• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.1577-1584
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• 2010

In total, 140 halotolerant bacterial strains were isolated from both the soil of barren fields and the rhizosphere of six naturally growing halophytic plants in the vicinity of the Yellow Sea, near the city of Incheon in the Republic of Korea. All of these strains were characterized for multiple plant growth promoting traits, such as the production of indole acetic acid (IAA), nitrogen fixation, phosphorus (P) and zinc (Zn) solubilization, thiosulfate ($S_2O_3$) oxidation, the production of ammonia ($NH_3$), and the production of extracellular hydrolytic enzymes such as protease, chitinase, pectinase, cellulase, and lipase under in vitro conditions. From the original 140 strains tested, on the basis of the latter tests for plant growth promotional activity, 36 were selected for further examination. These 36 halotolerant bacterial strains were then tested for 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase activity. Twenty-five of these were found to be positive, and to be exhibiting significantly varying levels of activity. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses of the 36 halotolerant strains showed that they belong to 10 different bacterial genera: Bacillus, Brevibacterium, Planococcus, Zhihengliuella, Halomonas, Exiguobacterium, Oceanimonas, Corynebacterium, Arthrobacter, and Micrococcus. Inoculation of the 14 halotolerant bacterial strains to ameliorate salt stress (150 mM NaCl) in canola plants produced an increase in root length of between 5.2% and 47.8%, and dry weight of between 16.2% and 43%, in comparison with the uninoculated positive controls. In particular, three of the bacteria, Brevibacterium epidermidis RS15, Micrococcus yunnanensis RS222, and Bacillus aryabhattai RS341, all showed more than 40% increase in root elongation and dry weight when compared with uninoculated salt-stressed canola seedlings. These results indicate that certain halotolerant bacteria, isolated from coastal soils, have a real potential to enhance plant growth under saline stress, through the reduction of ethylene production via ACC deaminase activity.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.75-78
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• 2005

Halotolerant protease produced by Halomonas marisflava KCCM 10457 was partially purified through ammonium sulfate precipitation and Sephacryl S-200HR gel permeation chromatography. Optimal pH and temperature of protease were 11.0 and $45^{\circ}C$, respectively. Enzyme activity was inhibited by $Cu^{2+}$, $Hg^{2+}$, $Fe^{2+}$, and $Fe^{3+}$, and selectively inhibited by p-chloromercuribenzoic acid (PCMB), suggesting this enzyme is cysteine protease. The enzyme is halotolerant, because it retained 77% of original activity in presence of 3.33 M NaCl. The protease showed broad substrate specificity to various natural proteins; BSA, casein, egg albumin, gelatin, and hemoglobin.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.158-162
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• 2001

A halotolerant and extracellular protease-producing yeast was isolated from traditional Meju and identified as a strain of Hansenular polymorpha by investigating its microbiological characteristics. The optimum pH, temperature and NaCl concentration reauired for the growth of Hansenular polymorpha S-9 were found to be pH 6.0, 30$^{\circ}C$ and 0.5 M, respectively. Extracellular protease was produced maximally at 10 U ml(sup)-1 when Hansenular polymorpha S-9 was grown on the medium containing 1.0% beef extract and 0.1 M NaCl for 12 hr at 30$^{\circ}C$. About 13% of the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory activity was shown in the hydrolysates which were obtained from the digestion of soybean protein (6 mg) for 6 hr at 30$^{\circ}C$ by the crude enzyme (1 U).

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.381-387
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• 2016

The scientific information on the microbial differentiation according to the changes in chemical properties of paddy soil in reclaimed tidal lands is not enough to understand the reclamation processes. The changes in microflora based on the chemical properties of paddy soils at the same sites of reclaimed tidal lands (21 samples from Nampo, Ewon, Sukmoon and Shihwa sites) were investigated in 2013 and 2015. In general, organic matter in paddy soils increased whereas pH decreased with the reclamation time. The electrical conductivities (EC) of soil samples were closely related to the exchangeable $Na^+$. With an increases in EC of paddy soils from 0.39 to $48.9dS\;m^{-1}$, the ratios (%) of halotolerant and halophilic bacteria to mesophilic bacteria proportionally increased from 0.2% to 102,000%. The population of halotolerant and halophilic bacteria in total microflora was also differentiated with the changes in EC of the same sites from reclaimed tidal soils within 2 years. The population of mesophilic bacteria decreased with an increase in EC above $5dS\;m^{-1}$. The microflora including halotolerant and halophilic bacteria could be a candidate as a biological parameter in evaluating the reclamation processes in addition to the chemical index of EC.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.193-199
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• 2006

Halotolerant spore-forming Gram-positive bacteria were isolated from the root, rhizosphere, and non-rhizosphere soil of Blutaparon portulacoides. The different isolates were characterized genetically using an amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), and phenotypically based on their colonial morphology, physiology, and nutritional requirements. Three different 16S rRNA gene-based genotypes were observed at a 100% similarity using the enzymes HinfI, MspI, and RsaI, and the phenotypic results also followed the ARDRA groupings. Selected strains, representing the different ARDRA groups, were analyzed by 16S rDNA sequencing, and members of the genera Halobaeillus, Virgibacillus, and Oceanobacillus were found. Two isolates showed low 16S rDNA sequence similarities with the closest related species of Halobacillus, indicating the presence of new species among the isolates. The majority of the strains isolated in this study seemed to belong to the species O. iheyensis and were compared using an AP-PCR to determine whether they had a clonal origin or not. Different patterns allowed the grouping of the strains according to Pearson's coefficient, and the resulting dendrogram revealed the formation of two main clusters, denoted as A and B. All the strains isolated from the soil were grouped into cluster A, whereas cluster B was exclusively composed of the strains associated with the B. portulacoides roots. This is the first report on the isolation and characterization of halotolerant spore-forming Gram-positive bacteria that coexist with B. portulacoides. As such, these new strains may be a potential source for the discovery of bioactive compounds with industrial value.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.254-261
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• 2014

The scientific information between microbial activities and chemical properties of reclaimed tidal soil is not enough to apply for reclamation projects. This study was conducted to investigate the relation between chemical properties and microbial activities of reclaimed tidal lands located at western coastal area (25 samples from Nampo, Ewon, Sukmoon and Shihwa sites). Most of the reclaimed soils showed chemical characteristics as salinity soil except Nampo site. The major component influenced the salinity of reclaimed soil was identified as a sodium from the relationship between EC and exchangeable cation. With an increase in EC of soil, the population of mesophilic bacteria decreases whereas halotolerant and halophilic bacteria increases. The population of mesophilic bacteria increased with an increase in both organic matter and dehydrogenase activity. However, the population of halotolerant and halophilic bacteria decreased with an increase in organic matter. Based on the relation between chemical property and microbial activity of reclaimed tidal soil, electrical conductivity and organic matter as chemical properties of soil, population of mesophilic bacteria, halotolerant and halophilic bacteria and dehydrogenase activity as microbial activities could be the major parameters for reclamation process.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.1427-1434
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• 2022

Two novel, halotolerant strains of Martelella soudanensis, NC18^T and NC20, were isolated from deep subsurface sediment, deeply sequenced, and comparatively analyzed with related strains. Based on a phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences, the two strains grouped with members of the genus Martelella. Here, we sequenced the complete genomes of NC18^T and NC20 to understand the mechanisms of their halotolerance. The genome sizes and G+C content of the strains were 6.1 Mb and 61.8 mol%, respectively. Moreover, NC18^T and NC20 were predicted to contain 5,849 and 5,830 genes, and 5,502 and 5,585 protein-coding genes, respectively. Both strains contain the identically predicted 6 rRNAs and 48 tRNAs. The harboring of halotolerant-associated genes revealed that strains NC18^T and NC20 might tolerate high salinity through the accumulation of potassium ions in a "salt-in" strategy induced by K⁺ uptake protein (kup) and the K⁺ transport system (trkAH and kdpFABC). These two strains also use the ectoine transport system (dctPQM), the glycine betaine transport system (proVWX), and glycine betaine uptake protein (opu) to accumulate "compatible solutes," such as ectoine and glycine betaine, to protect cells from salt stress. This study reveals the halotolerance mechanism of strains NC18^T and NC20 in high salt environments and suggests potential applications for these halotolerant and halophilic strains in environmental biotechnology.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2020.06a
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• pp.31-31
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• 2020

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.468-473
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• 2005

The energetics of nitrate uptake by intact cells of the halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica were investigated. Nitrate uptake was inhibited by various protonophores suggesting the coupling of nitrate uptake to the proton motive force. An artificially-generated pH gradient across the membrane (${\Delta}pH$) caused an increase of nitrate uptake. In contrast, the suppression of ${\Delta}pH$ resulted in a decrease of nitrate uptake. The increase of external pH also resulted in an enhancement of nitrate uptake. The generation of the electrical potential across the membrane ($\Delta\psi$) resulted in no elevation of the rate of nitrate uptake. On the other hand, the valinomycin-mediated dissipation of $\Delta\psi$ caused no depression of the rate of nitrate uptake. Thus, it is unlikely that $\Delta\psi$ participated in the energization of the uptake of nitrate. However, $Na^+$-gradient across the membrane was suggested to play a role in nitrate uptake since monensin which collapses $Na^+$-gradient strongly inhibited nitrate uptake. Exogenously added glucose and lactate stimulated nitrate uptake in the starved cells. N, N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, an inhibitor of ATPase, could also inhibit nitrate uptake suggesting that ATP hydrolysis was required for nitrate uptake. All these results indicate that nitrate uptake in A. halophytica is ATP-dependent, driven by ${\Delta}pH$ and $Na^+$-gradient.