• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.220-225
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• 2019

Studies based on microbial community analyses have increased in the recent decade since the development of next generation sequencing technology. Associations of gut microbiota with host's health are one of the major outcomes of microbial ecology filed. The major approach for microbial community analysis includes the sequencing of variable regions of 16S rRNA genes, which does not provide the information of bacterial activities. Here, we conducted RNA-based microbial community analysis and compared results obtained from DNA- and its cDNA-based microbial community analyses. Our results indicated that these two approaches differed in the ratio of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, known as an obesity indicator, as well as abundance of some key bacteria in gut metabolisms such as butyrate producers and probiotics strains. Therefore, cDNA-based microbial community may provide different insights regarding roles of gut microbiota compared to the previous studies where DNA-based microbial community analyses were performed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.310-319
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• 2012

In order to investigate the biological effects of conformational changes in the folding state of bovine ${\alpha}$-lactalbumin (${\alpha}$-La), the protein was prepared and classified as apo form, microbial transglutaminase (MTGase) added form, or bovine ${\alpha}$-La made lethal to tumor cell (BAMLET) form. Apo ${\alpha}$-La form showed weaker cancer cell inhibitory activity (apoptosis) than native ${\alpha}$-La, which suggests that the metal ion-like $Ca^{2+}$ had a positive effect, whereas BAMLET form showed strong cancer cell apoptotic activity. The BAMLET form seemed to be a molten globule structure that increased hydrophobicity. MTGase added to apo ${\alpha}$-La polymer showed similar anti-cancer activity as native ${\alpha}$-La, and it was well hydrolyzed by digestive enzymes. NMR results showed that BAMLET interacted with oleic acid and produced a complex.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.170-174
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• 2006

For the purpose of developing a high quality agricultural microbial inoculant, methods and materials for improving encapsulation were investigated. Preparation of capsule was conducted by improving extrusion system with micro-nozzle and peristaltic pump. The sodium alginate was selected because of its cheapness, stability of cells, and gel formation ability. The yields, physical properties and gel formation abilities of extractable alginate from sea tangle were investigated by hot water extractable and alkali soluble methods. The extraction yields of hot water extractable alginate (HWEA) and alkali soluble alginate (ASA) from sea tangle were 8 and 20%, respectively. The HWEA was almost not viscous even in 1.5% of the sample solution, whereas the ASA was very highly viscous in above 3% sample solution. The gel formation ability of each samples varied from 1.5% to 5% and the ASA showed a good gel formation ability at 3% solution as commercial alginate (CA). The soil microbial inoculant, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus subtilis, Lactobacillus plantarum and Geotrichum candidum encapsulated sodium alginate with starch and zeolite for stabilizer. The survivability of encapsulated soil microbial inoculant using alginate without stabilizer appeared to be 66, 52, 70 and 50%, respectively. Inclusion of starch and zeolite with alginate bead increased viabilities in Bacillus sp. and Geotrichum candidum by 81-83% and 89%, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.9-18
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• 1986

The decomposition of litters of Pinus densiflora and the growth of microbial populations in a calcareous region, Youngwal were compared with those in a noncalcareous region, Sinlim. The decay rate of litter in Pinus densiflora in Youngwal was 0.128 and that in Sinlim was 0.096. The differences in the populations of soil bacteria and total microorganisms between the two regions were signficant at the 5% level, but that of fungi and actinomycetes was not at that level. The differences in the content of calcium and pH value of soil between the two regions were significant at the 1% level. The excessive content of calcium became to increase pH value, in turn the high pH decreased the content of available phosphorus in soil. The vertical distribution of the content of available phsophorus was consistent with that of the populations of fungi and actinomycetes in Youngwal.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.191-198
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• 1993

The relationships between microbial activity and disturbance level of soil were investigated from 15 parks in Seoul and undisturbed area. The physico-chemical characteristics of soil and dehydrogenase activity(DHA) as an index of soil microbial activity were analysed. There were ranges of 3.84~7.37 in pH, 9.63~40.33% in moisture content, 3.41~21.49% in organic matter, 0.36~0.79g/g in water holding capacity and 0.03~0.53% in total nitrogen investigated sites. DHA values of soil were 8.64~$146.76{\mu}g/g$ in park soil and 545.14~$1, 198.80{\mu}g/g$ in undisurbed area. DHA of park soil with high traffic density and contamination source from human activities was much lower than that of undisturbed area. DHA was positively correlated with moisture content, organic matter, water holding capacity and total nitrogen.

• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.285-293
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• 1995

The relationships among the contents of Pb, Zn, Cd, Cu and microbial biomass and activity of soil were investigated in Kyongbu, Yongdong, and Chungbu highways. The heavy metal concentrations were the highest in Kyongbu highway with high traffic density. The levels of these metals in soil in three highway sites were much higher than Mt. Kwank as control site. The highest concentrations of heavy metals were found in the upper layer of soil adjacent to the roadside. Dehydrogenase activity (DHA) and adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP) contents were generally lowest at distance of 0.5 m from the roadside. Simple regression analysis indicated that DHA and ATP contents were highly negatively correlated with Pb and Zn concentrations.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.200-204
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• 2006

The enzymology of an activated sludge system for a petroleum wastewater purification process was investigated. Leucine-aminopeptidase (L-AMP), ${\beta}$-glucosidase (${\beta}-GLC$), and lipase (LIP) were selected for the study. It was found that more than 81.7% of enzymatic activity was associated with microbial cells in the activated sludge floc. The metabolic response of a mixed microbial population to increased phenol concentration showed that L-AMP activity increased in the activated sludge, whereas activities of ${\beta}-GLC$ and LIP decreased, due to the inhibitory effect of the phenol which varied from 100 mg/l to 500 mg/l.

• Mycobiology
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.476-490
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• 2021

Global temperatures are steadily increasing, leading to significant changes in microbial diversity and ecology. In the present study, we isolated high-temperature-growing fungi and fungi-like group (Oomycota) strains from freshwater environments of Korea and identified them based on cultural, morphological, and multilocus phylogenetic analyses. As a result, we introduce Saksenaea (Fungi) isolates as a new species, Saksenaea longicolla sp. nov. and record Phytophthora chlamydospora and P. lagoariana (Oomycota) new to Korea. In the growth experiments, they exhibited high-temperature tolerance, which can grow at 35-40 ℃ but become inactive at 4 ℃ and below. This study confirms the presence of high-temperature-tolerant fungi and oomycetes in Korea and suggests that the Korean climate conditions are changing in favor of these species. This indicates that climate warming is altering microbial distributions in freshwater environments.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.12
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• pp.2089-2093
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• 2017

The past decades have been a golden era during which great tasks were accomplished in the field of microbiology, including food microbiology. In the past, culture-dependent methods have been the primary choice to investigate bacterial diversity. However, using culturein-dependent high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes has greatly facilitated studies exploring the microbial compositions and dynamics associated with health and diseases. These culture-independent DNA-based studies generate large-scale data sets that describe the microbial composition of a certain niche. Consequently, understanding microbial diversity becomes of greater importance when investigating the composition, function, and dynamics of the microbiota associated with health and diseases. Even though there is no general agreement on which diversity index is the best to use, diversity indices have been used to compare the diversity among samples and between treatments with controls. Tools such as the Shannon-Weaver index and Simpson index can be used to describe population diversity in samples. The purpose of this review is to explain the principles of diversity indices, such as Shannon-Weaver and Simpson, to aid general microbiologists in better understanding bacterial communities. In this review, important questions concerning microbial diversity are addressed. Information from this review should facilitate evidence-based strategies to explore microbial communities.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.262-270
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• 2015

The scientific information between microbial community and chemical properties of reclaimed tidal soil is not enough to understand the land reclamation process. This study was conducted to investigate the relation between chemical properties and microbial activities of soils from reclaimed tidal lands located at south-western coastal area (42 samples from Goheuong, Samsan, Bojun, Kunnae, Hwaong and Yeongsangang sites). Most of the reclaimed soils showed chemical characteristics as salinity soil based on EC. Only $Na^+$ in exchangeable cation was dependent on EC of reclaimed soil, whereas other cations such as $K^+$, $Ca^{2+}$, and $Mg^{2+}$ were independent on EC. The mesophilic bacteria decreased with an increase in EC of soil. Microbial population increased with soil organic content in the range of $0{\sim}10g\;kg^{-1}$ and dehydrogenase activity less than $100{\mu}g-TPF\;g^{-1}h^{-1}$. Microbial population of soils from reclaimed tidal lands was closely related to the microbial community containing hydrolytic enzyme activities of cellulase, amylase, protease, and lipase.