• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.177-184
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• 2009

Three hundred lactic acid bacteria isolated from human feces were studied their probiotic characters to develop potential probiotics. The properties were tested on the basis of guideline for probiotic selection protocol such as tolerance for acid or bile salt, thermal stability, antimicrobial, anticancer cell, and antiviral activity. Strain Miny-148 was selected as a potential probiotic bacterium which showed resistance to low pH, bile salts and thermal stability. On the basis of fatty acid profiles and 16S rDNA sequences analysis, the strain was identified as Lactobacillus pentosus (similarity 99.9%). The strain, L. pentosus Miny-148, showed broad antimicrobial spectrum against E. coli O157:H7, Shigella flexneri, Bacillus anthracis, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli, Vibrio cholerae, V. vulnificus, Salmonella typhimurium, and Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA). Cell-free culture supernatant of the strain also inhibited against the growth of HT-29 colon cancer cell and transmissible gastroenterits virus.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 1999

This study was carried out to assess heavy metal pollution at 16 abandoned mining areas and to get basic data for phytoremediation. In most of surveyed area, there was no vegetation cover and soil reaction shows in low to moderate pH. Low CEC, low organic matter content were the general properties of these soils. Heavy metals content of these soils were exceed background level of unpolluted soil in Korea, especially Cu content was 2,634mg/kg at Jeil site, 3,415mg/kg Zn, 8.03mg/kg Cd at Yonhwa 2 site. This is far above tolerance limit In plant survey, very often observed plants were Pinus densiflora, and Rohinia psuedo-acacia in woody plant, Artemisia princeps, and Dianthus sinensis in herbs. Artemisia princeps had higher concentration of Zn, Cd and Dianthus sinensis had higher concentration than other plants. From the results, heavy metal concentration in plants and plant's ecotype properties, could be said that Artemisia princeps and Miscanthus sinensis have a potential of soil remediation plant. More studies are demanded to find the heavy metal tolerance species and to understand physiology property of tolerance plants, soil condition, climate etc., for successful soil remediation by plants.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.91-99
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to find out the vegetation community structure and the distribution characteristics of Buxus koreana through analysis of the topography and soil characteristics in Kwanaksan Ecological and Scenery Conservation Area. To do this twenty two plots as $100m^2$ each were set up and investigated. As a result, the vegetation communities were classified in four groups; Pinus rigida community (I), P. rigida - B. koreana community(II), Quercus mongolica community(III), Quercus acutissima - Quercus serrata community(IV). The distribution characteristics in topography appeared that B. koreana distributed more in valley where soil water and nutrition conditions are good. The drainage condition also influenced the distribution, because the ratio of clay was low in the result of soil texture analysis. B. koreana was distributed in high-pitched slope and the high rock ratio area. According to the soil analysis, the mean soil pH of B. koreana distributed groups(pH 4.79) was higher than that of non-B. koreana distributed groups(pH 4.41). It appeared that B. koreana had tolerance to the barren soil, so the value of exchangeable cations such as $Ca^{2+}$ and $Mg^{2+}$were showed lower than that of the average of Korean forest soil.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.153-159
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the probiotic properties of lactic acid bacterial strains isolated from human feces. The properties were tested on the basis of guideline for probiotic selection protocol such as tolerance for acid or bile salt, autoaggregation, antibiotic resistance, and antimicrobial activity. Total 25 lactic acid bacteria were isolated from human feces, and their antibacterial activity was tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, E. coli O157:H7, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, V. alginolyticus using an agar diffusion assay. Among them, 4 selected strains were identified by analysis of their 16S rRNA, as Lactobacillus rhamnosus MG316, L. acidophilus MG501, L. reuteri MG505, and L. gasseri MG570. Results show that resistance to low pH and bile salts. Also, the selected strains were resistant to bile acid up to 3% and their autoaggregation rates were as high as 60%. All strains tested were resistance to nalidixic acid and kanamycin.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2008

This study was aimed at evaluating the effect of red-yeast-rice supplementation on cholesterol-lowering and glucose control in subjects with impaired fasting glucose (IFT) or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT). We conducted a doubleblind, placebo-controlled study with 3 groups; placebo, low dose group (red yeast rice 210.0mg/capsule, 2.52g/day) and high dose group (red yeast rice 420.0mg/capsule, 5.04g/day), which were randomly assigned to subjects with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance. We measured fasting serum concentrations of total-, LDL-, HDL-cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, insulin, free fatty acid (FFA) and 2 h oral glucose tolerence test (OGTT) before and after the supplementation. Both low dose and high dose groups had significant decrease in LDL cholesterol and atherogenic index (AI) compared with placebo group (p<0.05). Additionally, total and HDL cholesterol improved significantly in high dose group compared with placebo group (p<0.05). Fasting serum glucose decreased in test groups and increased in placebo group after intervention. However, it was not significant differences. In subjects which fasting blood glucose is more than 110mg/dL, fasting glucose had a tendency to decrease in high dose group (p<0.1) and Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) had significant decrease in low dose group (p<0.05), while insulin and HOMA-IR had a tendency to increase in placebo group after intervention. Mean changes of glucose related parameters (fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR) compared with placebo group did not show significant differences. In conclusion, subjects with impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance were significantly improved in serum lipid profile by red yeast rice supplementation without serious side effects. These are more effective in the case of a high dose. The effects of red yeast rice supplementation on glucose control were insignificant.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1021-1028
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• 2012

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) discriminate microbial pathogens and induce T-cell responses of appropriate effector phenotype accordingly. Toll-like receptors (TLRs), in part, mediate this microbial recognition and differentiation while the development of T-cell effector functions critically depends on the release of Th1- or Th2- type cytokines. In the present study, buffalo PBMCs were stimulated under in vitro culture conditions by Bacillus subtilis cell wall petidoglycan, a TLR2 ligand, in a dose- and time- dependent manner. The expression of TLR2 as well as the subsequent differential induction of the Th1 and Th2 type cytokines was measured. Stimulation was analyzed across five doses of peptidoglycan ($10{\mu}g/ml$, $20{\mu}g/ml$, $30{\mu}g/ml$, $40{\mu}g/ml$ and $50{\mu}g/ml$) for 3 h, 12 h, 24 h and 36 h incubation periods. We observed the induction of TLR2 expression in a dose- and time-dependent manner and the peptidoglycan induced tolerance beyond $30{\mu}g/ml$ dose at all incubation periods. The correlation between peptidoglycan stimulation and TLR2 induction was found positive at all doses and for all incubation periods. Increased production of all the cytokines was observed at low doses for 3 h incubation, but the expression of IL-4 was relatively higher than IL-12 at the higher antigen doses, indicating tailoring towards Th2 response. At 12 h incubation, there was a pronounced decrease in IL-4 and IL-10 expression relative to IL-12 in a dose- dependent manner, indicating skewing to Th1 polarization. The expression of IL-12 was highest for all doses across all the incubation intervals at 24 h incubation, indicating Th1 polarization. The relative expression of TNF-${\alpha}$ and IFN-${\gamma}$ was also higher while that of IL-4 and IL-10 showed a decrease. For 36 h incubation, at low doses, relative increase in the expression of IL-4 and IL-10 was observed which decreased at higher doses, as did the expression of all other cytokines. The exhaustion of cytokine production at 36 h indicated that PBMCs became refractory to further stimulation. It can be concluded from this study that the cytokine response to sPGN initially was of Th2 type which skews, more pronouncedly, to Th1 type with time till the cells become refractory to further stimulation.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.1287-1293
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• 2008

This study investigated quality changes and functions of low-molecular soymilk according to hydrolysis time (30, 60, and 90 minutes). According to the results, pH of hydrolyzed groups were lower than that of the control group but it did not show a large difference according to hydrolysis time while sugar content was reduced with longer hydrolysis time. Although degree of hydrolysis and calcium tolerance increased with longer hydrolysis time, there was not a significant difference according to the time. Among free sugars, contents of glucose and fructose grew while those of sucrose and maltose tended to decline with time. Total free sugar content was the largest with 60 minutes of hydrolysis time recording 827.65 mg%. Total amino acid content was also the highest with hydrolyzed for 60 minutes recording 85.80 mg% and those of all hydrolyzed groups were higher than that of the control group. In addition, the content of essential amino acid increased significantly with time. In SDS-PAGE, checked for the tendency of becoming low molecules, molecular weights were found to be 33 kDa or less kDa in all hydrolyzed groups. When functional characteristics of soymilk such as electron donating, superoxide radical scavenging and ACE inhibitory activities were compared, longer hydrolysis time led to higher activities. From these results, overall quality of low molecular soymilk was superior when hydrolyzed for 60 minutes and the findings should be viable in the development of various types of functionally strengthened low-molecular soymilk in the future.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 2006

Seventy eight bacterial strains were isolated from several jeotgals using MRS and M 17 agar media. The probiotic properties such as tolerance of extreme growth condition, production of antimicrobial compound, production of hydrogen peroxide, and enzymatic activity of bile salt hydrolase were investigated. DHK 4, 10, 21 and 74 strains showed_a strong tolerance property against extreme conditions such as low pH and 0.5% oxgall-supplemented medium. DHK 10 and 47 strains produced hydrogen peroxide on TMB agar plate. DHK 8 and 10 strains produced antimicrobial compounds onto MRS agar against E. facalis. DHK 4, 6, 21, 29, 33, 63 and 87 strains had high activities of bile salt hydrolase. Especially, DHK 10 displayed a strong probiotic candidate; the abilities to produce the antimicrobial compound, hydrogen peroxide, and bile salt hydrolase. All these strains are assumed to be useful probiotic candidates. Among 78, twenty seven strains which have probiotic properties were tentatively identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Among them, 7 Lactobacillus spp., 6 Leuconosotoc spp., 2 Weisella spp., 1 Pediococcus sp., 1 Staphylococcus sp., 1 Enterococcus sp. and 2 Streptococcus spp. were tentatively identified.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.84-97
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• 2016

Isolates from Korean fermented soybean paste were identified as Enterococcus faecium SBP12, Pediococcus halophilus SBP20, Lactobacillus fermentum SBP33, Leuconostoc mesenteroides SBP37, Pediococcus pentosaceus SBP41, Lactobacillus brevis SBP49, Lactobacillus acidophilus SBP55, and Enterococcus faecalis SBP58 according to conventional morphological and biochemical characteristics, carbohydrate fermentation profiling, and 16S rRNA sequence comparison. Strain SBP20, SBP33, SBP49, and SBP55 showed very resistance to simulated gastric and intestinal juices with final populations exceeding 6 log CFU/ml, whereas cells of SBP12 and SBP58 after exposure to low pH were dramatically decreased within 2 h. Among 4 strains having good tolerance to gastrointestinal conditions, the high adhesive ability to HT-29 cells, antibiotic resistance, and antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens Bacillus cereus ATCC 11778 and Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 were observed with SBP49 and SBP55, therefore, these two strains were confirmed as putative probiotic candidates. There was no significant difference between the sourdoughs fermented with SBP49 and SBP55 with respect to the values of pH, total titratable acidity, and viable cell count. During sourdough fermentation, SBP49 strain produced significantly greater amounts of lactic acid than SBP55 strain, which secreted large quantities of hydrogen peroxide. SBP49 and SBP55 strains producing the antimicrobial substances such as lactic acid, hydrogen peroxide, and bacteriocin effectively inhibited B. cereus and S. aureus inoculated in the sourdough.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.254-263
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• 2014

Enteromorpha polysaccharides (EP) extracted from green algae have displayed a wide variety of biological activities. However, their high molecular weight leads to a high viscosity and low solubility, and therefore, greatly restrains their application. To solve this problem, bacteria from the surface of Enteromorpha were screened, and an Alteromonas macleodii strain B7 was found to be able to decrease the molecular weight of EP in culture media. Proteins harvested from the supernatant of the A. macleodii B7 culture were subjected to native gel electrophoresis, and a band corresponding to the Enteromorpha polysaccharide lyase (EPL) was detected by activity staining. The enzyme identity was subsequently confirmed by MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry as the putative ${\alpha}$-amylase reported in A. macleodii ATCC 27126. The amylase gene (amySTU) from A. macleodii B7 was cloned into Escherichia coli, resulting in high-level expression of the recombinant enzyme with EP-degrading activity. AmySTU was found to be cold-adapted; however, its optimal enzyme activity was detected at $40^{\circ}C$. The ${\alpha}$-amylase was highly stable over a broad pH range (5.5-10) with the optimal pH at 7.5-8.0. The highest enzyme activity was detected when NaCl concentration was 2%, which dropped by 50% when the NaCl concentration was increased to 16%, showing an excellent nature of halotolerance. Furthermore, the amylase activity was not significantly affected by tested surfactants or the presence of some organic solvents. Therefore, the A. macleodii strain B7 and its ${\alpha}$-amylase can be useful in lowering EP molecular weight and in starch processing.