• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.363-370
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• 1992

Microorganisms capable of accumulating poly-p-hydroxybutyric acid(PHB) were isolated from soil by enrichment culture technique. Among them, the strain designated as FL-027 had high PHB productivity and was identified as Alcaligenes. The optimal medium composition for cell growth was 8.0 $g/\ell$ of fructose and 3.0 $g/\ell$ of $(NH_4)_2S0_4$, equivalent to C/N ratio 5.04 at pH 7.0 and $30^{\circ}C$. To investigate the optimal conditions for the PHB accumulation, we divided the process into two stages; the first stage for the growth of the cell in nutrient-rich medium and the second stage for the PHB accumulation in nutrient-deficiency medium. The optimal conditions for PHB accumulation were 8.0 $g/\ell$ of fructose and 0.25 $g/\ell$ of $(NH_4)_2S0_4$, equivalent to C/N ratio 60 at pH 6.5 and $30^{\circ}C$. PHB accumulation was stimulated by deficiency of nutrients such as $NH_4^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, $SO_4^{2+}$ in medium. Among them. $NH_4^+$ deficiency was chosen because of its effectiveness. We found the inhibition of cell growth by fructose in batch culture. In order to keep the fructose concentration at an optimal level, intermittent feeding fed-batch culture was employed, and the cell concentration as high as 10.83 $g/\ell$ whose PHB content was responsible for 43% of the dry cell weight. The purified PHB was identified as homopolymer of 3-hydroxybutyric acid by using IR and $^1H-NMR$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.104-110
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• 2011

Actinomycetes, Gram positive soil bacteria, are valuable microorganisms which produce useful secondary metabolites including antibiotics, antiparasitic substances, anti-cancer drugs, and immunosuppressants. Although a major family of actinomycetes, known as streptomycetes, has been intensively investigated at the molecular level for several decades, a potentially valuable and only recently isolated non-streptomycetes rare actinomycetes (NSRA) family has been poorly characterized due to lack of proper genetic manipulation systems. Here we report that a PCR-based genome screening strategy was performed with approximately 180 independently isolated actinomycetes strains to isolate potentially valuable NSRA strains. Thanks to this simple PCR-based genome screening strategy we were able to identify only seven NSRA strains, followed by 16S rRNA sequencing for confirmation. Through further bioassays, one potentially valuable NSRA strain (tentatively named Nocardiopsis species MMBL010) was identified which possessed both antifungal and antibacterial activities, along with the presence of polyketide synthase and non-ribosomal peptide synthase genes. Moreover, Nocardiopsis species MMBL010, which was intrinsically recalcitrant to genetic manipulation, was successfully transformed via E. coli-driven conjugation. These results suggest that PCR-based genome screening, followed by the establishment of an E. coli-driven conjugation system, is an efficient strategy to maximize potentially valuable compounds and their biosynthetic genes from NSRA strains isolated from various environments.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.23 no.6
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• pp.1095-1100
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• 2014

Keratin wastes are generated in excess of million tons per year worldwide and biodegradation of keratin by microorganisms possessing keratinase activity can be used as an alternative tool to prevent environmental pollution. For practical use of keratinase, its physicochemical properties should be investigated in detail. In this study, we investigated characteristics of keratinase produced by Xanthomonas sp. P5 which is isolated from rhizospheric soil of soybean. The level of keratinase produced by the strain P5 increased with time and reached its maximum (10.6 U/ml) at 3 days. The production of soluble protein had the same tendency as the production of keratinase. Optimal temperature and pH of keratinase were $40^{\circ}C-45^{\circ}C$ and pH 9, respectively. The enzyme showed broad temperature and pH stabilities. Thermostability profile showed that the enzyme retained 94.6%-100% of the original activity after 1 h treatment at $10^{\circ}C-40^{\circ}C$. After treatment for 1 h at pH 6-10, 89.2%-100% of the activity was remained. At pH 11, 71.6% of the original activity was retained after 1 h treatment. Although the strain P5 did not degrade human hair, it degraded duck feather and chicken feather. These results indicate that keratinase from Xanthomonas sp. P5 could be not only used to upgrade the nutritional value of feather hydrolysate but also useful in situ biodegradation of feather.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.112-117
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• 2013

Phytophthora capsici is one of major limiting factors in production of pepper and other important crops worldwide by causing foliage blight and rot on fruit and root. Increased demand for the replacement of fungicides has led to searching a promising strategy to control the fungal diseases. To meet eco-friendly agriculture practice, we isolated microorganisms and assessed their beneficial effects on plant health and disease control efficacy. A total of 360 bacterial strains were isolated from rhizosphere soil of healthy pepper plants, and categorized to 5 representative isolates based on colony morphology. Among the 5 bacterial strains (GJ-1, GJ-4, GJ-5, GJ-11, GJ-12), three bacterial strains (GJ-1, GJ-11, GJ-12) presented antifungal activity against P. capsici in an fungal inhibition assay. In phosphate solubilization and siderophore production, the strain GJ-1 was more effective than others. The strain GJ-1 was identified as Bacillus sp. using 16S rDNA analysis. Bacillus sp. GJ-1 was also found to be effective in inhibiting other plant pathogenic fungi, including Rhizoctonia solani, Pythium ultimum and Fusarium solani. Therefore, the Bacillus sp. GJ-1 can serve as a biological control agent against fungal plant pathogens.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.384-390
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• 2018

Air and soil are being contaminated by the environmental pollution as a result of climate change and urbanization, resulting in water pollution reaching serious levels. In this studies, we investigated the use of antimicrobial copper for the removal of biological pollutants from water system. Specifically, we tested its effects against E. coli, B. subtilis, S. aureus, K. pneumoniae and P. aeruginosa. Made a sphere shape having a diameter of 2cm using a strip-shaped copper wire of 0.5g, 1g and 2g. And then, to confirm the antimicrobial activities, each copper ball was equipped in the broth which inoculated each pathogens. The results showed that bacterial growth of the five test bacteria was inhibited by more than 99% after reaction with a 0.5 g copper ball for at least 20 minutes. Based on the these results, if perform the further experiment such cytotoxicity, it is expected that will be enough to be used as a filter for water quality purification. The developed technique is expected to be widely applied in various industries.

• Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.100-109
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• 2016

Low impact development (LID) facilities are established for the purpose of restoring the natural hydrologic cycle as well as the removal of pollutants from stormwater runoff. Improved efficiency of LID facilities can be obtained through the optimized interaction of their major components (i.e., plant, soil, filter media, microorganisms, etc.). Therefore, this study was performed to evaluate the performances of LID facilities in terms of runoff and pollutant reduction and also to provide an optimal maintenance method. The monitoring was conducted on four LID technologies (e.g., bioretention, small wetlands, rain garden and tree box filter). The optimal SA/CA (facility surface area / catchment area) ratio for runoff reduction greater than 40% is determined to be 1 - 5%. Since runoff reduction affects the pollutant removal efficiency in LID facilities, SA/CA ratio is derived as an important factor in designing LID facilities. The LID facilities that are found to be effective in reducing stormwater runoff are in the following order: rain garden > tree box filter > bioretention> small wetland. Meanwhile, in terms of removal of particulate matter (TSS), the effectiveness of the facilities are in the following order: rain garden > tree box filter > small wetland > bioretention; rain gardens > tree box filter > bioretention > small wetland were determined for the removal of organic matter (COD, TOC), nutrients (TN, TP) and heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn). These results can be used as an important material for the design of LID facilities in runoff volume and pollutant reduction.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.222-227
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: Among the biomass conversion techniques of livestock manure, composting process is a method of decomposing organic matter through microorganisms, and converting it into fertilizer in soil. The aerobic composting process is capable of treating cow manure in large quantities, and produces greenhouse gas as CO₂ and N₂O, although it has economical benefit. By using the activated rice hull biochar, which is a porous material, it was intended to mitigate the greenhouse gas emissions, and to produce the compost of which quality was high. Objective of this experiment was to estimate CO₂ and N₂O emissions through composting process of cow manure with different cooperated biochar contents. METHODS AND RESULTS: The treatments of activated rice hull biochar were set at 0%, 5%, 10% and 15%, respectively, during composting cow manure. The CO₂ emission in the control was 534.7 L kg^-1, but was 385.5 L kg^-1 at 15% activated rice hull biochar. Reduction efficiency of CO₂ emission was estimated to be 28%. N₂O emission was 0.28 L kg^-1 in the control, but was 0.03 L min^-1 at 15% of activated rice hull biochar, estimating about 89% reduction efficiency. CONCLUSION: Greenhouse gas emissions during the composting process of cow manure can be reduced by mixing with 15% of activated rice hull biochar for eco-friendly compost production.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.25 no.3 s.68
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• pp.183-189
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• 1986

Fifty three diseased root samples of Chinese cabbage and 22 soil samples were taken from six alpine areas in Kangwon province to examine the organisms causing root rot of Chinese cabbage. Among thirteen microorganisms detected from diseased roots samples, Pythium ultimum, Pythium echinocarpum and Rhizoctonia solani were detected frequently and were pathogenic to Chinese cabbage. Five to 100% of young Chinese cabbage plants grown in the sample soils taken from alpine cabbage fields were infected either alone or together with P. ultimum, P. echinocarpum and R. solani, depending upon the or gin of sample soils. When relative density of the three organsims in the sample soils was estimated based on the infection frequency on the plants grown in those sample soils, P. ultimum was prevalent only in Chahang-i-li area. P. echinocarpum was prevalent in Yongsan-il-li, Hoengwe-li, and Munmaek areas. R. solani was solely found in Maebongsan area where both P. ultimum and P. echinocarpum were not detected. In the three areas where both P. ultimum and P. echinocarpum were present, density of P. echinocarpum was generally greater than that of P. ultimum. Seedlings of thirty major Chinese cabbage varieties were inoculated independently with the three organisms in the greenhouse. Six varieties were resistant to P. ultimum. Three and two varieties were moderately resistant to P. ultimum and P. echinocarpum, respectively. All varieties were highly susceptible to R. solani.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.554-560
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• 2011

This study was performed to investigate the effects of microbial augmentation on the biological treatment of paper mill wastewater. Three bacteria (KN11, KN13, KN27) capable of degrading aromatic compounds and a bacterial strain (GT21) producing an extracellular cellulase were isolated from soil and wastewater by selective enrichment culture. Through morphological, physiological, and biochemical taxonomies, isolated strains of KN11, KN13, KN27, and GT21 were identified as Acinetobacter sp., Neisseria sp., Bacillus sp., and Pseudomonas sp. and named Acinetobacter sp. KN11, Neisseria sp. KN13, Bacillus sp. KN27, and Pseudomonas sp. GT21, respectively. For analysis of non-biodegradable and chemical oxygen demand (COD)-increasing matter in a paper mill wastewater, we utilized GC/MS to detect aromatic compounds and their derivatives containing several substituted functional groups. The microbial augmentation, J30 formulated with the mixture of bacteria including Acinetobacter sp. KN11, Neisseria sp. KN13, Bacillus sp. KN27, and Pseudomonas sp. GT21, was used for the treatment of paper mill wastewater. The optimum temperature and pH for COD removal of the microbial augmentation, J30, were $30^{\circ}C$ and 7.5, respectively. For evaluation of the industrial applicability of the microbial augmentation, J30 in the pilot test, treatment efficiency was examined using paper mill wastewater. The microbial augmentation, J30, showed a COD removal rate of 87%. On the basis of the above results, we designed the wastewater treatment process of the activated sludge system.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.8
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• pp.887-894
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• 2014

The screening of the microorganisms degrading chlorinated organic compounds such as PCP (pentachlorophenol) and TCE (trichloroethylene) was conducted with soil and industrial wastewater contaminated with various chlorinated organic compounds. Isolates (GP5, GP19) capable of degrading PCP and isolates (GA6, GA15) capable of degrading TCE were identified as Acetobactor sp., Pseudomonas sp., Arthrobacer sp., Xanthomonas sp. and named Acetobacter sp. GP5, Pseudomonas sp. GP19, Arthrobacer sp. GA6 and Xanthomoas sp. GA15, respectively. The microbial augmentation, OC17 formulated with the mixture of bacteria including isolates (4 strains) degrading chlorinated organic compounds and isolates (Acinetobacter sp. KN11, Neisseria sp. GN13) degrading aromatic hydrocarbons. Characteristics of microbial augmentation OC-17 showed cell mass of $2.8{\times}10^9CFU/g$, bulk density of $0.299g/cm^3$ and water content of 26.8%. In the experiment with an artificial wastewater containing PCP (500 mg/l), degradation efficiency of the microbial augmentation OC17 was 87% during incubation of 65 hours. The degradation efficiency of TCE (300 uM) by microbial augmentation OC17 was 90% during incubation of 50 hours. In a continuous culture experiment, analysis of the biodegradation of organic compounds by microbial augmentation OC17 in industry wastewater containing chlorinated hydrocarbons showed that the removal rate of COD was 91% during incubation of 10 days. These results indicate that it is possible to apply the microbial augmentation OC17 to industrial wastewaters containing chlorinated organic compounds.