• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1617-1624
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• 2008

Chitin and chitosan, which is deacetylated form of chitin, are one of the most abundant biomass on the earth. They showed various biological activities including antimicrobial activity, heavy metal chelating, immune system activation, and have very diverse applications in food, pharmaceutical, medicinal, and environmental industry. There have been reported many chitin/chitosan-hydrolyzing enzymes, their structures and genes from three domains, archaea, bacteria, and eukarya. Carbohydrate hydrolyzing enzymes are classified in CAZy (Carbohydrate Active Enzymes) database according to their amino acid sequence similarity. Interestingly, chitinases and chitosanases are classified in various glycosyl hydrolase(GH) families, GH2, GH5, GH7, GH8, GH18, GH19, GH20, GH46, GH48, GH73, GH75, GH80, GH84, and GH85. Here, we review characteristics and structures of chitin/chitosan hydrolyzing enzymes according to glycosyl hydrolase families in order to provide information about gene mining.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 2015

Anthracnose is a fungal disease caused by Colletotrichum species that is detrimental to numerous plant species. Anthracnose control with fungicides has both human health and environmental safety implications. Despite increasing public concerns, fungicide use will continue in the absence of viable alternatives. There have been relatively less efforts to search antagonistic bacteria from mudflats harboring microbial diversity. A total of 420 bacterial strains were isolated from mudflats near the western sea of South Korea. Five bacterial strains, LB01, LB14, HM03, HM17, and LB15, were characterized as having antifungal properties in the presence of C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides. The three Bacillus atrophaeus strains, LB14, HM03, and HM17, produced large quantities of chitinase and protease enzymes, whereas the B. amyloliquefaciens strain LB01 produced protease and cellulase enzymes. Two important antagonistic traits, siderophore production and solubilization of insoluble phosphate, were observed in the three B. atrophaeus strains. Analyses of disease suppression revealed that LB14 was most effective for suppressing the incidence of anthracnose symptoms on pepper fruits. LB14 produced antagonistic compounds and suppressed conidial germination of C. acutatum and C. gloeosporioides. The results from the present study will provide a basis for developing a reliable alternative to fungicides for anthracnose control.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.50-60
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• 2015

The use of novel isolates of Trichoderma with efficient antagonistic capacity against Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL) is a promising alternative strategy to pesticides for tomato wilt management. We evaluated the antagonistic activity of 30 isolates of T. asperellum against 4 different isolates of FOL. The production of extracellular cell wall degrading enzymes of the antagonistic isolates was also measured. The random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) method was applied to assess the genetic variability among the T. asperellum isolates. All of the T. asperellum isolates significantly reduced the mycelial growth of FOL isolates but the amount of growth reduction varied significantly as well. There was a correlation between the antagonistic capacity of T. asperellum isolates towards FOL and their lytic enzyme production. Isolates showing high levels of chitinase and ${\beta}$-1,3-glucanase activities strongly inhibited the growth of FOL isolates. RAPD analysis showed a high level of genetic variation among T. asperellum isolates. The UPGMA dendrogram revealed that T. asperellum isolates could not be grouped by their antagonistic behavior or lytic enzymes production. Six isolates of T. asperellum were highly antagonistic towards FOL and potentially could be used in commercial agriculture to control tomato wilt. Our results are consistent with the conclusion that understanding the genetic variation within Trichoderma isolates and their biochemical capabilities are required for the selection of effective indigenous fungal strains for the use as biocontrol agents.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.299-301
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• 2018

Microbulbifer agarilyticus GP101 was isolated from the gut of a marine invertebrate Turbo cornutus and capable of degrading polysaccharide such as agar, alginate, and ${\kappa}$-carrageenan constituting algal cell wall. To obtain genomic basis of polysaccharide-degrading activity, we sequenced genome of strain GP101. The genome consists of 4,255,625 bp, 3,458 coding sequences with 55.4% G + C contents. BLASTP search revealed the presence of seven agarases, five alginate lyases, ten glucanases, four chitinases, two xylanases, one ${\kappa}$-carrageenase, and one laminarinase. The genomic data of strain GP101 will provide potential uses in the bioconversion process of diverse polysaccharide into bioenergy and biochemicals.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.64 no.3
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• pp.409-431
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• 2022

Various insects have emerged as novel feed resources due to their economical, eco-friendly, and nutritive characteristics. Fish, poultry, and pigs are livestock that can feed on insects. The digestibility of insect-containing meals were presented by the species, life stage, nutritional component, and processing methods. Several studies have shown a reduced apparent digestibility coefficient (ADC) when insects were supplied as a replacement for commercial meals related to chitin. Although the expression of chitinase mRNA was present in several livestock, indigestible components in insects, such as chitin or fiber, could be a reason for the reduced ADC. However, various components can positively affect livestock health. Although the bio-functional properties of these components have been verified in vitro, they show positive health-promoting effects owing to their functional expression when directly applied to animal diets. Changes in the intestinal microbiota of animals, enhancement of immunity, and enhancement of antibacterial activity were confirmed as positive effects that can be obtained through insect diets. However, there are some issues with the safety of insects as feed. To increase the utility of insects as feed, microbial hazards, chemical hazards, and allergens should be regulated. The European Union, North America, East Asia, Australia, and Nigeria have established regulations regarding insect feed, which could enhance the utility of insects as novel feed resources for the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.11
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• pp.1684-1690
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• 2010

The properties of non-waxy rice, Dongjin 1, cultivated with conventional farming (CF) and environmentally-harmonized farming (EHF) using hairy vetch were compared to determine rice water absorption, physicochemical and pasting properties, antioxidant activities of brown and white rice, and a sensory evaluation of cooked white rice was carried out. EHF was treated with green manure crops such as hairy vetch and chitinase, which produce microorganism culture solution. CF was applied with seed disinfection treatments, fertilizer herbicides, and agricultural chemicals for the control of pests and diseases. The absorption level of EHF rice was higher than that of CF rice grain, regardless of the cultivation methods used. The ash and crude lipid contents were higher, but protein and dietary fiber contents were lower in the CF rice than in the EHF rice. The total starch content, water binding capacity, and swelling power of white rice were higher than those of brown rice, regardless of the cultivation methods used. The DPPH's antioxidant activity was shown as follows: EHF brown rice, EHF white rice and CF rice, in a decreasing order. The initial pasting temperature of EHF rice was lower than that of CF rice, but the peak, cold, and breakdown viscosities exhibited reverse trends. The sensory evaluation showed that the cooked white rice cultivated with EHF was not significantly different from that cultivated with CF (p<0.05). The overall preference of cooked rice did not show significant differences between the two cultivation methods (p<0.05).

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.659-666
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• 2010

Lysobacter antibioticus HS124 was isolated from rhizosphere soil in previous experiments, which produced lytic enzymes such as chitinase, gelatinase, lipase and protease. In addition, HS124 released an antibiotic compound, 4-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (4-HPAA). When larvae of P. xylostella was treated with HS124 culture broth, its body was destroyed, and degraded with the increase of incubation time, yielding glycine which was detected from HS124 culture broth. When 4-HPAA produced from HS124 was sprayed, larvae mortality increased with increasing concentration of 4-HPAA. When HS124 culture supplemented with Tween 80 was sprayed, its insecticidal activity against larvae was approximately 1.4 times higher compared to the culture without Tween 80. Insecticide (IS), HS124 culture broth (HS124), Magic-pi (MP) and HS124 culture broth+Magic-pi (HS124+MP) were each treated against larvae of P. xylostella to investigate their insecticidal effect where sterile diluted water (SDW) was used as a control. The highest mortality of larvae was found in HS124+MP, followed by IS, MP, HS124 and SDW respectively. Mortality of larvae in HS124 was 31% higher than that in SDW, but 41% lower than that in HS124+MP, meaning that both enzymes and antibiotics produced from HS124 may synergistically act as active agents with plant extract containing neem oil and turmeric in HS124+MP treatment. These results suggested that L. antibioticus HS124 together with plant extract can be one of candidates for biocontrol agents against Plutella xylostella.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.295-301
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• 2010

Sheath rot and dry rot disease caused by Pseudomonas marginalis and Fusarium oxysporum were serious problems in garlic farmland. In this study, total of 160 indigenous antagonistic bacteria were isolated from 16 farmlands in Yeongcheon, Korea. Among these, 15 strains were able to inhibited P. marginalis and F. oxysporum. The 16s rDNA genes of the selected 15 strains were amplified and sequenced. The strains has strong antagonistic ability against garlic pathogens was achieved Bacillus subtilis YC82, B. vallismortis YC84, B. amyloliquefaciens YC240. The selected 3 strains tested for investigation of antifungal mechanisms further analyses; 3 strains of these validated for production of siderophore, ${\beta}$-glucanase and chitinase using CAS (chrome azurol S) blue agar, CMC-congo red agar and DNS method. The 3 strains were able to utilized insoluble phosphate as dertermined by vanado-molybdate method. The 3 strains verified for production of auxin and gibberellic acid using Salkowski test and holdbrook test. Also, 3 strains showed stimulation germination, stem growth promoting activity on the in vivo test. The 3 strains were able to effectively suppress P. marginalis and F. oxysporum causing sheath rot and dry rot diseases on the in vivo pot test.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.379-387
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• 2013

In order to improve practical utility of agro-microorganisms (AMs) which had been cultured and disseminated to promote plant growth and to control crop diseases, 51 isolates of AMs were collected from 18 agricultural extension centers in local government and screened for multi-functions such as antifungal activity, activities of phosphorus solubilization, IAA and siderophore production, nitrogen fixation, and hydrolytic enzyme activity. Finally we selected one isolate showing good antifungal activity and multi-functions related to plant growth and disease control. The selected isolate, Paenibacillus polymyxa CW, showed good inhibitory effect against plant pathogens, Pyricularia gresea, Colletotrichum acutatum, Fusarium oxysporum, Phomopsis sp., Aspergillus niger, Rhizoctonia solani and Phytophthora capsici. Suppressive effect of P. polymyxa CW against the used plant pathogens except for R. solani was much higher than that of P. polymyxa AC-1 storing in National Academy of Agricultural Science. We found P. polymyxa CW isolate showed good activity in siderophore and IAA formation, and nitrogen fixation. With P. polymyxa CW isolate, siderophore formation activity was similar to that of P. polymyxa AC-1, but IAA formation and nitrogen fixation activity was much higher than that of P. polymyxa AC-1. However neither P. polymyxa CW nor P. polymyxa AC-1 showed hydrolytic enzyme (chitinase, pectinase and cellulase) activity. The treatment of P. polymyxa CW with culture suspension of different cell density ($10^8$, $10^7$. $10^6$ cfu/ml) showed that the highest density reduced incidence of red pepper powdery mildew by 68.3% after 10 days of application. As application density of P. polymyxa CW was decreased, its control efficacy was proportionally decreased. In addition, when P. polymyxa CW was treated to control tomato powdery mildew at the same concentrations and their control effects were investigated after 7 days of inoculation, disease incidence was 0.03, 19.5, 45.7%, respectively, compared to 56.3% that of untreated check. Like red pepper powdery mildew, increase of application density of P. polymyxa CW resulted in increase of its control efficacy proportionally. P. polymyxa CW showed a density-dependent control efficacy against red pepper and tomato powdery mildews. Therefore we think that mode of action of the antagonist for suppressing two powdery mildew diseases might be antibiosis and density of more than $10^8cfu/ml$ was needed to control effectively the two diseases. On this basis, we think that P. polymyxa CW can be a promising control agent for suppressing powdery mildews of red pepper and tomato.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.1126-1135
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• 2012

In order to produce high-quality fermenting composts, bacteria strains with high activities of extracellular enzymes (cellulase, chitinase, amylase, protease and lipase) were isolated from the soils in 6 provinces of Korea, and characterized by 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and properties. The selected 7 stains inoculated to livestock manure for 2' fermenting time, and experimental treatment divided into 3 groups, B1, B2 and B3, according to microbial activity and enzyme type. Our results showed that microbe applications (B1, B2 and B3) can increase (p<0.05) both rhizomes (17-38%) and enzyme activities (50-81%) in compost after fermenting time, respectively, compared to non-microbe treatment (control). The microbe application also decreased significantly (p<0.05) the $NH_3$ and $H_2S$ gas contents 13.4 and 27.3% compared with control, and the Propionic acid and Butyric acid gas contents 14.5 and 19.6%, respectively, as compared to the control. The microbial degradation rate (%) of pesticides and heavy metals increased significantly (p<0.05) after fermenting time, respectively, as compared to the control. Especially, microbe applications were more effective in total rhizomes yields and bioactivities than non-microbe treatment. Thus the results of this study could help in development of potential bioinoculants and composting techniques that maybe suitable for crop production, and protectable for earth environment under various conditions.