• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.344-351
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• 2009

A biocontrol bacterium Bacillus licheniformis N1 grown in nutrient broth showed no chitinolytic activity, while its genome contains a gene which encodes a chitinase. The gene for chitinase from B. licheniformis N1 was amplified by PCR and the deduced amino acid sequence analysis revealed that the chitinase exhibited over 95% identity with chitinases from other B. licheniformis strains. Escherichia coli cells carrying the recombinant plasmid displayed chitinase activity as revealed by the formation of a clear zone on chitin containing media, indicating that the gene could be expressed in E. coli cells. Chitinase gene expression in B. licheniformis N1 was not detected by RT-PCR analysis. The protein was over-expressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) as a glutathione S-transferase fusion protein. The protein could also be produced in B. subtilis 168 strain carrying the chitinase gene of N1 strain. The crude protein extract from E. coli BL21 carrying GST fusion protein or culture supernatant of B. subtilis carrying the chitinase gene exhibited enzyme activity by hydrolyzing chitin analogs, 4-methylumbelliferyl-$\beta$-D-N,N'-diacetylchitobioside and 4-methylumbelliferyl-$\beta$-D-N,N',N"-triacetylchitotrioside. These results indicated that even though the chitinase gene is not expressed in the N1 strain, the coding region is functional and encodes an active chitinase enzyme. Furthermore, B. subtilis 168 transformants expressing the chitinase gene exhibited antifungal activity against Fulvia fulva by suppressing spore germination. Our results suggest that the proper engineering of the expression of the indigenous chitinase gene, which will lead to its expression in the biocontrol strain B. licheniformis N1, may further enhance its biocontrol activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.978-984
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• 2004

In the course of screening for a novel inhibitor of CDC2, HY558-1 was isolated from a culture broth of Penicillium minioluteum F558. Moreover, it was found that HY558-1 had an effect on both the cell cycle regulation and apoptosis of human cervical adenocarcinoma HeLa cells. A flow cytometric analysis of HeLa cells revealed appreciable cell cycle arrest at the G1 and G2/M phases following treatment with HY558-1. Furthermore, DNA fragmentation due to apoptosis was observed in HeLa cells treated with HY558-1. To obtain further information on the cell cycle arrest and apoptotic induction induced by HY558-1, the expression of certain cell cycle and apoptosis-associated proteins was examined using a Western blot analysis. The results revealed that HY558-1 inhibited the phosphorylation of pRb and decreased the expression levels of CDK2, CDC2, and cyclin A in the cell cycle progression. It was also shown that the level of $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$ was increased in HeLa cells treated with 0.52 mM of HY558-1. Accordingly, HY558-1 was found to inhibit the proliferation of HeLa cells through the induction of G1 phase arrest by inhibiting pRb phosphorylation via an upregulation of $p21^{WAF1/CIP1}$, and G2/M phase arrest by directly inhibiting CDC2 and cyclin A. Moreover, HeLa cells treated with 0.52 mM of HY558-1 exhibited apoptotic induction associated with the cleavage of Bid and release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into the cytosol. Subsequent investigation of the activation of caspase-3 and cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) suggested that the mitochondrial pathway was primarily involved in the HY558-1-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.250-256
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• 2003

Lactic acid bacteria with amylolytic and acid producing activities can ferment starch directly to lactic acid thereby producing a monomer for the production of biodegradable poly lactic acid (PLA). In this study, the strain producing L-lactic acid from soluble starch was isolated from Nuruk. The isolated strain was identified as Enterococcus sp. through its morphological, cultural, biochemical characteristics as well as the 16S rDNA sequence analysis, and named Enterococcus sp. JA-27. Enterococcus sp. JA-27 produced exclusively L-lactic acid from soluble starch as a carbon source. The optimal conditions for the maximum production of L-lactic acid from Enterococcus sp. JA-27 were 30 C, pH 8, 1.5 % soluble starch as a substrate and 3.5 % tryptone as a nitrogen source, 0.1 % $K_2$$HPO_4$, 0.04 % $MgSO_4$. $7H_2$O, 0.014 % $MnSO_4$$.$4$H_2O$, 0.004% $FeSO_4$$.$$7H_2$O. Batch and fed batch culture were carried out and the former was more effective. L-Lactic acid production in the optimum medium was significantly increased in a 7 L jar fermenter, where the maximum L-lactic acid concentration was 3 g/L. For the purification of lactic acid in fermented broth, two stage ionexchange column chromatographies were employed and finally identified by HPLC.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.512-521
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• 2016

A bacterial strain was isolated from a soil sample collected on Jeju Island, Korea. The strain, designated WJ-2, exhibited a high xylanase activity, whereas cellulase activity was not detected. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of WJ-2 was highly similar to type strains of the genus Streptomyces. A neighbor-joining phylogenetic tree based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain WJ-2 is phylogenetically related to Streptomyces atrovirens. Furthermore, DNA-DNA hybridization analysis confirmed that strain WJ-2 is a novel subspecies of Streptomyces atrovirens. The genomic DNA G+C content was 73.98 mol% and the major fatty acid present was anteiso-C15:0 (36.19%). The growth and xylanase production of strain WJ-2 were significantly enhanced by using soytone and xylan as nitrogen and carbon sources, respectively. Crude enzyme preparations from the culture broth of strain WJ-2 exhibited maximal total xylanase activities at pH 7.0 and $55^{\circ}C$. Thin-layer chromatography analysis revealed that the crude enzyme degrades beechwood xylan to yield xylobiose and xylotriose as the principal hydrolyzed end products.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.375-379
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• 2016

This study investigated the decomposing activities on gelatin and egg sac of root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita). Ten Bacillus isolates (KRB-1~10) isolated from the soils of Mt. Naejang. Among them, KRB-5, 9, and 10 showed decomposing activities, and identified as Bacillus subtilis KRB-5, Bacillus amyloliquefaciens KRB-9, and KRB-10 by 16S rRNA sequence analysis, respectively. Under pot experiments using pepper, 100-fold diluted culture broth of three isolates reduced the number of egg sac on roots collected 60 days and 90 days and increased the growth of aerial part compared with the group only treated with Meloidogyne incognita. Especially, the group treated B. subtilis KRB-5 was superior in the growth of pepper. These results suggest that the B. subtilis KRB-5 can be used to control the root-knot nematode on pepper.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.151-160
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• 2004

Enterococcus faecium MJ5-14 isolated from Meju produced a bacteriocin, which was antagonistic towards Listeria monocytogenes. Bacteriocin activity reached a maximum (640 BU/mL) after incubation for 12 hr, the early stationary phase, then dropped after the late stationary phase. Bacterocin of E. faecium MJ5-14 was extremely active against a wide range of Listeria species, including L. monocytogenes with sensitives up to about 640 BU/mL. In case of mixed culture with 105 CFU/mL L. monocytogenes and 105 CFU/mL E. faecium MJ5-14, the inhibitory effect against L. monocytogenes at $37^{\circ}C$ was higher than at $25^{\circ}C$. The mode of action was identified as bactericidal, because the addition of 100 BU/mL this bacteriocin to cell suspensions of L. monocytogenes KCTC 3569, led to a marked decrease in the number of viable cells. Further, when held in contact with bacteriocin of E. faecium MJ15-14 for 12 hr, L. monocytogenes KCTC 3569 displayed the disruption of the cells and an important efflux of the intracellular material.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.37-42
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• 2001

An antifungal substance was purified from culture broth of Pseudomonas flulorescens 2112 that showed a broad-spectrum antagonistic activity against various phytopathogenic fungi including capsici. The substance was identified as 2,4-diacetylphloro-glucinol basd on NMR analysis. The 2,4-diacetylphloroglcinol showed antibiotic activity in broad acidic range from pH 1.0 to pH 9.0. About 83% of initial activity was remained after incubation for 30min ar $60^{\circ}C$, however, the activity was dropped up to 50% after 30 min incubation in $80^{\circ}C$. When the nucleotides of P. capsici treated with 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol were labeled with[$^{3}$ H]-Adenin, the newly synthesized and radioactive-labeled RNA was significantly reduced than those of untreated P. capsici. indicating that the 2,4-diacetylphloroglucinol inhibits RNA synthesis.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.84-89
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• 2001

Isolation and Characterization of Cathepsin B inhibitor Produced by Streptomyces luteogriseus KT-IO. Han, Kil~Hwan and Sang~Dal Kim*. Department of Applied Microbiology, Yeungnam Universit}/t Kyongsan 712749, Korea - The cathepsin B inhibitor produced by Streptomyces luteogriseus KT-IO was very stable in heat, acidic and alkaline conditions. The cathepsin B inhibitor was isolated from the extracted fraction of culture broth with butanol, methanol and chloroform subsequently, the inhibitor was purified with following several column chromatography sLlch as DEAE-Sephadex A-25, Sephadex G-15, silica gel 60, Sephadex LH-20, and preparative HPLC. The cathepsin B inhibitor showed positively to detective reaction of ninhydrine, 5% H2S04, iodine, but negatively to the reaction of Ehrlich's reagent, DNS, aniline. The molecular formular of cathepsin B inhibitor was elucidated by JR, lH and 13C-NMR, FAB mass and elemental analyzer. Consequently, it was identified as C4HlI04N6. The cathepsin B inhibitor had the mode of competitive inhibition with the reaction of cathepsin B.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.399-404
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• 2009

This paper described the formulation of functional cosmetics and evaluation of anti-wrinkle efficacy in clinical test. Cosmetics were formulated with highly purified $\beta$-carotene obtained from the culture broth of recombinant E.coli cells. Edible oil for solubilizing $\beta$-carotene, vitamine E for long-term storage, detergent/stabilizer (2.0%) for the complete formation of oil/water emulsion, dimethicone (0.35%) for good skin care, and sorbitol for skin moisturizer were also added as ingredients. Physical or chemical degradation of formulated products stored at $0^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, or $40^{\circ}C$ was not observed for 60-day testing period. In clinical test, 68% of applicants observed wrinkle decrease after 8-week treatment. This result indicates that newly formulated cosmetics have strong potential for improving wrinkle skin care.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.28-33
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• 2008

The expression vector (pWHM3-TR1R2) for sprT gene encoding Streptomyces griseus trypsin (SGT) followed by two regulatory genes, sgtR1 and sgtR2, was introduced into Streptomyces lividans TK24 and Streptomyces griseus IFO 13350. Various media with different compositions were used to maximize the productivity of SGT in the recombinant trains. he SGT productivity was best when the transformant of S. lividans TK24 was cultivated in R2YE medium (0.74 unit/mL) at 5 days of cultivation. C5/L (0.66 unit/mL) medium also gave a good productivity, but Livid (0.08 unit/mL) and NDSK (0.06 unit/mL) yielded poor productivities. S. griseus IFO 13350/pWHM3-TR1R2 produced SGT by 1.518 unit/mL (C5/L), 1.284unit/mL (R2YE),0.932 unit/mL (NDSK), and 0.295 unit/mL (Livid) at 7 days of cultivation, which was much higher than those from S. lividans TK24/TR1R2. The SGT protein was purified from the culture broth of S. griseus IFO 13350/pWHM3-TR1R2 in C5/L to homogeneity via ammonium sulfate fractionation, and CM-sepharose and SP-sepharose column chromatographies. The specific activity of purified SGT was 69,252 unit/mg, and the final purification fold and recovery yield were 6.5 and 1.4%, respectively.