• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.403-415
• /
• 2018

The aims of this novel work were to determine the microbial strains and exopolysaccharide (EPS) producers in water kefir from Nakhon Ratchasima Province, Thailand. Thirty-three microbial strains were identified using 16S rRNA gene analysis consisting of 18 bacterial strains, as 9 strains of acetic acid bacteria (AAB), 9 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB), and 15 yeast strains. All bacteria were able to produce EPS with a diverse appearance on agar media containing different sugars at a concentration of 8%. Culture supernatants from AAB and LAB showed 31-64% 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity with the highest antioxidant activity of 64% from Acetobacter pasteurianus WS3 and WS6. Crude EPS from A. pasteurianus WS3 displayed the highest ferric reducing antioxidant power at 280 mM $FeSO_4/g$ EPS, greatest anti-tyrosinase activity at 20.35%, and highest EPS production of 1,505 mg EPS/L from 8% sucrose. These microbes offer beneficial health implications and their EPSs can be used as food additives and cosmetic ingredients.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.995-1001
• /
• 2022

The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of solid-state fermentation on soybean using three microbial strains under four different fermentation times. Soybean was fermented for 12, 24, 36 or 48 hours with highly proteolytic microbes, either Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BA), B. subtilis (BS), or B. subtilis var. natto (BN), and levels of total protein concentration, protein distribution, and antioxidant activity were analyzed. Total protein was highest in the BS 12 h group (9.21 ㎍·µL^-1) and lowest in BN 48 h (6.80 ㎍·µL^-1), respectively (p < 0.001). Furthermore, three microbes decomposed large molecular weight proteins as well as major allergens of soybean such as β-conglycinin, Gly m Bd 30K, and glycinin. Each treatment group showed the highest degradation rate at 48 h fermentation and among the three microbes, BS showed a relatively higher degradation rate. The radical scavenging ability, known as an indicator of antioxidant activity, showed a significant increase in all treatment groups except BA 24 h. The results from this study suggest that protein concentration, and degradation and antioxidant activity were affected by different types of microbial trains and fermentation period and that B. subtilis fermentation might be the most effective way to increase nutritional and functional properties of soybean.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
• /
• v.19 no.5
• /
• pp.365-373
• /
• 1996

A survey was carried out to investigate the contamination of streams by the acid mine drainage originated from the abandoned coal mines and coal refuse piles. The physico-KDICical characteristics such as pH, sulfate and elements concentrations in the water and sediment in streams were analyzed. Microbial activity in the sediment was evaluated by measuring dehydrogenase activities. At sites contaminated by acid mine drainage, the pH of the water and sediment declined to acidic range from neutral due to the accumulation of sulfate. The dehydrogenase activity ranged from 12 to $170{\mu}g-TPF{\cdot}g-dry\;soil^{-1}{\cdot}24h^{-1}$ at the contaminated sites, whereas uncontaminated sites had activities of 1,176~4,259 ${\mu}g-TPF{\cdot}g-dry\;soil^{-1}{\cdot}24h^{-1}$. The dehydrogenase activity was significantly affected by low pH of the sediment, indicating that high concentration of sulfate inhibited microbial activity. The concentrations of heavy metals such as Pb and Fe in contaminated sdeiment (37~46 ppm Pb; 46,000~464,000 ppm Fe) were much higher than those in the uncontaminated sediment. The concentration of Al in the contaminated water acidfied by coal mine drainage was in the range of 11 to 42 ppm. Compared with those in the uncontaminated sediment, the concentrations of Mn, Mg and Ca in contaminated sediment were low because of the leaching from soil to water by the acidfied stream water.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.29 no.3
• /
• pp.576-580
• /
• 1997

Lipoxygenase activity in Chinese cabbage was measured at various concentrations of brines. Lipoxygenase activity on linoleic acid substrate was determined by changing the rate of dissolved oxygen consumption. The inactivation of lipoxygenase by salting was increased when concentration of sodium chloride and soaking time were increased. About 60% of enzyme activity was reduced after submerging in 13% brine solution for 5 hr. The addition of calcium chloride (0.7%) reduced about $10{\sim}15%$ of lipoxygenase activity rather than without. Residual activity of lipoxygenase in Chinese cabbage submerged in 13% brine was 20% and about 60% of lipoxygenase was also inhibited by addition of garlic extract.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
• /
• v.27 no.2
• /
• pp.139-144
• /
• 2008

A field experiment was conducted to investigate the influence of cultivars and compost on soil microbial activities and diversities in a red pepper-grown field. Compost was applied with 0, 30, and 60M/T $ha^{-1}$ in April and then red pepper seedlings of "Yong-go 4" and "Koeun" were transplanted in May 2007. Soil samples were collected in early August 2007. Measurement of microbial activities was based on a dehydrogenase assay and a fluorescein diacetate hydrolysis. Soil microbial community was characterized with Biolog $EcoPlate^{TM}$ and phospholipid fatty acid(PLFA). Red pepper cultivars did not differentiate the selected soil chemical and microbial properties. Soil pH and soil microbial community changed by amending the soil with 30 and 60 M/T $ha^{-1}$ of compost, and the soil organic matter and potassium content, and soil microbial activities increased in soils amended with 60 M/T $ha^{-1}$ of compost. Red pepper cultivar induced a little different soil chemical properties and microbial activity in soils amended with 60 M/T $ha^{-1}$ of compost even though significant differences were not found in those properties. In conclusion the effects of compost on soil chemical and microbial properties were much higher than red pepper cultivars in short-term period but the effects of red pepper cultivars should be investigated in long-term field test.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.13 no.6
• /
• pp.892-896
• /
• 2003

High-level expression of the lipase B26 gene from Bacillus pumilus was achieved using Bacillus subtilis Chungkookjang isolated from the Korean traditional fermented bean paste, Chungkookjang. For the secretory production of recombinant lipase B26 in a Bacillus host system, pLipB26 was constructed by ligating the lipase B26 gene into the recently designed Escherichia coli-Bacillus shuttle vector, pLipSM, and that was then transformed into B. subtilis Chungkookjang. Among the various vector, medium, and host combinations, B. subtilis Chungkookjang harboring the pLipB26 exhibited the highest lipase activity in PY medium, and B. subtilis Chungkookjang secreted two times more enzymes than B. subtilis DB 104 under the same condition. When B. subtilis Chungkookjang harboring the pLipB26 was cultured in a 5-1 jar-fermentor containing 21 of a PY medium, the maximum lipase activity (140 U/ml) and production yield (0.68 g/l) were obtained during the late exponential phase from a cell-free culture broth. Although B. subtilis Chungkookjang also secreted extracellular proteases at the late exponential phase, these results suggested the potential of B. subtilis Chungkookjang as a host for the secretory production of foreign proteins.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.905-912
• /
• 2007

A novel ${\beta}-glucosidase$ gene, bglA, was isolated from uncultured soil bacteria and characterized. Using genomic libraries constructed from soil DNA, a gene encoding a protein that hydrolyzes a fluorogenic analog of cellulose, 4-methylumbelliferyl ${\beta}-D-cellobioside$ (MUC), was isolated using a microtiter plate assay. The gene, bglA, was sequenced using a shotgun approach, and expressed in E. coli. The deduced 55-kDa amino acid sequence for bglA showed a 56% identity with the family 1 glycosyl hydrolase Chloroflexus aurantiacus. BglA included two conserved family 1 glycosyl hydrolase regions. When using $p-nitrophenyl-{\beta}-D-glucoside$ (pNPG) as the substrate, the maximum activity of the purified ${\beta}-glucosidase$ exhibited at pH 6.5 and $55^{\circ}C$, and was enhanced in the presence of $Mn^{2+}$. The $K_m\;and\;V_{max}$ values for the purified enzyme with pNPG were 0.16 mM and $19.10{\mu}mol/min$, respectively. The purified BglA enzyme hydrolyzed both pNPG and $p-nitrophenyl-{\beta}-D-fucoside$. The enzyme also exhibited substantial glycosyl hydrolase activities with natural glycosyl substrates, such as sophorose, cellobiose, cellotriose, cellotetraose, and cellopentaose, yet low hydrolytic activities with gentiobiose, salicin, and arbutin. Moreover, BglA was able to convert the major ginsenoside $Rb_1$ into the pharmaceutically active minor ginsenoside Rd within 24 h.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.23-29
• /
• 2012

Objective : Sanguisorbae Radix(SO). that belong to Rosaceae is widely distributed in Asia including Korea, Japan and China. It has been used as traditional medicine from old times as a treatment for anti-inflammatory drugs. This study was designed to investigate the effects of n-BuOH fractions of SO on anti-oxidant effect and anti-microbial effect on $Streptococcus$ $mutans$ ($S.$ $mutans$). Methods : The anti-microbial effect of $n$-BuOH fractions of SO. was assessed by the paper disk diffusion method and anti-oxidant effect was assessed by the DPPH radical scavenging effect, Superoxide anion radical scavenging effect and SOD like ability. Results : DPPH radical scavenging of the $n$-BuOH fraction from SO in 50 ug/mL was shown to be Fr-2 (89.9%), Fr-3 (88.7%), Fr-4 (76.3%), Fr-1 (59.4%), Fr-5 (56.2%). Superoxside anion radical scavenging activity of the n-BuOH fraction from SO. in 50 ug/mL for Fr-3 was shown to be 78%. SOD-like activity of n-BuOH fraction from the SO in 1000 ug/mL for Fr-3 were shown to be 76.1% respectively. The $n$-BuOH fraction from the SO had high anti-microbial effect on $S.$ $mutans$. Conclusion : As a result, the $n$-BuOH fraction from SO. has good anti-microbial and anti-oxidant effects in a concentration-dependent manner.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.257-265
• /
• 2009

The long-term effects of soil management history on microbial communities are still poorly understood. Our objectives were to determine the impact of long-term application of soil amendments on microbial communities in rice paddy fields. The treatments selected were control where crops were grown without any nutrient application (CON); nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium (NPK); NPK plus compost (CNPK); NPK plus lime (LNPK); and NPK plus silicate (WNPK). The long-term addition of organic and inorganic amendments significantly changed soil chemical properties. The amount of organic carbon increased in the treatments with fertilizer and amendments over that in the soil without inputs. However, we could not observe the differences of bacterial population among the treatments, but the number of aerobic bacteria increased by the addition of amendments. Isolates from the rice paddy soils before irrigation were Dactylosporangium, Ewingella, Geobacillus, Kocuria, Kurthia, Kytococcus, Lechevalieria, Micrococcus, Micromonospora, Paenibacillus, Pedobacter, Pseudomonas, Pseudoxanthomonas, Rhodococcus, Rothia, Sphingopyxis, Stenotrophomonas, and Variovorax. Dominant genera were Arthrobacter, Kocuria, Kurthia, and Bacillus in the long-term field. Microbial biomass was the highest in the compost treatment (CNPK), and was the lowest in the CON. Dehydrogenase activity in soils treated with rice compost straw was the highest and the activity showed an increasing trend according to treatment as follows: CON < WNPK < NPK = LNPK < CNPK. These results demonstrate that soil management practice, such as optimal application of fertilizer and amendment, that result in accumulations of organic carbon may increase microbial biomass and dehydrogenase activity in long-term rice paddy soils.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.42 no.4
• /
• pp.267-277
• /
• 2004

Effects of elevated $CO_2$ on soil microorganisms are known to be mediated by various interactions with plants, for which such effects are relatively poorly documented. In this review, we summarize and syn­thesize results from studies assessing impacts of elevated $CO_2$ on soil ecosystems, focusing primarily on plants and a variety the of microbial processes. The processes considered include changes in microbial biomass of C and N, microbial number, respiration rates, organic matter decomposition, soil enzyme activities, microbial community composition, and functional groups of bacteria mediating trace gas emission such as methane and nitrous oxide. Elevated $CO_2$ in atmosphere may enhance certain micro­bial processes such as $CH_4$ emission from wetlands due to enhanced carbon supply from plants. How­ever, responses of extracellular enzyme activities and microbial community structure are still controversy, because interferences with other factors such as the types of plants, nutrient availabilitial in soil, soil types, analysis methods, and types of $CO_2$ fumigation systems are not fully understood.