• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.68-72
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• 2010

The ${\beta}$-1,4-glucanase gene of Bacillus licheniformis B1 was expressed in Esherichia coli BL21, and a protein with a mass of 50 kDa that was soluble was overproduced. A protein with a mass of 37 kDa was secreted from B. licheniformis. It seems that the ${\beta}$-1,4-glucanase produced in E. coli contained the leader peptide and unprocessed carboxy-terminal region, but its processing occurred in the carboxyterminal in Bacillus. The optimal temperature of ${\beta}$-1,4-glucanase was $40^{\circ}C$. The enzyme still had 76% maximal activity at $60^{\circ}C$. The optimal pH of the enzyme was 7. The enzyme retained considerable activities over the weak-acidic, neutral, and weak-basic pH range. Acidic fungal cellulases are used in food, detergent, pulp, paper, textile industries. However, studies about neutral and alkaline cellulase are not enough. The cellulase developed in this study may be useful for industrial applications in the fields of biofuel development.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.63-67
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• 2010

Proteases catalyze hydrolytic cleavage of a peptide bond between amino acids and occupy pivotal positions in application in physiological and commercial fields. During the screening for novel bacteria producing extracellular protease, two bacterial strains, WD12 and WD32, were isolated from rotten trees and they made clear zone on LB plates supplemented with 1% skim milk. The similarities of 16S rRNA gene sequence of either WD12 or WD32 to GenBank database showed the highest to Pseuoxanthomonas mexicana as 97.8 and 99.8%, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis showed that both isolated was located within the cluster comprising P. mexicana and P. japonesis. WD12 and WD32 were catalase- and oxidase-positive, Gram-negative rod strains. In case of WD12, it could assimilate malate, but could not assimilate D-mannose, which were different characteristics from P. mexicana. Both Pseuoxanthomonas sp. WD12 and WD32 optimally produced extracellular protease at $35-37^{\circ}C$, and maximal activity showed as 656 unit/ml and 267 unit/ml, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.46-50
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• 2013

Some rhizobacteria producing 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase can make plant to continue growth under the stress conditions through lowering the level of phytohormone, ethylene which inhibits the plant growth and accelerates plant aging. In this study, some rhizobacteria producing ACC deaminase have been isolated from the rhizosphere of plants grown at sand beaches, and identified as Escherichia hermannii m-2, Enterobacter asburiae m-4, Pseudomonas thivervalensis BD2-26 and Pseudomonas brassicacearum subsp. neoaurantiaca BD3-35 through sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Strain BD3-35 showed the highest activity of ACC deaminase among the isolates, 20.26 ${\alpha}$-ketobutyrate ${\mu}M/mg$ protein/h. Strains BD3-35 and BD2-26 secreted a phytohormone cytokinin, and strains m-4 and m-2 could produce auxin and abscisic acid, respectively. When these bacteria were applied to the 7-day old tomato plant under drought stress for 7 days, strains BD3-35, m-2, and m-4 increased the length of tomato root by 14, 15, and 35%, respectively, and strains m-2, BD2-26 and BD3-35 increased the dry weight of tomato plant by 22, 33, and 68%, respectively compared to the uninoculated control tomatoes. Therefore, these rhizobacteria may be utilized as a microbial fertilizer for the plants under drought stress.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.221-227
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• 2013

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and hepatitis C virus (HCV) cause viral infections that lead to chronic diseases. When they invade human body, virus specific T cells play an important role in antiviral effector functions including killing virus-infected cells and helping B cells to produce specific antibodies against viral proteins. The antiviral activity of T cells is usually affected by immune-regulatory factors that express on surface of T cells. Recently, many researchers have investigated the relationship between effector functions of virus specific T cells and characteristics of immune regulatory factors (e.g., CD28, CD25, CD45RO, FoxP3, PD-1, CTLA-4). In particular, Immune inhibitory molecules such as forkhead box P3 (FoxP3), programmed death-1 (PD-1), and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) are associated with T-cell dysfunction. They are shown to be up-regulated in chronic viral diseases such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or human immunodeficiency virus infection. Therefore, the positive correlation between viral persistence and expression of immune regulatory factors (FoxP3, PD-1, and CTLA-4) has been suggested. In this review, the roles of immune regulatory factors FoxP3, PD-1, and CTLA-4 were discussed in chronic viral diseases such as HIV, HBV, or HCV.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2010

In order to improve the functional benefits and storage properties of soybean tofu, fermented tofu was developed using Pleurotus eryngii mycelia. The immune activities of water and methanol extracts of the tofu were investigated. The optimal medium for the growth of Pleurotus eryngii mycelia was PD broth medium and the optimal fermentation period for the tofu was 7 days. The water and methanol extracts of the fermented tofu induced the proliferation of spleen cells at above $0.01 {\mu}g/mL$. The water extract increased IL-2, IFN-$\gamma$ production, while the methanol extract increased IFN-$\gamma$ synthesis. The water and methanol extracts of the fermented tofu induced the NO production in RAW264.7 macrophage cells at above $1 {\mu}g/mL$ and above $10 {\mu}g/mL$ concentration, respectively. The extracts also significantly increased the production of IL-6, TNF-$\alpha$, IL-1$\beta$ and GM-CSF in the cells. These results suggest that the tofu fermented with Pleurotus eryngii mycelia could be developed as a functional tofu.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.154-159
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• 2004

Bacillus species were isolated from swine manure to develope the microbial additive suitable for the rapid com-posting. The 3 of 4 isolated strains were identified as Bacillus cereus KD-2, B. pumilus KD-3, and B. licheni-formis KD-4. Bacillus sp. KD-1 was, however, not highly identical with any Bacillus sp. The isolated strains were analyzed their growth rates, enzyme activities, and antibacterial activities. The maximum growth tem-peratures of KD-1, KD-2, KD-3 and KD-4 were $45^{\circ}C$, $50^{\circ}C$, $53^{\circ}C$, and $55^{\circ}C$, respectively. The activities of pro-tease or amylase in mixed culture of 4 strains were similar in the range of $37^{\circ}C$ to $53^{\circ}C$ and activities of lipase in the range of $37^{\circ}C$ to $42^{\circ}C$ were twice higher than those of lipase in the range of $47^{\circ}C$ to $53^{\circ}C$. The antibacterial activity of KD-l, KD-2, or KD-3 against each other was not detected. That of KD-4 against KD-1, KD-2, or KD-3 was, however, detected. The organic compound and C/N ratio of compost fermented by the mixed culture were determined as 61.9% and 22.4%, respectively. The concentration of the ammonia gas was 12.35 mg/l in the liquid compost.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2008

To check the microbiological safety with respect to increased virulence of surviving pathogens after irradiation, in this study, the transcriptional change of vvp gene encoding metalloprotease, which is one of the typical virulence factors of Vibrio mulnificus, was monitored by real-time PCR during the course of growth cycle after reinoculation of irradiated Vibrio. When V. vulnificus was exposed to a dose of 0.5 and 1 kGy, the lag period before growth resumption of sub-cultures became longer than non-irradiated counterpart as increase of irradiation dose. In the case of non-irradiated culture, the transcription of vvp was significantly activated at 15 h after inoculation, when bacterial growth reached the stationary phase, and the highest level of pretense activity (686 U/mL) was measured at the same time. Interestingly, vvp expression of irradiated Vibrio was turned up earlier than non-irradiated Vibrio during the mid log phase of growth, whereas these rapid induction of vvp expression from irradiated cells didn't result in an increase of metalloprotease production. When Vibrio was irradiated at 0.5 and 1 kGy, the protease activities peaked at 18 h after inoculation and the levels of activities were lower 1.2- and 1.4-fold, respectively, compared to the non-irradiated counterpart. Results from this study indicate that gamma radiation is not likely to activate the virulence ability of surviving Vibrio.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.533-538
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• 1992

The generation time of Methylobacterium extorquens AMI growing on methanol at pH 5.5 and 7.0 was found to be 23 hand 8.3 h. respectively. The bacterium grown at pH 7.0 were found to contain more amounts of spermidine and putrescine than the cell grown at pH 5.5. Cells grown at both conditions exhibited strong methanol dehydrogenase (MDH) activity at the mid-exponential growth phase. The amounts of MDH. however. were found to be almost equal through all gro~1h phases. Cells growing at the stationary phase contained large amounts of cytochrome c. The cytochrome c content was higher in cells growing at pH 7.0 than the cells growing at pH 5.5. Cells growing at pH 5.5 in the presence of putrescine or spermidine contained increased amounts of putrescine. The level of spermine, however. was decreased and that of spermidine was not changed. Spermine added into the medium was found to have no effect on the level of cellular polyamines. Putrescine or spermidine added into the medium stimulated MDH and hydroxypyruvate reductase activities. but did not affect the contents of MDH and cytochrome c. It was found that preincubation of cell-free extracts with polyamines does not stimulate MDH and hydroxypyruvate reductase activities.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.564-569
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• 1992

A green sulfur bacterium, Chlorobium limicola f. thiosulfatophilum NCIB 8327, was grown in modified Pfennig's medium including glu1amate as a nitrogen source. Glutamine synthetase was isolated through a series of ultracentrifugation. DEAE-Sepharose CL-6B ion exchange chromatography. Sephacryl S-300 gel permeation chromatography, and preparative HPLC. The recovery and purification fold of the enzyme were 2% and 46.3. respectively. The isolated enzyme was homogeneous on UV-Visible spectrum and polyacrylamide gel electrophoretogram. The relative molecular mass of the native enzyme was estimated to be 280,000 by gel permeation chromatography. The enzyme consisted of ten subunits with relative similar molecular mass. 30.000. which was estimated by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The optimal temperature and pH of the enzyme were $30^{\circ}C$ and 7.0. Km values were 27.9 mM for L-glutamine and 0.92 mM for hydroxylamine-HCr. The enzyme activity was inhibited by alanine. glycine. and tryptophan considerably, but was not affected by asparagine, lysine. leucine. and valine.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.292-297
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• 2007

This study was performed to compare in vitro immune enhancing effects of polysaccharides extracted from cultivated mycelia of Agaricus blazei Murill. Carbohydrate contents of semi-purified polysaccharides were 85.6% and 95.3%, while ${\beta}$-glucan conents were 67.9% and 88.1% for intracellular and extracellular polysaccharide, respectively. Samples were adjusted to the same in their carbohydrate contents before efficacy tests. Both intracellular and extracellular polysaccharide increased nitric oxide (NO) synthesis of macrophage RAW 264.7 in dose dependent manner, and the maximum increase rate was 53.9 and 53.1% in intracellular and extraceltular polysaccharide, respectively. The polysaccharides also increased synthesis of cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ in RAW 264.7. For all the 3 cytokines, the increase rate of synthesis was much higher in extracellular polysaccharide compared to intracellular polysaccharide, especially at low concentration. Both polysaccarides increased the proliferation of splenocytes in vitro, intracellular polysaccharide showed increase in dose dependent manner while extraceltular polysaccharide showed increase untill medium concentration ($250\;{\mu}g/ml$). They did not show direct cytotoxicity against cancer cells such as B16F0 melanoma. As results, it was regarded that the both intracellular and extracellular polysaccharide from A. blazei showed immune enhancing effects in vitro, but the activity is higher in extracellular polysaccharide compared to intracellular polysaccharide.