and winter. Diatom and cryptophyta species were dominant species during the four seasons. Additionally, there were strong positive correlations between Chlorophyll a and total phytoplankton biomass (R²=0.84, p<0.001), cryptophyta (R²=0.76, p<0.001) and diatom (R²=0.50, p<0.001), respectively. In particular, we found that there were significant differences in the nutrients, phytoplankton community compositions, and total phytoplankton biomass between the inner and the outer coastal region of Busan, depending on the amount of river discharge from the Nakdong River, particularly during rainy seasons. Therefore, the seasonal change of TWC and river discharge from the Nakdong River serve an important role in determining phytoplankton population dynamics in the Busan coastal region.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.674-684
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to construct ecological pond using LID technique in order to create naturally comfortable community space in urban idle space. The specification of the ecological pond is $110m^2$ of surface area, $0.45{\pm}0.02m$ of average depth, and bed material is composed of gravel (diameter ${\leq}60mm$), sand (diameter ${\leq}2mm$) and bentonite. Rainfall and water depth monitoring were conducted to determine the annual characteristics of inflow of the water for the ecological pond, result of total rainfall was 1,287 mm and showed a seasonal imbalance that accounted for 71.3% (918 mm) during July to August, but the annual mean water depth was kept constant at $0.45{\pm}0.02m$ due to the secondary water source. Annual trends of basic water quality showed a significant changes according to the season, such as water temperature ($5.2{\sim}28.8^{\circ}C$), DO (5.0 ~ 13.8 mg/L), EC ($113{\sim}265{\mu}S/cm$). BOD, COD, TN, and TP in physicochemical water quality tended to increase after October, but the ion parameters such as $NH_3$ and $PO_4{^{3-}}$ were generally low. Phytoplankton indicators Chl-a and BGA (blue green algae) showed a sharp increase from July to August, and green algae (Selenastrum bibraianum, Pediastrum boryanum etc.) and filamentous blue green algae (Phormidium sp.) emerged as a dominant species. The ion parameters ($F^-$, $Na^+$, $K^+$, $Mg^{2+}$, $Ca^{2+}$) were strongly correlated with the $Cl^-$ as a conservative substance (R=0.70~0.97, p<0.05). Water quality was influenced by the ambient environment such as seasonal changes or rainfall, and it was closely related to fluctuation of the inflow of the water. In the future, it is necessary to consider ecological connections by referring to the characteristics surveyed in this study in order to effectively manage the water quality and biodiversity of the ecological pond in idle space.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.40-49
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• 2019

Seasonal succession of zooplankton community and species composition was studied from 2003 to 2014 in a deep reservoir, Lake Soyang, in monsoon climate region, Korea. Annual precipitation was concentrated more than 70% between June and September and it showed remarkably that seasonal variation in water quality. Seasonal variation of water quality in Lake Soyang appeared to be more significant than annual variations, and the inflow of turbid water during the summer rainfall was the most important environmental factor. Zooplankton sepecies composition in Lake Soyang showed obvious tendency through two periods (May to June and August to October) every year. Small zooplankton (rotifer; Keratella cochlearis, Polyarthra vulgaris) dominated in spring and mesozooplankton such as copepods and crustaceans were dominant in summer and fall. Zooplankton biomass showed the maximum in September after monsoon rainfall, and chlorophyll showed a similar seasonal variation and it showed a high correlation (r=0.45). The increase of zooplankton biomass is considered to be a bottom-up effect due to the increase of primary producers and inflow of nutrients and organic matter from rainfall. In this study, we found that the variation of zooplankton community was affected by rainfall in monsoon climate region and inflow of turbid water was an important environmental factor, which influenced the water quality, zooplankton seasonal succession in Lake Soyang. It was also considered to be influenced by hydrological characteristics of lake and environment of watershed. In conclusion, seasonal succession of zooplankton species composition was the same as the PEG model. But seasonal succession of zooplankton biomass differed not only in the temperate lake but also in the monsoon region.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2006

Previous studies on zooplankton in Asan Bay were mostly based on samples collected seasonally with three months intervals. Present study was aimed to know the temporal variation of meso-zooplankton distribution using the data collected monthly. Relationships between zooplankton abundances and environmental factors such as seawater temperatures, salinities and chlorophyll-a contents were also studied. Seawater temperature showed typical pattern of seasonal variation found in temperate waters. The fluctuations of environmental factors ranged relatively wider In the inner part of the bay than those in outer part of the bay. Salinity was very low right after the summer rainy period due to the sporadic outflow of freshwater from the adjacent artificial lakes. Sudden changes in salinity seemed to have significant impact on zooplankton assemblages. Chlorophyll-a contents were increased in general when compared with previous reports probably due to the recent human exploitations in the coastal zone, which might enhance the nutrients level . The timing and duration of spring bloom showed geographical differences. In the inner part of the bay it began earlier (February) and last longer (three months) while in the outer part of the bay it began late (April) and last just one month. Zooplankton abundance, especially most abundant taxon Acartia hongi, showed weak but significant positive correlation with chlorophyll-a contents. The difference in temporal variation found with two different sampling intervals indicated the necessity of shorter time interval samplings.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.843-847
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• 2007

Strain NK34 was characterized for probiotic use. Strain NK34 was named Lactococcus lactis NK34 based on API 50 CHL kit results and 16S rDNA sequencing. L. lactis NK34 was highly resistant to artificial gastric juice (pH 2.5) and artificial bile acid. Based on results from the API ZYM kit, 4 enzymes were produced. L. lactis NK34 was resistant to all antibiotics tested except for $10\;{\mu}g/mL$ roxithromycin and $10\;{\mu}g/mL$ erythromycin. The cholesterol-lowering effect of L. lactis NK34 was about 46.9%. Concentrations of interleukin $(IL)-1{\alpha}$ in the $20{\times}$ concentrated supernatant of L. lactis NK34 was about 361 pg/mL. L. lactis NK34 was also found to inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells due to MNNG-induced DNA damage. These results demonstrate the potential of L. lactis NK34 as a health-promoting probiotic.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.516-525
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• 2012

LAB were isolated from makgeolli locally produced around Jinju, Gyeongnam, S. Korea during spring of 2011. Randomly selected 11 isolates from MRS agar plates were identified first by API CHL 50 kits and then 16S rRNA gene sequencing. All 11 isolates were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum. Among them, ST4 grew in MRS broth with ethanol up to 10%, showing the highest alcohol resistance. L. plantarum ST4 was moderately resistant against acid and bile salts. When cellular proteins of L. plantarum ST4 under ethanol stress were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE), the intensities of 6 spots increased, whereas 22 spots decreased at least 2-fold. Those 28 spots were identified by peptide mass fingerprinting (PMF). FusA2 (elongation factor G) increased 18.8-fold (6% ethanol) compared with control. Other proteins were AtpD (ATP synthase subunit beta), DnaK, GroEL, Tuf (elongation factor Tu), and Npr2 (NADH peroxidase), respectively. Among the 22 proteins decreased in intensities, lactate dehydrogenases (LdhD and LdhL1) were included.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1100-1108
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• 2009

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from various fruits and vegetables were screened in order to determine appropriate fermentation starters for manufacturing functional fermented onion juice. From the initial screening test comprising more than 700 isolated LAB, 16 isolates were selected based on their acid production rate. Among the selected isolates, the fermentation broth of KC-007 exhibited the highest electron donating and nitrite scavenging activities, with values at pH 1.2 of 95.6 and 68.7%, respectively. From the overall results obtained in this study, we finally selected the bacterium KC-007 as a fermentation starter. This bacterium was identified and named as Pediococcus pentosaceus based on its morphological and physiological characteristics, carbon-utilization pattern (as assessed using an API 50CHL kit), and molecular genetic characteristics (as assessed using the nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA gene). The optimal temperature, pH, and starter inoculation concentration (v/v) required for growth of the isolated strain were $40^{\circ}C$, pH 4.0-6.0, and 2%(v/v), respectively.