• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.134-141
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• 2015

An agarolytic marine bacterium (H9) was isolated from the coastal seawater of the West Sea, South Korea. The isolate, H9, was gram-negative and rod-shaped with a smooth surface and polar flagellum. Cells grew at 20-30℃, between pH 5.0 and 9.0, and in ASW-YP (Artificial Sea Water-Yeast extract, Peptone) media containing 1-5% (w/v) NaCl. The G+C content was 41.56 mol%. The predominant isoprenoid quinone in strain H9 was ubiquinone-8. The major fatty acids (>10%) were C_16:1ω7c (34.3%), C_16:0 (23.72%), and C_18:1ω7c (13.64%). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and biochemical and chemotaxonomic characterization, the strain was designated as Pseudoalteromonas sp. H9 (=KCTC23887). In liquid culture supplemented with 0.2% agar, the cell density and agarase activity reached a maximum level of OD = 4.32 (48 h) and OD = 3.87 (24 h), respectively. The optimum pH and temperature for the extracellular crude agarases of H9 were 7.0 and 40℃, respectively. Thin-layer chromatography analysis of the agarase hydrolysis products revealed that the crude agarases hydrolyze agarose into neoagarotetraose and neoagarohexaose. Therefore, the new agar-degrading strain, H9, can be applicable for the production of valuable neoagarooligosaccharides and for the complete degradation of agar in bio-industries.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.158-163
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• 1994

Microorganisms capale of utilizing linear alkylbenzene sulfonates(LAS) as sole carbon source were isolated from industrial effluent by using LAS agar plates. The isolated strains were identified as Salmonella sp(BC-2) and Escherichia sp.(BC-3) from the results of morphological, cultural and biochemical tests. The optimal condition for the growth and biodegradation of LAS was the initial pH 7.0 and LAS concentration 0.1%. The isolated BC-2 and BC-3 strains harbored plasmid and LAS-degrading activity was lost when the plasmids were cured by mitomycin C. The plasmids were transformed into E. coli and transformants have the LAS-degrading activity. Isolated strains were examined for primary biodegradation rate of LAS in the medium by methylene blueactive substance(MBAS) method. Of these isolates, BC-2 and BC-3 strains degradated LAS upto 60% and high resistant to CdCl$_{2}$ and HgCl$_{2}$. Isolated strains were sensitive to chloramphenicol, kanamycin, rifampicin, streptomycin and tetracycline but resistant to ampicillin and lincomycin.] Its minimal inhibitory concentration(MIC) for ampicillin was more than 1500 $\mu $g/ml.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.279-284
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• 1989

Macroorganisms capable of utilizing sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate(SDBS, soft type) as a sole carbon source were isolated from nature by using SDBS agar plate technique. Iwolated bacteria were examined primarily for biodegradation ability of SDBS, and followed by testing for resistance to several kinds of metal compounds and antibiotics. Among them(152 strains), one strain showed a excellent SDBS-degrading ability with a resistance to amipicillin and rifampicin was selected. This bacterium was identified as Klebsiella sp. and harbored two plasmids of about 4 and 5 kilobases. SDBS-degrading ability was lost when the plasmids were cured by mitomycin C. It was revealed that the degradation of SDBS was controlled by the plasmid DNA encoding genes. The two plasmids were stably maintained in Escherichia coli C600.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.109-111
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• 2010

Recent studies have described various microorganisms that can degrade PAH, however, there are currently limited methods available to screen for PAH-degrading microorganisms. To screen for PAH-degrading microorganisms, a sublimation method (Alley, Jeremy F. and Lewis R. Brown. 2000. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 66, 439-442) was modified to produce a simple screening system. In our results, there were several bacterial species capable of pyrene degradation including genera, Coryenbacterium, Gordonia, Rhodococcus, and Streptomyces, which have been screened from 350 bacterial isolates of commercial gasoline and oil-spilled sediment by the sublimation method. The main advantage of this method is that it (i) safely deposits an even, thin and visible layer of PAH onto the agar surface without the use of solvents and (ii) the quantity of PAH sublimed onto the agar can be easily controlled. Overall, this sublimation method may be an effective and simple technique to screen for PAH-degrading microorganisms.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.789-797
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• 2018

This study investigated the activity of crude enzymes obtained from Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Shingo on milk proteins. In the milk processing industry, there is an increasing interest in the addition of functional materials to dairy products or functional peptides isolated from milk proteins. First, Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Shingo was separated into core, flesh, and peel regions, and crude enzymes were obtained from the individual regions. The activity of the obtained crude enzymes was measured using casein and gelatin agar. The crude enzyme obtained from the flesh of Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Shingo decomposed gelatin, but the activity of the crude enzymes obtained from the peel and core regions was insignificant. On the other hand, the crude enzymes obtained from the flesh and core regions of Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Shingo had a remarkable enzymatic activity in casein agar. However, the activity of the crude enzyme obtained from the peel region was insignificant. In addition, the crude enzymes obtained from the individual regions were mixed with casein to induce reactions, and the degradation patterns were investigated through electrophoresis and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). According to the results, the crude enzymes from Pyrus pyrifolia cv. Shingo degraded milk proteins. Thus, the results of this study can be used in studies on functionality. Additionally, it is expected that the use of pear peels and cores in the milk processing industry would greatly contribute to the reduction of food waste.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.501-507
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• 2022

PET (Polyethylene terephthalate), a representative plastic material, has useful physicochemical properties such as high durability and economic feasibility, and is used in various industrial fields such as bottles, fibers, and containers. Due to the recent increase in plastic usage including disposable products, eco-friendly strategy using microorganisms have drawn attention differentiated from conventional landfill and incineration methods. In this study, a soil-derived Streptomyces javensis Inha503 containing a PETase gene was selected and the ability to hydrolyze PU (Polyurethane) was confirmed through agar plate diffusion assay. This strain was cultured with PET for a month, and PET decomposition ability was also confirmed through a scanning electron microscope. Moreover, cloning and heterologous expression of S. javensis Inha503 PETase gene exhibited PET activity in the PETase non-containing S. coelicolor, confirming for the first time the presence of functional PETase gene in Streptomyces species.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.453-459
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• 2016

Agarases are classified into α-agarase and β-agarase that produce agarooligosaccharides and neoagarooligosaccharides, respectively. Neoagarooligosaccharides have whitening effect of skin, delay of starch degradation, and inhibition of bacterial growth etc. Hence, the object of this study was to isolate a novel agarase producing marine bacterium and characterization of its β-agarase. A novel agar-degrading bacterium was isolated from seashore of Namhae at Gyeongnamprovine, Korea and purely cultured with Marine agar 2216 media. The isolated bacterium was identified as Simiduia sp. SH-4 after 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The enzymatic sample was obtained from culture media of Simiduia sp. SH-4. Enzymatic activity was highly increased from 20(30% relative activity) to 30℃ (100%) and decreased from 30 to 40℃(75%) and so more. Relative activity was 100% at pH 6 while those were about 91% and 59% at pH 5.0 and 7.0, respectively, meaning the enzyme possesses narrow optimal pH range. Hence, the enzyme exhibited the maximal activity with 120.4 units/l at pH 6.0 and 30℃ in 20 mM Tris-HCl buffer. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) analysis showed that Simiduia sp. SH-4 produces β-agarase, which hydrolyze agarose to produce biofunctional neoagarooligosaccharides such as neoagarotetraose and neoagarobiose. Hence, broad applications would be possible using Simiduia sp. SH-4 and its enzyme in the food industry, cosmetics and medical fields.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.23 no.11
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• pp.1509-1518
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• 2013

An agar-degrading bacterium, designated as strain $G7^T$, was isolated from a coastal seawater sample from Gaya Island (Gayado in Korean), Republic of Korea. The isolated strain $G7^T$ is gram-negative, rod shaped, aerobic, non-motile, and non-pigmented. A similarity search based on its 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that it shares 95.5%, 90.6%, and 90.0% similarity with the 16S rRNA gene sequences of Catenovulum agarivorans $YM01^T$, Algicola sagamiensis, and Bowmanella pacifica W3-$3A^T$, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses demonstrated that strain $G7^T$ formed a distinct monophyletic clade closely related to species of the family Alteromonadaceae in the Alteromonas-like Gammaproteobacteria. The G+C content of strain $G7^T$ was 41.12 mol%. The DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain $G7^T$ and the phylogenetically closest strain $YM01^T$ was 19.63%. The genomes of $G7^T$ and $YM01^T$ had an average ANIb value of 70.00%. The predominant isoprenoid quinone of this particular strain was ubiquinone-8, whereas that of C. agarivorans $YM01^T$ was menaquinone-7. The major fatty acids of strain $G7^T$ were Iso-$C_{15:0}$ (41.47%), Anteiso-$C_{15:0}$ (22.99%), and $C_{16:1}{\omega}7c/iso-C_{15:0}2-OH$ (8.85%), which were quite different from those of $YM01^T$. Comparison of the phenotypic characteristics related to carbon utilization, enzyme production, and susceptibility to antibiotics also demonstrated that strain $G7^T$ is distinct from C. agarivorans $YM01^T$. Based on its phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic distinctiveness, strain $G7^T$ was considered a novel genus and species in the Gammaproteobacteria, for which the name Gayadomonas joobiniege gen. nov. sp. nov. (ATCC BAA-2321 = $DSM25250^T=KCTC23721^T$) is proposed.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.25 no.11
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• pp.1273-1279
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• 2015

Agarase from a novel agar-degrading bacterium isolated from seawater in Namhae at Gyeongsangnamdo province of Korea was characterized. The SH-1 strain was selected from thousands of colonies on Marine agar 2216 media. Almost full 16S rRNA gene sequence of the agarolytic SH-1 strain showed 99% similarity with that of bacteria of Simiduia genus and named as Simiduia sp. SH-1. Agarase production was growth related, and activity was declined from stationary phase. Secreted agarase was prepared from culture media and characterized. It showed maximum activity of 698.6 units/L at pH 7.0 and 30℃ in 20 mM Tris-HCl buffer. Agarase activity decreased as the temperature increased from an optimum of 30℃, with 90% and 75% activity at 40℃ and 50℃, respectively. Agarase was not heat resistant. Slightly lower agarase activity was observed at pH 6.0 than at pH 7.0, without statistical difference, and 80% and 75% activity were observed at pH 5.0 and 8.0, respectively. Neoagarotetraose and neoagarobiose were the main final products of agarose, indicating that it is β-agarase. Simiduia sp. SH-1 and its β-agarase would be useful for the industrial production of neoagarotetraose and neoagarobiose, which have a whitening effect on skin, delaying starch degradation, and inhibiting bacterial growth.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.999-1010
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• 2021

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are ubiquitous in the environment. They are highly toxigenic and carcinogenic. Probiotic bacteria isolated from fermented foods were tested to check their ability to degrade and/or detoxify PAHs. Five probiotic bacteria with distinct morphologies were isolated from a mixture of 26 fermented foods co-cultured with benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) containing Bushnell Haas minimal broth. Among them, B. velezensis (PMC10) significantly reduced the abundance of BaP in the broth. PMC10 completely degraded BaP presented at a lower concentration in broth culture. B. velezensis also showed a clear zone of degradation on a BaP-coated Bushnell Haas agar plate. Gene expression profiling showed significant increases of PAH ring-hydroxylating dioxygenases and 4-hydroxybenzoate 3-monooxygenase genes in B. velezensis in response to BaP treatment. In addtion, both live and heat-killed B. velezensis removed BaP and naphthalene (Nap) from phosphate buffer solution. Live B. velezensis did not show any cytotoxicity to macrophage or human dermal fibroblast cells. Live-cell and cell-free supernatant of B. velezensis showed potential anti-inflammatory effects. Cell-free supernatant and extract of B. velezensis also showed free radical scavenging effects. These results highlight the prospective ability of B. velezensis to biodegrade and remove toxic PAHs from the human body and suggest that the biodegradation of BaP might be regulated by ring-hydroxylating dioxygenase-initiated metabolic pathway.