Comprehensive understanding of the mutant 'giant' developed via ultraviolet mutagenesis.

Introduction: Cyanobacteria are typically of a size that can be observed under a microscope. Here, we present cyanobacteria of a size that can be observed with the naked eye. NCB002 strain showed differentiated morphological characteristics compared to previously reported spp.

Application of electrical treatment on Euglena gracilis for increasing paramylon production.

Paramylon also called β-1,3-glucan is a value-added product produced from Euglena gracilis. Recently, researchers have developed various strategies for the enhanced paramylon production, among which electrical treatment for microbial stimulation can be an alternative owing to the applicability to large-scale cultivation. In this study, we applied the electrical treatment for enhanced paramylon production and found the proper treatment conditions.

Astaxanthin biosynthesis promotion with pH shock in the green microalga, Haematococcus lacustris.

In this study, the use of pH shock to improve astaxanthin synthesis in Haematococcus lacustris was investigated. It has been found that pH shock (pH = 4.5, 60 s) imposes stress in the cells and induces physiological changes, which result in astaxanthin accumulation.

The influence of surrounding land cover on wetland habitat conditions: a case study of inland wetlands in South Korea.

Wetland ecosystems have been globally degraded and lost due to rapid urbanization and climate change. An assessment of national scale inventory, including wetland types and conditions, is urgently required to understand the big picture of endangered wetlands, such as where they are and how they look like. We analyzed the spatial patterns of each inland wetland type (brackish wetland was included) in South Korea and the relative importance of land cover categories on wetland conditions.

Characterization of a potential probiotic bacterium Lactococcus raffinolactis WiKim0068 isolated from fermented vegetable using genomic and in vitro analyses.

Background: Lactococcus members belonging to lactic acid bacteria are widely used as starter bacteria in the production of fermented dairy products. From kimchi, a Korean food made of fermented vegetables, Lactococcus raffinolactis WiKim0068 was isolated and its genome was analyzed.

Results: The complete genome of the strain WiKim0068 consists of one chromosome and two plasmids that comprises 2,292,235 bp, with a G + C content of 39.

Control of a toxic cyanobacterial bloom species, Microcystis aeruginosa, using the peptide HPA3NT3-A2.

Microcystis aeruginosa, a species of freshwater cyanobacteria, is known to be one of the dominant species causing cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms (CyanoHABs). M. aeruginosa blooms have the potential to produce neurotoxins and peptide hepatotoxins, such as microcystins and lipopolysaccharides (LPSs).

Blue-Red LED wavelength shifting strategy for enhancing beta-carotene production from halotolerant microalga, Dunaliella salina.

In the present study, to improve the photosynthetic betacarotene productivity of Dunaliella salina, a blue-red LED wavelength-shifting system (B-R system) was investigated. Dunaliella salina under the B-R system showed enhanced density and beta-carotene productivity compared to D. salina cultivated under single light-emitting diode light wavelengths (blue, white, and red light-emitting diode).

Community structures and genomic features of undesirable white colony-forming yeasts on fermented vegetables.

White colony-forming yeasts (WCFYs) often appear in fermented foods, depending on the storage method. Despite the ongoing research on fermented foods, the community and genome features of WCFYs have not been well studied. In this study, the community structures of WCFYs on fermented vegetables (kimchi) prepared with various raw materials were investigated using deep sequencing.

Recycling waste nutrient solution originating from the plant factory with the cultivation of newly isolated Acutodesmus species.

Plant factories have been developed to replace traditional agriculture, aiming to solve future problems of food availability. However, the nutrient solution in a plant factory is discharged after a single batch of plant cultivation, giving rise to large amounts of waste nutrient solution. Microalgae can be used to treat a wide variety of wastewater and effectively remove excessive nutrients from wastewater.

Salicibibacter kimchii gen. nov., sp. nov., a moderately halophilic and alkalitolerant bacterium in the family Bacillaceae, isolated from kimchi.

A moderately halophilic and alkalitolerant bacterial strain NKC1-1 was isolated from commercial kimchi in Korea. Strain NKC1-1 was Gram-stain-positive, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile, and contained diaminopimelic acid-type murein. Cell growth was observed in a medium containing 0-25% (w/v) NaCl (optimal at 10% [w/v]), at 20-40°C (optimal at 37°C) and pH 6.

Enhancement of microalga Haematococcus pluvialis growth and astaxanthin production by electrical treatment.

In this study, we investigated the effects of electrical treatment on Haematococcus pluvialis growth. The slow growth of H. pluvialis is a major limitation for its mass production.

Comparative transcriptome analysis of Haematococcus pluvialis on astaxanthin biosynthesis in response to irradiation with red or blue LED wavelength.

The unicellular green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis has the highest content of the natural antioxidant, astaxanthin. Previously, it was determined that astaxanthin accumulation in H. pluvialis could be induced by blue-wavelength irradiation; however, the molecular mechanism remains unknown.

Role of jeotgal, a Korean traditional fermented fish sauce, in microbial dynamics and metabolite profiles during kimchi fermentation.

We investigated the effects of jeotgal (fermented fish sauce) on kimchi fermentation, with or without saeu-jeot and myeolchi-jeot. Bacterial community analysis showed that Leuconostoc, Weissella, Lactobacillus, and Tetragenococcus were the dominant genera; however, their succession depended on the presence of jeotgal. Leuconostoc gasicomitatum was the dominant species in kimchi without jeotgal, whereas Weissella koreensis and Lactobacillus sakei were the dominant species in kimchi with myeolchi-jeot and saeu-jeot, respectively.

Novel haloarchaeon Natrinema thermophila having the highest growth temperature among haloarchaea with a large genome size.

Environmental temperature is one of the most important factors for the growth and survival of microorganisms. Here we describe a novel extremely halophilic archaeon (haloarchaea) designated as strain CBA1119 isolated from solar salt. Strain CBA1119 had the highest maximum and optimal growth temperatures (66 °C and 55 °C, respectively) and one of the largest genome sizes among haloarchaea (5.

Complete genome sequence of CBA7123 isolated from a faecal sample from Korea.

Background: is an opportunistic human pathogen that causes necrotic enteritis, mild diarrhea, clostridial myonecrosis or gas gangrene, sepsis, etc. In this study, we aim to determine the pathogenesis of this bacterium at the genomic level. The genome of strain CBA7123 was sequenced, and a comparative genomic analysis between strain CBA7123 and four other related strains was performed.

Effect of the ethylene precursor, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid on different growth stages of Haematococcus pluvialis.

In this study, we explored the effects of ACC on other stages of H. pluvialis. Interestingly, even though ACC displayed a dose-dependent effect on astaxanthin production, it is evident that astaxanthin production could be facilitated whenever the cells were treated at the early red stage.

A strategy for promoting astaxanthin accumulation in Haematococcus pluvialis by 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid application.

The green algae Haematococcus pluvialis is a freshwater unicellular microalga belonging to Chlorophyceae. It is one of the best natural sources of astaxanthin, a secondary metabolite commonly used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Due to the importance of astaxanthin, various efforts have been made to increase its production.

Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species via NOXa Is Important for Development and Pathogenicity of Mycosphaerella graminicola.

The ascomycete fungus Mycosphaerella graminicola (synonym Zymoseptoria tritici) is an important pathogen of wheat causing economically significant losses. The primary nutritional mode of this fungus is thought to be hemibiotrophic. This pathogenic lifestyle is associated with an early biotrophic stage of nutrient uptake followed by a necrotrophic stage aided possibly by production of a toxin or reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Isothiocyanates inhibit the invasion and migration of C6 glioma cells by blocking FAK/JNK-mediated MMP-9 expression.

Isothiocyanates (ITCs) derived from cruciferous vegetables, including benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC), phenethyl isothiocyanate (PEITC) and sulforaphane (SFN), exhibit preventative effects against various types of cancers. Yet, the inhibitory effects of ITCs on C6 glioma cell invasion and migration have not been reported. Thus, we aimed to analyze ITC-regulated MMP-9 activation, a crucial enzyme of cancer metastasis that degrades the extracellular matrix, in C6 glioma cells to investigate the inhibitory effects on cancer invasion and migration by ITCs.