To investigate the diversity of industrially useful microorganisms from fermented agricultural products in the Sacheon region, 128 strains were isolated and analyzed phylogenetically. The analysis indicated that the isolates were categorized into three phyla, eight families, 13 genera, and 33 species. The Bacillaceae family, which was the main taxon, comprised 88.3% of the isolates and included four genera and 22 species: Bacillus, Exiguobacterium, Fictibacillus, and Metabacillus. The Caryophanaceae family, which was the second most abundant taxon, comprised 3.9% of the isolates, including two genera and two species: Rummeliibacillus and Sporosarcina. The isolates were examined for hydrolytic enzyme activity (protease, amylase, and lipase), and 118 strains (92.2%) exhibited at least one of these enzyme activities. Furthermore, auxin production was observed in all seven strains. This study demonstrates that the isolated strains have potential applications in the food and agricultural industries in South Korea, highlighting the importance of genetic resources.

Lactic acid bacterial (LAB) fermentation is frequently used to enhance the nutritional and functional properties of natural products. Oysters (Crassostrea gigas), a marine bivalve mollusc, have long been used in food applications. In the present study, we explored the effects of LAB fermentation on the physiological activity of C. gigas. To identify new starter strains, we isolated and screened LAB from local specialties in Sacheon, South Korea. Eighteen LAB strains were identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing, four of which exhibited protease activity. All the four isolates were identified as Latilactobacillus curvatus. Fermentation was carried out in a medium containing C. gigas powder for three days. After incubation, the antioxidant activity in the culture supernatant of fermented C. gigas with L. curvatus GH-118-24 increased by approximately 139.2% compared with that of the non-fermented control. Additionally, the extract of fermented C. gigas for three days showed significant improvements in anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic effects, with increases of over 71.2% and 253.8%, respectively, compared to the non-fermented extract. These results suggested that the selected LAB strains have potential as starters capable of enhancing the bioactive properties of food, thus highlighting the importance of genetic resources in South Korea.

Natural environmental resources are considered a prospective source of microorganisms capable of producing biocatalysts with great potential in industrial areas. Arable soil fertilized with peat moss is a habitat for various microorganisms. The present research focused on the isolation and identification of hydrolase-producing bacteria that thrive at a broad temperature range. In this study, a total of 33 strains were isolated from arable soil fertilized with peat moss (Silla Garden in Busan, South Korea). The isolated bacteria were mesophiles and thermophiles with a wide temperature range. Taxonomic identification showed that the isolated strains belonged to 2 phyla, 5 families, 10 genera, and 24 species. Subsequently, the isolated strains were screened for hydrolase (amylase, lipase, and protease) activity. All isolates possessed activity of at least one enzyme and six bacterial isolates produced combined extracellular enzymes. Diversity of soil bacteria species in the present study suggest the potential of soil bacteria in the various industrial applications.