• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.167-176
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• 2012

Three protease-producing halophilic bacteria were isolated from fermenting anchovy. Isolated FAM 10, FAM 114, and FAM 115 were found to grow optimally at salt concentrations of 2-4%, 10%, and 6%, respectively, and could grow in salinity of up to 18-22%. The salinity conditions for optimum protease production were 6% in FAM 10 and 10% in FAM 114 and FAM 115. The protease activity of FAM 10 was gradually inhibited by the addition of NaCl up to 10%, and was not evident at 14%, whereas FAM 114 and FAM 115 displayed protease activity at 14% NaCl and could not be measured at 18%. These results demonstrated that the three isolated strains belong to protease-producing, moderately halophilic bacteria. Strain FAM 10, FAM 114, and FAM 115 were identified as Salinivibrio sp., Halobacillus sp., and Halobacillus sp. respectively, based on comparative analyses of the 16S rRNA gene and the 16S-23S intergenic space sequence (IGS), biochemical testing, and Gram staining. Salinivibrio sp. FAM 10 had two 16S rDNAs containing different sequences at position 191 and four IGSs that harbored no tRNA gene and tRNA genes for isoleucine, alanine, glutamate, lysine, and/or valine. Halobacillus sp. FAM 114 and FAM 115 had completely identical 16S rRNA gene sequences and showed 99% identity to the sequences of various Halobacillus strains. The three IGSs found in the genome of both strains displayed 99% sequence identity with Halobacillus aidingensis and Halobacillus sp. JM-Hb, and had $IGS^0$ with no tRNA gene and $IGS^{IA}$ with tRNA genes for isoleucine and alanine.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.12
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• pp.1862-1867
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• 2006

A moderately halophilic, Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium was isolated from the roots of Blutaparon portulacoides, a plant found in sandy soil parallel to the beach line in Restinga de Jurubatiba, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The strain, designated $M9^T$, was motile and strictly aerobic with rod-shaped cells. It grew in the absence of NaCl and up to 20% NaCl, and was able to hydrolyze casein and starch. Strain $M9^T$ had a cell-wall peptidoglycan based on L-Orn-D-Asp, the predominant menaquinone present was menaquinone-7 (MK-7), diaminopimelic acid was not found, and anteiso-$C_{15:0}$ and iso-$C_{15:0}$ were the major fatty acids. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain $M9^T$ belonged to the genus Halobacillus and exhibited 16S rRNA gene similarity levels of 97.8-99.4% with the type strains of the other nine Halobacillus species. The DNA-DNA relatedness of strain $M9^T$ with H. trueperi, the closest relative as regards 16S rRNA gene similarity, and H. locisalis was 21% and 18%, respectively. Therefore, on the basis of phenotypic, genotypic, and phylogenetic data, strain $M9^T$ (=ATCC BAA-$1217^T$, =CIP $108771^T$, =KCTC $3980^T$) should be placed in the genus Halobacillus as a member of a novel species, for which the name Halobacillus blutaparonensis sp. nov. is proposed.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.369-374
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• 2006

To investigate the mechanism of salt tolerance of gram-positive moderately halophilic bacteria, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) was employed to achieve high resolution maps of proteins of Halobacillus dabanensis $D-8^T$. Approximately 700 spots of proteins were identified from these 2-D PAGE maps. The majority of these proteins had molecular weights between 17.5 and 66 kDa, and most of them were distributed between the isoelectric points (pI) 4.0 and 5.9. Some protein spots were distributed in the more acidic region of the 2-D gel (pI <4.0). This pattern indicated that a number of proteins in the strain $D-8^T$ are acidic. To understand the adaptation mechanisms of moderately halophilic bacteria in response to sudden environmental changes, differential protein profiles of this strain were investigated by 2-D PAGE and $Imagemaster^{TM}$ 2D Platinum software after the cells were subjected to salt shock of 1 to 25% salinity for 5 and 50 min. Analysis showed 59 proteins with an altered level of expression as the result of the exposure to salt shock. Eighteen proteins had increased expression, S proteins were induced, and the expression of 33 proteins was down-regulated. Eight of the up-regulated proteins were identified using MALDI-TOF/MS and MASCOT, and were similar to proteins involved in signal transduction, proteins participating in energy metabolism pathways and proteins involved in stress.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.133-139
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• 2011

In this study, we determined the changes in microbial numbers in solar salts according to the manufacturing process and storage duration. The salt samples were harvested from salt farms in Shinan (area 2) and Yeonggwang (area 1). They were serially diluted ten-fold and then placed on 4 kinds of cultivable media (mannitol salt agar, eosin methylene blue, plate count agar, and trypticase soy agar). After incubation, we obtained 62 halophilic isolates from the salt samples. Coliform and general bacteria were not detected in all salt samples. By 16S rRNA sequencing analysis, we found 12 kinds of halophilic bacteria belonging to the genera Halobacillus, Halomonas, Bacillus, Idiomarina, Marinobacter, Pseudoalteromonas, Vibrio, Salinivibrio, Virgibacillus, Alteromonas, Staphylococcus and some un-known stains. In our study, we discovered two novel species that have a 16S rDNA sequence similarity below 97%.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.294-300
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• 2011

Proteolytic bacteria were isolated from Myeolchi-jeotgal and Saeu-jeotgal using high-salt-content media and their growths in the media containing 25% NaCl were monitored to draw the role of bacteria in the ripening of jeotgal. The most populous genus in Myeolchi-jeotgal detected on agar media with 15% NaCl was Bacillus and its relatives, while the most populous in Saeu-jeotgal was Staphylococcus. Among the isolates, Virgibacillus halodenitrificans from Myeolchi-jeotgal and Halobacillus trueperi from Saeu-jeotgal showed proteinase activities. The species from Myeolchi-jeotgal showed proteinase activity on the agar media with 8% NaCl were similar to those isolated from the media with 15% NaCl. The dominant of Myeolchi-jeotgal isolated at the 15% NaCl concentration may be involved in the proteolysis. The proteolytic species from Saeu-jeotgal on the agar media with 8% NaCl were the genera Bacillus, Salinicoccus, and Salimicrobium those were not the dominants at 15% NaCl condition. The dominant isolates from Saeu-jeotgal on agar media with 15% NaCl may not be involved in the proteolysis of Saeu-jeotgal. Vb. halodenitrificans and Staphylococcus equorum, the dominant species from Myeolchi-jeotgal and Saeu-jeotgal, showed growths at the nutrient broth containing 25% NaCl. They may play a significant role in the ripening of jeotgal and have a high possibility to be used as the starter.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.302-306
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• 2004

A total of forty strains of pigment-producing halophilic bacteria were isolated from the solar saltern and coastal seawater in Korea. The diversity of those bacteria were determined on the basis of PCR-RFLP and 16S rDNA sequences. The isolated strains were clssified into nine genera: Pseudoalteromonas, Photobacterium, Vibrio, Halobacillus, Bacillus, Paracoccus, Salinicoccus, Tenacilbaculum, and Flavobacterium. While more than $80\%$ of the pigment-producing halophilic bacteria isolated from the coastal seawater were classified as gram-negative Pseudolateromonas, most of the strains isolated from the solar saltern were classified into gram-positive Halo­bacillus. The other strain was KK7, which may be identified as novel species belonging to the genus, Salini­coccus.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2005

We isolated and cultured bacteria inhabiting solar saltern ponds in Taean-Gun, Chungnam Province, Korea. All of the isolated 64 strains were found to be moderately halophilic bacteria, growing in a salt range of 2-20 %, with an optimal concentration of 5% salt. Bacterial diversity among the isolated halophiles was evaluated via RFLP analyses of PCR-amplified 16S rDNAs, followed by phylogenetic analysis of the partial 16S rDNA sequences. The combination of restriction enzyme digestions with HaeIII, CfoI, MspI and RsaI generated 54 distinct patterns. A neighbor-joining tree of the partial 16S rDNA sequences resulted in the division of the 64 strains into 2 major groups, 45 strains of ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ (70.3%) and 19 strains of Firmicutes (29.7%). The ${\alpha}-Proteobacteria$ and Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacterioides groups, which were repeatedly found to exist in thalassohaline environments, were not represented in our isolates. The ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ group consisted of several subgroups of the Vibrionaceae (37.5%), Pseudoalteromonadaceae (10.9%), Halomonadaceae (7.8%), Alteromonadaceae (7.8%), and Idiomarinaceae (6.3%). Members of Salinivibrio costicola (29.7%) were the most predominant species among all of the isolates, followed by Halobacillus treperi (12.5%). Additionally, three new species candidates were found, based on similarities of the 16S rDNA sequences to those of previously published species.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2015

As an outcome of the study on the bacterial species diversity in Korea, we report 24 unrecorded bacterial species of Korea belonging to the phylum Firmicutes. The unrecorded species excavated through this study were assigned to 12 different genera of 7 families, namely Bacillus, Halobacillus, Lysinibacillus and Thalassobacillus of Bacillaceae, Brevibacillus and Paenibacillus of Paenibacillaceae, Viridibacillus of Planococcaceae, Salinicoccus and Staphylococcus of Staphylococcaceae, Enterococcus of Enterococcaceae, Lactobacillus of Lactobacillaceae, and Lactococcus of Streptococcaceae, respectively. The bacterial isolates were obtained from various ecosystems in Korea. The isolates were identified based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, and those exhibiting at least 99% sequence similarity with known bacterial species but never reported in Korea were selected as unrecorded species. The selected isolates were subjected to further taxonomic characterization including the analysis of cell shape and fine structure using electron microscope, colony color and shapes, enzyme activities and carbon source utilization. The descriptive information on the 24 unrecorded species are provided.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.193-199
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• 2006

Halotolerant spore-forming Gram-positive bacteria were isolated from the root, rhizosphere, and non-rhizosphere soil of Blutaparon portulacoides. The different isolates were characterized genetically using an amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), and phenotypically based on their colonial morphology, physiology, and nutritional requirements. Three different 16S rRNA gene-based genotypes were observed at a 100% similarity using the enzymes HinfI, MspI, and RsaI, and the phenotypic results also followed the ARDRA groupings. Selected strains, representing the different ARDRA groups, were analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing, and members of the genera Halobaeillus, Virgibacillus, and Oceanobacillus were found. Two isolates showed low 16S rDNA sequence similarities with the closest related species of Halobacillus, indicating the presence of new species among the isolates. The majority of the strains isolated in this study seemed to belong to the species O. iheyensis and were compared using an AP-PCR to determine whether they had a clonal origin or not. Different patterns allowed the grouping of the strains according to Pearson's coefficient, and the resulting dendrogram revealed the formation of two main clusters, denoted as A and B. All the strains isolated from the soil were grouped into cluster A, whereas cluster B was exclusively composed of the strains associated with the B. portulacoides roots. This is the first report on the isolation and characterization of halotolerant spore-forming Gram-positive bacteria that coexist with B. portulacoides. As such, these new strains may be a potential source for the discovery of bioactive compounds with industrial value.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.176-190
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• 2019

A total of 38 bacterial strains within the classes Bacilli and Deinococci were isolated from various sources in Korea. Samples were collected from animal intestine, urine, soil, tidal flat mud, and kimchi. In the sequence comparison and phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA sequences, the 38 isolates were assigned to the classes Bacilli and Deinococci with sequence similarities more than 98.7%. Twenty-four strains and 13 strains were classified the order Bacillales and Lactobacillales in the class Bacilli, respectively. In the order Bacillales, there were nine species in the genus Bacillus, seven species in the genus Paenibacillus, and the remaining eight species in the genera Domibacillus, Halobacillus, Virgibacillus, Lysinibacillus, Paenisporosarcina, Planococcus, Savagea, and Staphylococcus. In the order Lactobacillales, there were four species in the genus Lactobacillus, three species in the genus Leuconostoc, three species in the genus Lactococcus, and the remaining three species in the genera Aerococcus, Enterococcus, and Streptococcus. One species was related to the genus Deinococcus of the order Deinococcales. Most of the isolated strains were Gram-stain-positive, but some were Gram-stain-variable or Gram-stain-negative. Cells were rod or cocci-shaped. Based on the results of 16S rRNA analysis, we report 38 strains as previously unrecorded species to Korea, and the basic characteristics of strains are described herein.