• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.149-155
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• 1985

590 strains of Rhizobia were isolated from root nodules of the legumes collected at 223 sites in Korea. According to their host specificities they were classified into R. japonicum(218 strains), R. phaseoli(101 strains), R. trifolii(97 strains), R. meliloti(4 strains), R. leguminosarium(1 strain), Rhizobium species(101 strains), and unidentified species(159 strains). 3 potent strains R-138, R-168, and R-214 of R. japonicum have been selected based on the infectivity to soybean cultivar and effeciency of nitrogen fixation. It was observed that the fast-growing strains of R. japonicum contained 1 to 4 plasmids of M.W. of 35-300 Md. However, plasmids were hardly detected for the slow-growing strains.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.56-67
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• 2023

Marine macroalgae are important in coastal ecosystems and interact with marine microorganisms. In this study, we isolated fungi from seven types of marine macroalgae including Cladophora sp., Gloiopeltis furcate, Gracilariopsis chorda, Hydroclathrus clathratus, Prionitis crispata, Sargassum micracanthum, and Ulva lactuca collected in Korea. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses identified the isolates as four Aspergillus spp. (A. fumigatus, A. sydowii, A. tamarii, and A. terreus), three Penicillium spp. (P. crustosum, P. jejuense, and P. rubens), and Cladosporium tenuissimum. Among them, A. fumigatus TOP-U2, A. tamarii SH-Sw5, and A. terreus GJ-Gf2 strains showed the activities of all enzymes examined (amylase, chitinase, lipase, and protease). Based on the enzymatic index (EI) values in solid media, A. terreus GJ-Gf2 and C. tenuissimum UL-Pr1 exhibited the highest amylase and lipase activities, respectively. Chitinolytic activity was only observed in A. terreus GJ-Gf2, A. tamarii SH-Sw5, and A. fumigatus TOP-U2. Penicillium crustosum UL-Cl2 and C. tenuissimum UL-Pr1 showed the highest protease activities. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of lipolytic and proteolytic activities in a marine-derived C. tenuissimum strain. Overall, the fungal strains isolated from the marine macroalgae in this study actively produced industrially important enzymes.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.364-368
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• 2012

In vivo experiments were carried out to investigate the effect of microbial agents on tomato disease occurrences in a sustainable tomato farm in Gong-ju, Chung-nam during 2 years (2010-2011). Two kind of commercial microbial agents (EXTN-1 and Cillus suspension concentrate) and 2 kind of microbial agents (Bacillus subtilis strain 'B4' and 'B17') developing by National academy of agricultural science were used in this study. In the 1st experimental year, the microbial agents were sprayed on leaves for 2-4 times at 1-2 weeks interval from 3 weeks after transplanting, and then disease occurrence were observed. As a result, the control efficacies of commercial EXTN-1 and Cillus suspension concentrate (SC) against gray mold were 59.6% and 50.5% in the treatment of 4 times foliar application at 1 week interval from 3 weeks after transplanting, and the control efficacy of commercial EXTN-1 SC against gray mold was 55.4% in the treatment of 3 times foliar application at 1 week interval from 4 weeks after transplanting. However, the control efficacies of EXTN-1 and Cillus SC were not enough for tomato crop protection against powdery mildew. In the 2nd experimental year, the microbial agents were treated following by the planned combination schedule of transplanting stage drip-watering, early stage root irrigation and early blooming stage foliar application. The control efficacies of EXTN-1 SC and B17 treatment following by transplanting stage drip-watering, 2 times root irrigation at 2 weeks interval root irrigation and 4 times foliar application at 1 weeks interval for gray mold management were 57.0 and 55.1%, respectively. In the case of same treatment for gray mold management mentioned at above, the control efficacies of EXTN-1 SC, B4 and B17 treatment for powdery mildew management were 50.5, 51.3 and 52.5%, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.111-117
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• 1982

The carpophores of Cryptoporus volvatus collected in Gyeong-gi Province of Korea were extracted with water and a protein-polysaccharide fraction was obtained after dialysis and lyophilization. The antitumor activity of this fraction was tested against sarcoma 180 implanted in A-strain mice. The tumor inhibition ratio was 80.4% in case of the high dose group (50mg/kg, ip, 10 days) and 70.3% in the low dose group (20mg/kg, ip, 10 days). The protein­polysaccharide fraction was chemically analyzed and was found to be a complex of a protein which was 18.2% of the fraction when determined by Lowry-Folin method, and a polysaccharide which was 55.3% of ther fraction when determined by Anthrone method. Their subunits were identified as four monosaccharides and 18 amino acids by gas-liquid chromatography and amino acid autoanalysis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.1230-1237
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• 2009

The selective plugging strategy of Microbial Enhanced Oil Recovery (MEOR) involves the use of microbes that grow and produce exopolymeric substances, which block the high permeability zones of an oil reservoir, thus allowing the water to flow through the low permeability zones leading to increase in oil recovery. Bacillus licheniformis TT33, a hot water spring isolate, is facultatively anaerobic, halotolerant, and thermotolerant. It produces EPS as well as biosurfactant and has a biofilm-forming ability. The viscosity of its cell-free supernatant is $120\;mPa{\cdot}s$ at $28^{\circ}C$. Its purified EPS contained 26% carbohydrate and 3% protein. Its biosurfactant reduced the surface tension of water from 72 to 34 mN/m. This strain gave $27.7{\pm}3.5%$ oil recovery in a sand pack column. Environmental scanning electron microscopy analysis showed bacterial growth and biofilm formation in the sand pack. Biochemical tests and Amplified Ribosomal DNA Restriction Analysis confirmed that the oil recovery obtained in the sand pack column was due to Bacillus licheniformis TT33.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.490-496
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• 2002

The production of E. coli WC7 phytase from a recombinant E. coli strain was optimized using a statistical experimental design approach. Two-level complete factorial designs with seven variables were used for the media optimization. In the first optimization step, the influence of disodium succinate, yeast extract, $K_2HPO_4,\;NH_4H_2PO_4,\;MgSO_4$, NaCl, and trace elements on phytase production was evaluated. As a result, disodium succinate, yeast extract, $NH_4H_2PO_4$, NaCl, and the trace elements were found to have a positive influence on the phytase production, while $K_2HPO_4\;and\;MgSO_4$ had a negative influence. In the second step, the concentrations of disodium succinate and yeast extract were further optimized using central composite designs. The maximum phytase activity obtained was 234 U/ml using 15.9 g/1 disodium succinate, 20 g/1 yeast extract, 5 g/1 K_2HPO_4,\;10 g/1 NH_4H_2PO_4,\;1.5 g/1 MgSO_4$, 4 g/1 NaCl, and 1.5 m1/1 trace elements, which was about a 14-fold increase in comparison with that obtained using the basal medium.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.62-72
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• 2001

The N-carbamoyl-D-amino acid amidohydrolase (D-carbamoylase) gene (dcb) from Agrobacterium tumefaciens AM 10 has been successfully cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. Expression of D-carbamoylase gene under the 17 promoter in different host strains showed that the optimal expression was achieved in E. coli JM109 (DE3) with a 9-fold increase in enzyme production compared to the wild-type strain. The co-expression of the GroEL/ES protein with D-carbamoylase protein caused an in vivo solubilization of D-carbamoylase in an active form. The synergistic effect of GroEL/ES at 28$^{\circ}C$ led to 60 ％ solubilization of the total expressed target protein with a 6.2-fold increase in enzyme activity in comparison to that expressed without GroEL/ES and 43-fold increase in enzyme activity compared to A. tumefaciens AM 10. Attempts to express D-carbamoylase in an altered redox cytoplasmic milieu did not improve the enzyme production in an active form. The Histidyl-tagged D-carbamoylase was purified in a single step by Nickel-affinity chromatography and was found to have a specific activity of 9.5 U/mg protein.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.28 no.7
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• pp.854-858
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• 2005

A Lactobacillus isolate was collected from the feces of a healthy Korean individual and named as Lactobacillus ruminus SPM0211. It was further characterized by subjecting it to an antibiotic resistance test and genetic analysis. In the antibiotic resistance test, all tested Lactobacillus spp. were classified as 'high resistance' for multiple antibiotics, such as isoniazid, ethambutol, cycloserine, and vancomycin. L. ruminus SPM0211 was classified as 'high resistance' for streptomycin also, while the other tested Lactobacillus spp. were classified as low resistance. This suggests that the antimicrobial spectra may be a good indicator in the discrimination of this strain among the tested Lactobacillus spp. In a polymerase chain reaction-random amplified polymorphic DNA (PCR-RAPD) analysis using the Microbial Uniprimer kit, L. ruminus SPM0211, and L. suebicus were clustered as a group with a 74.3% similarity level, suggesting that these two species are genetically related. Thus, our data suggest that the PCR-RADP method using the Microbial Uniprimer kit may be valuable in discriminating L. ruminus SPM0211 from other Lactobacillus spp.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.1305-1310
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• 2021

Shikimate is a key high-demand metabolite for synthesizing valuable antiviral drugs, such as the anti-influenza drug, oseltamivir (Tamiflu). Microbial-based strategies for shikimate production have been developed to overcome the unstable and expensive supply of shikimate derived from traditional plant extraction processes. In this study, a microbial cell factory using Corynebacterium glutamicum was designed to overproduce shikimate in a fed-batch culture system. First, the shikimate kinase gene (aroK) responsible for converting shikimate to the next step was disrupted to facilitate the accumulation of shikimate. Several genes encoding the shikimate bypass route, such as dehydroshikimate dehydratase (QsuB), pyruvate kinase (Pyk1), and quinate/shikimate dehydrogenase (QsuD), were disrupted sequentially. An artificial operon containing several shikimate pathway genes, including aroE, aroB, aroF, and aroG were overexpressed to maximize the glucose uptake and intermediate flux. The rationally designed shikimate-overproducing C. glutamicum strain grown in an optimized medium produced approximately 37.3 g/l of shikimate in 7-L fed-batch fermentation. Overall, rational cell factory design and culture process optimization for the microbial-based production of shikimate will play a key role in complementing traditional plant-derived shikimate production processes.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.515-524
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• 2020

With the increasing demand for enzymes in industrial applications there is a growing need to easily produce industrially important microbial enzymes. This study was carried out to screen the indigenous refinery bacterial isolates for their production of two industrially important enzymes i.e. lipase and protease. A total of 15 bacterial strains were isolated using Soil Extract Agar media from the oil-contaminated environment and one was shown to produce high quality lipase and protease enzymes. The culture conditions (culture duration, temperature, source of nitrogen, carbon, and pH) were optimized to produce the optimum amount of both the lipase (37.6 ± 0.2 Uml-1) and the protease (41 ± 0.4 Uml-1) from this isolate. Productivity of both enzymes was shown to be maximized at pH 7.5 in a medium containing yeast extract and peptone as nitrogen sources and sucrose and galactose as carbon sources when incubated at 35 ± 1℃ for 48 h. Bacterial strain SAB06 was identified as Bacillus licheniformis (MT250345) based on biochemical, morphological, and molecular characteristics. Further studies are required to evaluate and optimize the purification and characterization of these enzymes before they can be recommended for industrial or environmental applications.