• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.10
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• pp.1640-1645
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• 2006

We studied the diversity of the halophilic archaea and bacteria in crystallizer ponds of a Korean solar saltern by analyzing 16S rRNA gene libraries. Although diverse halophilic archaeal lineages were detected, the majority (56%) were affiliated with the uncultured and cultured Halorubrum group. Halophilic archaea that have been frequently observed in solar saltern environments previously, such as Halogeometricum, Halococcus, Haloarcula, and Haloferax, were not detected in our samples. The majority of clones (53%) belonged to the Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacteroides and ${\alpha}-,\;{\gamma}-,\;and\;{\delta}-Proteobacteria$ groups, with 47% of the clones being affiliated with ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$. We also identified new ${\delta}-Proteobacteria$-related bacteria that have not been observed in hypersaline environments previously. Our data show that the diversity of the halophilic archaea and bacteria in our Korean saltern differs from that of solar salterns found in other geographic locations. We also showed by quantitative real-time PCR analysis that bacteria can form a significant component of the microbial community in solar salterns.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.52 no.1
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• pp.76-87
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• 2024

Halophilic bacteria are promising reservoirs for halotolerant enzymes that have gained much attention in biotechnological applications due to their remarkable activity and stability. In this study, 62 halophilic bacterial strains isolated from a solar saltern were screened for the production of various extracellular enzymes. The results revealed that 31 strains (50%) were positive for amylase production while 26 strains (41.9%) were positive for protease. Further, 22 strains (35.48%) exhibited β-glucosidase activity and only 17 (27.41%) demonstrated lipase activity. Of the investigated halophiles, ten strains growing in the presence of ≥15% NaCl (w/v) were selected and identified based on their 16S rRNA gene sequences as Halomonas meridiana, Salinivibrio costicola, Virgibacillus oceani, Virgibacillus marismortui, Marinobacter lipolyticus, Halobacillus karajensis, Salicola salis, Pseudoalteromonas shioyasakiensis, Salinicoccus amylolyticus, and Paracoccus salipaludis. Therefore, the present study highlights the diversity of the culturable halophilic bacteria in a Mediterranean solar saltern, harboring various valuable halotolerant enzymes.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.12 no.spc2
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• pp.45-53
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• 2023

In July 2018, solar saltern samples were collected from Siheung, Gyeonggi-do Province to obtain unrecorded haloarchaea in Korea. The samples were suspended in a 20% NaCl (w/v) solution, and serial dilution was performed in fresh DB Characterization media No. 2. The strains isolated in this study showed at least 98.7% sequence similarity or more compared to the previously reported. Finally, 16 haloarchaeal strains, which were not reported in Korea but validly published under the International Code of Nomenclature of Prokaryotes (ICNP), were obtained from a solar saltern in Siheung. These 16 isolates were allocated to the orders Halobacteriales and Haloferacales. The 10 Halobacteriales strains were classified into the family Halobacteriaceae and Haloarculaceae. Each family belonged to three genera, respectively. The other six Haloferacales belonged to the families Haloferacaceae and Halorubraceae. Each family belonged to genus genus, respectively. Collectively, the unrecorded haloarchaeal strains belonged to two orders, four families, and eight genera. During the research, the possibility of discovering previously unknown species in domestic solar saltern was established. Gram-staining, cell morphology, physiological and basic biochemical parameters, and phylogenetic analysis were all performed in this study and are described in detail for each strain.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.302-306
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• 2004

A total of forty strains of pigment-producing halophilic bacteria were isolated from the solar saltern and coastal seawater in Korea. The diversity of those bacteria were determined on the basis of PCR-RFLP and 16S rDNA sequences. The isolated strains were clssified into nine genera: Pseudoalteromonas, Photobacterium, Vibrio, Halobacillus, Bacillus, Paracoccus, Salinicoccus, Tenacilbaculum, and Flavobacterium. While more than $80\%$ of the pigment-producing halophilic bacteria isolated from the coastal seawater were classified as gram-negative Pseudolateromonas, most of the strains isolated from the solar saltern were classified into gram-positive Halo­bacillus. The other strain was KK7, which may be identified as novel species belonging to the genus, Salini­coccus.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.427-434
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• 2015

Most of halophilic archaea are found in the various hypersaline environments including solar saltern, salt lake with very high salt concentration. The present study is about isolation and characterization of halphilic archaea from Gomso solar saltern known as a representative high salt environment in Korea. In order to isolate the halophilic archaea, we prepared and used high salt medium. Finally, total 7 strains obtained were tentatively identified based on comparative similarity analysis for 16S rRNA gene sequence and physiological traits. All halophilic archaea belonged to Haloruburm, Halogeometriucm, Halobacterium, and Haloarcula genera. These isolates were all Gram-staining negative, and growth was not observed using nitrate as an alternative electron acceptor under anaerobic conditions. In addition, all isolates required about 12-30% (w/v, NaCl) salt. This case study might provide basic information on microbial isolation technologies and related research in halophilic microorganisms from domestic halophilic environments, and contribute to obtaining useful indigenous halophilic archaea in a variety of extreme environmental conditions.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2017

In this study, we investigated the phylogenetic diversity of the bacterial community and isolation of extremely halophilic bacteria using culturomics in a gray solar saltern. The number of bacterial living cells, enumerated in a gray solar saltern by direct fluorescence microscopy was three to four orders of magnitude greater than those enumerated by plate counts, suggesting the distribution of 'viable but non-culturable bacteria'. The biodiversity of bacterial communities in a gray solar saltern was investigated by pyrosequencing, 1,778 OTUs of bacteria were comprised of 18 phyla 46 classes 85 orders 140 families 243 genera with 6.16 diversity index. Archaea communities were composed of 3 phyla 6 classes 7 orders 7 families 38 genera with 4.95 diversity index from 643 OTUs. Totally 137 isolates were isolated by 59 different cultural methods based on culturomics considering culture media and conditions suitable for the growth of extremely halophilic bacteria. Phylogenetic analyses of extremely halophilic isolates based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, extremely halophilic isolates were composed of 4 phyla and 11 genera. Haloterrigena and Haloferax can be successfully isolated from culturomics. These culturomics were effective methods for collection of diversity of extremely halophilic bacteria.

• ALGAE
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.361-373
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• 2020

The community dynamics of benthic diatoms in the hypersaline environment are investigated to advance our understanding how salinity impacts marine life. Diatoms were sampled in the two salterns encompassing salt Ponds, ditches, and seawater reservoirs (n = 11), along the salinity gradient (max = 324 psu), and nearby tidal flats (n = 2). The floral assemblages and distributions across sites and stations showed great variations, with a total of 169 identified taxa. First, not surprisingly, higher diversity of benthic diatoms was found at natural tidal flats than salterns. The saltern diatoms generally showed salinity dependent distributions with distinct spatial changes in species composition and dominant taxa. Biota-environment and principal component analysis confirmed that salinity, mud content, and total nitrogen were key factors influencing the overall benthic community structure. Some dominant species, e.g., Nitzschia scalpelliformis and Achnanthes sp. 1, showed salinity tolerance / preference. The number of diatom species at salinity of >100 psu reduced over half and no diatoms were found at maximum salinity of 324 psu. The highest salinity for the observed live diatoms was 205 psu, however, a simple regression indicated a theoretical salinity threshold of ~300 psu on the survival. Finally, the indicator species were identified along the salinity gradient in salterns as well as natural tidal flats. Overall, high species numbers, varying taxa, and euryhaline distributions of saltern diatoms collectively reflected a dynamic saltern ecosystem. The present study would provide backgrounds for biodiversity monitoring of ecologically important microalgal producers in some unique hypersaline environment, and elsewhere.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2005

We isolated and cultured bacteria inhabiting solar saltern ponds in Taean-Gun, Chungnam Province, Korea. All of the isolated 64 strains were found to be moderately halophilic bacteria, growing in a salt range of 2-20 %, with an optimal concentration of 5% salt. Bacterial diversity among the isolated halophiles was evaluated via RFLP analyses of PCR-amplified 16S rDNAs, followed by phylogenetic analysis of the partial 16S rDNA sequences. The combination of restriction enzyme digestions with HaeIII, CfoI, MspI and RsaI generated 54 distinct patterns. A neighbor-joining tree of the partial 16S rDNA sequences resulted in the division of the 64 strains into 2 major groups, 45 strains of ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ (70.3%) and 19 strains of Firmicutes (29.7%). The ${\alpha}-Proteobacteria$ and Cytophaga-Flavobacterium-Bacterioides groups, which were repeatedly found to exist in thalassohaline environments, were not represented in our isolates. The ${\gamma}-Proteobacteria$ group consisted of several subgroups of the Vibrionaceae (37.5%), Pseudoalteromonadaceae (10.9%), Halomonadaceae (7.8%), Alteromonadaceae (7.8%), and Idiomarinaceae (6.3%). Members of Salinivibrio costicola (29.7%) were the most predominant species among all of the isolates, followed by Halobacillus treperi (12.5%). Additionally, three new species candidates were found, based on similarities of the 16S rDNA sequences to those of previously published species.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.286-290
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• 2010

C-1 compounds are observed in anaerobic sediment of high salt environments. Thus, surface sediments and waters from these environments are therefore potential habitats for aerobic methylotrophic microorganisms. The soil samples collected from saltern and tidal flat as inoculums and methanol as carbon and energy source was supplied. After subculture depending on the salt concentration, methanol oxidizing bacteria growth condition investigated, the results of methanol oxidizing bacteria can grow in salt conditions, and the maximum concentration was 20%. Analysis based on denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of 16S rRNA genes indicates that Methelyophaga-like bacteria were dominants of methylotrophs in the enrichment culture. Quantitative PCR showed that archaeal cells were about 1-10% of bacterial cells. Additionally archaea were assumed not to be involved in methanol oxidation since bacterial antibiotics completely blocked the methanol oxidation. Our results suggest that Methelyophaga-like bacteria could be involved in C-1 compounds oxidation in hypersaline environments although those activities are sensitive to salinity above 20%.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.182-190
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• 2015

Two heterotrichid ciliates, Climacostomum virens (Ehrenberg, 1838) Stein, 1859 from brackish water and freshwater, and Fabrea salina Henneguy, 1890 from a solar saltern, were collected in Korea. They are novelly investigated in Korea by means of live observation, protargol staining and nuclear small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequencing. Climacostomum virens is characterized by pouch-like body shape, body length of $200-370{\mu}m$ in vivo, conspicuous cytopharyngeal tube, macronuclei ribbon-like shape, and one to four in number, with or without symbiont algae in cytoplasm, 34-66 somatic kineties, 67-113 adoral zone of membranelles, 8-42 peristomial kineties, 24-37 apical membranelles. SSU rDNA sequence size is 1,591 bp and GC contents 48.52%. Fabrea salina is also characterized by scoop-like body shape with proboscis, body length of $190-240{\mu}m$ in vivo, one to two rod-shaped macronuclei, oval micronuclei, grayish green cortical granules, 104-186 somatic kineties, 4-8 preoral kineties, 7-19 peristomial kineties and fragmented paroral membrane. SSU rDNA sequence size is 1,598 bp and GC contents 47.50%.