• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2014

In order to isolate probiotic lactic acid bacteria possessing high inhibitory activities against porcine and zoonotic pathogens, such as enterotoxigenic E. coli, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Clostridium perfringens, a total of 65 anaerobic strains were initially isolated from a variety of sources including cattle rumen fluids, chicken intestines and swine feces. Four Bifidobacterium strains were selected for their high anti-pathogenic bacterial activities. By using the 16S rDNA sequencing method, three B. boum strains and one B. thermophilum were identified. B. thermophilum demonstrated the best adhesive ability to epithelial cells of swine intestine among the isolates. Indeed, B. thermophilum was seen to have superior characteristics as a probiotic for swine, as judged by their high growth inhibitory activities against various pathogens, and high acid- and bile-tolerance.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 1990

A bacterial isolate of DJ-12 capable of degrading 4-chlorobenzoic acid (4CBA) as well as 4-chlorobiphenyl (4CB) was used in this study. Its biodegradability of 4CBA was tested and the location of the genes coding for degradation of 4CBA was investigated by the nethod of in vivo cloning. The genes were found to be existed in the plasmid of pDJ121 which is about 65kb in size and which has 9, 11, 10, and 19 restriction sites for EcoRI, HindIII, SalI, and PstI, respectively. The hybrid plasmid of pDK450 was constructed by ligation of the EcoRI fragments of pDJ121 with pKT230 as a vector. In the recombinant cells selected through transformation of the hybrid vector into Pseudomonas putida KT2440, the 4CBA-degrading genes of DJ-12 were proved to be cloned and expressed in the Pseudomonas sp.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2013

The purpose of this work was to investigate the several functional characteristics of Lactobacillus sakei JK-17 isolated from long-term fermented kimchi, Muk Eun Ji. Initially, phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA sequencing was performed to identify the isolate JK-17, and the strain could be assigned to Lactobacillus sakei and designated as L. sakei JK-17. The strain was registered in GenBank as [JX841311]. The changes of bacterial growth and residual organic acids were monitored and HPLC was used to measure quantitatively two organic acids, lactic acid and acetic acid, produced in the culture during 84 hours of incubation. During the incubation period, several functional characteristics of L. sakei JK-17 were examined. L. sakei JK-17 culture depleted nitrite concentration 94.75%. Antioxidant activity of cultural supernatants of L. sakei JK-17 was approx. 53.8%, and ${\beta}$-galactosidase activities were 0.243 units/mL at pH 7.0 and 0.387 units/mL at pH 4.1, respectively. The antibacterial activities against food-poisoning causing bacteria were examined with 20-fold concentrated culture supernatants from L. sakei JK-17 and the antibacterial effects were clearly observed against all bacteria tested in this work.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2011

Free-living amoebae ingest several kinds of bacteria. In other words, the bacteria can survive within free-living amoeba. To determine how Escherichia coli K1 isolate causing neonatal encephalitis and non-pathogenic K12 interact with free-living amoebae, e.g., Acanthamoeba castellanii (T1), A. astronyxis (T7), Naegleria fowleri, association, invasion and survival assays were performed. To understand pathogenicity of free-living amoebae, in vitro cytotoxicity assay were performed using murine macrophages. T1 destroyed macrophages about 64% but T7 did very few target cells. On the other hand, N. fowleri which needed other growth conditions rather than Acanthamoeba destroyed more than T1 as shown by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release assay. In association assays for E. coli binding to amoebae, the T7 exhibited significantly higher association with E. coli, compared with the T1 isolates (P<0.01). Interestingly, N. fowleri exhibited similar percentages of association as T1. Once E. coli bacteria attach or associate with free-living amoeba, they can penetrate into the amoebae. In invasion assays, the K1 (0.67%) within T1 was observed compared with K12 (0%). E. coli K1 and K12 exhibited high association with N. fowleri and bacterial CFU. To determine the fate of E. coli in long-term survival within free-living amoebae, intracellular survival assays were performed by incubating E. coli with free-living amoebae in PBS for 24 h. Intracellular E. coli K1 within T1 (2.5%) and T7 (1.8%) were recovered and grown, while K12 were not found. N. fowleri was not invaded and here it was not recovered.

• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify the bacteria in osteomyelitis lesion of 3 patients. Two lesions were due to the post-infection after extraction. The other was resulted from mal-fixation of both sides of mandibular angles. Pus samples were collected by needle aspiration from the lesion and examined by culture method. Bacterial culture was performed in three culture systems (anaerobic, $CO_2$, and aerobic incubator). Identification of the bacteria was performed by 16S rRNA gene cloning and nucleotide sequencing method. Our results showed that Streptococci species was predominantly isolated in both lesions of extraction socket. Only one species (Proteus vulagris) was detected in lesion of mandibular angle. This study was not sufficient to identify the causative bacteria in those osteomyelitis. However, our data may be offered the clue to solve the problem.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1716-1720
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• 2011

A bacterium hydrolysing various organic materials including cellulose, protein, starch and lipid was isolated. The isolate was identified as Bacillus subtilis, and named Bacillus subtilis CK-2 in this paper. This bacterium showed optimal growth at $40\sim45^{\circ}C$, pH 6~9, and 0~3% of NaCl. B. subtilis CK-2 seemed to synthesis highly active autolysin. The hydrolytic enzymes produced by B. subtilis CK-2 were primary enzymes because extracellular enzyme activities varied similarly to the growth curve. The hydrolytic enzymes seemed to be stable at basic pH conditions. From these results, B. subtilis CK-2 was found to bea useful bacterial agent for composting, or for use in feed-production waste in agriculture, fishery, forest materials, livestock farming, and food.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.312-317
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• 2002

Indigenous lactobacilli were isolated from vaginas of Korean women for possible use in ecological treatment of bacterial vaginosis. Vaginal swab samples were obtained from a gynecological clinic and streaked on Rogosa SL agar plates to select the most predominant lactobacilli in each sample. The preliminary identification of the isolates as lactobacilli was based on microscopic observation of Gram-positive rod-shaped cell morphology. The initial characterization was performed on 108 isolates in terms of their cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), antimicrobial activity, and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production capability, and 10 isolates were then selected for further molecular identification. For a rapid procedure to identify lactobacilli, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analyses of the l6S rRNA genes were applied. The 10 selected lactobacilli and 9 different reference strains of Lactobacillus spp. were characterized by PCR-RFLP where the amplified l6S rDNA was digested with 7 different restriction endonucleases prior to analysis. DNA sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene of one particular isolate, KLB 46, that had been identified as L. crispatus by the PCR-RFLP analysis, further confirmed its identity as L. crispatus.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.26-32
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• 2002

For commercial production of Korean fermented anchovy sauce through rapid fermentation, a bacterial strain which showed the high protease activity was isolated from a commercially fermented anchovy sauce. The isolate was Bacillus amyloliquefaciens, and named as B. amyloliquefaciens HTP-8. The incubation temperature, initial pH, and cultivation time for optimal production of protease by B. amyloliquefaciens HTP-8 were $30^{\circ}C$, 7.0, and 3 days, respectively. In jar fermenter, B. amyloliquefaciens HTP-8 showed higher protease activity when grown at pH 7.0. The protease was partially purified by 80% ammonium sulfate precipitation and CM-Sephadex C-50 ion exchange chromatography. The partially purified enzyme had specific activity of 103.3 units/mg, yield of 0.4%, and purification fold of 43.0. The optimal pH and temperature for the protease activity were 10.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. The protease was relatively stable at the pH range of 7.0~12.0 and at the temperatures below 4$0^{\circ}C$. The activity of the enzyme was inhibited by $Ag^{＋}$ /, $Ba^{2＋}$ and selectively inhibited by PMSF, suggesting that it is a serine protease.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.17-22
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• 2012

A bacterial strain was isolated from homemade Cheongkookjang as a producer of the ${\beta}$-galactosidase, capable of hydrolyzing lactose to liberate galactose and glucose residues. The isolate YB-1105 has been identified as Bacillus licheniformis on the basis of its 16S rDNA sequence, morphology and biochemical properties. ${\beta}$-Galactosidase activity was detected in both the culture supernatant and the cell extract of B. licheniformis YB-1105. The enzymes of both fractions demonstrated maximum activity for hydrolysis of para-nitrophenyl-${\beta}$-D-galactopyranoside (pNP-${\beta}Gal$) under identical reaction conditions of pH 6.5 and $50^{\circ}C$. However, ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity from the culture filtrate was affected more than that from the cell free extract at acidic pHs and high temperatures. The hydrolyzing activity of both ${\beta}$-galactosidases for pNP-${\beta}Gal$ was dramatically decreased by the addition of low concentrations of galactose, but was only marginally decreased by high concentrations of glucose or mannose.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.244-251
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• 2015

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have described the importance of bacteria that can degrade polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Here we screened bacterial isolates from commercial gasoline for PAH degraders and characterized their ability to degrade PAHs, lipids and proteins as well as their enantioselective epoxide hydrolase activity, salt tolerance, and seawater survival. METHODS AND RESULTS: One hundred two bacteria isolates from commercial gasoline were screened for PAH degraders by adding selected PAHs on to the surface of agar plates by the sublimation method. A clear zone was found only around the colonies of PAH degraders, which accounted for 13 isolates. These were identified as belonging to Bacillus sp., Brevibacterium sp., Micrococcus sp., Corynebacterium sp., Arthrobacter sp., and Gordonia sp. based on 16S rRNA sequences. Six isolates belonging to Corynebacterium sp., 3 of Micrococcus sp., Arthrobacter sp. S49, and Gordonia sp. H37 were lipid degraders. Arthrobacter sp. S49 was the only isolate showing high proteolytic activity. Among the PAH-degrading bacteria, Arthrobacter sp. S49, Brevibacterium sp. S47, Corynebacterium sp. SK20, and Gordonia sp. H37 showed enantioselective epoxide hydrolase activity with biocatalytic resolution of racemic styrene oxide. Among these, highest enantioselective hydrolysis activity was seen in Gordonia sp. H37. An intrinsic resistance to kanamycin was observed in most of the isolates and Corynebacterium sp. SK20 showed resistance to additional antibiotics such as tetracycline, ampicillin, and penicillin. CONCLUSION: Of the 13 PAH-degraders isolated from commercial gasoline, Arthrobacter sp. S49 showed the highest lipid and protein degrading activity along with high active epoxide hydrolase activity, which was the highest in Gordonia sp. H37. Our results suggest that bacteria from commercial gasoline may have the potential to degrade PAHs, lipids, and proteins, and may possess enantioselective epoxide hydrolase activity, high salt tolerance, and growth potential in seawater.