• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1349-1360
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• 2015

The rhizospheric zone abutting plant roots usually clutches a wealth of microbes. In the recent past, enormous genetic resources have been excavated with potential applications in host plant interaction and ancillary aspects. Two Pseudomonas strains were isolated and identified through 16S rRNA and rpoD sequence analyses as P. fluorescens QAU67 and P. putida QAU90. Initial biochemical characterization and their root-colonizing traits indicated their potential role in plant growth promotion. Such aerobic systems, involved in gluconic acid production and phosphate solubilization, essentially require the pyrroloquinoline quinine (PQQ)-dependent glucose dehydrogenase (GDH) in the genome. The PCR screening and amplification of GDH and PQQ and subsequent induction of mutagenesis characterized their possible role as antioxidants as well as in growth promotion, as probed in vitro in lettuce and in vivo in rice, bean, and tomato plants. The results showed significant differences (p ≤ 0.05) in parameters of plant height, fresh weight, and dry weight, etc., deciphering a clear and in fact complementary role of GDH and PQQ in plant growth promotion. Our study not only provides direct evidence of the in vivo role of GDH and PQQ in host plants but also reveals their functional inadequacy in the event of mutation at either of these loci.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.189-196
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• 2016

Several microorganisms in particular Bacillus subtilis group have been isolated from diverse places such as soils and the gastrointestinal tract of ruminants etc., and used as biocontrol agent against various plant pathogens and utilized as plant growth promoting agents. Among them, Bacillus is well known as one of the most useful bacteria for biocontrol and plant growth promotion. Bacterium GH1-13 was isolated from a reclaimed paddy field in Wando Island and identified as Bacillus velezensis using phylogenetic analysis on the basis of 16S rRNA and gyrB gene. It was confirmed that GH1-13 produced indole acetic acid (IAA) associated with promoted growth of rice root. GH1-13 showed characteristics of antagonization against the main pathogen of rice as well as diverse pathogenic fungi. GH1-13 had biosynthetic genes, bacillomycin, bacilycin, fengycin, iturin, and surfactin which are considered to be associated closely with inhibition of growth of pathogenic fungi and bacteria. This study showed that GH1-13 could be used as a multifunctional agent for biocontrol and growth promotion of crop.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.35-42
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• 2011

The current study analyzed appropriateness of abandoned rice paddy wetlands as habitats for the Amphibia by assessing functions and value of abandoned rice paddy wetlands within land development districts as a habitat for living creatures and researching into the Amphibia living in the subject districts. For this purpose, the study designated abandoned rice paddy wetlands within Hwaseong A District and Pangyo B District under land development as subject lands. Those wetlands went through succession after abandonment of farming. Detailed study results are as follows. From classification of wetland types and an analysis of their characteristics, it was found that herbaceous plants such as smartweed communities, horsetail communities and reed communities, and woody plants such as pussy willow communities appeared in both districts. These abandoned rice paddy wetlands shows typical characteristics of palustrine wetlands. As a result of a vegetation structure research, it was observed that succession has been progressed for at least over 2~3 years. In assessment of wetland functions by item, it was found that they are developing into fine wetlands in terms of functions because they are ranked over Moderate Class except separate distance from streams. Also from a research into animals living in the abandoned rice paddy wetlands, it was found that main inhabitants are Rana nigromaculata,Rana dybowskii, Hyla japonica, Bufo bufo gargarizans, etc. It can be confirmed that the abandoned rice paddy wetlands are providing appropriate conditions as habitats to the Amphibia in a view that those species have life cycles of inhabitation (shores and wetlands) - egg-laying (rice paddy, puddles and swampy places) - hibernation (rice field banks and swampy places). From this point of view, it was found that abandoned rice paddy wetlands that developed because of abandonment of farming can be used as means to improve structure and functions of habitats.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1467-1475
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• 2015

The use of microbial extracts containing plant hormones is a promising technique to improve crop growth. Little is known about the effect of bacterial cell-free extracts on plant growth promotion. This study, based on phytohormonal analyses, aimed at exploring the potential mechanisms by which Enterococcus faecium LKE12 enhances plant growth in oriental melon. A bacterial strain, LKE12, was isolated from soil, and further identified as E. faecium by 16S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The plant growth-promoting ability of an LKE12 bacterial culture was tested in a gibberellin (GA)-deficient rice dwarf mutant (waito-C) and a normal GA biosynthesis rice cultivar (Hwayongbyeo). E. faecium LKE12 significantly improved the length and biomass of rice shoots in both normal and dwarf cultivars through the secretion of an array of gibberellins (GA₁, GA₃, GA₇, GA₈, GA₉, GA₁₂, GA₁₉, GA₂₀, GA₂₄, and GA₅₃), as well as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study indicating that E. faecium can produce GAs. Increases in shoot and root lengths, plant fresh weight, and chlorophyll content promoted by E. faecium LKE12 and its cell-free extract inoculated in oriental melon plants revealed a favorable interaction of E. faecium LKE12 with plants. Higher plant growth rates and nutrient contents of magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, silicon, zinc, and nitrogen were found in cell-free extract-treated plants than in control plants. The results of the current study suggest that E. faecium LKE12 promotes plant growth by producing GAs and IAA; interestingly, the exogenous application of its cell-free culture extract can be a potential strategy to accelerate plant growth.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2005.08a
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• pp.140-141
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• 2005

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1549-1556
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• 2012

Endophytic fungi were isolated from roots of six halophytes in Suncheon Bay. The endophytic fungi of 35 species isolated from halophytes were identified by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) containing the ITS1, 5.8s, and ITS2 regions. All fungal strains were analyzed to diversity at the genus level. Fungal culture filtrates (FCF) of endophytic fungi were treated to Waito-c rice (WR) seedling for plant growth-promoting verification. It was confirmed that fungal strain Sj-2-2 provided plant growth promotion (PGP) to WR seedling. Then, PGP of Suaeda japonica was confirmed by treating culture filtrate of Sj-2-2. As a result, it was verified that culture filtrate of Sj-2-2 had more advanced PGP than positive control when treated to S. japonica. The secondary metabolites involved in culture filtrate of Sj-2-2 were identified by HPLC and GC-MS SIM analysis. The presence of physiologically bioactive gibberellins (GAs) and other inactive GAs in culture filtrate of Sj-2-2 was detected. The molecular analysis of sequences of Sj-2-2 showed the similarity to Penicillium sp. of 99% homology. The PGP of Sj-2-2 as well as symbiosis between endophytic fungi and halophytes growing naturally in salt marsh was confirmed. Sj-2-2 was identified as a new fungal strain producing GAs by molecular analysis of sequences. Consequently, the Sj-2-2 fungal strain was named as Penicillium sp. Sj-2-2. In this study, the diversity of endophytic fungi isolated from roots of halophytes in salt marsh and the PGP of a new gibberellin-producing fungal strain were confirmed.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.329-331
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• 2017

Bacillus velezensis YC7010 is an endophytic bacterium isolated from the rice rhizosphere in Jinju, Republic of Korea, with properties conductive to growth promotion, antibiosis and induced systemic resistance to significant, soil-borne rice fungal and bacterial pathogens. The genome of B. velezensis YC7010 comprises a 3,975,683 bp circular chromosome which consists of 3,790 protein-coding genes (86tRNA and 27rRNA genes). Based on genomic analysis, we identified genes involved in colonization and establishment inside the plant, biosynthesis of antibiotic compounds such as surfactin, plipapastatin, bacillibactin, and bacillaene, as well as the production of the phytohormones and volatile compounds which serve to promote the plants growth and development.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.106-112
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• 2014

Very few plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) are known to produce gibberellins (GAs). The current study aimed to isolate a phytohormone-producing PGP rhizobacterium from soil and assess its potential to enhance plant growth. The newly isolated bacterium was identified as Leifsonia soli sp. SE134 on the basis of partial 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence. Application of L. soli culture filtrate significantly increased the biomass, hypocotyl, and root lengths of cucumber seeds as compared with non-inoculated sole medium and distilled water treated controls. Furthermore, the PGPR culture was applied to the GA-deficient mutant rice cultivar Waito-C. Treatment with L. soli SE134 significantly increased the growth of Waito-C rice seedlings as compared with controls. Upon chromatographic analysis of L. soli culture, we isolated, detected and quantified different GAs; namely, $GA_1$ ($0.61{\pm}0.15$), $GA_4$ ($1.58{\pm}0.26$), $GA_7$ ($0.54{\pm}0.18$), $GA_8$ ($0.98{\pm}0.15$), $GA_9$ ($0.45{\pm}0.17$), $GA_{12}$ ($0.64{\pm}0.21$), $GA_{19}$ ($0.18{\pm}0.09$), $GA_{20}$ ($0.78{\pm}0.15$), $GA_{24}$ ($0.38{\pm}0.09$), $GA_{34}$ ($0.35{\pm}0.10$), and $GA_{53}$ ($0.17{\pm}0.05$). Plant growth promotion in cucumber, tomato, and young radish plants further evidenced the potential of this strain as a PGP bacterium. The results suggest that GA secretion by L. soli SE134 might prove advantageous for its ameliorative role in crop growth. These findings can be extended for improving the productivity of different crops under diverse environmental conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.202-207
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• 2010

Plant growth promoting fungi (PGPF) are well known for the production of useful secondary metabolites. However, limited information is available on the gibberellin (GA) production capacity of PGPF of endophytic origin. In the current study, 15 fungal endophytes were isolated from the roots of Crown daisy, and then screened on Waito-c rice, in order to identify plant growth promoting fungi. The fungal isolate MH7 significantly increased the shoot length (12.1 cm) of Waito-c in comparison with control treatment (7.9 cm). In a separate experiment, the culture filtrate (CF) of MH7 significantly promoted the growth attributes of Crown daisy. The MH7 CF was analyzed for gibberellins and it contained all physiologically active gibberellins ($GA_1$, 1.37 ng/ml; $GA_3$, 5.88 ng/ml; $GA_4$, 8.62 ng/ml; and $GA_7$, 2.05 ng/ml) in conjunction with physiologically inactive $GA_9$ (0.83 ng/ml), $GA_{12}$ (0.44 ng/ml), $GA_{15}$ (0.74 ng/ml), $GA_{19}$ (1.16 ng/ml), and $GA_{20}$ (0.98 ng/ml). The CF of MH7 produced higher amounts of $GA_3$, $GA_4$, $GA_7$, $GA_9$, and $GA_{12}$ than wild-type Fusarium fujikuroi, which was used as a control for GA production. The fungal isolate MH7 was later identified as a new strain of Penicillium on the basis of its morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the 188 rDNA sequence.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.41-45
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• 2004

A phosphate solubilizig bacterium, Pantoea agglomerans, was isolated from rhizosphere soils collected from Chungbuk area. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to study the effect of combined application of rock phosphate and P. agglomerans inoculation on plant growth and phosphate accumulation of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Apart from control that received no inputs, six treatments were planned as follows; 1) seed bacterization, 2) free cell inoculation and 3) bacteria immobilized beads inoculation, individually and in combination with 1 and 2.5 g of rock phosphate per pot. The results showed that plant growth and phosphate uptake were significantly enhanced as a result of bacterial inoculation. Bacterial inoculation in the form of immobilized beads and 1 g of rock phosphate was found to affect positively the rice plant growth and phosphorus accumulation than other treatments. The available phosphate concentration of the pot mixture also found improved as a result of P. agglomerans inoculation. A positive correlation was observed between the phosphate concentration in the pot mixture and phosphate accumulation in plant.