• Mycobiology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.373-383
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• 2015

Five halophytic plant species, Suaeda maritima, Limonium tetragonum, Suaeda australis, Phragmites australis, and Suaeda glauca Bunge, which are native to the Muan salt marsh of South Korea, were examined for fungal endophytes by sequencing the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region containing ITS1, 5.8S rRNA, and ITS2. In total, 160 endophytic fungal strains were isolated and identified from the roots of the 5 plant species. Taxonomically, all 160 strains belonged to the phyla Ascomycota, Basidiomycota, and Zygomycota. The most dominant genus was Fusarium, followed by the genera Penicillium and Alternaria. Subsequently, using 5 statistical methods, the diversity indices of the endophytes were determined at genus level. Among these halophytic plants, P. australis was found to host the greatest diversity of endophytic fungi. Culture filtrates of endophytic fungi were treated to Waito-C rice seedlings for plant growth-promoting effects. The fungal strain Su-3-4-3 isolated from S. glauca Bunge provide the maximum plant length (20.1 cm) in comparison with wild-type Gibberella fujikuroi (19.6 cm). Consequently, chromatographic analysis of the culture filtrate of Su-3-4-3 showed the presence of physiologically active gibberellins, $GA_1$ (0.465 ng/mL), $GA_3$ (1.808 ng/mL) along with other physiologically inactive $GA_9$ (0.054 ng/mL) and $GA_{24}$ (0.044 ng/mL). The fungal isolate Su-3-4-3 was identified as Talaromyces pinophilus.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.16 no.7 s.80
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• pp.1158-1163
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• 2006

Bisphenol A (BPA), 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl) propane, has been widely used as a monomer for production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics, and final products of BPA include adhesives, protective coatings, paints, optical lens, building materials, compact disks and other electrical parts. Since BPA is a toxic chemical to elicit acute cell cytotoxicity and chronic endocrine disrupting activity, the degradation of BPA has been focused during last decades. To overcome the problem of photo-, and chemical-degradation of BPA, in this study, a bacterium that is able to biodegrade BPA, was isolated. The bacterium, isolated froln the soil of plastic factory, was identified as Acinetobacter calcoaceticus (strain BP-2) based on physiological and 16S rDNA sequencing analysis. A. calcoaceticus BP-2 was able to grow in the presence of $1140{\mu}g\;ml^{-1}$ BPA. Biodegradation experiments showed that BP-2 mineralized BPA via 4-hydroxybenzoic acid and 4-hydroxyacetophenone, and average degradation rate was $53.3{\mu}g\;ml^{-1}\;day^{-1}$ under optimal conditions (pH 7 and $30^{\circ}C$). In high density resting cell $(3.5g-dcw.1^{-1})$ experiments, the maximal degradation rate was increased to $89.7{\mu}g\;ml^{-1}\;h^{-1}$. Our results suggest that BP-2 has high potential as a catalyst for practical BPA bioremediation.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.96-101
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• 2011

S-Adenosyl-L-methionine synthtase (SAM-s) catalyzes the biosynthesis of SAM from ATP and L-methionine. SAM plays important roles in the primary and secondary metabolism of cells. A metK encoding a SAM-s was searched from Streptomyces natalensis producing natamycin, a predominantly a strong antifungal agent, inhibiting the growth of both yeasts and molds and preventing the formation of aflatoxin in filamentous fungi. To obtain the metK of S. natalensis, PCR using primers designed from the two highly conserved regions for metK genes of Streptomyces strains was carried out, and an intact 1.2-kb metK gene of S. natalensis was cloned by genomic Southern hybridization with PCR product as a probe. To identify the function of the cloned metK gene, it was inserted into pSET152ET for its high expression in the Streptomyces strain, and then introduced into S. lividans TK24 as a host by transconjugation using E. coli ET12567(pUZ8002). The high expression of metK in S. lividans TK24 induced actinorhodin production on R5 solid medium, and its amount in R4 liquid medium was 10-fold higher than that by exconjugant including only pSET152ET.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.671-676
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• 2014

In recent years, the growing interest in the health care benefits of sugared-plant fermented enzymes has led to increased consumption. This study investigated the fermentation of sugared-buchu (Leek:sugar, 1:3) by lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus acidophilus AML 0422, Lactobacillus brevis HLJ 59, Lactobacillus helveticus AML0410, Lactobacillus plantarium KCTC 13093) and the antibacterial activity, antioxidant activity, and functionality (e.g., anti-hypertensive activity) of the fermented product. The fermented sugared-buchu showed high antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus KCTC 1916, at 31.43 mm, and its total polyphenols, total flavonoid content, and DPPH scavenging activity were 160.8-178 mg/ml, 100-108 mg/ml, and 51.4-58.1%, respectively. DPPH scavenging activity was to that of vitamin C (50 ppm). ACE inhibitory activity was 50.4-67%, depending on the strain of lactic acid bacteria, and the control of sugared-buchu activity was higher than 32.6%. These results suggest that sugared-buchu fermented with lactic acid bacteria has strong antibacterial, antioxidant, and ACE inhibitory activities.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.221-237
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• 1997

In an attempt to measure effects of the Programmed Resistance Exercise on the daily performance of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a quasi-experiment ; non-synchronised control group pre-post-test, was carried out for 8 weeks : from June 3 to November 29, 1996. 25 for the experimental group and 26 for the control group were conveniently sampled among registered out-patients on rheumatoid arthritis clinic of Anam Hospital, Korea University Medical Center. The programmed experimental resistance exercises were carried out by the experimental group five times a week for eight weeks. Before and after experiments, level of functional task performance, functional disability, joint mobility, ESR, CRP, self-efficacy and family support were measured and statistically analysed. The results of the analysis of the effects on the Programmed Resistance Exercise are as follows : 1. A statistically significant post-test effects on functional task performance were revealed : 1) the experimental group climbed up and down the 10 steps of the stairs significantly faster than the control group(P=0.0001). 2) the experimental group walked 100 m significantly faster than the control group (P=0.0000). 3) After the experiment, the experimental group could sit down and get up from chairs with no armrest as low as 30cm, 40cm, 50cm on their on, with no assistance as opposed to the control group who could not sit down and get up from such low chairs (P=0.0084). 4) the experimental group lifted 0-15 kg object up to their own heights with no specific strain than the control group (P=0.0000). 2. A significant reduction in the functional disabilities was revealed in the experimental group(P=0.0017). 3. A notable incresement of the joint mobility was revealed in the experimental group. 4. A decrease in the ESR in both the experimental and the control groups was noticed, however, the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.9546). 5. The CRP of both the experimental and control groups decreased with no significant difference (P=0.6022). 6. The self-efficacy increased significantly in the experimental group(P=0.0042), however, no significant effect of self-efficacy on the actual practice of the program was noticed. 7. The family support revealed to be significantly higher in the experimental group (P=0.0013), however, the effect of the family support on actual practice of the program revealed not significant. Judging from the results of these experiments, the resistance exercise program not only improves the functional capacity of rheumatoid arthritis, but also diminishes their functional disabilities and has a great influence on increasing their joint mobility, self-efficacy, and family support. Concluding, in promoting the daily performance of rheumatoid arthritis, the resistance exercise program would be an appropriate nursing intervention.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.224-233
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• 2016

Embedded Railway Systems (ERS) will be adapted for wireless trams and will be constructed along city roadways. An asphalt layer should be overlaid on top of the concrete slab used as the trackbed structure in order to ensure smoothness and surface levels equal to those of existing road pavement in downtown city areas. However, the characteristics of an asphalt layer when used as overlay pavement for an ERS are complicated and the behavior of this material is not yet well defined and understood. Therefore, in this study, laboratory shear and tensile bond strength tests were conducted to investigate the bonding behavior of an asphalt layer in a multilayered trackbed section of an ERS. For the laboratory tests, a waterproof coating material was selected as a bonding material between the asphalt overlay and a concrete specimen. Valuable design parameters could be obtained based on the tensile and shear bond strength test results, providing information about the serviceability and durability of the overlaid pavements to be constructed alongside the ERS for wireless trams. In addition, a deformation analysis to assess the tensile strain generated due to truck axle loads at the interface between the asphalt layer and the concrete slab was conducted to verify the stability and performance of the asphalt layer.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.283-290
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• 1988

A spontaneous revertant of mutation rbsB103 that is ribose taxis-positive was characterized. This revertant was found to be export-competent in the export of ribose-binding protein shown by the disappearance of accumulated mutant precursor protein and the export of mature ribose-binding protein to the periplasm. The reversional change was shown to be in the region of risB gene that codes for the amino terminal portion of ribose-binding protein. Analysis by high-performance liquid chromatography of peptide patterns of ribose-binding proteins confirmed the relationship between the wild-type and the revertant proteins as shown for the mutant previously (Iida et al., 1985). When the processing rate of presursor proteins from the wild type and the revertant strain in vivo was compared by pulse-chase experiment, it was found that processing is less efficient than normal in the revertant. Purified mature proteins from both wild-type and revertant were subjected to amino acid sequencing. The results confirmed the amino acid changes deduced from the DNA sequencing and showed that processing of the revertant precursor occured in the correct position even though there are two different amino acids present in the signal sequence.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.39 no.9
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• pp.871-877
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• 2002

Alumina slurriers, having various amount of alumina and ratio of organic additives, were prepared for tape casting. The relative viscosities were compared to investigate influence of composition on stability of the slurry and plotted as a function of powder fraction. They raised with increasing powder fraction of slurries, revealing a exponential function curve, which means that stability of slurry was not affected by amount and composition of organic additives. Cast green tapes were tested under tensile condition at room temperature. The increase in alumina ratio and binder ratio was found to decrease strain to failure of green tapes from 363% to 45% and from 68% to 25%, respectively. Tensile strength of green tapes increased abruptly with increasing alumina ratio, which showed its maximum at 1 MPa. On other hand, Tensile strength increased continuously from 0.5 MPa to 4 MPa with increasing binder ratio. Mechanical properties of them were affected seriously and lost their properties by elevating temperature from 20$^{\circ}C$ to 80$^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.318-326
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• 2002

The pathogenic marine bacterium Vibrio vulnificus is the causative agent of food-borne diseases such as life-threatening septicemia. To better understand this organism's strategies to survive osmotic stress, a mutant that was more sensitive to high osmolarity was screened from a library of mutants constructed by a random transposon mutagenesis. By a transposon-tagging method, putAP genes encoding a proline dehydrogenase and a proline permease were identified and cloned from V. vulnificus. The amino acid sequences deduced from nucleotide sequences of putAP from V. vulnificus were 38 to $59\%$ similar to those of PutA and PutP reported from other Enterobacteriaceae. Functions of putAP genes were assessed by the construction of mutants, whose putAP genes were inactivated by allelic exchanges. When proline as the sole carbon or nitrogen source was used, the putA mutant was not able to grow to the substantial level, revealing the proline dehydrogenase is the only enzyme for metabolic conversion of proline into other amino acids. Although the growth rate of the putP mutant on proline as the sole carbon or nitrogen source was significantly reduced, the mutant still grew. This indicated that at least one more proline permease is produced by V. vulnificus. The putP mutant decreased approximately $2-log_10$ CFU/ml after a hyperosmotic challenge, while the parent strain decreased approximately $l-log_10$ CFU/ml. This result suggests that the gene product of putP contributes to the osmotic tolerance of V. vulnificus.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2002

Phytase from Escherichia coli WC7 was purified from cell extracts and its molecular mass was estimated to be 45 kDa by SDS-PAGE. Its optimum temperature and pH for phytate hydrolysis was 6$0^{\circ}C$ and pH 5.0, respectively. The enzyme was stable up to 6$0^{\circ}C$ and over broad pH range (pH 2-12). The enzyme had higher affinity for sodium phytate than p-nitrophenylphosphate (pNPP). That is, the apparent Km value for sodium phytate and pNPP were $0.15\pm$0.02 mM and 2.82$\pm$0.05 mM, respectively. The gene encoding the phytase was cloned in E. coli XL1-Blue. Sequence analysis showed an open reading frame of 1241 Up encoding a signal peptide (22 aa) and a mature enzyme (410 aa). WC7 phytase was expressed up to 17.5 U/ml in the transformed E. coli XL1-Blue/pUEP, which was 23-fold higher than the activity from wild strain.