• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.1999-2008
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• 2018

The compound 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA), an important bio-based monomer for the production of various polymers, can be obtained from 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). However, efficient production of FDCA from HMF via biocatalysis has not been well studied. In this study, we report the identification of key genes that are involved in FDCA synthesis and then the engineering of Raoultella ornithinolytica BF60 for biocatalytic oxidation of HMF to FDCA using its resting cells. Specifically, previously unknown candidate genes, adhP3 and alkR, which were responsible for the reduction of HMF to the undesired product 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (HMF alcohol), were identified by transcriptomic analysis. Combinatorial deletion of these two genes resulted in 85.7% reduction in HMF alcohol formation and 23.7% improvement in FDCA production (242.0 mM). Subsequently, an aldehyde dehydrogenase, AldH, which was responsible for the oxidation of the intermediate 5-formyl-2-furoic acid (FFA) to FDCA, was identified and characterized. Finally, FDCA production was further improved by overexpressing AldH, resulting in a 96.2% yield of 264.7 mM FDCA. Importantly, the identification of these key genes not only contributes to our understanding of the FDCA synthesis pathway in R. ornithinolytica BF60 but also allows for improved FDCA production efficiency. Moreover, this work is likely to provide a valuable reference for producing other furanic chemicals.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.147-155
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• 2012

To improve of the quality of Korea traditional wheat-rice wine (makgeolli) production, we used a rice fermentation starter (rice nuruk) made by inoculation of Rhizopus oryzae CCS01 which was isolated and selected from commercial nuruk. Amylase activity of a rice nuruk was 1.8-2.4 times higher than those of commercial nuruks. The best acceptability of wheat-rice wine in a sensory test was observed at 4 : 6 ratio of wheat-rice mash at experimental condition. During the fermentation period, pH of wheat-rice makgeolli made with a rice nuruk was higher compared to those made with commercial nuruks such as Sanseong, Jinju, and Songhak. Acidity of makgeolli mash was lower in case of using a rice nuruk and birx and alcohol production were higher compared to those of makgeolli mash using commercial nuruks. Highest alcohol production was observed at makgeolli mash using a rice nuruk and 12% of alcohol was produced at fermentation end. These results suggest that production of a new type of wheat-rice makgeolli using a rice nuruk was possible.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.32 no.8
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• pp.1206-1213
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• 2003

In order to use nutraceutical components in Yulmoo (Coix lachryma-jobi L. var. ma-yuen Stapf), the acceptability of Yulmoo for Takju (Korean rice wine) was examined in terms of the production of volatile components. When Yulmoo was added to the Takju made by commercial koji as a substitute of starch at 0 (rice 100%), 15, 30, 60, and 100%, the ethanol content slightly increased to 13.6, 15.2, 15.2, 14.1, and 13.8%, the Production of isobutanol and iso-imyl alcohol increased as the amount of Yulmoo increased. While the use of Yulmoo to the Takju as the nuruk (Korean traditional koji), inoculated with Aspergillus kawachii (AK) and Rhizopu japonicus (RJ), decreased the contents of n-propanol, iso-butanol, and iso-amyl alcohol as well as the contents of ethanol from 14.3% to 11.2 [AK], 7.5 [RJ], and 10.4% [AK + RJ]. The Yulmoo nuruk in Takju increased the production of acetaldehyde and ethyl acetate indicating the negative effect in the organoleptic evaluation. It was determined that the addition of Yulmoo as a starch source or as nuruk has a critical effect on the production of fusel oils and other volatile compounds in Takju fermentation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.506-514
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• 2020

4-Hydroxybenzyl alcohol (4-HB alcohol) is one of the major active components of Gastrodia elata Blume, with beneficial effects on neurological disorders such as headache, convulsive behavior, and dizziness. Here, we developed a metabolically engineered Corynebacterium glutamicum strain able to produce 4-HB alcohol from 4-hydroxybenzoate (4-HBA). First, the strain APS963 was obtained from the APS809 strain via the insertion of aroK from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii into the NCgl2922-deleted locus. As carboxylic acid reductase from Nocardia iowensis catalyzes the reduction of 4HBA to 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (4-HB aldehyde), we then introduced a codon-optimized car gene into the genome of APS963, generating the GAS177 strain. Then, we deleted creG coding for a putative short-chain dehydrogenase and inserted ubiCpr encoding a product-resistant chorismate-pyruvate lyase into the pcaHG-deleted locus. The resulting engineered GAS355 strain accumulated 2.3 g/l 4-HB alcohol with 0.32 g/l 4-HBA and 0.3 g/l 4-HB aldehyde as byproducts from 8% glucose after 48 h of culture.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.181-187
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• 2010

Excessive alcohol consumption is one of the critical causative factors leading to alcoholic liver disease (ALD). ALD is characterized by a wide spectrum of liver damage, ranging from simple uncomplicated liver steatosis (fatty liver) to steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis/cirrhosis. It has been believed that the obvious underlying cause for ALD is due to hepatocyte death induced by alcohol itself. However, recent sparkling studies have shown that diverse immune responses contribute to ALD because liver is enriched with numerous immune cells. Especially, a line of evidence has suggested that innate immune cells such as Kupffer cells and natural killer (NK)/NKT cells are significantly involved in the pathogenesis of ALD via production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and other mediators. Indeed, more interestingly, hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), known as a major cell inducing liver steatosis and fibrosis, can be killed by liver NK cells, which could be suppressed by chronic alcohol consumption. In this review, with the view of liver as predominant innate immune organ, we describe the pathogenesis of ALD in which what roles of innate immune cells are and how they are interacting with HSCs.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.37-53
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• 1973

For the elucidation of the metabolic effects due to alcoholic drink and moldy rice intake author designed two experiments as follows. In the first experiment, sixty male and female rats, divided into six groups, 10 rats each in both sexes, were given 7.5% sucrose-30% alcohol solution (Jinro-Soju) and diets varied of fat content (2%, 7%, 30% of diet) and protein quality (casein, bean, anchovy) for 6 weeks. In the Second experiment, six groups of rats, 10 male rats each, were fed the diets containing zero, 5%, 10%, 25%, 50%, and 100% moldy rice contaminated Penicillium Islandicum and the experimental periods were 4 weeks and 6 weeks. The results of these studies due to the toxicity of alcohol consumption and moldy rice ingestion of the fatty liver production and the other effects are as follows. 1. Food intake of alcohol consumed groups decreased to 50%-70% of that of standard group. In the second study, there was no significant differences on food intake due to the different contents of moldy rice and experimental period. 2. On the view paint of body weight gain, the body weight of alcohol consumed groups gained much less than that of standard group, because food consumption was decreased due to alcohol ingestion. 3. In comparison of F.E.R. and P.E.R. between standard and experimental groups, there was no significant differences in this study. 4. As a matter of fact, there was no significance on the nitrogen balance in both studies. 5. From the result of hematology, R.B.C. counts, W.B.C. counts, hemoglobin, and hematocrit showed normal values in all groups including in this study. So we might conclude that the toxicity of alcohol and moldy rice do not effect significantly on blood picture. 6. The larger organs shrank on the range of 20%-70% of that against standard group in this study. The major reason for the shrinkage of organs might be account of decreased food consumption due to alcoholic drink. There was no great changes on the organ weight due to the ingestion of moldy rice. 7. The nitrogen content in various organs in both experiments was revealed at the normal level for the worst condition in terms of the least food intake. In other word, it was noteworthy that the concentration of nitrogen in various organs was kept at the normal ratio as standard groups under the circumstances of this study. 8. The lipid content in the liver of rats fed alcohol and diets containing either various lipid contents or protein quality did not increase. Hepatic lipids accumulation due to the dietary fat content was observed, but there wvas no significances among the compared groups. In the second experiment, the difference of hepatic lipid content between the moldy rice groups and standard group was not showed. In addition to the result of total lipid, hepatic free cholesterol, free fatty acid, and triglyceride did not change in both studies, we might conclude that the toxicity of alcohol and moldy rice could not effect on the hepatic lipid contents. 9. There was no significant differences on the serum glucose level between alcohol groups and standard group. In the second experiment, serum glucose level increase in 6th week compared with in 4th week, but there was no significant differences.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1258-1263
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• 2012

2,3-Butanediol (2,3-BD) is a major metabolite produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae KCTC2242, which is a important chemical with wide applications. Three genes important for 2,3-BD biosynthesis acetolactate decarboxylase (budA), acetolactate synthase (budB), and alcohol dehydrogenase (budC) were identified in K. pneumoniae genomic DNA. With the goal of enhancing 2,3-BD production, these genes were cloned into pUC18K expression vectors containing the lacZ promoter and the kanamycin resistance gene to generate plasmids pSB1-7. The plasmids were then introduced into K. pneumoniae using electroporation. All strains were incubated in flask experiments and 2,3-BD production was increased by 60% in recombinant bacteria harboring pSB04 (budA and budB genes), compared with the parental strain K. pneumoniae KCTC2242. The maximum 2,3-BD production level achieved through fed-batch fermentation with K. pneumoniae SGJSB04 was 101.53 g/l over 40 h with a productivity of 2.54 g/l.h. These results suggest that overexpression of 2,3-BD synthesis-related genes can enhance 2,3-BD production in K. pneumoniae by fermentation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.50-57
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• 2004

Selection of yeast strains, optimum conditions for alcohol fermentation, sterilization methods, and additives for improving wine quality were investigated to manufacture watermelon wine. Eight yeast strains exhibited significant alcohol fermentation, among which KWS 06 was selected for watermelon wine fermentation, because watermelon wine made by this strain showed the best overall acceptability in sensory evaluation. Sucrose was determined as the best saccharide for alcohol fermentation among sucrose, corn syrup, glucose, fructose, and lactose. Optimum concentration of soluble solid and $(NH_{4})_{2}HPO_{4}$ of nitrogen source were $24^{\circ}Brix and 0.2%, respectively. Addition of raspberries and omija increased wine flavor and alcohol production, respectively, with optimum alcohol production, taste, and color achieved with addition of 20 g/L raspberries and 10 g/L omija. Best sensory quality was obtained by addition of 0.04 % watermelon flavorant to the juice.

• Journal of Korea Foresty Energy
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.45-68
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• 2004

The word of lignin is derived from the Latin word 'ligum' meaning wood. Lignin is complex polymer consisting of coniferyl alcohol, sinapyl alcohol and p-coumaryl alcohol unit and has an amorphous, three dimensional network structure which is hard to be hydrolyzed by acid. Lignin is found in the cell wall of plants lignified. The mode of polymerization of these alcohols in the cell wall lead to a heterogeneous branched and cross-linked polymer in which phenyl propane units are linked by carbon-carbon and carbon-oxygen bonds. This polymerization of precursors, p-coumaryl alcohol, coniferyl alcohol and sinapyl alcohol to lignin is formed by enzymic dehydrolyzation. The reaction is initiated by an electron transfer which results in the formation of resonance-stabilized phenoxy radical. The combination of these radicals produces a variety of dimers, trimers and oligomers and so on. Lignin research has been divided into basic and practical application field. The basic studies contains biosynthesis, chemical structure, distribution in the cell wall and reactivity by reductants, oxidants and organic solvents. The application research will be approached the reaction of lignin in various pulp making involving pulp bleaching and its effect on pulp qualities. Lignin also will be studied for the production of fine chemicals, polymer products and the conservation into an energy source like petroleum oil because the amount of lignin produced in pulp making process is more than 51,000,000 tons per year in the world. Both basic and application research must lay emphasis on the development for the utilization of lignin and the pulping process. But these researches can not be completed without understanding lignin structure containing functional groups. Therefore, this paper was focused on the review of lignin formulation which has been studied since 1948 in chronological order. This review was based on monomers, dimers, trimers and tetramers of phenyl propane unit structures which were isolated and identified by different methods from various wood.ious wood.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.431-437
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• 2015

In this study, high-acidity cider vinegar (HACV) was produced by alcoholic and acetic acid fermentation of apple concentrate without any nutrients and then the optimum alcohol concentration was determined through a qualitative study. HACV was fermented with different initial alcohol concentrations (6-9%) during the process of acetic acid fermentation. The highest content of reducing sugar, organic acids, and free amino acids was observed at 6% of initial alcohol concentration. Approximately 20 types of volatile compounds were identified by solid-phase microextraction (SPME) and GC-MS. The total volatile content was the highest at 6% of initial alcohol concentration, and the acid content was the lowest at 9% of the initial alcohol concentration. The HACV produced by a two-stage fermentation process was qualitatively better than commercial HACV presenting the highest value at 6% of initial alcohol concentration. Malic acid, aspartic acid, and hexyl acetate were selected as quality index components of HACV production by two-stage fermentation on the basis of correlation between their physicochemical properties and the sensory attributes of HACV.