• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.58-67
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• 2020

Microbial electrosynthesis has recently been considered a potentially sustainable biotechnology for converting carbon dioxide (CO₂) into valuable biochemicals. In this study, bioelectrochemical acetate production from CO₂ was studied in an H-type two-chambered reactor system with an anaerobic microbial consortium. Metal-rich mud flat was used as the inoculum and incubated electrochemically for 90 days under a cathode potential of -1.1 V (vs. Ag/AgCl). Four consecutive batch cultivations resulted in a high acetate concentration and productivity of 93 mmol/L and 7.35 mmol/L/day, respectively. The maximal coulombic efficiency (rate of recovered acetate from supplied electrons) was estimated to be 64%. Cyclic voltammetry showed a characteristic reduction peak at -0.2~-0.4 V, implying reductive acetate generation on the cathode electrode. Furthermore, several electroactive acetate-producing microorganisms were identified based on denaturing- gradient-gel-electrophoresis (DGGE) and 16S rRNA sequence analyses. These results suggest that the mud flat can be used effectively as a microbial source for bioelectrochemical CO₂ conversion.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.22
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• pp.38-46
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• 2004

Effect of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) on the community structure of indigenous microorganisms in Gwangyang Bay sediments was investigated in Mar. & Aug.,2000. Microbial community structure was analyzed using 5'-terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) method. Microbial community structure based on T-RFLP method revealed that community differentiated by sampling period except station 1 located near the stream discharge site from Yeosu Industrial Complex. Even, microbial diversity was higher at stations showed relatively high concentrations of PAHs. The microbial community structure was severely changed during the enrichment culture with 1,000 ppm of PAHs mixture. It was also different between cultivated at 8$^{\circ}C$ and 30$^{\circ}C$. The results implied that temperature, poyosity, organic content and etc were more responsible than PAHs on the microbial community structure.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.18-27
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• 1997

The isolation, morphological study and growth characteristics of the algae were investigated from Lake Chuam. The isolated algae were applied the Agal Growth Potential test. The method of isolation and purification of the algae were used to Agar plating(AP), nutrient enrichment(NE), dilution(DI) and micro capillary technique(MC). Total isolated algae were 21 species. They were composed of Cyanophyceae, Dinophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, Euglenophyceae and Chlorophyceae. The numbers of algal strain by isolation technique were highest in dilution(21 species), and those of the rests were showed in order of NE > MC > AP. The sizes of isolated Selenastrum and Scenedesmus were $1.8\pm 1.4 \mu m$, $3.3\pm 0.9 \mu m$ in diameter and $6.4\pm 2.3 \mu m$, $13.6\pm 1.9 \mu m$ in length respectively. The morphology of isolated algae and NIES-collection strain was very similar each other, but the size was smaller isolated algae than that of NIES-collection. The optimum culture condition of isolated Selenastrum and Scenedesmus was about 30$\circ$C(25$\circ$C-35$\circ$C) in temperature and the maximum growth was appeared between 7,000 lux and 8,000 lux in the light intensity. The comparison of $\mu$(specific growth rate) on the concentration of nutrients such as nitrate and phosphate, isolated Selenastrum was appeared maximum it at 1.0 mg $NO_3-N/l$ but NIES-collection strain was showed 95% of maximum it at same nitrate concentration. Maximum g of isolated algae and NIES-collection strain in Scenedesmus onto nitrate concentration were very similar with the result of selenastrum. The specific growth rates of isolated algae and NIES-collection strain on the gradient concentration of phosphate were showed 0.72/day and 0.70/day at 0.02 mg $PO_4-P/l$ in Selenastrum but those of Scenedesmus were appeared 0.61/day and 0.57/day at same concentration $PO_4-P$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.126-135
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• 2006

In a previous study, a biological response modifier (BRM) specifically enhancing the function of B-cells was isolated from Korean fermented soybean paste (Kfsp), but not from non-fermented soybeans. In this study, we attempted to isolate the bacteria producing the BRM from Kfsp (KfspBRM) by ELISA using anti-KfspBRM and by B-cell proliferation. Five bacteria whose culture supernatants showed the BRM activities were isolated, and one of them was identified as Bacillus licheniformis E1. The bacterial BRM (bBRM) originated from a slime layer of B. licheniformis El had a molecular weight of 1,594 kDa, and contained $33\%\;(w/w)$ of reduced sugar and $4.6\%\;(w/w)$ of protein content. The bBRM appeared to be a glycoprotein that is physically, structurally, and functionally similar to the KfspBRM, suggesting that the isolates including B. licheniformis El may produce the KfspBRM in the fermentation process of soybean paste. The mass production of the BRM by the bacterium may help to study B-cells in immunology, and the enrichment of the BRM in Kfsp may help patients in future who are medically in need of potentiation of B-cell proliferation and antibody production.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.109-115
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• 1982

A Corynebacterium sp. capable of utilizing diaminododecane (DAD) were isolated from the soil by enrichment culture. Among 9 different kinds of substituted alkanes containing CN, NH$_2$, Cl, and SH groups (monoteminally or diterminally substituted) tested as carbon source, the isolate, designated as DAD 2-2. utilized DAD, putrescine dihydrochloride, dodecanethiol, dodecane and lautylamine. Thioanisole, decanedithiol, dicyanooctane, laurylcyanide, and dichlorodecane were not utilized. When emulgen 950 was added to the medium, the growth of DAD 2-2 was greatly accelerated. Isolated DAD 2-2 grown in the medium with DAD as carbon source formed ethyl $\alpha$-ketoglutarate. Metabolic product of DAD 2-2 grown in a medium without nitrogen source was different from that of grown in a medium with NH$_4$NO$_3$. When glucose, putrescine, n-dodecane and other alkane derivatives were tested in place of DAD, isolate DAD 2-2 yielded products different from those they formed with DAD suggesting specificity of DAD as a carbon source.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.940-945
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• 2001

Symbiobacterium toebii has been previously reported as a novel commensal thermophile exhibiting a commensal interaction with thermophilic Geobacillus sp. SK-1. We investigated the distribution of this commensal thermophile in various soils using molecular methods, such as quantitative PCR and terminal restriction fragment polymorphism analysis. Based on a nested competitive quantitative PCR the 16S rDNA of the commensal thermophile was only detected in compost soils at about $1.0{\times}10^4$ cpoies per gram of soil, corresponding to $0.25{\times}10^4$ cells per gram of soil. However, in an enrichment experiment at $60^{\circ}C$, about $1.0{\times}10^8$ copies of 16S rDNA molecules were detected per ml of enriched culture broth for all the soils, and more than 0.1 mM indole accumulated as the product of commensal bacterial growth. When incubated at $30^{\circ}C$, neither the 16S rDNA of the commensal bacterium nor any indole accumulation was detected. Accordingly, even though the 16S rDNA of the bacterium was only detected in the compost soils by a nested PCR, the presence of the 16S rDNA molecules of commensal thermophile and accumulation of indole in all the enriched cultures appeared to indicate that the commensal thermophile is widely distributed in various soils.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.992-1000
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• 2005

Campylobacter is one of the emerging foodborne pathogens, and its worldwide incidence rate is extremely high. This study was undertaken to isolate and identify Campylobacter strains from chicken carcasses in the local markets, and analyze their characteristics regarding oxygen tolerance. They were isolated after aerobic enrichment and identified by biochemical, physiological, and morphological characteristics, PCR, and 16S rDNA sequencing. Their oxygen tolerances were analyzed in terms of the cell surface hydrophobicity, cell fatty acid composition, and oxidoreductase. Five strains of C. jejuni were isolated and identified from 61 isolates from 50 chickens. Among them, C. jejuni IC21 grew well in Brucella broth and commercial milk under aerobic condition. However, in the aerobic exposure, the cell surface hydrophobicity of C. jejuni IC21 was almost the same as the other isolates, even though its morphology changed from the spiral-bacilli form into the coccoid form. Fatty acid analyses showed that all Campylobacter strains had a high composition of $C_{19:1}$, cyclopropane fatty acid, and that the amount of the other fatty acids were very similar between them. Interestingly, however, only oxidoreductase activities of C. jejuni IC21 increased highly under aerobic exposure even though its activities were almost the same as the other C. jejuni strains just after microaerobic culture. It had 11.8 times higher catalase activity, 4.4 times higher for SOD, and 2.0 times higher for NADH oxidase activities. Therefore, in the case of the aero-adaptive C. jejuni IC21, expression of oxidoreductase significantly increased under oxidative stressed condition, which might allow it to survive for a longer time and grow on food under aerobic exposure. Such new strain might be one of the explanations for the increase of campylobacteriosis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.366-372
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• 2003

The production of microbiologically enriched cultures that degrade cis- 1,2-dichloroethylene(DCE) under anaerobic conditions was investigated. Among 80 environmental samples, 19 displayed significant degradation of $10{\mu}M$ cis-DCE during 1 month of anaerobic incubation, and one sediment sample collected at a landfill area (Nanji-do, Seoul, Korea) showed the greatest degradation ($94\%$). When this sediment culture was subcultured repeatedly, the ability to degrade cis-DCE gradually decreased. However, under Fe(III)-reducing conditions, cis-DCE degradation by the subculture was found to be maintained effectively. In the Fe(III)-reducing subculture, vinyl chloride (VC) was also degraded at the same extent as cis-DCE No accumulation of VC during the cis-DCE degradation was observed. Thus, Fe(III)-reducing microbes might be involved in the anaerobic degradation of the chlorinated ethenes. However, the subcultures established with Fe(III) could function even in the absence of Fe(III), showing that the degradation of cis-DCE and VC was not directly coupled with the Fe(III) reduction. Consequently, the two series of enrichment cultures could not be obtained that degrade both cis-DCE and VC in the presence or absence of Fe(III). Considering the lack of VC accumulation, both cultures reported herein may involve interesting mechanism(s) for the microbial remediation of environments contaminated with chlorinated ethenes. A number of fermentative reducers (microbes) which are known to reduce Fe(III) during their anaerobic growth are potential candidates involved in cir-DCE degradation in the presence and absence of Fe(III).

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.96-100
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• 2004

Chlorothalonil is a wide-spectrum fungicide that is widely used in the world. Chlorothalonil is known as a potential toxic pollutant due to its high application rate, persistence, and toxicity to humans and other species. With the Increase of necessity of bioremediation, this study was conducted to isolate the chlorothalonil dissipation bacteria from soil. Soil samples were collected from 184 sites of farmland and wastewater disposal soil.661 strains resistant to chlorothalonil were isolated by dilution method from chlorothalonil-containing enrichment culture. After incubating at $30^{\circ}C$ in 1/10 LB media containing 10 ppm of chlorothalonil for a week, dissipation ability of chlorothalonil was investigated by HPLC. Finally, a strain SH35B, capable of dissipating chlorothalonil efficiently, was selected. The strain SH35B was identified as Ochrobactrum sp. Ten ppm of chlorothalonil In 1/10 LB media were completely dissipated by the growth of Ochrobactrum sp. SH35B for 30 h at $30^{\circ}C$. In the isolated strain, the content of glutathione and the activity of glutathione S-transferase were supposed to be ones of the Important factors for chlorothalonil dissipation and were higher than those of control strains, Escherichia coli and Bacillus subtilis.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.319-324
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• 1991

Three strains able to efficiently produce ethanol from cellulosic hydrolysates were isolated from soil samples by enrichment culture in liquid saccharified wheat bran medium. The profiles of physiological and biochemical properties of two yeasts KM-09 and KM-402 and a bacterium Hg-225 were almost identical from those of Candida sp. and Klebsiella sp., respectively. Strains KM-09 and HG-225 used xylose and cellobiose as fermentable sugars, and HG-225 had a wide range of sugar utilization for ethanol fermentation. The optimal pH and temperature for growth of KM-09, KM-402 and HG-225 were 5.8, 5.6 and 6.8 and 32t, $30^{\circ}C$~ and $38^{\circ}C$, respectively. During the ethanol fermentation in saccharified wheat bran by the isolated strains, optimal temperature for ethanol production was more or less higher than those for growth, and addition of 0.2% (w/v) $MgSO_4$, into the medium enhanced ethanol productivity. Of the three strains ethanol content of KM-09 was the highest with about 2.3% (v/v), and ethanol production rate of HG-225 was faster than the others and maximum productivity was after 4 days. KM-09 (1.42% v/v) and HG-225 (1.05%, vlv) produced ethanol from 4% (wIv) xylose but growth rate was slower than on glucose. Otherwise KM-402 showed the highest ethanol productivity on glucose, but no ethanol was detected on xylose and cellobiose.