• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.523-528
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• 2005

Using the genomic library constructed at the downstream of the niiA promoter, which induces the over-expression of an inserted DNA fragment, we have attempted to screen the genes affecting growth or development by over-expression. The wild-type strain was transformed using the AMA-niiA(p) library and cultured on 1.2 M sorbitol media, in which asexual sporulation is induced, but sexual development is repressed. Over 100,000 strains transformed to $pyrG^+$ were analyzed with regard to any changes in phenotype. Consequently, seven strains were isolated for further analyses. These strains were designated NOT [niiA(p) over-expression transformants] stains. Four of the strains were of the inducible type, and the remaining strains were of the multi-copy suppression type. Two of the inducible-type strains, NOT 1 and NOT40, harbored genes which had been inserted in reverse direction, suggesting that the mutant phenotypes had been derived from an excess amount of anti-sense mRNA. Domain analyses of the deduced polypeptides from the DNA fragments rescued from the transformants revealed that NOT1, NOT40 and NOT6 harbored a LisH motif, a forkhead domain, and a $Zn(II)_2Cys_6$ binuclear zinc cluster, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1663-1665
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• 2008

Acyl-coenzyme A: cholesterol acyltransferase (ACAT) catalyzes cholesterol esterification and plays an important role in the intestinal absorption of cholesterol, hepatic production of lipoproteins, and accumulation of cholesteryl ester within cells. During the course of screening to find ACAT inhibitors from microbial sources, the present authors isolated pyripyropene A from Penicillium griseofulvum F1959. Pyripyropene A, an ACAT2-specific inhibitor, has already been produced from Aspergillus fumigatus. Yet, Aspergillus fumigatus is a pathogen and only produces a limited amount of pyripyropene A, making the isolation of pyripyropene A troublesome. In contrast, Penicillium griseofulvum F1959 was found to produce approximately 28 times more pyripyropene A than Aspergillus fumigatus, plus this report also describes the ideal conditions for the production of pyripyropene A by Penicillium griseofulvum F1959 and its subsequent purification.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.191-201
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• 2008

Bacillus sp. SB-007 was isolated from pea leaves harvested from the southwestern parts of South Korea through screening on a minimal medium containing 0.2% purified cutin for its ability to induce the cutinase production. However, no cutinase was produced when it was grown in a minimal medium containing 0.2% glucose. A proteomic approach was applied to separate and characterize these differentially secreted proteins. The expression level of 83 extracellular proteins of the cutinase-producing Bacillus sp. strain SB-007 incubated in a cutinase-induced medium increased significantly as compared with that cultured in a non cutinase-induced medium containing glucose. The extracellular proteome of Bacillus sp. SB-007 includes proteins from different functional classes, such as enzymes for the degradation of various macromolecules, proteins involved in energy metabolism, sporulation, transport/binding proteins and lipoproteins, stress inducible proteins, several cellular molecule biosynthetic pathways and catabolism, and some proteins with an as yet unknown function. In addition, the two protein spots showed little similarities with the known lipolytic enzymes in the database. These secreted proteome analysis results are expected to be useful in improving the Bacillus strains for the production of industrial cutinases.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.8
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• pp.1599-1608
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• 2024

Yersinia enterocolitica is a globally distributed food-borne gastrointestinal pathogen. The O-antigen variation-determined serotype is an important characteristic of Y. enterocolitica, allowing intraspecies classification for diagnosis and epidemiology purposes. Among the 11 serotypes associated with human yersiniosis, O:3, O:5,27, O:8, and O:9 are the most prevalent, and their O-antigen gene clusters have been well defined. In addition to the O-antigen, several virulence factors are involved in infection and pathogenesis of Y. enterocolitica strains, and these are closely related to their biotypes, reflecting pathogenic properties. In this study, we identified the O-AGC of a Y. enterocolitica strain WL-21 of serotype O:10, and confirmed its functionality in O-antigen synthesis. Furthermore, we analyzed in silico the putative O-AGCs of uncommon serotypes, and found that the O-AGCs of Y. enterocolitica were divided into two genetic patterns: (1) O-AGC within the hemH-gsk locus, possibly synthesizing the O-antigen via the Wzx/Wzy dependent pathway, and (2) O-AGC within the dcuC-galU-galF locus, very likely assembling the O-antigen via the ABC transporter dependent pathway. By screening the virulence genes against genomes from GenBank, we discovered that strains representing different serotypes were grouped according to different virulence gene profiles, indicating strong links between serotypes and virulence markers and implying an interaction between them and the synergistic effect in pathogenicity. Our study provides a framework for further research on the origin and evolution of O-AGCs from Y. enterocolitica, as well as on differences in virulent mechanisms among distinct serotypes.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.229-236
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• 1999

The recA gene plays a central role in genetic recombination and SOS DNA repair in Escherichia coli (E. coli). We have previously identified a 42 kDa RecA-like protein inducible by a variety of DNA damages from a fluorescent Pseudomonas strain sp. and characterized its inducible kinetics. In the present study, we cloned and characterized the gene encoding the RecA-like protein by immunological screening of Pseudomonas genomic expression library using polyclonal E. coli anti-RecA antibodies as a probe. From 10$^{5}$ plaques screened, five putative clones were finally isolated. Southern blot analysis indicated that four clones had the same DNA inserts and the recA-like gene was located within the 3.2 kb EcoRI fragment of Pseudomonas chromosomal DNA. In addition, the cloned recA-like gene was transcribed into an RNA transcript approximately 1.1 kb in size, as judged by Northern blot analysis. The cellular level of RNA transcript of the cloned recA-like gene was increased to an average of 5.15- fold upon treatment with DNA damaging agents such as ultraviolet (UV)- light, nalidixic acid (NA), methyl methanesulfonate (MMS), and mitomycin-C (MMC). These results suggest that the cloned gene is inducible by DNA damage similarly to the recA gene in E. coli. However, the cloned gene did not restore the DNA damage sensitivity of the E. coli recA-mutant.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.453-460
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• 2008

In the course of in vitro and in vivo screening for bioherbicidal agents, a hyphomycete fungus, Myrothecium sp. F0252 was selected as a candidate for the biocontrol of weeds. The isolate was identified as Myrothecium roridum Tode ex. Fries based on the morphological characteristics and 18S ribosomal DNA sequence analysis and registered as Myrothecium roridum F0252. In order to evaluate the in vitro effect of M. roridum F0252 on germination of ladino clover and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) seeds, spore solution of the fungus was employed in two concentrations, $6.5{\times}10^6$ and $2.5{\times}10^7$ spores per mL and then inoculated to the seeds. The fungal spores inhibited the seed germination, infected the seedlings, and caused an abnormal withering and inhibition of seedling growth. In addition, when the herbicidal activity of crude ethyl acetate extract from the liquid culture was assessed on a mini-plant, duck-weed (Lemna paucicostata (L.) Hegelm.), the extract showed high inhibitory effect at the level of $12.5{\mu}g$ per mL. On the other hand, in vivo herbicidal activity of M. roridum F0252 was evaluated by a whole plant spray method. M. roridum F0252 exhibited strong and broad-spectrum herbicidal activity. The herbicidal values ranged from 95-100% against 7 weeds, including Abutilon avicennae and Xanthium strumarium, and 70-80% against Digitaria sanguinalis and Sagittaria pygmaea. When the nutritional utilization (95 carbon sources) pattern of M. roridum F0252 was investigated, it varied with water activity ($a_w$) and temperature conditions, supplying good, basic information in regard to nutritional utilization for proper cultivation and formulation. Our results showed that M. roridum F0252 might be used as a potential biocontrol agent against weedy plants.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.592-597
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• 1997

During the screening of inhibitors against phospholipase C (PLC) and the formation of inositol phosphates (IP$_{t}$) at NIH3T3${\gamma}$1 cells from microbial secondary metabolites, we selected a fungal strain MT60109 which was capable of producing an inhibitor. By the taxonomic studies, this fungus was identified as Pseudallescheria sp. MT60109 and an inhibitor of PLC was purified by BuOH extraction and chromatographic techniques from the culture broth of Pseudallescheria sp. MT60109. The inhibitor was identified as thielavin B by the physico-chemical properties and spectroscopic analysis of UV, FAB-MS, $^{1}$H, $^{13}$C-NMR, $^{1}$H-$^{1}$H COSY and HMBC. Thielavin B showed potent inhibitory activity against PLC purified from bovine brain with an IC$_{50}$ of 20 $\mu$M. And it also inhibited the formation of inositol phosphates in platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) -stimulated NIH3T3${\gamma}$1 cells with an IC$_{50}$ of 20 $\mu$M.

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.83-100
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• 2006

Antibiotics which produced by mushrooms discovered for last 40 years were described. Any antibiotic has not been used as infectious disease remudy but will be used as physiological active substance in near future. The antibiotic of mushrooms have not been published much in papers and do not have various finds of structures, compared to those of Streptomyces. Triple bond having compounds, terpenoid compounds aromatic compounds and some other compound have been known. These compounds are not dissolved well in water and mainly fat-soluble, except for cordycepin. Also, they are generally neutral, and some of them are acidic and almost none of them are basic compounds. However, acetylene and terpenoid compounds are the characteristic compounds of mushroom, and are not found in other microorganisms and plants. Especially, there are various terpenoid compounds in mushrooms. These metabolites of mushrooms were not used as antibiotic, but are interested as physiological active substance, such as enzyme inhibitor and immunomodulator. To promote studying on the antibiotics of mushroom, new screening methods must be developed, because strain belonged to the different genus produces different antibiotics, even though mushrooms belonged to the same genus and species. It is also known that mushrooms collected in different areas produce different antibiotics. Now, it is difficult to separate each pure compound from mushroom. It is important to find mushrooms which is impossible to cultivate artificially, or grow in the back land where is difficult to collect. Thousands of mushrooms grow on earth now, so that which species will be screened if not known. The biochemical and mycological study for usability of the metabolites of mushrooms is thought, as one of the important research areas, must be performed.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.258-267
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• 1973

Chemical analysis and enzymatic hydrolysis of certain Korean acorns were performed in order to make use of the local acorns. Exclusion of tannin from acorns is aided in the processing. Studies of these were undertaken and the results obtained are summarized as follows; 1. Several Korean acorns were used to analyze their proximate composition, tannin and major inorganic principles. The content of acorn tannin was found to be 6.5 to 7.5%. 2. An Attempt was made to screen suitable strains in order to make acorn-tannin-hydrolyzing enzyme accumulated in the culture broth, and Aspergillus flavus and Asp. sp. AN-11, which showed in their culture broths, were obtained from the contaminated acorns. 3. Cultural measures for the strains of Aspergillus flavus and Asp. sp. AN-11 for an improved tannase production and optimal conditions were determined.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1100-1108
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• 2009

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from various fruits and vegetables were screened in order to determine appropriate fermentation starters for manufacturing functional fermented onion juice. From the initial screening test comprising more than 700 isolated LAB, 16 isolates were selected based on their acid production rate. Among the selected isolates, the fermentation broth of KC-007 exhibited the highest electron donating and nitrite scavenging activities, with values at pH 1.2 of 95.6 and 68.7%, respectively. From the overall results obtained in this study, we finally selected the bacterium KC-007 as a fermentation starter. This bacterium was identified and named as Pediococcus pentosaceus based on its morphological and physiological characteristics, carbon-utilization pattern (as assessed using an API 50CHL kit), and molecular genetic characteristics (as assessed using the nucleotide sequence of the 16S rRNA gene). The optimal temperature, pH, and starter inoculation concentration (v/v) required for growth of the isolated strain were $40^{\circ}C$, pH 4.0-6.0, and 2%(v/v), respectively.