• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.7-13
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• 2005

In the present study, we investigated the tolerance of Commelina communis to growth in Cu-contaminated soil and water We examined the germination rate, root and shoot growth of seedlings, fresh biomass in soil and water, and ability to eliminate Cu. We found that C. communis eliminated 41% of Cu in soil containing 50 mg Cu/kg and removed over 50% of Cu from water containing 100 mg Cu/L Cu. In addition, the plants could accumulate 90 mg Cu/g when grown in soil containing 50 mg Cu/kg and 140 mg Cu/g when grown in soil containing 100 mg Cu/kg thus higher levels of Cu removal were observed in soils containing higher Cu concentrations. In water, the maximal accumulation rate was 4.9 mg Cu/g root and 1.2 mg Cu/g shoot in water containing 20 mg Cu/L, and 7 days after exposure, Cu absorption saturated. Further, the growth rate of C. communis was not affected by up to 100 mg Cu/kg in the soil. Therefore, the phytotoxic effect of Cu on plants increased as the concentration of Cu was raised, although to different extents depending on whether the Cu was in soil or water. Overall, Cu removal from soil by C. communis was most effective at 100 mg Cu/kg in soil and 10 mg Cu/L in water. Finally, we identified two peaks of Cu-binding ligands in C. communis. Which is a high molecular weight peak (HMWL) at 60 kDa (Fraction 17 to 25) and a Cu binding peptide peak at <1 kDa (Very low molecular weight ligand: VLMWL). Cu-binding peptide (Cu-BP) was observed to have an amino acid composition typical of phytochelations.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.396-406
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• 2004

Current physical and chemical methodologies, conventionally used to clean up metal contaminated soils, are generally too expensive to apply in large hazardous waste sites including agricultural lands adjacent to closed or abandoned metal mines. Phytoremediation using plants to extract, sequester and detoxify environmental pollutants is one of the cost-effective and aesthetically-pleasing alternatives, compared with environmentally destructive remedial methods currently being practiced. But, phytoremediation has some limitations such as time consuming and low performance: in general, it is seasonally dependent and slower in removing metals than other methods, and metal accumulating plants are slow growers. Improvement of plants for metal tolerance, accumulation, and translocation using genetic engineering techniques recently opened up new possibilities for phytoremediation. In this paper, we have discussed about recent developments in conventional and genetically engineered phytoremediation. For the conventional phytoremediation, focuses are on the natural hyperaccumulator and the chemically assisted phytoremediation. Some pros and cons on the phytoremediation using transgenic plants, coupled with focusing on the mechanistic view points, are also discussed. It might be concluded that the transgenic plants will be effective tools in the practical application of phytoremediation especially for the highly contaminated soils but mechanisms involved should be deeply understood in advance.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.325-334
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• 2010

Transcriptional regulation in response to salt in mutant lines was investigated using oligonucleotide microarrays. In order to characterize the salt-responsive genes in rice, the expression profiles of transcripts that responded to salt-treatment were monitored using the microarrays. In the microarray analysis, among 37,299 reliable genes, 5,101, 2,758 and 2,277 genes were up-regulated by more than 2-fold using the salt treatment, while the numbers of down-regulated genes were 4,619, 3,234, and 1,878 in the WT, ST-495, and ST-532, respectively. From genotype changes induced by gamma ray mutagenesis, 3,345 and 2,397 genes were up-regulated, while 2,745 and 2,075 genes were down-regulated more than 2-fold in the two untreated mutants lines compared with untreated WT, respectively. A total of 3,108 and 2,731 genes were up-regulated more than 2-fold, while 3,987 and 3,660 genes were down-regulated by more than 2-fold in the salt treatment of the two mutants lines compared with the salt treated WT, respectively. The expressions of membrane transporter genes such as OsAKT1, OsKUP, and OsNAC increased more severely in ST-495 and ST-532 than in the WT. The expressions of the proline accumulation related genes such as OsP5CS and OsP5CR were also markedly increased in the salt tolerant mutants when compared to the WT plant.

• BMB Reports
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• v.52 no.11
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• pp.653-658
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• 2019

MYB-type transcription factors (TFs) play important roles in plant growth and development, and in the rapid responses to unfavorable environmental conditions. We recently reported the isolation and characterization of a rice (Oryza sativa) MYB TF, OsMYB102, which is involved in the regulation of leaf senescence by downregulating abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthesis and the downstream signaling response. Based on the similarities of their sequences and expression patterns, OsMYB102 appears to be a homolog of the Arabidopsis thaliana AtMYB44 TF. Since AtMYB44 is a key regulator of leaf senescence and abiotic stress responses, it is important to examine whether AtMYB44 homologs in other plants also act similarly. Here, we generated transgenic Arabidopsis plants expressing OsMYB102 (OsMYB102-OX). The OsMYB102-OX plants showed a delayed senescence phenotype during dark incubation and were more susceptible to salt and drought stresses, considerably similar to Arabidopsis plants overexpressing AtMYB44. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) revealed that, in addition to known senescence-associated genes, genes encoding the ABA catabolic enzymes AtCYP707A3 and AtCYP707A4 were also significantly upregulated in OsMYB102-OX, leading to a significant decrease in ABA accumulation. Furthermore, protoplast transient expression and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed that OsMYB102 directly activated AtCYP707A3 expression. Based on our findings, it is probable that the regulatory functions of AtMYB44 homologs in plants are highly conserved and they have vital roles in leaf senescence and the abiotic stress responses.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.47-54
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• 2021

Aerobic granular sludge (AGS) can be classified as a type of self-immobilized microbial aggregates measuring more than 0.2 mm. It offers the option to simultaneously remove COD, N, and P that occur in different zones inside a granule. Also, AGS is characterized by high precipitability, treatability with high organic loading, and high tolerance to low temperature. In this study, a sequencing batch reactor inoculated with AGS (AGS-SBR) is a new advanced wastewater treatment process that was proven to grow AGS with integrated nutrient removal and low C/N ratio. A pilot plant, AGS-SBR with a capacity of 225 ㎥/d was installed at an S sewage treatment plant in Gyeonggi-do. The results of the operation showed that the water quality of the effluent indicated that the value of BOD5 was 1.5 mg/L, CODMn was 11.4 mg/L, SS was 6.2 mg/L, T-N was 13.2 mg/L, and T-P was 0.197 mg/L, and all of these values reliably satisfied an effluent standard (I Area). In winter, the T-N treatment efficiency at a lower temperature of less than 11℃ also showed reliability to meet the effluent standard of the I Area (20 mg/L or less). Analysis of microbial community in AGS showed a higher preponderance of beneficial microorganisms involved in denitrification and phosphorus accumulation compared with activated sludge. The power consumption and sludge disposal cost were reduced by 34.7% and 54.9%, respectively, compared to the domestic SBR type sewage treatment plant with a processing capacity of 1,000 ㎥/d or less.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.952-961
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• 2019

Chlorella spp. are green algae that are found across wide-ranging habitats from deserts to arctic regions, with various strains having adapted to survive under diverse environmental conditions. In this study, two novel Chlorella strains (ABC-002, ABC-008) were isolated from a freshwater lake in South Korea during the winter season and examined for possible use in the biofuel production process. The comparison of ABC-002 and ABC-008 strains with Chlorella vulgaris UTEX265 under two different temperatures ($10^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$) revealed their cold-tolerant phenotypes as well as high biomass yields. The maximum quantum yields of UTEX25, ABC-002, and ABC-008 at $10^{\circ}C$ were 0.5594, 0.6747, and 0.7150, respectively, providing evidence of the relatively higher cold-resistance capabilities of these two strains. Furthermore, both the biomass yields and lipid content of the two novel strains were found to be higher than those of UTEX265; the overall lipid productivities of ABC-002 and ABC-008 were 1.7 ~ 2.8 fold and 1.6 ~ 4.2 fold higher compared to that of UTEX265, respectively. Thus, the high biomass and lipid productivity over a wide range of temperatures indicate that C. vulgaris ABC-002 and ABC-008 are promising candidates for applications in biofuel productions via outdoor biomass cultivation.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.241-255
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• 2020

Background: The stem exclusion stage is a stage of forest development that is important for understanding the subsequent understory reinitiation stage and maturation stage during which horizontal heterogeneity is formed. Over the past 11 years (2009-2019), we observed a deciduous broad-leaved forest in the Albongbunji Basin in Ulleungdo, South Korea in its stem exclusion stage, where Fagus engleriana (Engler's beech) is the dominant species, thereby analyzing the changes in the structure (density and size distributions), function (biomass and species richness), and demographics. Results: The mean stem density data presented a bell-shaped curve with initially increasing, peaking, and subsequently decreasing trends in stem density over time, and the mean biomass data showed a sigmoidal pattern indicating that the rate of biomass accumulation slowed over time. Changes in the density and biomass of Fagus engleriana showed a similar trend to the changes in density and biomass at the community level, which is indicative of the strong influence of this species on the changing patterns of forest structure and function. Around 2015, a shift between recruitment and mortality rates was observed. Deterministic processes were the predominant cause of tree mortality in our study; however, soil deposition that began in 2017 in some of the quadrats resulted in an increase in the contribution of stochastic processes (15% in 2019) to tree mortality. The development of horizontal heterogeneity was observed in forest gaps. Conclusions: Our observations showed a dramatic shift between the recruitment and mortality rates in the stem exclusion stage, and that disturbance increases the uncertainty in forest development increases. The minor changes in species composition are likely linked to regional species pool and the limited role of the life-history strategy of species such as shade tolerance and habitat affinity. Our midterm records of ecological succession exhibited detailed demographic dynamics and contributed to the improvement of an ecological perspective in the stem exclusion stage.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.1535-1544
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• 2020

The primary objective of this study was to isolate and identify amine oxidase-producing probiotic Bacillus strains from traditional fermented soybean paste. Biogenic amines (BA)-forming bacteria isolated from the samples were identified as Bacillus sp. TS09, Bacillus licheniformis TS17, Bacillus subtilis TS19, Bacillus cereus TS23, Bacillus sp. TS30, Bacillus megaterium TS31, B. subtilis TS44, Bacillus coagulans TS46 and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens TS59. Meanwhile, B. subtilis TS04 and TS50 isolated from the same samples exhibited good probiotic properties, including the tolerance to artificial gastric juice and bile salts, the adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells, and the production of bacteriocin(s) active against BA-forming bacteria (Bacillus sp. TS30 and B. subtilis TS44). In addition, the amine oxidase produced by B. subtilis TS04 and TS50 significantly decreased the formation of BA, especially cadaverine, putrescine, and tyramine, therefore, these strains could be considered good potential probiotic candidates to prevent or reduce BA accumulation in food products.

• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.333-345
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• 2020

Background and objective: The purpose of this study was to provide basic data on trees that can be used for planting design and construction for permanently shaded areas by grasping the growth status of trees according to the daylight conditions of the outdoor spaces of apartment complexes. Methods: On the recently completed apartment complexes, daylight conditions were analyzed by using daylight simulations utilizing Solar Access Analysis of Ecotect Analysis. With a criteria for assessment of tree condition, the defect rate of trees planted in permanently shaded areas and green spaces with good daylight conditions was analyzed to suggest trees applicable to permanently shaded areas. The first tree survey was conducted from November 18, 2019 to February 15, 2020, focusing on trees planted in permanently shaded areas, and the second tree survey of all the trees planted on the study sites including permanently shaded areas was conducted from March 16 to March 30, 2020. Results: Evergreen trees which are classified as shade intolerant trees including Pinus densiflora, Thuja occidentalis, and Abies holophylla showed a higher defect rate of trees among the trees planted in permanently shaded areas. Taxus cuspidata, Zelkova serrata, Cornus kousa, Chionanthus retusus and Acer palmatum which are classified as shade tolerant trees and shade moderate tolerance trees seemed to be able to be used in the plant design of permanently shaded areas in apartment complexes because the trees showed good growth and a low tree defect rate. In addition, although it was excluded from the analysis due to a small number of samples, Sorbus commixta and Prunus cerasifera var. atropurpurea also can be used for planting in permanently shaded areas. Conclusion: The daylight simulation technique used to analyze permanent shaded areas in this study can be used as an analysis tool considering the daylight environment at the stages of design and construction, and additional research will be required to analyze tree growth according to daylight conditions through data accumulation and monitoring by managing records throughout the entire life cycle of trees in the process of planting and maintenance.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1427-1434
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• 2022

Two novel, halotolerant strains of Martelella soudanensis, NC18^T and NC20, were isolated from deep subsurface sediment, deeply sequenced, and comparatively analyzed with related strains. Based on a phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences, the two strains grouped with members of the genus Martelella. Here, we sequenced the complete genomes of NC18^T and NC20 to understand the mechanisms of their halotolerance. The genome sizes and G+C content of the strains were 6.1 Mb and 61.8 mol%, respectively. Moreover, NC18^T and NC20 were predicted to contain 5,849 and 5,830 genes, and 5,502 and 5,585 protein-coding genes, respectively. Both strains contain the identically predicted 6 rRNAs and 48 tRNAs. The harboring of halotolerant-associated genes revealed that strains NC18^T and NC20 might tolerate high salinity through the accumulation of potassium ions in a "salt-in" strategy induced by K⁺ uptake protein (kup) and the K⁺ transport system (trkAH and kdpFABC). These two strains also use the ectoine transport system (dctPQM), the glycine betaine transport system (proVWX), and glycine betaine uptake protein (opu) to accumulate "compatible solutes," such as ectoine and glycine betaine, to protect cells from salt stress. This study reveals the halotolerance mechanism of strains NC18^T and NC20 in high salt environments and suggests potential applications for these halotolerant and halophilic strains in environmental biotechnology.