Tae Ho Lee

Microbial flocculant from Arcuadendron sp. TS-49

SummaryA flocculant was purified from the culture broth of Archuadendron sp. TS-49 by a series of precipitations with acetone, 60% ammonium sulfate-butanol, salting-out by dialysis, and cetylpyridinium chloride. The flocculating activity was observed most highly at pH 3.0 and markedly enhanced by the addition of salts, especially in the case of FeCl3 or FeSO4. This bioflocculant efficiently flocculated all tested solids, including various microorganisms and organic/ inorganic materials. Qualitative analyses of the bioflocculant showed that it might contain hexosamine, uronic acid, neutral sugar, and protein.

Synthesis of fructose esters by Pseudomonas sp. lipase in anhydrous pyridine

Fructose esters were synthesized from fructose and vinyl esters by transesterification catalyzed by lipase AK in anhydrous pyridine. The efficacy of ester synthesis was enhanced by increasing the length of carbon chain in the vinyl ester. Fructose monoesters and diesters were synthesized and their relative production ratio depended on the chain length of vinyl esters. Vinyl esters with chain length longer than C10 produced only monoacyl fructose which has an acyl moiety attached to C1 carbon of fructose. The monoacyl fructose composed of fatty acid with C10 or longer chains had a strong emulsifying activity on various hydrocarbons and oils.

Syntheses of hydroxybenzyl-α-glucosides by amyloglucosidase-catalyzed transglycosylation

Glycosides were synthesized from soluble starch and hydroxybenzylalcohols (o, m and p) by the transglycosylation activity of amyloglucosidase from Rhizopus sp. in a water system. The synthesized glycosides were identified as hydroxybenzyl-α-glucosides, of which one molecule of hydroxybenzylalcohol was bound to 1-OH of glucose. The transglycosylation reaction was performed in a reaction system containing 50 mg starch, 50 mg hydroxybenzylalcohol, and 10 units of enzyme in pH 5.0 at 45 °C. The glycoside was rapidly hydrolyzed to glucose and hydroxybenzylalcohol by the α-glucosidase.

Studies of an alcA Gene Involved in Alcaligin Siderophore Biosynthesis in Bordetella bronchiseptica

Bordetella bronchiseptica, the agent of swine atrophic rhinitis and kennel cough in dogs, is a mucosal pathogen and produces the hydroxamate type alcaligin siderophore under iron-limited conditions. Genes involved in alcaligin siderophore biosynthesis are contained in an alcABCDE operon. In order to provide direct evidence for the role of AlcA in alcaligin biosynthesis, we needed a B. bronchiseptica mutant carrying alcA gene deletion. A 0.6 kb alcA 5`-flanking and 0.7kb 3`-flanking DNA fragments were PCR amplified with the use of pCP1.11 as a template DNA. The 5`-and 3`-flanking DNA fragments were joined in a suicide plasmid, resulting in a recombinant suicide plasmid pDM1. After introduction of pDM1 into B. bronchiseptica by conjugation, the allelic exchange technique was performed and a B. bronchiseptica alcA deletion mutant, named B. bronchiseptica H1, was obtained. The mutant strain produced reduced amount of siderophore as expected. When a plasmid containing complete alcA gene was transformed back into the mutant, the complemented mutant recovered ability of siderophore production. These results indicated that AlcA is one of essential components for the alcaligin siderophore biosynthesis. The mutant strains obtained in this study will be used in the further studies for the biochemical function of AlcA.