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Isolation and characterization of Bacillus polyfermenticus isolated from Meju, Korean soybean fermentation starter

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Abstract

Bacteria of the Bacillus species have been reported as an important microorganism in fermented soybean products. In the present study, thirty Bacillus isolates were screened from Meju, a Korean soybean fermentation starter. The comparative analysis of 16S rDNA sequences, 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer sequences, phenotypic, and biochemical characterizations revealed three phylogenetically distinct groups namely Bacillus atrophaeus, Bacillus polyfermenticus and Bacillus subtilis. The isolates were assayed for poly-γ-glutamate production and fibrinolytic activity. Among the isolates, B. polyfermenticus exhibited maximum poly-γ-glutamate production and fibrinolytic activity. Moreover, the soybean products fermented by B. polyfermenticus have increased the time taken for coagulation and hemorrhage in mice. The results of the present study clearly indicate the functional role of B. polyfermenticus in fermented soybean products.

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Acknowledgments

This paper was supported by research funds of Chonbuk National University in 2007. We thank the Research Institute of Bioindustry at Chonbuk National University for kindly providing the facilities and materials for this research.

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Correspondence to Seung-Moon Park.

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Mo, AY., Kwon, B., Kamala-Kannan, S. et al. Isolation and characterization of Bacillus polyfermenticus isolated from Meju, Korean soybean fermentation starter. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 26, 1099–1105 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-009-0276-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-009-0276-z

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