• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.23 no.12
• /
• pp.1645-1653
• /
• 2013

Archaea are prokaryotic organisms distinct from bacteria in the structural and molecular biological sense, and these microorganisms are known to thrive mostly at extreme environments. In particular, most studies on halophilic archaea have been focused on environmental and ecological researches. However, new species of halophilic archaea are being isolated and identified from high salt-fermented foods consumed by humans, and it has been found that various types of halophilic archaea exist in food products by culture-independent molecular biological methods. In addition, even if the numbers are not quite high, DNAs of various halophilic archaea are being detected in human intestines and much interest is given to their possible roles. This review aims to summarize the types and characteristics of halophilic archaea reported to be present in foods and human intestines and to discuss their application as well.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.16 no.10
• /
• pp.1640-1645
• /
• 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
• /
• v.15 no.5
• /
• pp.301-305
• /
• 1987

Moderate halophilic bacteria isolated from several kinds of salted and fermented sea foods (jeotkal) collected from commercial market were identified and investigated on their selt requirements. It was confirmed that the isolates were dominantly moderate halophiles according to their NaCl requirement to grow. And their salt requirements in their growth have been examined for Na, K, Ni and mg ions. Among them, the most dominant and distinctive three strains in protease pro-duction have been examined and two of them identified to be halophilic Flavobacterium sp., and the other one to be halophilic Pseudomonas sp..1'heir optimum growth was observed at 3$0^{\circ}C$ and at 10 percent of NaCl.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
• /
• v.28 no.6
• /
• pp.1405-1407
• /
• 1999

A carotenoid pigment, which was a determinant for food quality, was extracted from a marine halophilic bacteria. The stability of the pigment extract was investigated for a food additive. The optimum temperature for stability was 20oC. The pigment degradation was significantly affected by solvent polarity, however, stable in salvent methanol and ethanol. The pigment degradation was highly sensitive to light and UV exposure.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.246-251
• /
• 1999

To extend the storage period and to inhibit contamination of Kimchi by Escherichia coli, conditions of Kimchi brining and effects of the fermentation starter, halophilic Lactobacillus HL-48 were investigated. Optimum brining condition for Kimchi was accomplished in 15% NaCl and at pH2.5-3.0 adjusted by lactic acid. Starter-treated Kimchi showed pH 4.2 after 18hr fermentation, while the pH of starter-untreated Kimchi resulted in 3.3. After 36hr fermentation, the number of E. coli in starter-treated Kimchi was found clearly to decrease and not detected macroscopically, but contamination of E. coli (5.3$\times$103CFU/ml) was observed in starter-untreated sample. Organic acids in Kimchi contained organic acids such as oxalic acid, citric acid, malic acid and lactic acid. among ther, lactic acid content was remarkably high in the early fermentation stages. However, from 24hr fermentation, lactic acid content of starter-untreated Kimchi was higher than that of starter-treated Kimchi.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.17 no.6
• /
• pp.985-992
• /
• 2007

The diversity of archaeal strains from six hypersaline environments in Turkey was analyzed by comparing their phenotypic characteristics and 16S rDNA sequences. Thirty-three isolates were characterized in terms of their phenotypic properties including morphological and biochemical characteristics, susceptibility to different antibiotics, and total lipid and plasmid contents, and finally compared by 16S rDNA gene sequences. The results showed that all isolates belong to the family Halobacteriaceae. Phylogenetic analyses using approximately 1,388 bp comparisions of 16S rDNA sequences demonstrated that all isolates clustered closely to species belonging to 9 genera, namely Halorubrum (8 isolates), Natrinema (5 isolates), Haloarcula (4 isolates), Natronococcus (4 isolates), Natrialba (4 isolates), Haloferax (3 isolates), Haloterrigena (3 isolates), Halalkalicoccus (1 isolate), and Halomicrobium (1 isolate). The results revealed a high diversity among the isolated halophilic strains and indicated that some of these strains constitute new taxa of extremely halophilic archaea.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.51 no.4
• /
• pp.427-434
• /
• 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
• /
• v.40 no.4
• /
• pp.302-306
• /
• 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.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.765-775
• /
• 2019

A new ${\alpha}$-amylase-encoding gene (amySL3) of glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 13 was identified in soda lake isolate Alkalibacterium sp. SL3. The deduced AmySL3 shares high identities (82-98%) with putative ${\alpha}$-amylases from the genus Alkalibacterium, but has low identities (<53%) with functionally characterized counterparts. amySL3 was successfully expressed in Escherichia coli, and the recombinant enzyme (rAmySL3) was purified to electrophoretic homogeneity. The optimal temperature and pH of the activity of the purified rAmySL3 were determined to be $45^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.5, respectively. rAmySL3 was found to be extremely halophilic, showing maximal enzyme activity at a nearly saturated concentration of NaCl. Its thermostability was greatly enhanced in the presence of 4 M NaCl, and it was highly stable in 5 M NaCl. Moreover, the enzyme did not require calcium ions for activity, and was strongly resistant to a range of surfactants and hydrophobic organic solvents. The major hydrolysis products of rAmySL3 from soluble starch were maltobiose and maltotriose. The high ratio of acidic amino acids and highly negative electrostatic potential surface might account for the halophilic nature of AmySL3. The extremely halophilic, calcium-independent, and surfactant-resistant properties make AmySL3 a promising candidate enzyme for both basic research and industrial applications.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.5 no.2
• /
• pp.92-95
• /
• 1995

Halophilic Pseudomonas sp.W7 isolated from laver in the southem sea of Korea showed alginate lyase activity. Gene (aly) encoding alginate lyase was cloned in E.coli JM83 and the N-terminal amino acid sequence of the enzyme was determined after purificaion. The recombinant enzyme has been shown to have a molecular weight of about 40kDa after 12% SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.