• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.766-771
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• 2004

Julong 601, a Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium strain capable of cleaving the C-ring of isoflavones daidzein and genistein, was isolated from human feces. BLAST search revealed that its complete 16S rDNA gene sequence has 99% similarity to Eubacterium ramulus. Metabolites of daidzein and genistein were determined as O-desmethylangolensin (O-Dma) and 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionic acid (2-HPPA), respectively, based on UV, EI-MS, and $^1H$ and ^{13}C$ NMR spectral analyses. Enantiomers of O-Dma and 2-HPPA were isolated by chiral stationary-phase HPLC (CSP HPLC). Cleavage of the C-ring of daidzein and genistein by strain Julong 601 was highly enantioselective. Specific rotation ([$\alpha]_D$) and circular dichroism (CD) spectra of the enantiomers are reported here for the first time. Biotransformation kinetics of daidzein and genistein indicated that the C-ring of genistein has a higher susceptibility to bacterial degradation than that of daidzein.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.968-971
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• 2011

Leuconostoc genus, which comprise heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria, reduces fructose to mannitol by recycling intracellular NADH. To evaluate the mannitol productivities of different Leuconostoc species, 5 stock cultures and 4 newly isolated strains were cultivated in MRS and simplified media containing glucose and fructose (1:2 ratio). Among them, L. citreum KACC 91348P, which was isolated from kimchi, showed superior result in cell growth rate, mannitol production rate, and yield in both media. The optimal condition for mannitol production of this strain was pH 6.5 and $30^{\circ}C$. When L. citreum KACC was cultured in simplified medium in a 2 l batch fermenter under optimal conditions, the maximum volumetric productivity was 14.83 $g{\cdot}l^{-1}h^{-1}$ and overall yield was 86.6%. This strain is a novel and efficient mannitol producer originated from foods to be used for fermentation of fructose-containing foods.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.819-825
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• 2016

The present study was done to assess the diversity of the bacterial community associated with Ulva pertusa collected from Jeju Island using Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) marker analysis. For RFLP analysis, a total of 145 bacterial strains associated with Ulva pertusa were screened and cultivated using Marine agar and R2A agar. The PCR amplicons of the 16S rRNA gene from all the isolated strains were digested with HaeIII and RsaI restriction enzymes and then classified into different groups according to their restriction patterns. Strains selected based on the RFLP patterns showed more than 91% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity when compared with known bacterial species, which include 4 phyla - proteobacteria (alpha-proteobacteria, beta-proteobacteria, gamma-proteobacteria - 63%), firmicutes (11%), actinobacteria (4%), bacteroidetes (22%)–as well as 7 classes (actinobacteria, flavobacteriia, cytophagia, bacilli, α-proteobacteria, γ-proteobacteria, β-proteobacteria), 13 orders, 18 families, and 27 genera. These results confirmed a wide diversity of bacterial communities as contrasted with other regions. The newly isolated 10 strains, which show 16S rRNA sequence similarity of <97% compared to previously identified bacteria, could be noble species. Further experiments, such as morphological, physiological, and biochemical classification, are necessary to confirm the novelty of the newly isolated 10 strains.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.155-166
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• 2019

Bacteria from the genus Lactobacillus are important for the production of fermented food and dairy products, and as symbionts in human and animals. Lactobacillus acidophilus has widely been used in the production of yogurt, health foods, and even medicines. The efficacy of L. acidophilus has been proven with regards to the reduction of cholesterol, prevention and treatment of diarrhea, modulation of the immune system, suppression of cancer, etc. Using molecular biology tools, Lactobacillus acidophilus has now been reclassified into six species: L. acidophilus, L. amylovorus, L. crispatus, L gallinarium, L. gasseri, and L. johnsonii. Thus, since L. acidophilus has now been marked as a newly defined species, caution is advised when reading future publications regarding this bacterium. In this article, the results of the reclassification of L. acidophilus are mentioned after an analysis of its field inheritance was performed by my research team. Especially, L. amylovorus KU4 (formerly named as L. acidophilus KU4; KCCM 10975P) is a novel probiotic strain that is isolated from humans; it has the ability to reduce cholesterol. It has also been reported as a microorganism that effectively inhibits the growth of pathogenic E. coli. However, this Korean patent (No 10-1541280) refers to a strain obtained from calves; the origin of this strain was incorrectly labeled. Furthermore, after the discovery of L. acidophilus in 1900, its role in intestinal microbiological research was described and its utilization as a probiotic was presented.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.361-369
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• 2014

Broad-range and specific 16S rRNA gene PCR is used for detection and identification of bacterial pathogens in clinical specimens from patients with a high suspicion for infection. We describe the development of a broad-range and specific PCR primer, based on bacterial 16S rRNA, for use in routine diagnostic clinical microbiology services. The primers were designed by using conservative regions of 16S rRNA sequences from 10 strains. Ninety-eight clinical strains were isolated from clinical patient specimens. A total of 98 strains of bacteria were identified by phenotypic methods; PCR with newly designed primers and universal primers. All purified PCR products were sequenced using both forward and reverse primers on an automated DNA analyzer. In this study, we evaluated the usefulness of the newly designed primers and the universal primers for the detection of bacteria, and both these techniques were compared with phenotypic methods for bacteria detection. When we also tested 98 strains of clinical isolates with newly designed primers, about 778 bp DNA fragments were amplified and identified from all strains. Of the 98 strains, 94 strains (95.9%) correspond in comparison with phenotypic methods. The newly designed primers showed that the identities of 98 (100%) strains were the same as those obtained by universal PCR primers. The overall agreement between the newly designed primers and universal primers was 100%. The primer set was designed for rapid, accurate, and cheap identification of bacterial pathogens. We think the newly designed primer set is useful for the identification of pathogenic bacteria.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.7
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• pp.23-32
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• 1989

This experiment was performed to investigate the growth and acid production of lactic acid bacteria in soy yoghurts prepared from soybeans produced using various nitrogen sources and the ability of the bacteria to utilize the available carbohydrates in the medium. Various soybeans did not show significant difference in the growth and acid production of lactic acid bacteria, soybean D with newly developed complex fertilizer being the best. The acid production in soy milk by L. acidophilus was better than those in defatted soy milk and in isolated soy protein, that in isolated soy milk being significantly poor. Of lactic acid bacteria tested, L bulgaricus and L. acidophilus exhibited more population and acid production in soy yoghurts. The population and acid production of lactic acid bacteria was increased by the addition of various carbohydrates, and significantly by glucose and yeast extract.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.459-464
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• 1997

A cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase-producing bacterium was newly isolated from soil using alkaline pH medium containing 1% $Na_2CO_3$. The isolated strain was identified as Bacillus brevis by morphological and biochemical characteristics, and fatty acid composition and designated Bacillus brevis CD162. The strain showed the best enzyme production of 0.9 unit/ml after 96 hrs of culture at $30^{\circ}C$ in a medium of 2.0% soluble starch, 0.75% yeast extract, 0.5% bacto peptone, 0.2% $K_2HPO_4$ 0.05% $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$, and 1.5% $Na_2CO_3$ at initial pH 10.2.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.732-736
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• 2010

Five strains of tannic acid degrading bacteria were isolated and identified by phenotypic characterization. All the five isolates showed cell-associated activity, whereas only three showed extracellular activity. Serratia ficaria DTC, showing the highest cell-associated activity (0.29 U/l), was selected for further shake-flask studies. Tannase synthesis was growth associated and reached the peak in the late stationary phase of growth. Organic nitrogen sources enhanced the tannase production. Peak tannase production of 0.56 U/l was recorded in the medium having the initial pH of 6. The pH and temperature optima of the enzyme were found to be 8.9 and $35^{\circ}C$, respectively. This is the first report of cell-associated activity in the case of bacterial tannase. Cell-associated tannase of Serratia ficaria DTC could be industrially important from the perspective of its activity at broad temperature and pH ranges, and its unusually high activity at pH 8.9.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.33-38
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• 2000

In order to produce ascorbic acid-2-phosphate from ascorbic acid, bacteria capable of transforming ascorbic acid to ascorbic acid-2-phosphate were isolated from soils and the stock cultures in our laboratory. Among them, a newly isolated bacterium LSH-3 having the best ability of producing ascorbic acid-2-phosphate was selected and partially identified as Pseudomonas sp. The optimum conditions for the production of ascorbic acid-2-phosphate from ascorbic acid and using its resting cells as the source os enzyme were investigated. The results were summarized as follows: The optimum cultivation time and the cell weight for the production of ascorbic acid-2-phosphate was 14 hours and 100g/I(wet weight), respectively. And 0.1%(v/v) Trition X-100 was the most effective surfactant. The optimum concentrations of ascorbic acid and pyrophosphate were 400mM and 500mM, respectively, which led to produce 14.54g/I of ascorbic acid-2-phosphate. The most effective buffer was 50mM sodium acetate. The optimum pH and temperature were 4.5 and $40^{\circ}C$, respectively. Under the above conditions, 17.71 g/I of ascorbic acid-2-phosphate was produced from ascorbic acid after 32 hour-incubation, which corresponded to 17.5% of conversion rate based on ascorbic acid.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.63-66
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• 2008

Anthracene is a PAH that is not readily degraded, plus its degradation mechanism is still not clear. Thus, two strains of anthracene-degrading bacteria were isolated from long-term petroleum-polluted soil and identified as Sphingomonas sp. 12A and Pseudomonas sp. 12B by a 16S rRNA sequence analysis. To further enhance the anthracene-degrading ability of the two strains, the biosurfactants produced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa $W_3$ were used, which were characterized as rhamnolipids. It was found that these rhamnolipids dramatically increased the solubility of anthracene, and a reverse-phase HPLC assay showed that the anthracene degradation percentage after 18 days with Pseudomonas sp. 12B was significantly enhanced from 34% to 52%. Interestingly, their effect on the degradation by Sphingomonas sp. 12A was much less, from 35% to 39%. Further study revealed that Sphingomonas sp. 12A also degraded the rhamnolipids, which may have hampered the effect of the rhamnolipids on the anthracene degradation.