• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.41 no.2
• /
• pp.190-197
• /
• 2013

Three slime-forming lactic acid bacteria were isolated from traditional Korean fermented soy sauce and soybean paste and shown to produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) in sucrose media. By isolating the strains, examining their morphological characteristics and determining their 16S rDNA sequences, N58-5 and K6-7 were identified as Leuconostoc mesenteroides and N45- 10 as Leuconostoc citreum. The acid and bile tolerances of these three strains were investigated. Amongst the three lactic acid bacteria, Leuc. citreum N45-10 exhibited the highest viability ($10^5-10^6$ CFU/ml) in 0.05 M sodium phosphate buffer (pH 0.3) for 2 h, in artificial gastric juice for 2 h and in 0.3%, 0.5% oxgall for 24h. Leuc. mesenteroides K6-7, N58-5 and Leuc. citreum N45- 10 were grown in sucrose liquid medium and 8.16 g/L, 3.65 g/L, 16.17 g/L of EPS was collected, respectively. The hydrolyzed EPS was analyzed by HPLC in order to determine the sugar composition of EPS. Leuc. mesenteroides K6-7 and N58-5 showed two peaks indicating glucose and fructose, thus they were determined to be hetero-type polysaccharides. Leuc. citreum N45-10 showed only the glucose polymer, indicating it to be a homo-type polysaccharide. In addition, all three lactic acid bacterial hemolysis did not demonstrate a clear zone in blood agar in the area surrounding a lactic acid bacteria colony.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.136-144
• /
• 1978

A series of experiments over three years was planned for practical application of rhizobia in farms and grass lands in Korea. This is the report for the studies of the first year mainly on the isolation and characterization of rhizobial strains, and on the assessment of their nodulation abilities and nitrogen fixation capacities. 1. Total number of 88 strains for soybean group and 22 st ra ins for pea and vetch group was isolated from nodules which were taken from legumes grown in Daekwanyong, Cheju and various places in Korea. 2. Morphological and cultural characteristics of the strains were studied, and attempts were also made to investigate their antigenic properties and to demonstrate lysogenic strains in these groups. The results were : i) the isolates varied in cultural characteristics on yeast mannitol broth and agar, and in degree of congo reel absorption ; ii) similarities in their antigenic properties were found between/among the strains: G-3/G-9/D216, G-20/G-52 in soybean group; iii) no lysogeny was found in the strains of these groups. 3. Plant infection tests by test tube and bottle method in light room were carried out to elucidate the ability of the strains to nodulate specific legumes and of the capacity of such nodules to fix atmospheric nitrogen. The isolates were grouped into non- invasive, ineffective, or effective to the legumes. Those strains which produced effective nodules, supporting similar level of growth as nitrate control, were: P-3, 4 and 8 in pea and vetch group; G-23, 27, and, D-216 in soybean group.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.25 no.12
• /
• pp.1408-1414
• /
• 2015

In this study, to retain a stable bacterial inoculant, Bacillus strains showing antifungal activity were screened. The improved production, antifungal mechanism, and stability of the antifungal metabolite by a selected strain, AF4, a potent antagonist against phytopathogenic Botrytis cinerea, were also investigated. The AF4 strain was isolated from rhizospheric soil of hot pepper and identified as Bacillus subtilis by phenotypic characters and 16S rRNA gene analysis. Strain AF4 did not produce antifungal activity in the absence of a nitrogen source and produced antifungal activity at a broad range of temperatures (25-40℃) and pH (7-10). Optimal carbon and nitrogen sources for the production of antifungal activity were glycerol and casein, respectively. Under improved conditions, the maximum antifungal activity was 140±3 AU/ml, which was higher than in the basal medium. Photomicrographs of strain AF4-treated B. cinerea showed morphological abnormalities of fungal mycelia, demonstrating the role of the antifungal metabolite. The B. subtilis AF4 culture exhibited broad antifungal activity against several phytopathogenic fungi. The antifungal activity was heat-, pH-, solvent-, and protease-stable, indicating its nonproteinous nature. These results suggest that B. subtilis AF4 is a potential candidate for the control of phytopathogenic fungi-derived plant diseases.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.49 no.4
• /
• pp.277-287
• /
• 2010

Several species of the genus Aphidius are used in biological control programs against aphid pests throughout the world and their behavior and physiology are well studied. While the importance of sensory organs in their behavior is understood, their antennal structure remains largely unknown. In this study, the external morphology and distribution of the antennal sensilla on the antennal of both female and male adults of A. colemani were described using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Generally, the filiform antennae of males ($l,515.2{\pm}116.5\;{\mu}m$) are longer than females ($l,275.1{\pm}103.4\;{\mu}m$). Antennae of this species are made up of radicle, scape, pedicel and flagellomeres. Male and female antennae differed in the total number of flagellomeres as 15 in males and 13 in females. The result of SEM observation was characterization and grouping of seven types of receptors into morphological classcs: Bohm bristles, Sensilla placodea, 2 types of S. coeloconica and S. trichodea, and S. basiconica as with a tip pore and with wall pores. In addition, the possible functions of the above sensilla types arc discussed in light of previously published literature; mechanoreception (Bohm bristles, S, coeloconica I & II and S. trichodea) and chemoreception (S. placodea, S. basiconica type I & II).

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.15 no.3
• /
• pp.483-490
• /
• 2008

Several tartaric acid-degrading bacteria were isolated from Korean grape wine pomace after enrichment culture at $30^{\circ}C$ for 10 days in liquid media containing tartaric acid Among them, strains KMBL 5777 and KMBL 5778 exhibited the highest level in the growth and tartaric acid degradability in a medium containing 0.2%(w/v) tartaric acid as a sole carbon source. They were identified as Acetobacter tropicalis based on their morphological and physiological characteristics as well as their 16S rDNA sequences. Blast search of the 16S rDNA sequences revealed that the isolated strains are closest to Acetobacter tropicalis. Homologies of the sequences of KMBL 5777 and KMBL 5778 were 96.0 and 98.9%, respectively with those of A. tropicalis LMG 1663. Both the two bacteria showed higher tartaric acid degradation at $25^{\circ}C$ that those at 20 and $30^{\circ}C$. They could degrade tartaric acid at a wide range of pH between 4.0 and 7.0 with the most rapid degradability at pH 7.0. However, when the bacteria were grown for 8 days, the same level of tartaric acid degradation was observed at pH 4.0, 5.0, 6.0 and 7.0, which was 90.0% of degradation of the acid.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.18 no.4
• /
• pp.522-529
• /
• 2008

High-temperature requirement A2(HtrA2) has been known as a human homologue of bacterial HtrA that has a molecular chaperone function. HtrA2 is mitochondrial serine protease that plays a significant role in regulating the apoptosis; however, the physiological function of HtrA2 still remains elusive. To establish experimental system for the investigation of new insights into the function of HtrA2 in mammalian cells, we first obtained $HtrA2^{+/+}$ and $HtrA2^{-/-}$ MEF cells lines and identified those cells based on the expression pattern and subcellular localization of HtrA2, using immunoblot and biochemical assays. Additionally, we observed that the morphological characteristics of $HtrA2^{-/-}$ MEF cells are different form those of $HtrA2^{+/+}$ MEF cells, showing a rounded shape instead of a typical fibroblast-like shape. Growth rate of $HtrA2^{-/-}$ MEF cells was also 1.4-fold higher than that of $HtrA2^{+/+}$ MEF cells at 36 hours. Furthermore, we verified both MEF cell lines induced caspsase-dependent cell death in response to apoptotic stimuli such as heat shock, staurosporine, and rotenone. The relationship between HtrA2 and heat shock-induced cell death is the first demonstration of the research field of HtrA2. Our study suggests that those MEF cell lines are suitable reagents to further investigate the molecular mechanism by which HtrA2 regulates the balance between cell death and survival.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.15 no.6 s.73
• /
• pp.987-993
• /
• 2005

A bacterium, producing a fibrinolytic enzyme, was screened from a decaying rice plant. The bacterium was identified as Bacillus subtilis by morphological, biochemical, and physiological properties and named Bacillus subtilis BK-17. The fibrinolytic enzyme (BK) was purified from supernatant of Bacillus subtilis BK-17 culture broth. The molecular weight was 31 kDa as determined by SDS-PAGE. The effect of temperature, pH, and plasminogen on the activity of the bacillokinase (BK) was analysed and the activity was compared with urokinase. The optimal temperature and pH were $50^{circ}C$ and pH 7, pH 8, respectively. The BK activity was inhibited to $45\%$, $35\%$, and $23\%$ with 1mM EDTA, $Zn^{2+}$, and $Ca^{2+}$, respectively. However, $Mg^{2+}$, $Mn^{2+}$, and $Co^{2+}$ ions did not have any significant effect on the enzyme activity The BK showed the artivity in the both plates, plasminogen-free fibrin plate and plasminogen-rich fibrin plate. The result indicates that the BK can directly act the fibrin. In comparison of fibrinolytic activity with urokinase on the fibrin plate, the BK shows about 20 folds higher activity than that of the urokinase.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
• /
• v.61 no.3
• /
• pp.399-408
• /
• 2022

There has been much debate on the morphometric divergence between the recently identified Apis cerana koreana and Apis cerana honey bees. The aim of this study was to obtain phenotypic information that can be used to compare A. c. koreana data with other A. cerana subspecies data from open resources and determine breeding results on the basis of morphometric traits. To differentiate A. c. koreana, we investigated 22 classic morphological characteristics; royal jelly secretion; and the weight of workers, queens, and drones of A. c. koreana bred in Korea. To define the selection results, we used the geometric morphometric method. The artificially selected A. c. koreana secreted significantly more royal jelly (1.18 times) than the naturally selected A. c. koreana, which positively influenced the health of the colonies. These honey bees were identified more clearly with the geometric morphometric method than with the classic morphometric method, which is traditionally used to determine the subspecies. Large trends were noted for A. c. koreana on the basis of our results and literature from the 1980s regarding A. cerana sizes in Korea (tarsal index, length of forewing, and cubital index were measured). The cluster analysis revealed the proximity of A. c. koreana, A. cerana in China, and A. c. indica on the basis of eight classic characters, which, perhaps, relay the origin of the honey bees. The results of this study defined the morphometric responses of A. c. koreana honey bees to geographic isolation, climate change, and selection, which are important to identify, protect, and preserve honey bee stock in Korea.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.202-209
• /
• 2022

The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a unicellular haploid eukaryote, has long been used by researchers and industries as a cell factory to produce high value-added microalgae substances using genetic modification. Microalga K01, presumed to be Chlamydomonas, was isolated from 12 freshwater samples from the Chungcheong and Jeolla regions to replace C. reinhardtii, an introduced species currently used in most basic and industrial research. The isolated K01 strain was identified as C. reinhardtii through morphological and phylogenetic studies of the 18S rDNA gene sequence (NCBI accession number KC166137). The growth and lipid content of the isolated C. reinhardtii K01 were compared with three wild and four mutant strains in TAP medium, and it was found that the K01 strain could produce 1.74×10⁷ cells/ml by the third day of culture. The growth rate of C. reinhardtii K01 was 1.5 times faster than UTEX2244, which showed the highest number of cells (1.20×10⁷ cells/ml) among the compared strains. The lipid content of the isolated C. reinhardtii K01 (20.67%) was similar to those of the wild strains, although the fatty acid oleate C18:1 was not detected in the isolated strain but was identified in the seven others. The cell density of the isolated strain increased to 0.87 g/l during a six-day culture in BG11 medium, where nitrate (NaNO₃) was introduced as a nitrogen source, while the seven acquired strains showed almost no cell proliferation.