• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.317-327
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• 2018

While surveying undiscovered fungal taxa in Korea, three rare zygomycetous fungal strains, CNUFC-PTF2-1, CNUFC-TF3-1, and CNUFC-ESAF3-1, were isolated from soil, leaf, and freshwater samples, respectively. The strains were analyzed morphologically as well as phylogenetically based on the internal transcribed spacer region and 28S rDNA sequences. Sequence analysis of the two loci revealed that the isolates, CNUFC-PTF2-1, CNUFC-TF3-1, and CNUFC-ESAF3-1, were identified as Backusella circina, Circinella muscae, and Mucor ramosissimus, respectively. These species have not yet been previously described in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.23 no.2 s.73
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• pp.161-175
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• 1995

Meju is a raw material used to make Korean soy sauce (Kanjang) and soybean paste (Doenjang), both of them rich in plant protein. The twenty-nine fungal and a bacterial species were identified from twenty-three traditionally homemade meju cakes. Out of them, only a few species were found to be involved in the actual fermentation process of meju; The other species were contaminants during the improper subprocesses of meju fermentation. The fungal floral successions were observed to be related to two physical and biochemical changes of meju cakes during meju fermentation: drying and heat releasing processes. The zygomycetous fungi were first observed to exist mainly during the first stage. Scopulariopsis brevicaulis was observed to grow on the surface of meju cakes and then to coexist with Bacillus megatrium in the inner part of meju cakes during the second stage. Based on the biochemical tests, the proteases secreted by the different microorganisms were involved in the degradation of soybean proteins with a mutual relationship. Also, zygomycetous fungi were speculated to be important microorganisms for inducing the second stage in the traditional Korean homemade meju.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.205-214
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• 2018

The order Mucorales, the largest in number of species within the Mucoromycotina, comprises typically fast-growing saprotrophic fungi. During a study of the fungal diversity of undiscovered taxa in Korea, two novel mucoralean strains, CNUFC-GWD3-9 and CNUFC-EGF1-4, were isolated from specific habitats including freshwater and fecal samples, respectively. On the basis of their morphological characteristics and sequence analyses of internal transcribed spacer and large subunit ribosomal DNA, the CNUFC-GWD3-9 and CNUFC-EGF1-4 isolates were confirmed to be Gilbertella persicaria and Pilobolus crystallinus, respectively. It is ecologically, pathologically, and mycologically significant to find such rare zygomycetous fungi in such specific habitats.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.172-187
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• 1993

Forty eight fungal isolates were isolated from the maeius collected through the whole nation. Out of them, nine isolate were observed to be zygomyceteous fungi(4 genera and 9 species): Mucor hiemalis, M. circinelloides f. griseo-cyanus, M. circinelloides, M. jansseni, M. racemosus f. racemosus, Mortierella isabellina, Rhizopus stolonifer, R. oryzae, and Absidia corymbifera. Four species(M. circinelloides f. griseo-cyanus, M. hiemalis, M. jansseni, and R. oryzae) identified here were known as species involved in maeiu but not described in detail. The others were first reported as a species inhabiting in the maeiu. Two species of M. hiemalis f. hiemalis. and M. circinelloides f. griseo-cyanus were determined to play a role in biochemical changes of soybean in the fermentation of maeiu. However, the others seldom inhabited but considered to be comtaminated fungi in maeiu.

• Mycobiology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2016

During a biodiversity survey of undiscovered taxa in Korea, two zygomycetous fungal strains were isolated. The first strain, EML-FSDY6-1 was isolated from a soil sample collected at Dokdo Island in the East Sea of Korea in 2013, and the second strain, EML-DG-NH3-1 was isolated from a rat dung sample collected at Chonnam National University garden, Gwangju, Korea in 2014. Based on the morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer, 18S and 28S rDNA, actin and translation elongation $factor-1{\alpha}$ genes. EML-FSDY6-1 and EML-DG-NH3-1 isolates were confirmed as zygomycete species, Absidia pseudocylindrospora and Absidia glauca, respectively. Neither species has previously been described in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1270-1279
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• 2011

Bealmijang is a short-term aged paste made from meju, which is a brick of fermented soybeans and other ingredients. Different types of bealmijang are available depending on the geographic region or ingredients used. However, no study has clarified the microbial diversity of these types. We identified 17 and 14 fungal species from black soybean meju (BSM) and buckwheat meju (BWM), respectively, on the basis of morphology, culture characteristics, and internal transcribed spacer and ${\beta}$-tubulin gene sequencing. In both meju, Aspergillus oryzae, Rhizopus oryzae, Penicillium polonicum, P. steckii, Cladosporium tenuissimum, C. cladosporioides, C. uredinicola, and yeast species Pichia burtonii were commonly found. Moreover, A. flavus, A. niger, P. crustosum, P. citrinum, Eurotium niveoglaucum, Absidia corymbifera, Setomelanomma holmii, Cladosporium spp. and unclassified species were identified from BSM. A. clavatus, Mucor circinelloides, M. racemosus, P. brevicompactum, Davidiella tassiana, and Cladosporium spp. were isolated from BWM. Fast growing Zygomycetous fungi is considered important for the early stage of meju fermentation, and A. oryae and A. niger might play a pivotal role in meju fermentation owing to their excellent enzyme productive activities. It is supposed that Penicillium sp. and Pichia burtonii could contribute to the flavor of the final food products. Identification of this fungal diversity will be useful for understanding the microbiota that participate in meju fermentation, and these fungal isolates can be utilized in the fermented foods and biotechnology industries.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.61-65
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• 2002

The objectives of this study were to find the nuruk fungal isolate for Korean traditional rice wine and to compare the tastes of rice wines made with its single inoculum. The fungal isolates including the species of Absidia, Mucor, Rhizopus and Aspergillus were used for Korean traditional rice-wine production. The four species were cultured and measured for productions of amylase under various water contents. The four different species tested were different in their growth under the rice cereals with different moisture contents; the species of Absidia and Rhizopus grew better compared to the other species under the lower moisture conditions. The tastes and alcohol concentrations of the rice-wines made with each different inoculum were compared with those of commercial rice wines made with traditional method. As a result, it was speculated that the traditional rice wines were made with nuruk, which is mainly composed of Zygomycetous fungi, such as Absidia, Mucor, and Rhzopus. Also, it was strongly suggested that the traditional nuruk might not be a source of amylase, but a source of fungal inoculum.