Kyung-Sook Bae

Hahella chejuensis gen. nov., sp. nov., an extracellular-polysaccharide-producing marine bacterium

A bacterial strain, designated 96CJ10356T, which produced abundant extracellular polysaccharides and red pigment was isolated from marine sediment collected from Marado, Cheju Island, Republic of Korea. The organism is Gram-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped and motile. Growth was not observed in the absence of NaCl, and was optimal at an NaCl concentration of 2%. The strain contained oxidase and catalase, and was able to hydrolyse aesculin and gelatin. The major cellular fatty acids were saturated or monounsaturated straight-chain fatty acids. An almost complete 16S rDNA sequence of the test strain was determined. Phylogenetic analysis based on the neighbour-joining and Fitch-Margoliash methods indicated that the organism formed a distinct phyletic line within the gamma Proteobacteria. This relationship was also supported by sequence comparison, as no valid bacterial species showed more than 90% sequence homology with the isolate. It is clear from polyphasic evidence that the isolate merits the status of genus in the gamma subclass of the Proteobacteria, and the name Hahella chejuensis gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed for the marine isolate 96CJ10356T (= KCTC 2396T = IMSNU 11157T).

Molecular cloning of chitinase cDNAs from the silkworm, Bombyx mori and the fall webworm, Hyphantria cunea.

cDNAs encoding chitinases were cloned and characterized from Bombyx mori and Hyphantria cunea, and their gene expression during the metamorphosis was also studied. The chitinase cDNA from B. mori encodes a protein of 565 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 63.4 kDa and the H. cunea chitinase cDNA encodes a protein of 553 amino acids with a calculated molecular mass of 62.0 kDa. Amino acid alignment of the two chitinases revealed 75% homology and 77-80% with M. sexta chitinase. The putative cleavage site of the signal peptide was between amino acid residues 20 and 21 for both chitinases. There were three potential N-glycosylation sites in the chitinase of B. mori at the amino acid residues 86-89, NFTS 304-307, NATG, 398-401, NYTV, whereas two potential N-glycosylation sites were present at the amino acid residues 86-89, NFTA and 304-307, NATG, in that of H. cunea. Southern blot analysis of total genomic DNA suggested that the B. mori genome has only one chitinase gene detectable by the cDNA probe and the H. cunea genome has one or two chitinase gene copies. Northern analysis indicated that gene expression was up-regulated during the molting process, larval-pupal transformation and pupal-adult transformation, when enzymatic degradation of cuticle was occurring.

Morphological and Cultural Characteristics of Trichoderma spp. Associated with Green Mold of Oyster Mushroom in Korea

A total of 179 isolates of Trichoderma spp. were collected from oyster mushroom substrates in Korea. On the basis of morphological and cultural characteristics, Trichoderma isolates were divided into seven groups, namely T. atroviride, T. citrinoviride, T. harzianum, T. longibrachiatum, T. virens, and two unidentified species, referred to as Trichoderma sp. 1 and 2. The predominant species was Trichoderma sp. 2 (n

Wickerhamomyces ochangensis sp. nov., an ascomycetous yeast isolated from the soil of a potato field.

A novel ascomycetous yeast, designated strain N7a-Y2(T), was isolated from soil collected in a potato field in Ochang, Korea, and its taxonomic position was studied. A neighbour-joining tree based on the D1/D2 domain of large-subunit rRNA gene sequences revealed that the isolate was a member of the Wickerhamomyces clade and that it was closely related to Wickerhamomyces bisporus, Candida quercuum, Candida ulmi and Wickerhamomyces alni. Strain N7a-Y2(T) formed Saturn-shaped ascospores in unconjugated and persistent asci. D1/D2 domain 26S rRNA gene sequence divergences of 11.0-21.1 % between strain N7a-Y2(T) and other members of the Wickerhamomyces clade indicate that the strain represents a novel species of the genus Wickerhamomyces, for which the name Wickerhamomyces ochangensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is N7a-Y2(T) ( = KCTC 17870(T)  = CBS 11843(T)).

Glyscavins A, B and C, New Phenolic Glycoside Antioxidants Produced by a Fungus Mycelia sterilia F020054

Three new phenolic glycosides designated glyscavins A (1), B (2), and C (3) were isolated from the culture broth of a fungal strain Mycelia sterilia F020054. Structural elucidation of the compounds was based on the NMR and MS spectroscopic analyses. Glyscavins A, B and C exhibited higher free radical scavenging activity on superoxide and 2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothialozinesulfonic acid) cation radical (ABTS·+) than butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA).

Production of petroselinic acid from cell suspension cultures of Coriandrum sativum

Abstract The fatty acid pattern and petroselinic acid content in calli, somatic embryos and cell suspension cultures of Coriander sativum are described. The petroselinic acid content was 0.15–0.23 mg g −1 fresh wt of calli, somatic embryo and cell suspension cultures and varied little with callus origin and culture conditions. The ratio of unsaturated: saturated fatty acid was ca 4: 1 in calli. However, the unsaturated fatty acid content was greater in somatic embryos and cell suspension cultures.

Isolation and Characterization of Xylanase-producing Paenibacillus sp. HY-8 from Moechotypa diphysis

From the course of screening of useful xylanase producing microorganism from a phytophagous longicorn beetle, we isolated an extra-cellular xylanase producing strain, Paenibacillus sp. HY-8 from the intestine of Moechotypa diphysis adult. On the basis of morphological, biochemical and phylogenetic studies of the new isolate was identified as a Paenibacillus species. Production of xylanase in this strain was strongly induced by adding xylan to the growth medium and repressed by glucose or xylose. The highest xylanase production was attained in the M9 media containing 1% yeast extract and 0.5% birchwood xylan when cultured at for 24 hrs. HY-8 producing xylanase showed superior hydrolytic activities against various plant source feedstuff than control xylanase produced by Tricoderma sp. at pH 6.0.