• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.439-447
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• 2018

The aromatic compound p-hydroxybenzoate (PHBA) is an important material with multiple applications, including as a building block of liquid crystal polymers in chemical industries. The cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes are beneficial monooxygenases for the synthesis of chemicals, and CYP53A15 from fungus Cochliobolus lunatus is capable of executing the hydroxylation from benzoate to PHBA. Here, we constructed a system for the bioconversion of benzoate to PHBA in Escherichia coli cells coexpressing CYP53A15 and human NADPH-P450 oxidoreductase (CPR) genes as a redox partner. For suitable coexpression of CYP53A15 and CPR, we originally constructed five plasmids in which we replaced the N-terminal transmembrane region of CYP53A15 with a portion of the N-terminus of various mammalian P450s. PHBA productivity was the greatest when CYP53A15 expression was induced at $20^{\circ}C$ in $2{\times}YT$ medium in host E. coli strain ${\Delta}gcvR$ transformed with an N-terminal transmembrane region of rabbit CYP2C3. By optimizing each reaction condition (reaction temperature, substrate concentration, reaction time, and E. coli cell concentration), we achieved 90% whole-cell conversion of benzoate. Our data demonstrate that the described novel E. coli bioconversion system is a more efficient tool for PHBA production from benzoate than the previously described yeast system.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.383-388
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• 2003

A bacterium producing the extracellular xylanase and CMCase was isolated from soil and has been identified as Bacillus sp. The isolate, named Bacillus sp. A-7, was shown to be very similar to Bacillus licheniformis on the basis of its biochemical and physiological properties. The maximum xylanase and CMCase production were obtained when 2.0% (w/v) glucose and 0.3% (w/v) yeast extract were used as carbon source and nitrogen source, respectively. The best mineral conditions for xylanase and CMCase production were 0.1%(w/v) $CaC1_2$. Among the various feedstuffs, 1.0%(w/v) soybean meal was selected for the best xylanase and CMCase production.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.697-706
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• 2018

Lactobacillus pentosus K1-23 was selected from among 25 lactic acid bacterial strains owing to its high inhibitory activity against several pathogenic bacteria, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, S. gallinarum, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clostridium perfringens, and Listeria monocytogenes. Additionally, among 13 strains of Aureobasidium spp., A. pullulans NRRL 58012 was shown to produce the highest amount of ${\beta}$-glucan ($15.45{\pm}0.07%$) and was selected. Next, the optimal conditions for a solid-phase mixed culture with these two different microorganisms (one bacterium and one yeast) were determined. The optimal inoculum sizes for L. pentosus and A. pullulans were 1% and 5%, respectively. The appropriate inoculation time for L. pentosus K1-23 was 3 days after the inoculation of A. pullulans to initiate fermentation. The addition of 0.5% corn steep powder and 0.1% $FeSO_4$ to the basal medium resulted in the increased production of lactic acid bacterial cells and ${\beta}$-glucan. The following optimal conditions for solid-phase mixed culture were also statistically determined by using the response surface method: $37.84^{\circ}C$, pH 5.25, moisture content of 60.82%, and culture time of 6.08 days for L. pentosus; and $24.11^{\circ}C$, pH 5.65, moisture content of 60.08%, and culture time of 5.71 days for A. pullulans. Using the predicted optimal conditions, the experimental production values of L. pentosus cells and ${\beta}$-glucan were $3.15{\pm}0.10{\times}10^8CFU/g$ and $13.41{\pm}0.04%$, respectively. This mixed culture may function as a highly efficient antibiotic substitute based on the combined action of its anti-pathogenic bacterial and immune-enhancing activities.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.136-145
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• 2020

Chlorella sp. HS2, which previously showed excellent performance in phototrophic cultivation and has tolerance for wide ranges of salinity, pH, and temperature, was cultivated heterotrophically. However, this conventional medium has been newly optimized based on a composition analysis using elemental analysis and ICP-OES. In addition, in order to maintain a favorable dissolved oxygen level, stepwise elevation of revolutions per minute was adopted. These optimizations led to 40 and 13% increases in the biomass and lipid productivity, respectively (7.0 and 2.25 g l^-1d^-1 each). To increase the lipid content even further, 12 h heat shock at 50℃ was applied and this enhanced the biomass and lipid productivity up to 4 and 17% respectively (7.3 and 2.64 g l^-1d^-1, each) relative to the optimized conditions above, and the values were 17 and 14% higher than ordinary lipid-accumulating N-limitation (6.2 and 2.31 g l^-1d^-1). On this basis, heat shock was successfully adopted in novel Chlorella sp. HS2 cultivation as a lipid inducer for the first time. Considering its fast and cost-effective characteristics, heat shock will enhance the overall microalgal biofuel production process.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1977-1988
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• 2015

β-1,3-glucanosyltransferases play essential roles in cell wall biosynthesis in yeast. Kluyveromyces lactis has six putative β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase genes. KlGAS1-1 and KlGAS1-2 are homologs of Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene GAS1. RT-qPCR indicated the transcription level of KlGAS1-1 was significantly reduced while heterologous protein (thermostable xylanase B) secretion was enhanced during medium optimization. To evaluate if these two events were related, and to improve xylanase B secretion in K. lactis, we constructed KlGAS1-1 and KlGAS1-2 single deletion strains and double deletion strain, respectively. KlGAS1-1 gene deletion resulted in the highest xylanase B activity among the three mutants. Only the double deletion strain showed morphology similar to that of the GAS1 deletion mutant in S. cerevisiae. The two single deletion strains differed in terms of cell wall thickness and xylanase B secretion. Transcription levels of β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase genes and genes related to protein secretion and transport were assayed. The β-1,3-glucanosyltransferase genes displayed transcription complementation in the cell wall synthesis process. KlGAS1-1 and KlGAS1-2 affected transcription levels of secretion- and transport-related genes. Differences in protein secretion ratio among the three deletion strains were associated with changes of transcription levels of secretion- and transport-related genes. Our findings indicate that KlGAS1-1 deletion is an effective tool for enhancing industrial-scale heterologous protein secretion in K. lactis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1868-1874
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• 2007

We have developed a robotic system for an automated parallel cell cultivation process that enables screening of induction parameters for the soluble expression of recombinant protein. The system is designed for parallelized and simultaneous cultivation of up to 24 different types of cells or a single type of cell at 24 different conditions. Twenty-four culture vessels of about 200 ml are arranged in four columns${\times}$six rows. The system is equipped with four independent thermostated waterbaths, each of which accommodates six culture vessels. A two-channel liquid handler is attached in order to distribute medium from the reservoir to the culture vessels, to transfer seed or other reagents, and to take an aliquot from the growing cells. Cells in each vessel are agitated and aerated by sparging filtered air. We tested the system by growing Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells harboring a plasmid for a model protein, and used it in optimizing protein expression conditions by varying the induction temperature and the inducer concentration. The results revealed the usefulness of our custom-made cell cultivation robot in screening optimal conditions for the expression of soluble proteins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1494-1500
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• 2012

Fermentation with filamentous fungi in a bioreactor is a complex dynamic process that is affected by flow conditions and the evolution of the rheological properties of the medium. These properties are mainly affected by the biomass concentration and the morphology of the fungus. In this work, the rheological properties of a fermentation with the fungus Beauveria bassiana under different hydrodynamic conditions were studied and the rheological behavior of this broth was simulated through a mixture of carboxymethyl cellulose sodium and cellulose fibers (CMCNa-SF). The bioreactor was a 10 L CSTR tank operated at different stir velocities. Rheological results were similar at 100 and 300 rpm for both systems. However, there was a significant increase in the viscosity accompanied by a change in the consistence index, calculated according to the power law model, for both systems at 800 rpm. The systems exhibited shear-thinning behavior at all stir velocities, which was determined with the power law model. The mixing time was observed to increase as the cellulose content in the system increased and, consequently, the efficiency of mixing diminished. These results are thought to be due to the rheological and morphological similarities of the two fungal systems. These results will help in the optimization of scale-up production of these fungi.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.947-955
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• 2017

Herbicidin A is a potent herbicide against dicotyledonous plants as well as an antibiotic against phytopathogens. In this study, fermentation parameters for herbicidin A production in submerged culture of Streptomyces scopuliridis M40 were investigated. The herbicidin A concentration varied with the C/N ratio. High C/N ratios (>4) resulted in a herbicidin A production of more than 900 mg/l, whereas maximally 600 mg/l was obtained at ratios between 1 and 3.5. In 5-L batch fermentation, there was a positive correlation between the oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and herbicidin A production. Once the OUR increased, the substrate consumption rate increased, leading to an increase in volumetric productivity. Mechanical shear force affected the hyphal morphology and OUR. When the medium value of hyphal size ranged from 150 to $180{\mu}m$, high volumetric production of herbicidin A was obtained with OUR values >137mg $O_2/l{\cdot}h$. The highest herbicidin A concentration of 956.6 mg/l was obtained at 500 rpm, and coincided with the highest relative abundance of hyphae of $100-200{\mu}m$ length and the highest OUR during cultivation. Based on a constant impeller tip speed, which affects hyphal morphology, herbicidin A production was successfully scaled up from a 5-L jar to a 500-L pilot vessel.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.522-527
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• 2010

Gibberellic acid ($CA_3$) is used in many industries and constitutes the primary gibberellins produced by fungi and bacteria. However, there is no information on $CA_3$ production by Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20, a novel plant growth promoting bacterium. We investigated the favorable carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) sources and ratios and cultural conditions, such as incubation temperature, pH of the culture medium, and incubation period for the maximum production of $CA_3$ by Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20. Maximum $CA_3$ production was observed in ammonium mineral salt (AMS) broth supplemented with Na-succinate and $NH_4Cl$ as C and N sources, respectively. The maximum $CA_3$ production was found at the C/N ratio of 5:0.4 g $L^{-1}$. The highest $CA_3$ production was obtained when the bacterial culture was incubated at $30^{\circ}C$ for 96 h at pH 7.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.133-137
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• 2014

As a preceding process for preparing several micrometer sized Ag-coated Cu flakes, ball milling of submicrometer-sized Cu particles synthesized through a wet chemical method was performed in order to convert the particles into flakes. To suppress oxidation and aggregation of the particles during ball milling, ethylene glycol and ethyl acetate were used as a medium and a surface modifying agent, respectively. Results obtained with different rotation speeds of a jar indicated that the rotation speed changes a rotating mode, and strikingly alters the final shapes and shape uniformity of Cu particles after milling. The diameter of zirconia ball was also confirmed. Although there was aggregates in the initial submicrometer-sized Cu particles, therefore, well-dispersed Cu flakes with a size of several micrometers were successfully prepared by ball milling through optimization of rotation speed, amount of ethyl acetate, and diameter of zirconia ball.