Functional Characterization of Bacterial Communities Responsible for Fermentation of Doenjang: A Traditional Korean Fermented Soybean Paste.

Doenjang samples were prepared in triplicate and their microbial abundance, bacterial communities, and metabolites throughout fermentation were analyzed to investigate the functional properties of microorganisms in doenjang. Viable bacterial cells were approximately three orders of magnitude higher than fungal cells, suggesting that bacteria are more responsible for doenjang fermentation. Pyrosequencing and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy were applied for the analysis of bacterial communities and metabolites, respectively. Bacterial community analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that doenjang samples included Bacillus, Enterococcus, Lactobacillus, Clostridium, Staphylococcus, Corynebacterium, Oceanobacillus, and Tetragenococcus. These genera were found either in doenjang-meju or solar salts, but not in both, suggesting two separate sources of bacteria. Bacillus and Enterococcus were dominant genera during the fermentation, but their abundances were not associated with metabolite changes, suggesting that they may not be major players in doenjang fermentation. Tetragenococcus was dominant in 108 day-doenjang samples, when lactate, acetate, putrescine, and tyramine increased quickly as glucose and fructose decreased, indicating that Tetragenococcus might be primarily responsible for organic acid and biogenic amine production. Lactobacillus was identified as a dominant group from the 179-day samples, associated with the increase of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the decrease of galactose, indicating a potential role for this genus as a major GABA producer during fermentation. The results of this study clarified the functional properties of major bacterial communities in the doenjang fermentation process, contributing to the production of safe and high-quality doenjang.

Study design and rationale of the 'Balloon-Expandable Cobalt Chromium SCUBA Stent versus Self-Expandable COMPLETE-SE Nitinol Stent for the Atherosclerotic ILIAC Arterial Disease (SENS-ILIAC Trial) Trial': study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The self-expandable COMPLETE™ stent (Medtronic) has greater elasticity, allowing it to regain its shape after the compression force reduces, and has higher trackability, thus is easier to maneuver through tortuous vessels, whereas the balloon-expandable SCUBA™ stent (Medtronic) has higher radial stiffness and can afford more accurate placement without geographic miss, which is important in aortoiliac bifurcation lesions. To date, there have been no randomized control trials comparing efficacy and safety between the self-expanding stent and balloon-expandable stent in advanced atherosclerotic iliac artery disease. METHODS/DESIGN: The purpose of our study is to examine primary patency (efficacy) and incidence of stent fracture and geographic miss (safety) between two different major representative stents, the self-expanding nitinol stent (COMPLETE-SE™) and the balloon-expanding cobalt-chromium stent (SCUBA™), in stenotic or occlusive iliac arterial lesions. This trial is designed as a prospective, randomized, multicenter trial to demonstrate a noninferiority of SCUBA™ stent to COMPLETE-SE™ stent following balloon angioplasty in iliac arterial lesions, and a total of 280 patients will be enrolled. The primary end point of this study is the rate of primary patency in the treated segment at 12 months after intervention as determined by catheter angiography, computed tomography angiography, or duplex ultrasound. DISCUSSION: The SENS-ILIAC trial will give powerful insight into whether the stent choice according to deployment mechanics would impact stent patency, geographic miss, or stent fracture in patients undergoing stent implantation in iliac artery lesions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: National Institutes of Health Clinical Trials Registry (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01834495 ), registration date: May 8, 2012.

Halomonas garicola sp. nov., isolated from saeu-jeot, a Korean salted and fermented shrimp sauce.

A Gram-stain-negative, moderately halophilic and facultatively aerobic bacterium capable of respiration with nitrate, designated strain JJ-M1T, was isolated from saeu-jeot, a traditional Korean fermented shrimp sauce. Cells of the strain were non-motile short rods showing oxidase-negative and catalase-positive reactions and the production of pale-yellow pigments. Growth of strain JJ-M1T was observed at 20-37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 5.5-9.5 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in the presence of 3-22.5 % (w/v) sea salts (optimum, 10 %). Strain JJ-M1T contained ubiquinone 9 (Q-9) as the predominant isoprenoid quinone and summed feature 8 (comprising C18 : 1ω7c and/or C18 : 1ω6c), C16 : 0, summed feature 3 (comprising C16 : 1ω7c and/or C16 : 1ω6c) and C12 : 0 3-OH as the major cellular fatty acids. The polar lipids consisted of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphoglycolipid, diphosphatidylglycerol and four unidentified phospholipids. The genomic DNA G+C content of strain JJ-M1T was 62.4 mol%. Phylogenetic and comparative analyses, based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, indicated that strain JJ-M1T formed a tight phyletic lineage with Halomonas jeotgali HwaT within the genus Halomonas and was most closely related to Halomonas jeotgali HwaT with 96.2 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Based on phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic features, strain JJ-M1T represents a novel species of the genus Halomonas, for which the name Halomonas garicola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is JJ-M1T ( = KACC 18117T = JCM 30151T).

Lentibacillus garicola sp. nov., isolated from myeolchi-aekjeot, a Korean fermented anchovy sauce.

A Gram-stain positive, aerobic and moderately halophilic bacterium, designated strain SL-MJ1(T), was isolated from myeolchi-aekjeot, a Korean traditionally fermented anchovy sauce. Cells were observed to be non-spore-forming rods showing oxidase-negative and catalase-positive reactions. Growth of strain SL-MJ1(T) was observed at 15-40 °C (optimum, 30 °C) and pH 6.5-8.0 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in the presence of 0-20 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 6 %). Chemotaxonomic data (major isoprenoid quinone: menaquinone-7; DNA G + C content: 42.8 mol%; cell wall type: meso-diaminopimelic acid; major fatty acids: anteiso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0 and iso-C16:0) support the affiliation of the isolate to the genus Lentibacillus. Phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and an unidentified phospholipid were identified as the major cellular polar lipids. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain SL-MJ1(T) is most closely related to Lentibacillus juripiscarius IS40-3(T) with a 95.3 % similarity. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences also support the conclusion that strain SL-MJ1(T) forms a phylogenetic lineage with members of the genus Lentibacillus within the family Bacillaceae. Given its phylogenetic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic features, we conclude that strain SL-MJ1(T) represents a novel species of the genus Lentibacillus, for which the name Lentibacillus garicola sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SL-MJ1(T) (=KACC 18130(T) = JCM 30131(T)).