• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1510-1518
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• 2015

In this work, we wanted to develop a probiotic from famous longevity villages in Korea. We visited eight longevity villages in Korea to collect fecal samples from healthy adults who were aged above 80 years and had regular bowel movements, and isolated lactic-acid-producing bacteria from the samples. Isolated colonies that appeared on MRS agar containing bromophenol blue were identified by means of 16S rRNA sequencing, and 102 of the isolates were identified as lactic-acid-producing bacteria (18 species). Lactobacillus fermentum was the most frequently found species. Eight isolates were selected on the basis of their ability to inhibit the growth of six intestinal pathogens (Escherichia coli O157:H7, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Typhimurium, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Enteritidis, Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Listeria monocytogenes) and their susceptibility to 15 antimicrobial agents. Among these eight isolates, four Lactobacillus fermentum isolates were found not to produce any harmful enzymes or metabolites. Among them, Lactobacillus fermentum isolate no. 24 showed the strongest binding to intestinal epithelial cells, the highest immune-enhancing activity, anti-inflammation activity, and anti-oxidation activity as well as the highest survival rates in the presence of artificial gastric juice and bile solution. This isolate, designated Lactobacillus fermentum PL9988, has all the characteristics for a good probiotic.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1568-1577
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate lactic acid bacteria with antioxidative and probiotic activities isolated from Korean healthy infant feces and kimchi. Isolates A1, A2, S1, S2, and S3 were assigned to Lactobacillus sp. and isolates A3, A4, E1, E2, E3, and E4 were assigned to Leuconostoc sp. on the basis of their physiological properties and 16S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis. Most strains were confirmed as safe bioresources through nonhemolytic activities and non-production of harmful enzymes such as β-glucosidase, β-glucuronidase and tryptophanase. The 11 isolates showed different resistance to acid and bile acids. In addition, they exhibited antibacterial activity against foodborne bacteria, especially Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli. Furthermore, all strains showed significantly high levels of hydrophobicity. The antioxidant effects of culture filtrates of the 11 strains included 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity, 2.2'-azino-bis (2-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical cation scavenging activity, and superoxide dismutase activity. The results revealed that most of the culture filtrates have effective scavenging activity for DPPH and ABTS radicals. All strains appeared to have effective superoxide dismutase activity. In conclusion, the isolated strains A1, A3, S1, and S3 have significant probiotic activities applicable to the development of functional foods and health-related products. These strains might also contribute to preventing and controlling several diseases associated with oxidative stress, when used as probiotics.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.451-458
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• 2011

The medicinal mushroom Inonotus obliquus is a traditional and widely used multi-functional fungus. In this study, we have investigated whether Inonotus obliquus (Chaga mushroom) extracts exerts anti-oxidant effects on cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in auditory cell line, HEI-OC1 cells. First of all, Chaga extracts has no harmful effects on viability of HEI-OC1 cells in the dose range of $65{\sim}125{\mu}g/m{\ell}$. Moreover, it shows cyto-protective effects on the cells treated with cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity in HEI-OC1 cells and the damage of hair cells arrays of the rat primary organ of Corti explants in the presence of cisplatin. Pretreatment with Chaga extracts inhibited the cell death, reactive oxygen species generation (ROS), lipid peroxidation induced by cisplatin. These effects were associated with the induction of antioxidant enzyme by Chaga extracts. We further investigated the effects of Chaga extracts on expression of antioxidant enzymes such as Cu, Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD 1) and Mn SOD (SOD 2) by RT-PCR. In addition, Chaga extracts shows SOD activity and SOD protein expression in cisplatin treated group induced similar to control group. Taken together, these results indicate that Chaga extracts can prevent cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity by radical-scavenging activity (SOD activity) in HEI-OC1 cells. It might be an effective as antioxidant and further studies on the chemo-preventive mechanisms of Inonotus obliquus are needed.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.442-451
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• 2019

Objectives: The aim of this study was to review the reduction methods for ammonia (NH₃) and hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) exposure in livestock. Methods: By reviewing domestic and international research reports from Korea and China, reducing ammonia and hydrogen sulfide in livestock pens was analyzed in terms of ventilation, deodorant, and feed additives. In addition, exposure limits in Korea and China were examined through a comparison between 'TLV-TWA and STEL under the Industrial Safety and Health Act in Korea' and 'Management Standards for Air of Livestock Pens in China'. Results and Discussion: In order to effectively control hazardous gases and odors in livestock pens, the enhancement of natural ventilation or the addition of ventilation fans at the pollution source are being examined. Deodorants are used as adsorbents or masking deodorants. Additives to feed were zeolite powder, FeSO₄·7H₂O, enzymes, and microbial preparations. Use of feed additives was low-cost and had significant effects compared to other methods. Zeolite was the most commonly used in feed additive in Chinese cases and proved to be low-cost and effective for reducing harmful gases. Enzyme preparations were shown to stimulate the growth of livestock, but were expensive. Conclusions: This study reviewed and examined domestic and international research papers in Korea and China for reducing ammonia and hydrogen sulfide concentrations in livestock pens. More diverse research and the development of feed additives are needed.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.967-974
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• 2007

The present work is aimed to evaluate the protective effect of glutathione-enriched Saccharomyces cerevisiae FF-8 strain on carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$)-induced hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in rats. The activities of liver markers (alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase), lipid peroxidative index (thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances), and the antioxidant status (reduced glutathione) were used to monitor those protective roles of FF-8 strain. The liver marker enzymes in plasma and the lipid peroxidation in the liver were increased when $CCl_4$ was treated but these were significantly decreased by FF-8 strain treatment. The hepatic concentration of glutathione in the current glutathione-enriched FF-8 strain fed animal was approximately twice as high as the normal, but this was slightly increased in response to $CCl_4$ plus glutathione-enriched FF-8 strain. The increased liver triglyceride concentration due to the $CCl_4$ treatment was significantly decreased by FF-8 strain and the reduced level reached to that of normal group. Administration of FF-8 strain in normal rat did not show any signs of harmful effects. Therefore, the current findings suggest that FF-8 strain could be an effective antioxidant with no or negligible side-effects and it might be useful for the purpose of protection treatment of hepatotoxicity and oxidative stress in $CCl_4$-treatment in rat.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.547-552
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• 1999

Antidiarrheal, anticostive and antimutagenic effects of Bifidobacterium breve K-110, K-111 and B. infantis K-525 isolated from Korean were investigated in experimental animals. These Bifidobacteria were not significantly affected on the transport of barium sulfate in the small intestine. However, these Bifidobacteria significantly stimulated the transport of barium sulfate in the large intestine. Particularly, when Bifidobacterium breve K-110 (500 mg/kg) was orally administered, the transport of barium sulfate in the large intestine was increased 45%, compared to the control group. On the castor oil-induced diarrheal mice, Bifidobacterium breve K-111 had the antidiarrheal activity but the other Bifidobacteria did not had it. When the antimutagenicity of these Bifidobacteria and their peptidoglycans were examined using Salmonella typhimurium TA98/TA100 in an in vitro assay system, these Bifidobacteria and peptidoglycans showed inhibitory effect of $20{\sim}80%$. These results indicate that Bifidobacterium spp. had antidiarrheal, anticostive and antimutagenic activities as well as the inhibitory activity of harmful enzymes of intestinal bacteria in the intestine.

• Journal of Aquaculture
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 1999

Protoplasts were isolated from the vegetative thalli of Meristotheca papulosa using several commercial and crude enzymes. The suitable enzyme combination for the protoplast isolation was 4% abalone acetone powder, 4% Macerozyme R-10 and 4% Hemicellulase in the filtered seawater buffered with 50mM MES (pH 6.0) containing 0.6M mannitol and 0.5% potassium dextran sulfate. Yield of protoplast was $107.6{\times}10^4$ cells per gram of fresh thallus. Protoplasts were whitish ovoid in shape and ranged between $7{\mu} m$~ $24{\mu} m$ in diameter. Division of protoplasts was first observed 9 days after culture in $ASP_{12}$ medium, and the germination occurred within 25 days. The addition of Guillard's antibiotics in culture media was harmful to the regeneration of protoplasts.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.362-369
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• 2017

White root rot disease, caused by the pathogen Rosellinia necatrix, is one of the world's most devastating plant fungal diseases and affects several commercially important species of fruit trees and crops. Recent global outbreaks of R. necatrix and advances in molecular techniques have both increased interest in this pathogen. However, the lack of information regarding the genomic structure and transcriptome of R. necatrix has been a barrier to the progress of functional genomic research and the control of this harmful pathogen. Here, we identified 10,616 novel full-length transcripts from the filamentous hyphal tissue of R. necatrix (KACC 40445 strain) using PacBio single-molecule sequencing technology. After annotation of the unigene sets, we selected 14 cell cycle-related genes, which are likely either positively or negatively involved in hyphal growth by cell cycle control. The expression of the selected genes was further compared between two strains that displayed different growth rates on nutritional media. Furthermore, we predicted pathogen-related effector genes and cell wall-degrading enzymes from the annotated gene sets. These results provide the most comprehensive transcriptomal resources for R. necatrix, and could facilitate functional genomics and further analyses of this important phytopathogen.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.47-60
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• 2002

'Probiotics' as a live microbial feed supplementation which beneficially affects the host animal by improving its microbial balance and it is known to as a substitue for antibiotics in livestock feed industry. Lactic acid bacteria as a Lactobacillus sp. is formed acid and decrease pH in gastro-intestine that is result in suppress harmful microorganism. Lactobacillus sp. also produces vitamin and a variety amino acids. Yeast as a saccharomyces sp. secretes digestive enzymes, decreases ammonia emission and increases feed palatability by alcohol and glutamic acid. The effects of dietary probiotics in monogastric animals that improve weight gain and feed efficiency ratio and decrease diarrhea accurence frequency in pigs. Also, probiotics increase egg production ratio and beneficial microorganisms in laying hens. In broiler, they have more gain weight and lower blood cholesterol concentrations by probiotics. However, the other study reported probiotics supplementation in animal diets has no effect on ADG, G/F or performance. Thus, future study in these area will allow for more efficient use of the probiotics, selection of more superior microorganism and development of more efficient environment-friendly probiotics like a photosynthetic bacteria.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.949-955
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• 2021

Previously, our research group isolated Bifidobacterium breve IDCC4401 from infant feces as a potential probiotic. For this study, we evaluated the safety of B. breve IDCC4401 using genomic and phenotypic analyses. Whole genome sequencing was performed to identify genomic characteristics and investigate the potential presence of genes encoding virulence, antibiotic resistance, and mobile genetic elements. Phenotypic analyses including antibiotic susceptibility, enzyme activity, production of biogenic amines (BAs), and proportion of D-/L-lactate were evaluated using E-test, API ZYM test, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and D-/L-lactic acid assay respectively. The genome of B. breve IDCC4401 consists of 2,426,499 bp with a GC content of 58.70% and 2,016 coding regions. Confirmation of the genome as B. breve was provided by its 98.93% similarity with B. breve DSM20213. Furthermore, B. breve IDCC4401 genes encoding virulence and antibiotic resistance were not identified. Although B. breve IDCC4401 showed antibiotic resistance against vancomycin, we confirmed that this was an intrinsic feature since the antibiotic resistance gene was not present. B. breve IDCC4401 showed leucine arylamidase, cystine arylamidase, α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase, and α-glucosidase activities, whereas it did not show production of harmful enzymes such as β-glucosidase and β-glucuronidase. In addition, B. breve IDCC4401 did not produce any tyramine, histamine, putrescine, cadaverine, or 2-phenethylamine, which are frequently detected BAs during fermentation. B. breve IDCC4401 produced 95.08% of L-lactate and 4.92% of D-lactate. Therefore, our findings demonstrate the safety of B. breve IDCC 4401 as a potential probiotic for use in the food industry.