• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.226-233
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• 2007

Members of Methylobacterium, referred as pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacteria, are frequently associated with terrestrial and aquatic plants, tending to form aggregates on the phyllosphere. We report here that the production of autoinducer molecules involved in the cell-to-cell signaling process, which is known as quorum sensing, is common among Methylobacterium species. Several strains of Methylobacterium were tested for their ability to produce N-acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) signal molecules using different indicators. Most strains of Methylobacterium tested could elicit a positive response in Agrobacterium tumefaciens harboring lacZ fused to a gene that is regulated by autoinduction. The synthesis of these compounds was cell-density dependent, and the maximal activity was reached during the late exponential to stationary phases. The bacterial extracts were separated by thin-layer chromatography and bioassayed with A. tumefaciens NTI (traR, tra::lacZ749). They revealed the production of various patterns of the signal molecules, which are strain dependent. At least two signal molecules could be detected in most of the strains tested, and comparison of their relative mobilities suggested that they are homologs of N-octanoyl-$_{DL}$-homoserine lactone ($C_8-HSL$) and N-decanoyl-$_{DL}$-homoserine lactone ($C_{10}-HSL$).

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.11-14
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• 2003

A methylotrophic Actinomycetes strain, which produce the anti-oral cancer activity compound, was isolated from soil and estimated as Amylocolatosis sp. based on taxonomic studies. A methanol didn't have influence on the production of the anticancer compounds. These compound were isolated by ethylacetate extract, silica gel column chromatography, sephadex LH-20 column and reverse phase HPLC. The compounds were very stable under heat ($121^{\circ}C$), acid(pH 2.0) and alkali(pH 11.0) treatment. The cytotoxic effect of isolated anticancer compounds on various cancer cell lines such as A549, SNU-1, KB, L1210, and Sarcoma 180 was investigated by MTT assay method. And these produced compounds also showed the broad antimicrobial spectrum to test strains such as bacteria and yeast.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2009

The mixotrophic growth with methanol plus thiosulfate was examined in nutrient-limited mixotrophic condition for Methylobacterium goesingense CBMB5 and Methylobacterium fujisawaense CBMB37. Thiosulfate oxidation increased the growth and protein yield in mixotrophic medium that contained 150mM methanol and 20mM sodium thiosulfate, at 144 h. Respirometric study revealed that thiosulfate was the most preferable reduced inorganic sulfur source, followed by sulfite and sulfur. M. goesingense CBMB5 and M. fujisawaense CBMB37 oxidized thiosulfate directly to sulfate, and intermediate products of thiosulfate oxidation such as polythionates, sulfite, and sulfur were not detected in spent medium and they did not yield positive amplification for tested soxB primers. Enzymes of thiosulfate oxidation such as rhodanese and sulfite oxidase activities were detected in cell-free extracts of M. goesingense CBMB5, and M. fujisawaense CBMB37, and thiosulfate oxidase (tetrathionate synthase) activity was not observed. It indicated that both the organisms use the "non-S4 intermediate" sulfur oxidation pathway for thiosulfate oxidation. It is concluded from this study that M. goesingense CBMB5, and M. fujisawaense CBMB37 exhibited mixotrophic metabolism in medium containing methanol plus thiosulfate and that thiosulfate oxidation and the presence of a "Paracoccus sulfur oxidation" (PSO) pathway in methylotrophic bacteria are species dependant.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.370-378
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• 2007

A superoxide dismutase was purified 62-fold in seven steps to homogeneity from Methylobacillus sp. strain SK1, an obligate methanol-oxidizing bacterium, with a yield of 9.6%. The final specific activity was 4,831 units per milligram protein as determined by an assay based on a 50% decrease in the rate of cytochrome c reduction. The molecular weight of the native enzyme was estimated to be 44,000. Sodium dodecyl sulfate gel electrophoresis revealed two identical subunits of molecular weight 23,100. The isoelectric point of the purified enzyme was found to be 4.4. Maximum activity of the enzyme was measured at pH 8. The enzyme was stable at pH range from 6 to 8 and at high temperature. The enzyme showed an absorption peak at 280 nm with a shoulder at 292 nm. Hydrogen peroxide and sodium azide, but not sodium cyanide, was found to inhibit the purified enzyme. The enzyme activity in cell-free extracts prepared from cells grown in manganese-rich medium, however, was not inhibited by hydrogen peroxide but inhibited by sodium azide. The activity in cell extracts from cells grown in iron-rich medium was found to be highly sensitive to hydrogen peroxide and sodium azide. One mol of native enzyme was found to contain 1.1 g-atom of iron and 0.7 g-atom of manganese. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified enzyme was Ala-Tyr-Thr-Leu-Pro-Pro-Leu-Asn-Tyr-Ala-Tyr. The superoxide dismutase of Methylobacillus sp. strain SK1 was found to have antigenic sites identical to those of Methylobacillus glycogenes enzyme. The enzyme, however, shared no antigenic sites with Mycobacterium sp. strain JC1, Methylovorus sp. strain SS1, Methylobacterium sp. strain SY1, and Methylosinus trichosproium enzymes.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.506-513
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• 2010

Plant growth promoting ability of Methylobacterium oryzae CBMB20 was evaluated under different levels of organic fertilizer application on red pepper plants in a pot experiment. Oil cake as an organic N fertilizer was applied at the rates of 70, 85, 100 and 120% of the conventional recommended level. Each treatment was further treated with or without M. oryzae CBMB20 inoculation. The recommended amount of compost for red pepper was added in all the treatments. Results revealed that plant height, dry biomass and fruit yield were enhanced in increasing order as the rate of fertilization increased. Overall plant growth was improved due to the inoculation of M. oryzae CBMB20 and red pepper fruit yield was also increased by 10-35% in the plants inoculated with M. oryzae CBMB20 at different rates of organic fert1izer application. Total methylotrophic bacterial population in rhizosphere soil measured at the time of harvest was significantly higher in M. oryzae CBMB20 inoculated treatments. The growth promoting effect of M. oryzae CBMB20 found in red pepper could be due to the effective colonization of the bacteria in the rhizosphere and its ability of enhancing nutrient availability and producing plant growth hormones. With the plant growth promoting effect of M. oryzae CBMB20, the rate of organic fertilizer application can be reduced without any significant decreases in biomass production and yield of red pepper.