• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.1184-1192
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• 2011

A bacterial isolate (strain JS-2) characterized as Bacillus sp. was challenged with high concentrations of toxic selenite ions. The microbe was found to transform the toxic, soluble, colorless selenite (${SeO_3}^{2-}$) oxyions to nontoxic, insoluble, red elemental selenium ($Se^0$). This process of biotransformation was accompanied by cytoplasmic and surface accumulation of electron dense selenium ($Se^0$) granules, as revealed in electron micrographs. The cells grown in the presence of selenite oxyions secreted large quantities of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS). There were quantitative and qualitative differences in the cell wall fatty acids of the culture grown in the presence of selenite ions. The relative percentage of total saturated fatty acid and cyclic fatty acid increased significantly, whereas the amount of total unsaturated fatty acids decreased when the cells were exposed to selenite stress. All these physiological adaptive responses evidently indicate a potentially important role of cell wall fatty acids and extracellular polymeric substances in determining bacterial adaptation towards selenite-induced toxicity, which thereby explains the remarkable competitiveness and ability of this microbe to survive the environmental stress.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.101-111
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• 2021

To improve the potential of single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs) as an applicable technology, the main challenge is a practical application for larger scales bioenergy production from potent exoelectrogenic microorganism with real dairy wastewater. To increase power generation, three individual MFCs were together operated in series best under the fed batch condition for 15 days. The volume of MFC 1 and MFC 2 is "300 mL" and MFC 3 is "500 mL" respectively. The individual MFCs 1, MFC 2 and MFC 3 gives an open circuit voltage of 0.60 V, 0.66 V and 0.55 V and result in total working voltage when connected in series of 1.745V, which lead an LED to glow. The maximum power densities obtained from MFC 1, MFC 2 and MFC 3 are 62 mW/㎡, 50 mW/㎡ and 45 mW/㎡ (normalized to the surface area of the anodic electrode, which was 50 ㎠ for all three MFCs), and corresponding to current densities of 141 mA/㎡, 155 mA/㎡ and 123 mA/㎡, respectively. Therefore this work suggests the cheapest way to connect microbial fuel cells in series to gain power with the lowest operating cost and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.404-413
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• 2022

The process of manufacturing craft beer involves a wide variety of spontaneous microorganisms, acting in different stages of the brewing process, that contribute to the distinctive characteristics of each style. The objective of this work was to compare the structure of microbial communities associated with two different craft beer styles (Doppelbock and Märzen lagers), at a late maturation stage, and to identify discriminative, or style-specific taxa. Bacterial and fungal microbial communities were analyzed by Illumina sequencing of 16S rRNA gene of prokaryotes and the ITS 2 spacer of fungi (eukaryotes). Fungal communities in maturating beer were dominated by the yeast Dekkera, and by lactic acid (Lactobacillus and Pediococcus) and acetic acid (Acetobacter) bacteria. The Doppelbock barrels presented more rich and diverse fungal communities. The Märzen barrels were more variable in terms of structure and composition of fungal and bacterial communities, with occurrence of exclusive taxa of fungi (Aspergillus sp.) and bacteria (L. kimchicus). Minority bacterial taxa, differently represented in the microbiome of each barrel, may underlie the variability between barrels and ultimately, the distinctive traits of each style. The composition of the microbial communities indicates that in addition to differences related to upstream stages of the brewing process, the contact with the wood barrels may contribute to the definition of style-specific microbiological traits.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.622-633
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• 2024

For quality standardization, the application of functional lactic acid bacteria (LAB) as starter cultures for food fermentation is a well-known method in the fermented food industry. This study assessed the effect of adding a non-thermally microbial inactivated starter culture to kimchi, a traditional Korean food, in standardizing its quality. In this study, pretreatment based on sterilization processes, namely, slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) disinfection and ultraviolet C light-emitting diode (UVC-LED) of raw and subsidiary kimchi materials were used to reduce the initial microorganisms in them, thereby increasing the efficiency and value of the kimchi LAB starter during fermentation. Pretreatment sterilization effectively suppressed microorganisms that threatened the sanitary value and quality of kimchi. In addition, pretreatment based on sterilization effectively reduced the number of initial microbial colonies in kimchi, creating an environment in which kimchi LAB starters could settle or dominate, compared to non-sterilized kimchi. These differences in the initial microbial composition following the sterilization process and the addition of kimchi LAB starters led to differences in the metabolites that positively affect the taste and flavor of kimchi. The combined processing technology used in our study, that is, pre-sterilization and LAB addition, may be a powerful approach for kimchi quality standardization.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.171-175
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• 2000

Microbial proteases have certain unique characteristics, and are now widely used in food, leather, detergent, and pharmaceutical industries. Thermophilic Actinomyces producing the protease was isolated from soil in Wonju city. This strain was able to grow and produce protease at the culture temperature of 50$^{\circ}C$. The maximum protease production was obtained when 0.5% soluble starch and 0.4% yeast extract were used as carbon and nitrogen source, respectively. The other culture condition for the maximal productivity of the protease was 0.1% K2HPO4, and 0.05% CaCl2 at initial pH 8.0 for 48 hours.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Soil and Groundwater Environment Conference
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• 2004.09a
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• pp.133-137
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• 2004

Tetrachloroethylene(PCE) dechlorination was investigated in an anaerobic enrichment culture from landfill soil. Anaerobic PCE dechlorinating microorganisms could convert 150mg/L of PCE via trichloroethylene(TCE) to cir-1,2-dichloroethylene(CDCE) within 2 days at the optimum temperature of 30 to 35$^{\circ}C$. The enrichment culture could dechlorinate TCE but did not degrade other chlorinated aliphatic compounds, such as cDCE, trans-1,2-dichloroethylene, 1,1-dichloroethylene, 1,1-dichloroethane, 1,2-dichloro- ethane, and 1,1,1-trichloroethane during 5 days incubation. Several isolates from the enrichment culture did not show dechlorinating activity of PCE. Microbial analysis of the dechlorinating enrichment culture by using Polymerase chain reaction-Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (PCR-DGGE) method showed that at least three microorganisms were related to the anaerobic PCE dechlorination in the enrichment

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.987-996
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• 2003

This study was conducted to determine the effects of the artificial culture medium of wild-ginsengs on in vitro fermentation characteristics. NH$_3$-N concentration was showed the highest in 3% WGM treatment among all treatments and control. In addition, microbial protein synthesis was significantly different in all treatments throughout the incubation time, and WGM 3% treatment was the highest at the 9 h incubation(P〈0.05). Protozoa numbers within rumen were decreased in all WGM treatments at 9 h incubation time, whereas WGM 3% treatment was always decreased throughout the incubation(P〈0.05). NDF and ADF digestibility were proportionally increased as the incubation time in both control and treatments. NDF digestibility showed no significantly difference between control and the 3% treatment, and ADF digestibility was similar in all. Total volatile fatty acid(VFA) concentrations of WGM treatments without 5% were significantly higher than control (P〈0.05). No differences were observed in total VFA, acetate, propionate and butyrate concentration among the WGM treatments. Acetate/Propionate ratio of WGM treatments was higher than control after 12 h incubation(P〈0.05). As a result of the artificial culture medium of wild-ginseng on rumen fermentation characteristics in vitro, microbial protein synthesis of WGM treatment was higher than control, and WGM 3% was the highest in all treatments(P〈0.05). The effect of saponin in artificial culture medium of wild-ginseng tended to decrease NH$_3$-N concentration, while it increases the microbial synthesis in early incubation. Therefore, artificial cultures medium of wild-ginseng can increase utilization of feed by microbial and anti-protozoal effects of saponin, which may enhance microbial synthesis capacity in early fermentation period in rumen.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.293-299
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate the possible impact of Bt Chinese cabbage on the soil microbial community. Microbial communities were isolated from the rhizosphere of one Bt Chinese cabbage variety and four varieties of conventional ones and were subjected to be analyzed using both culture-dependent and molecular methods. The total counts of bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes in the rhizosphere of transgenic and conventional Chinese cabbages were observed to have an insignificant difference. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis of PCR-amplified 16S rRNA genes revealed that the bacterial community structures were very similar to each other and this genetic stability of microbial communities was maintained throughout the culture periods. Analysis of dominant isolates in the rhizosphere of transgenic and conventional Chinese cabbages showed that the dominant isolates from the soil of transgenic Chinese cabbage belonged to the Bacilli and Alphaproteobacteria, while the dominant isolates from the soil of conventional cabbage belonged to the Holophagae and Planctomycetacia, respectively. These results indicate that the Bt transgenic cabbage has no significant impact on the soil microbial communities.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22
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• pp.38-46
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• 2004

Effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the community structure of indigenous microorganisms in Gwangyang Bay sediments was investigated in Mar. & Aug.,2000. Microbial community structure was analyzed using 5'-terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) method. Microbial community structure based on T-RFLP method revealed that community differentiated by sampling period except station 1 located near the stream discharge site from Yeosu Industrial Complex. Even, microbial diversity was higher at stations showed relatively high concentrations of PAHs. The microbial community structure was severely changed during the enrichment culture with 1,000 ppm of PAHs mixture. It was also different between cultivated at 8$^{\circ}C$ and 30$^{\circ}C$. The results implied that temperature, poyosity, organic content and etc were more responsible than PAHs on the microbial community structure.

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