• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.35-40
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• 2000

The effect of levanheptaose produced by levanase from Streptomyces sp. 366L on principle intestinal microflora was investigated. The reaction product, levanheptaose, was used as a carbon source for various intestinal microflora. As a results, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Eubacterium limosum grew effectively in the in vitro experiment, whereas Clostridium perfringens, E. coli, and Staphylococcus aureus did not. Therefore levanheptaose seems to promote selectively the growth of B. adolescentis and L. acidophilus. In the in vivo experiment, the effect of levanheptaose on the growth of intestinal microflora, $\beta$-fructosidase activity, pH, and butyrate concentration were examined in rats. Apparently, the number of fecal Bifidobacteria, the amount of butyrate, and $\beta$-fructosidase activity were increased, whereas total aerobes and pH were reduced in rats fed by levanheptaose diets, compared with those of control diets. We concluded that those effects may be beneficial in improving gastrointestinal health.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.153-157
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• 1999

The effececl of levanoclaose produced by levanase Croni Pseuc/olol~~o!!n.s sp. K-52 on pnnciple inlesimal microflorawas investigated. The reaction product, levanoctaose, was used as a carbon source for various intestinalmicroflora. Especially. Bijidobacteriulolr~ adolescentis and Lnctohaciilrrs ocidophilus grew effectively in vitroexpeiiments, whereas Clostridiunz per.frilol~gerzs, Bactetvid,~ngilis, Eschericlzin. coli, and Stnplzylococcus nureirsdid not. Therefore, levanoctdose seemed to proinole selectively the growth ol" B. ndo1escenti.r and L. acidol~hi-/us. In Lhe in viva experiments, the effects of levanoctaose on inlestinal nucroflora were examined on heirgrowth. $\beta$-fri~ctosidase acliviiy. and butyrate concenuation in rats. Appuently, die number of fecal Bifidobacteria.the amount of bulyrate, and $\beta$-hctosidase activity were increased, whereas total aerobes 'and pH werereduced in rals Eed leviu~octaose diets, cornpxed with hose of the control diets. We concluded hat those effecismay be beneficial in improving gastrointestinal health.astrointestinal health.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.441-447
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• 1998

A bacterial strain No. 43 was isolated from soil samples as a levan-assimiating microorganism producing an extracellular levanase and hydrolying levan to levanbiose. According to the taxonomic characteristics of its morphological and physiological properties, the strain was idenified as Pseudomonas sp. No. 43. The optimum culura medium was composed of 10g levan, 5g(NH4)2SO4, 3g NH4Cl, 3g polypepton, 1g K2HPO4, 0.5gMgSO4.7H2O, and 0.2g MnCl2.4H2O per liter. The cultivation for levanase was carried out in pH 7.0 at 4$0^{\circ}C$ for 28hr. The reaction product was a kind of oligosaccharide and it was purified by chilled ethanol precipitation and gel filtration for evalluation of degree of polymerization (DP). The purified product was determined as levanbiose of MW 342 and DP2 by HPLC and FAB-MS.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.582-586
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• 2005

In this Study, we have attempted to determine the effects of dietary fructose polymers (fructan), high molecular-weight ${\beta}-(2,6)-linked$ levan, and low-molecular-weight ${\beta}-(2,1)-linked$ inulin, on two intestinal enzymes $({\beta}-glucuronidase\;and\;{\beta}-glucosidase)$. As a preliminary experiment, when intestinal microflora were cultured in anaerobic media harboring levan or its oligosaccharides, bacterial cell growth was observed in the levanoligosaccharide-supplemented media, but not in the levan-supplemented media, indicating that levan's size is important for the utilization by intestinal bacteria of levan as an energy Source. In our animal study, the intake of a levan-rich diet was determined to significantly attenuate the activity of the harmful enzyme $({\beta}-glucuronidase$, but d id not affect the activity of ${\beta}-glucosidase$.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.1_2
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• pp.37-42
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• 1998

The microorganisms degrading levan were screened from soil. The isolated strain produced levanase releasing single oligosacchride from levan. The optimum cultural medium for levanase production (g/l) was composed of 0.5% levan, 0.1% $K_2HPO_4$, 0.05% NaCl, 0.3% $NaNO_3$, 0.3% yeast extract (pH 8.0). The cultivation for levanase production was carried out in 500 ml shaking flask containing 50 ml of the optimum medium at $30^{\circ}C$ on a reciprocal shaker, and the highest levanase production was observed after 54 hours of cultivation. The levanase hydrolyzed levan into single oligosaccharide. The product purified by chilled EtOH precipitation and gel filtration was detected as a single peak on HPLC analysis. The oligosaccharides formed by enzyme reaction was identified as levanheptaose (DP7) by HPLC and by ESI-MASS.