• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.308-312
• /
• 2011

Plant lactic acid bacteria were isolated from plant-associated fermentative foods and crops, and their probiotic properties were investigated. Isolates K27 and O2 were isolated from Kimchi and onion, and identified as Lactobacillus plantarum on the basis of 16S rRNA gene analysis. The two strains were highly resistant to acid (an MRS broth at pH 2.5), where the survival rates of L. plantarum K27 and L. plantarum O2 were 90.2% and 97.3%, respectively. L. plantarum K27 and L. plantarum O2 also showed high bile resistance to 0.5% oxgall, with a more than 70% survival rate. They showed an inhibitory effect against pathogenic strains of Escherichia coli KCCM 40880 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 10145. The antibacterial effect of the two strains was probably due to the presence of lactic acid. ACE inhibitory activities of the two strains ranged from 72.8% to 80.6% in MRS broth. Notably, the two strains showed high ACE inhibitory activity (89.2~98.2%) in MRS broth containing 10% skim milk. Antioxidant activity was tested by DPPH radical scavenging activity, with antioxidant activities of the strains being in the range of 56.8~61.5%. The results obtained in this study suggest that L. plantarum K27 and L. plantarum O2 may be potential probiotic starter cultures with applications with fermentative products.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.10
• /
• pp.803-811
• /
• 2022

Despite the importance of traditional Korean fermented foods, little is known about the microbial communities and diversity of fermented soy products. To gain insight into the unexplored microbial communities of both Doenjang (DJ) and Ganjang (GJ) that may contribute to the fermentation in Korean traditional foods, we carried out next-generation sequencing (NGS) based on the V3-V4 region of 16S rDNA gene analysis. The alpha diversity analysis results revealed that both the Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were significantly different between the two groups, whereas the richness indices, including ACE, CHAO, and Jackknife, were not significant. Firmicutes were the most dominant phylum in both groups, but several taxa were found to be more abundant in DJ than in GJ. The proportions of Bacillus, Kroppenstedtia, Clostridium, and Pseudomonas and most halophiles and halotolerant bacteria, such as Tetragenococcus, Chromohalobacter, Lentibacillus, and Psychrobacter, were lower in DJ than in GJ. Linear discriminant effect size (LEfSe) analysis was carried out to discover discriminative functional biomarkers. Biomarker discovery results showed that Bacillus and Tetragenococcus were identified as the most important features for the classification of subjects to DJ and GJ. Paired-permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) further revealed that the bacterial community structure between the two groups was statistically different (p=0.001).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.447-459
• /
• 2010

Bacterial diversity of two distinct wastewater treatment systems, conventional activated sludge (CAS) and membrane bioreactor (MBR), of petroleum refineries were investigated through 16S rRNA gene libraries. Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis showed that the bacterial community composition of sludge samples was distinct between the two wastewater treatment systems. MBR clones belonged predominantly to Class Betaproteobacteria, represented mainly by genera Thiobacillus and Thauera, whereas CAS clones were mostly related to Class Alphaproteobacteria, represented by uncultured bacteria related to Order Parvularculales. Richness estimators ACE and Chao revealed that the diversity observed in both libraries at the species level is an underestimate of the total bacterial diversity present in the environment and further sampling would yield an increased observed diversity. Shannon and Simpson diversity indices were different between the libraries and revealed greater bacterial diversity for the MBR library, considering an evolutionary distance of 0.03. LIBSHUFF analyses revealed that MBR and CAS communities were significantly different at the 95% confidence level ($P{\leq}0.05$) for distances $0{\leq}D{\leq}0.20$. This work described, qualitatively and quantitatively, the structure of bacterial communities in industrial-scale MBR and CAS processes of the wastewater treatment system from petroleum refineries and demonstrated clearly differentiated communities responsible for the stable performance of wastewater treatment plants.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.44 no.9
• /
• pp.680-687
• /
• 2021

Coronavirus disease, COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019), caused by SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), has a higher case fatality rate in European countries than in others, especially East Asian ones. One potential explanation for this regional difference is the diversity of the viral infection efficiency. Here, we analyzed the allele frequencies of a nonsynonymous variant rs12329760 (V197M) in the TMPRSS2 gene, a key enzyme essential for viral infection and found a significant association between the COVID-19 case fatality rate and the V197M allele frequencies, using over 200,000 present-day and ancient genomic samples. East Asian countries have higher V197M allele frequencies than other regions, including European countries which correlates to their lower case fatality rates. Structural and energy calculation analysis of the V197M amino acid change showed that it destabilizes the TMPRSS2 protein, possibly negatively affecting its ACE2 and viral spike protein processing.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
• /
• v.36 no.2
• /
• pp.1-9
• /
• 2023

Objectives : This study used a network pharmacology approach to analyze the treatment mechanisms of Yijin-tang on Meniere's disease, and comparative analysis the treatment mechanisms of drugs recommended in the Meniere's disease treatment guidelines. Methods : We collected information on the recommended drugs from the Meniere's disease treatment guidelines and their target proteins were screened via the STITCH database. The intersection targets were obtained through Venny 2.1.0. Gene Ontology(GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway analysis were performed using ClueGO. Results : The 7 proteins(TNF, CASP9, PARP1, CCL2, CFTR, NOS2, NOS1) were associated with both Yijin-tang and Meniere's disease related genes. The 10 proteins(AQP2, KCNE1, AQP1, AVP, ACE, HRH1, HRH3, NOS1, CA1, CFTR) were associated with both the recommended drugs in the guidelines and Meniere's disease related genes. The 2 proteins(CFTR, NOS1) were common across all three groups. Further, GO/KEGG pathway analysis of the collected proteins revealed that the common mechanisms of action between Yijin-tang and the recommended drugs in the guidelines were related to pathways involving immune dysfunction and disturbances in lymphatic fluid homeostasis. In addition, the recommended drugs in the guidelines appeared to act through mechanisms that improve blood flow through vasodilation. Conclusions : Pharmacological network analysis can help to explain the treatment mechanisms of Yijin-tang on Meniere's disease.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.52 no.1
• /
• pp.36-43
• /
• 2009

urpose : The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) has been demonstrated to play a major role in regulating blood pressure. Therefore, components of the RAS are likely candidate genes that may predispose an individual to essential hypertension and cardiovascular complications. Among them, the M235T polymorphism of the angiotensinogen gene has been speculated to be associated with elevated circulating angiotensinogen concentrations and essential hypertension. This study aimed to analyze the angiotensinogen M235T polymorphism in hypertensive adolescents and investigate its relationship with cardiovascular risks. Methods : Forty Korean hypertensive adolescents (aged 16-17, systolic $BP{\geq}140 mmHg$ and/or diastolic $BP{\geq}90 mmHg$) and fifty seven normal adolescents were included. Obesity index (OI), body mass index (BMI) were calculated. BP was measured by oscillometric methods in resting state. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique was performed on DNA from the hypertensives subjects to analyze the M235T polymorphism. Serum homocysteine, insulin, renin, aldosterone and angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) were tested according to each genotype. The carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and carotid artery diameter, Pulse wave velocity (PWV) and ankle-brachial index (ABI) were measured according to each genotype. Results : Genotype frequencies of T/T, M/T and M/M were 62.5%, 35.0%, 2.5%, respectively in hypertensive adolescents. The results were not significantly different compared to control group. Serum insulin, renin levels, BMI and OI were significantly higher in thoses with the M/M genotype as compared to those with the T/T of M/T genotype. Conclusion : This study showed that the M235T polymorphism was not associated with essential hypertension or any cardiovascular risks. Further clinical research is required to ascertain the relationship between this polymorphism and cardiovascular complications in Korean hypertensive adolescents.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
• /
• v.25 no.6
• /
• pp.789-798
• /
• 2016

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) are industrially important microorganisms for probiotics. The recent widespread application of LAB for preparation of functional food is attributable to the accumulating scientific evidence showing their beneficial effects on human health. In this study, we isolated and characterized plant-derived LAB that show angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory and antioxidant activities. The selected strain K2 was isolated from Kimchi, and identified as Lactobacillus plantarum by 16S rRNA gene analysis. The strain grew under static and shaking culture systems. They were also able to grow in different culture conditions like $25^{\circ}C{\sim}37^{\circ}C$ temperature, 4~10 pH range and ~6% NaCl concentration. L. plantarum K2 was highly resistant to acid stress; survival rate of the strain at pH 2.5 and 3 were 80% and 91.6%, respectively. The strain K2 also showed high bile resistance to 0.3% bile bovine and 0.3% bile extract with more than 74% of survival rate. The cell grown on MRS agar plate containing bile extract formed opaque precipitate zones around the colonies, indicating they have bile salt hydrolase activity. The strain showed an inhibitory activity against pathogenic bacteria such as Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Listeria monocytogenes; antibacterial activity was probably due to the lactic acid. The K2 strain showed relatively higher autoaggregation values, antihypertensive and antioxidant activities. These results suggest that L. plantarum K2 could be not only applied as a pharmabiotic for human health but also is also starter culture applicable to fermentative products.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.311-317
• /
• 2014

Distal myopathy with rimmed vacuoles (DMRV) or hereditary inclusion body myopathy 2 is an autosomal recessive muscular disorder characterized by early adult-onset weakness of distal muscles and rimmed vacuoles in muscle biopsy. Mutations in the UDP-N-acetylglucosamine 2-epimerase/N-ace-tylmannosamine kinase (GNE) gene are associated with the development of DMRV. In this study, whole exome sequencing (WES) revealed compound heterozygous GNE mutations of p.Asp176Val and p.Val572Leu in a patient with distal limb weakness. Three hundred healthy controls did not show these mutations. All other variants found in distal myopathy-relevant genes were polymorphic. These findings confirmed that the patient had DMRV. This work underscores the usefulness of WES in improving the molecular diagnosis of myopathy.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.13 no.4
• /
• pp.375-382
• /
• 2003

A direct and precise explanation of soybean resistance to soybean cyst nematode will be possible only when the individual gene(s) involved in the resistance are tagged. This study was conducted, (1) to identify and localize quantitative trait loci for resistance to soybean cyst nematode race 14 on RAPD map, (2) to identify the magnitude and mode of inheritance for each quantitative trait loci, and (3) to identify the best combinations of quantitative trait loci for resistance to soybean cyst nematode race 14. Thirty markers (29 RAPD and 1 RFLP) showed significant association with resistance to soybean cyst nematode race 14. From MAPMAKER/QTL analysis, we identified two regions (linkage group C-7 and linkage group C-9) for resistance to soybean cyst nematode .ace 14. The first quantitative trait loci that was localized at 6.0 cM from $H06^1$ on linkage group C-7 showed a dominant inheritance mode. However, we can not exclude the possibility of additive inheritance mode. The second quantitative trait loci that was localized between $B15^2$ and $E01^1$ on linkage group C-9 also showed a dominant mode of inheritance. One pair of flanking markers ($H06^1$ and $H06^2$) and B15$^2$ were used for multiple regression analysis. Marker combination that included 2 markers, $B15^2$ and $H06^1$, explained the highest total variance (22.9%) for resistance to soybean cyst nematode race 14. Further localization of genes for resistance to soybean cyst nematode race 14 and examination of interaction between quantitative trait loci will accelerate the exploitation of resistance to soybean cyst nematode.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
• /
• v.30 no.3
• /
• pp.303-307
• /
• 2019

Sophorolipid is a biological surfactant of the glycolipid structure produced by Candida bombicola, which generally exists as a mixture of acidic and lactonic forms. In this study, we investigated physico-chemical properties, antibacterial activities, and cytotoxicity of the sophorolipid containing more than 96% of the lactonic form, produced by the gene regulation of production strains and application of a metabolic engineering technique. The lactonic sophorolipid showed a weak acidity in the range of pH 3.2~4.6 when diluted in water at the concentrations from 1 to 0.001 wt%. The $pK_a$ value of the lactonic sophorolipid was estimated to be around 4.3 from the acid-base titration curve. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of the lactonic sophorolipid was $10^{-2}wt%$, at which the surface tension of aqueous solution was reduced to 36 mN/m. The lactonic sophorolipid showed the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of $1{\times}10^{-3}$ and $5{\times}10^{-3}g/mL$ against Propionibacterium acnes and Corynebacterium xerosis, respectively. The MTT (3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide] assay showed that cytotoxicity of the lactonic sophorolipid was ten times lower than that of triclosan.