• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.439-449
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• 2008

Algicidal bacterium was isolated from sea water during the declining period of Cochlodinium polykrikoides blooms and this bacterium had a significant algicidal activity against C. polykrikoides. In this study, algicidal bacterium was identified on the basis of biochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics, and analysis of 16S rDNA sequences. The algicidal bacterium showed 98.6% homology with Micrococcus luteus ATCC $381^T$. Therefore, this bacterium was designated Micrococcus luteus SY-13. The optimal culture conditions of the algicidal bacterium was $25^{\circ}C$, initial pH 8.0, and 3.0% NaCl concentration. M. luteus SY-13 is assumed to produce secondary metabolites which have algicidal activity. When 10% culture filtrate of this strain was applied to C. polykrikoides ($1.0\;{\times}\;10^4\;cells/ml$) cultures, over 98% of C, polykrikoides cells were destroyed within 6 hours. The culture filtrate of M. luteus SY-13 exhibited similar algicidal activity after heat-treatment at $121^{\circ}C$ for 15 min. While algicidal activity remained in filtrates with pH adjusted to 8.0, loss of algicidal activity occurred when the pHs of filtrates were adjusted to over 9.0 or heat-treated at $121{\times}180^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. M. luteus SY-13 showed significant algicidal activities against C. polykrikoides (98.9%) and a wide algicidal range against various harmful algal bloom (HAB) species. However, there was no algicidal effect on diatom and marine livefood organisms except Isocrysis galbana. These results suggest that M. luteus SY-13 could be a candidate for use in the control of HABs.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.10
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• pp.1635-1644
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• 2018

Asterias amurensis (starfish) is a marine organism that is harmful to the fishing industry, but is also a potential source of functional materials. The present study was conducted to analyze the profiles of fatty acids extracted from A. amurensis tissues and their anti-inflammatory effects on RAW264.7 macrophage cells. In different tissues, the component ratios of saturated fatty acids, monounsaturated fatty acids, and polyunsaturated fatty acids differed; particularly, polyunsaturated fatty acids such as dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (20:3n-6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) were considerably different. In lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, fatty acids from A. amurensis skin, gonads, and digestive glands exhibited anti-inflammatory activities by reducing nitric oxide production and inducing nitric oxide synthase gene expression. Asterias amurensis fatty acids effectively suppressed the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis $factor-{\alpha}$, interleukin-$1{\beta}$, and interleukin-6 in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated cells. Cyclooxygenase-2 and prostaglandin $E_2$, which are critical inflammation biomarkers, were also significantly suppressed. Furthermore, A. amurensis fatty acids reduced the phosphorylation of nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ p-65, p38, extracellular signal-related kinase 1/2, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, indicating that these fatty acids ameliorated inflammation through the nuclear $factor-{\kappa}B$ and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways. These results provide insight into the anti-inflammatory mechanism of A. amurensis fatty acids on immune cells and suggest that the species is a potential source of anti-inflammatory molecules.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.445-456
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• 2001

In the 1990s, Cochlodinium polykikoides red tide has been annually occurred in the southern coast of Korea and caused the mass damage to the fisheries with a huge amount of economic loss. The present study was done to establish the biological foundation for the elucidation of the mechanism of C. polykikoiaes red tide. The growth response of C. polykikoides to physico-chemical factors such as temperature, salinity, pH, and light intensity were examined using axenic cultures to evaluate the relative importance of these factors on the dynamics of natural populations, It was found that the highest growth conditions were $25^{\circ}C,\;40\%_{\circ}$, pH 7.5, and 7,500 lux, respectively. The tolerable salinity range of growth was relatively wide at an optimum temperature and was reduced to a much narrower range at a sub-optimum temperature. These findings indicate that C. polykikoides is an eurythermal and euryhaline organism. The organism demanded higher light intensity and oceanic pH narrow in its growth. C. polykikoides utilize inorganic nutrients, such as nitrate and ammonium as N, and phosphate as P. The nutritional requirements of C. polykikoides were $40{\mu}M$ for nitrate, $50{\mu}M$ for ammonium, and $5{\mu}M$ for phosphate. The half saturation constant (Ks) for growth was $2.10{\mu}M$ for nitrate, $1.03{\mu}M$ for ammonium, and $0.57{\mu}M$ for phosphate. These values were comparatively smaller than those of other dinoflagellates reported previously. We confirmed that the organism is characterized as an eutrophic species. However, ammonium Ks value is smaller than that of other eutrophic species, This result indicates that C. polykikoides red tide may outbreak in the waters which eutrophication is in progress rather than eutrophicated waters. C. polykikoides preferred ammonium better than nitrate as a nitrogen source when in a growth stage, Therefore, our results indicate that ammonium is more important nutrient on the growth of the organism in comparison with other inorganic nutrients and C. polykikoides red tide is related with the increased ammonium concentration in the coastal waters.

• ALGAE
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.199-222
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• 2017

Occurrence of Cochlodinium polykrikoides red tides have resulted in considerable economic losses in the aquaculture industry in many countries, and thus predicting the process of C. polykrikoides red tides is a critical step toward minimizing those losses. Models predicting red tide dynamics define mortality due to predation as one of the most important parameters. To investigate the roles of heterotrophic protists in red tide dynamics in the South Sea of Korea, the abundances of heterotrophic dinoflagellates (HTDs), tintinnid ciliates (TCs), and naked ciliates (NCs) were measured over one- or two-week intervals from May to Nov 2014. In addition, the grazing impacts of dominant heterotrophic protists on each red tide species were estimated by combining field data on red tide species abundances and dominant heterotrophic protist grazers with data obtained from the literature concerning ingestion rates of the grazers on red tide species. The abundances of HTDs, TCs, and NCs over the course of this study were high during or after red tides, with maximum abundances of 82, 49, and $35cells\;mL^{-1}$, respectively. In general, the dominant heterotrophic protists differed when different species caused red tides. The HTDs Polykrikos spp. and NCs were abundant during or after C. polykrikoides red tides. The mean and maximum calculated grazing coefficients of Polykrikos spp. and NCs on populations of co-occurring C. polykrikoides were $1.63d^{-1}$ and $12.92d^{-1}$, respectively. Moreover, during or after red tides dominated by the phototrophic dinoflagellates Prorocentrum donghaiense, Ceratium furca, and Alexandrium fraterculus, which formed serial red tides prior to the occurrence of C. polykrikoides red tides, the HTDs Gyrodinium spp., Polykrikos spp., and Gyrodinium spp., respectively were abundant. The maximum calculated grazing coefficients attributable to dominant heterotrophic protists on co-occurring P. donghaiense, C. furca, and A. fraterculus were 13.12, 4.13, and $2.00d^{-1}$, respectively. Thus, heterotrophic protists may sometimes have considerable potential grazing impacts on populations of these four red tide species in the study area.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.125-132
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• 2010

In order to assess the effect of pollution on marine ecosystem, we examined the plankton health assessment at 16 stations during summer season in Jinhae Bay. The organic and inorganic pollutant sources (dissolved organic carbon; DOC, chemical oxygen demand; COD and Chlorophyll a; Chl.a), including planktonic orangism such as enterobacteria Escherichia coli, heterotrophic bacteria (HB), autotrophic nano-flagellates (ANF), heterotrophic nano flagellates (HNF), ciliate and harmful algal bloom species (HABs) were used to characterize marine ecosystem health assessment. Of these, we tentatively selected those items Chl.a, HABs, HB and E. coli for plankton health index (PHI). Also, the scoring criteria for each metric were based on a statistical analysis and then, the grades are rated on four levels. As a result, the ecological assessment of these data reveals that PHI in Jinhae Bay is rated as "Good or fair" for overall conditions. The present study suggests that the PHI might be considered as one of important management tool to assess marine ecosystem health of Jinhae Bay.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.130-135
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• 2004

The marine dinoflagellate genus Alexandrium, which produces PSP toxins, has a global distribution. As human-assisted dispersal of the species has been suggested, it is important to develop molecular tools to trace the dispersal pathway. To screen population-specific DNA sequences that differentiate Korean and Japanese A. catenella, we targeted the area downstream of the chloroplast psbA gene using PCR with population-specific DNA primers followed by RFLP (restriction fragment length polymorphism) analysis and sequencing. The RFLP patterns of the PCR products divided Korean and Japanese A. catenella regional isolates into three types: Korean, Japanese, and type CMC3, isolated from Korea. We sequenced the PCR products, but found no similar gene in a homology search. The molecular phylogeny inferred from the sequences separated the Korean and Japanese A. catenella strains, as did the RFLP patterns. However, the Japanese isolates included two slightly different sequences (types J and K), while the Korean sequence was the same as the Japanese K type. In addition, a unique sequence was found in the Korean strains CMC2 and CMC3. Population-specific PCR amplification with Japanese A. catenella type-specific PCR primers designed from the type J sequence yielded PCR products for Japanese strains only, showing that the unknown gene can be used for a population analysis of Korean and Japanese A. catenella.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2009

To gain a greater understanding of the potential for future harmful algal bloom (HAB) outbreaks and to trace the dispersal paths of dinoflagellates, sediment samples were collected from 13 stations in the southeastern Yellow Sea. 23 different types of dinoflagellate resting cysts were identified from the samples. Protoceratium reticulatum (1-391 cells/g dry weight), Gonyaulax scrippsae (0-254 cells/g dry weight), G. spinifera (0-301 cells/g dry weight) and Alexandrium spp. (ellipsoidal type) (0-76 cells/g dry weight) were the dominant species at all surveyed stations. The overall distribution pattern demonstrated that the resting cyst densities were highest in the offshore area and decreased gradually toward the Korean coast. On the other hand, the composition rate of resting cysts of the heterotrophic dinoflagellate species to the total dinoflagellates was higher in the Korean coast region than in the offshore area. We supposed that this distribution pattern of dinoflagellate resting cysts appeared to be influenced by the hydrographic features and environmental conditions of the Yellow Sea.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Marine Environment & Energy
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.224-229
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• 2011

Recently, the management of the marine invasive alien species introduced by ballast water has come to the core as an urgent task. Because, hazardous organisms cause harmful effects on the ecosystem. Hazardous organisms also negatively affect fisheries, commercial shipping activities, and marine resources. In this regard, IMO used to operate GloBallast, Ballast Water Risk Assessment System, in order to manage the introduction of invasive species by ballast water. GloBallast is constructed to assess the relative risk due to the movement of ballast water between nations, using the volume and the number of times of ballast water discharge, the environmental similarity between ports, and the abundance of hazardous species as the main factors. According to the results of the demo-operation of GloBallast, it was found out that the environmental similarity factor had affected most highly the results of risk assessment. Therefore, in this study, the correlation between the main factors used in GloBallast risk assessment were re-examined, and some methods were suggested in order to reflect these main factors in the risk assessment more reasonable.

• ALGAE
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.237-251
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• 2019

The dinoflagellate genus Alexandrium is known to often form harmful algal blooms causing human illness and large-scale mortality of marine organisms. Therefore, the population dynamics of Alexandrium species are of primary concern to scientists and aquaculture farmers. The growth rate of the Alexandrium species is the most important parameter in prediction models and nutrient conditions are critical parameters affecting the growth of phototrophic species. In Korean coastal waters, Alexandrium affine and Alexandrium fraterculus, of similar sizes, often form red-tide patches together. Thus, to understand bloom dynamics of A. affine and A. fraterculus, growth rates and nitrate uptake of each species as a function of nitrate ($NO_3$) concentration at $100{\mu}mol\;photons\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$ under 14-h light : 10-h dark and continuous light conditions were determined using a nutrient repletion method. With increasing $NO_3$ concentration, growth rates and $NO_3$ uptake of A. affine or A. fraterculus increased, but became saturated. Under light : dark conditions, the maximum growth rates of A. affine and A. fraterculus were 0.45 and $0.42d^{-1}$, respectively. However, under continuous light conditions, the maximum growth rate of A. affine slightly increased to $0.46d^{-1}$, but that of A. fraterculus largely decreased. Furthermore, the maximum nitrate uptake of A. affine and A. fraterculus under light : dark conditions were 12.9 and $30.1pM\;cell^{-1}d^{-1}$, respectively. The maximum nitrate uptake of A. affine under continuous light conditions was $16.4pM\;cell^{-1}d^{-1}$. Thus, A. affine and A. fraterculus have similar maximum growth rates at the given $NO_3$ concentration ranges, but they have different maximum nitrate uptake rates. A. affine may have a higher conversion rate of $NO_3$ to body nitrogen than A. fraterculus. Moreover, a longer exposure time to the light may confer an advantage to A. affine over A. fraterculus.

• Proceedings of KOSOMES biannual meeting
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.71-77
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• 2006

There is a growing concern about the damage to aquatic ecosystem caused by immigration of non-indigenous species. It is estimated that more than 10,000 million tons of ballast water is transported by shipping activities annually, and ballast water has been recognised as a major vector for the transplant of aquatic species across bio-geographical boundaries. The problem of harmful aquatic organism in ballast water for the control and management of ships' ballast water and sediments was adopted and diplomatic conference of IMO at February 2004. At once ballast water is transported by shipping activities for organic compounds, nitrogen, phosphorus and heavy metal etc. but, It's fixing a focus only for the transported of pathogenic bacteria and non-indigenous species. Hence, this studies on the distribution of organic compounds, nitrogen, phosphorus and heavy metal in ballast water during the shipping activity with the basic data which is necessary to the systemic manage of ballast water.