• Safe Food
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• 제5권3호
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• pp.27-33
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• 2010

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권6호
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• pp.1146-1155
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• 2008

A total of 72 Bacillus cereus strains and 5 Bacillus thuringiensis strains were analyzed for their EcoRI ribogroup by ribotyping and for the presence or absence of seven virulence-associated genes. From these 77 strains, 42 distinctive ribogroup were identified using EcoRI, but the two species could not be discriminated by their EcoRI ribogroup. The 77 strains were also examined by PCR for the presence of seven virulence-associated genes, cerAB, pi-plc, entFM, bceT, hblA, hblC, and hblD. All five Bacillus thuringiensis strains were positive for these genes. Although differences in the patterns of virulence genes were observed among the different B. cereus strains, within any given ribogroup the patterns of the seven virulence genes was the same. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis in combination with available chromosomal maps for a selected group of B. cereus strains revealed significant differences in their chromosome size and the placement of virulence genes. Evidence for significant rearrangements within the B. cereus chromosome suggests the mechanism through which the pattern of virulence-associated genes varies. The results suggest linkage between ribogroups and virulence gene patterns as well as no apparent containment of the latter within any particular species boundary.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제66권
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• pp.345-352
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• 2023

Antibacterial activity against foodborne bacteria (Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella Enteritidis) and inhibitory activity against murine norovirus, a human norovirus surrogate, of 28 extracts from plants endemic to Korea were investigated in this study. All plant extracts showed antibacterial activity only against gram-positive bacteria, B. cereus and S. aureus. Extracts from Callistemon speciosus and Nymphaea tetragona showed inhibition zones of 16.54 and 24.35 mm against B. cereus and S. aureus, respectively, presenting the highest antibacterial activities recorded in this study. Among all samples, Ardisia japonica extract at concentrations of 100 and 200 ㎍/mL showed the highest virucidal activities of 96.6 and 100.0%, respectively. Ardisia japonica, Duchesnea indica, Polygonum aviculare, and Geum japonicum extracts showed high antibacterial and virucidal activity simultaneously without Raw 264.7 cell cytotoxicity. These plant extracts may serve as potential antimicrobials to control foodborne infections.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.887-896
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• 2019

Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)-based pathogen identification relies on the ribosomal protein spectra provided in the proprietary database. Although these mass spectra can discern various pathogens at species level, the spectra-based method still has limitations in identifying closely-related microbial species. In this study, to overcome the limits of the current MALDI-TOF MS identification method using ribosomal protein spectra, we applied MALDI-TOF MS of low-mass profiling to the identification of two genetically related Bacillus species, the food-borne pathogen Bacillus cereus, and the insect pathogen Bacillus thuringiensis. The mass spectra of small molecules from 17 type strains of two bacilli were compared to the morphological, biochemical, and genetic identification methods of pathogens. The specific mass peaks in the low-mass range (m/z 500-3,000) successfully identified various closely-related strains belonging to these two reference species. The intensity profiles of the MALDI-TOF mass spectra clearly revealed the differences between the two genetically-related species at strain level. We suggest that small molecules with low molecular weight, 714.2 and 906.5 m/z can be potential mass biomarkers used for reliable identification of B. cereus and B. thuringiensis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제16권7호
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• pp.1090-1096
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• 2006

O-Methylation is a common modification reaction found in nature, and is mediated by an O-methyltransferase (OMT). OMTs have been mainly studied in plants, whereas only a few OMTs have been studied in microbes. When searching the Bacillus cereus genome, four putative small molecular OMTs were identified, among which BcOMT-1 was cloned and expressed in E. coli as a his-tag fusion protein. The whole cell expressing BcOMT-1 was used to methylate several flavonoids. Eriodictyol, luteolin, quercetin, and taxifolin, all of which contain 3' and 4' hydroxyl groups, served as methyl group acceptors for BcOMT-1, whereas naringenin, apigenin, 3,3'-dihydroxyflavone, and 3,4'-dihydroxyflavone did not function as substrates. Analysis of the reaction products using HPLC showed two different peaks, and NMR revealed that the methylation position was at the hydroxyl group of either carbon 3' or 4'. Therefore, this showed that BcOMT-1 used flavonoids containing ortho hydroxyl groups and transferred a methyl group to either of two hydroxyl groups.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.77-86
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• 2018

The human pathogen and food spoiler Bacillus cereus can form biofilms that act as a persistent source of contamination, which is of public health concern. This study aimed to understand how the source of isolation might affect the behavior of biofilm formation. Biofilm formation abilities of 56 strains of B. cereus isolated from different environments, including human food poisoning, farm, and food, were determined. Crystal violet assay results revealed significant (p < 0.05) differences in biofilm formation abilities among the strains isolated from different sources only at an early stage of incubation. However, strain origin showed no impact on later stage of biofilm formation. Next, correlation of the group of isolates on the basis of their biofilm-forming abilities with the number of sessile cells, sporulation, and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) formation was determined. The number of sessile cells and spores in biofilms was greatly influenced by the groups of isolates that formed dense, moderate, and weak biofilms. The contribution of extracellular DNA and/or proteins to EPS formation was also positively correlated with biofilm formation abilities. Our results that the source of isolation had significant impact on biofilm formation might provide important information to develop strategies to control B. cereus biofilm formation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제17권5호
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• pp.806-811
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• 2007

Bacillus anthracis is a soil pathogen capable of causing anthrax that is closely related to several environmental species, including B. cereus, B. mycoides, and B. thuringiensis. DNA homology studies showed that B. anthracis, B. cereus, B. mycoides, and B. thuringiensis are closely related, with a high sequence homology. To establish a method to specifically detect B. anthracis in situations such as environmental contamination, we initially performed RAPD-PCR with a 10-mer random primer and confirmed the presence of specific PCR bands only in B. anthracis species. One region specific for B. anthracis was cloned and sequenced, and an internal primer set was designed to amplify a 241-bp DNA fragment within the sequenced region. The PCR system involving these specific primer sets has practical applications. Using lyses methods to prepare the samples for PCR, it was possible to quickly amplify the 241-bp DNA segment from samples containing only a few bacteria. Thus, the PCR detection method developed in this study is expected to facilitate the monitoring of environmental B. anthracis contamination.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제23권4호
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• pp.343-347
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• 2008

최근 식사대용으로 각광을 받는 선식은 포장 후 더 이상 가열 처리 과정 없이 섭취하는 식품으로 포자를 형성하여 열처리 과정에서 완전히 사멸되지 않으며 생존하는 B. cereus에 의한 위해성이 문제시되고 있다. 따라서 시중에서 유통되고 있는 선식에 대한 B. cereus정량을 통해 오염 수준을 파악한 결과 선식 161점 중 57점 (35.4%)에서 B. cereur가 검출되었고 검출된 시료 57점 중에 100 FU/g 미만은 21점, 100-1000 CFU/g 미만은 33점, 1,000 CFU/g 이상은 3점이 검출되었다. 선식에서 분리한 B. cereus의 생화학적 특성을 통해 독소 형태를 알아본 결과는 enterotoxin 양성이 93%이며 emetic toxin 의심 균주는 5.3%였다. 이러한 B. cereus의 저감화를 위한 방안의 일환으로 선식의 제조 과정에서 B. cereus의 열처리 과정에 대한 사멸 정도를 측정하였다 측정한 결과 tryptic soy broth에 포자를 접종한 결과는 75, 80, 85, 90에서 40.3분, 8.8분, 3.3분, 1.1분이였다. 용질에 따라 수분 활성도가 낮아지면 열에 대한 저항성이 높아지므로 선식에 시료에 대한 D-value를 시험한 결과 $75^{\circ}C$, $80^{\circ}C$, $85^{\circ}C$, $90^{\circ}C$에서 37.1분, 22.5분, 4.9분, 3.1분이였다. Z-value는 tryptic soy broth에서는 $9.8^{\circ}C$이며 선식 시료에서는 $12.8^{\circ}C$였다. 따라서 선식에서 B. cereis에 대한 관리가 요구되어진다.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제62권2호
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• pp.181-186
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• 2019

본 연구에서는 460 nm 파장의 청색 가시광선을 압출 떡의 표면에 조사하기 위하여 장치의 최적 디자인을 시뮬레이션을 통하여 확인하고 청색광이 압출 떡의 표면에서 식품 위해균인 B. cereus group에 미치는 영향을 확인하였다. LED 장치에서 광원모듈의 세 가지 배열(centered, cross, evenly spaced) 및 광원과 샘플 표면 사이의 거리(22, 32, 42 mm)에 따른 조사 면적에서 빛의 세기 패턴을 시뮬레이션을 통하여 계산하고, Petri factor를 통하여 균일도를 확인하였다. LED 배열의 균일도는 evenly spaced 배열에서 가장 균일한 패턴을 보였으며, 광원과의 거리가 32 및 42 mm일 경우 Petri factor가 0.9 이상으로 높은 균일도를 나타내었다. 떡볶이 떡에 LED 청색광을 조사한 경우 24 h 후 균 수가 초기 균 수에 비하여 감소하였으며, LED를 조사하지 않은 대조군에서는 초기 균 수가 증가하여 1.21 log CFU/g의 차이를 보였다. LED 조사 시 광원과 샘플의 거리가 증가할수록 Petri factor는 증가하나 감균 효과가 낮아지는 결과를 나타내었다. 따라서 Petri factor가 0.9 이상임을 만족하는 evenly spaced 배열의 32 mm 거리가 떡의 유통기한 연장을 위한 LED 장치의 디자인에 적합함을 확인하였다.

• 한국식품과학회지
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• 제41권3호
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• pp.334-338
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• 2009

어패류에 의한 식중독 발생 감소를 위하여 시장에서 유통중인 생선초밥을 대형할인매장과 일식음식점에서 수집하여 미생물 위해인자의 오염을 분석하였다. 79개의 초밥의 생선부위에서 4-6 log CFU/g의 일반세균이 오염되어 있었고 밥부위에서는 3-5 log CFU/g 로 나왔으며 광어와 새우초밥이 높은 오염을 보여주었다. 대장균군은 생선부위에서 3-4 log CFU/g이 오염되어 있었고 밥부위에는 생선부위보다 1 log CFU/g정도 낮게 나타났고 대장균은 검출되지 않았다. 식중독 세균은 생선부위에서 Staphylococcus aureus가 17% 시료에서 검출되었고, Bacillus cereus group은 10%로 검출되었고 밥부위에서는 S. aureus가 11%시료에서 검출되었고 B. cereus group가 8% 시료에서 검출되었다. 그리고 Salmonella와 Listeria monocytogenes도 검출되었으나 Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Clostridium perfrigens, Yersinia enterpcolotica 등은 검출되지 않았다. 생선초밥 생산유통 업체 분석에 의하면 대형할인매장의 시료에서는 B. cereus group이 13%시료에서 검출되었고, 일식음식점의 경우는 S. aureus가 30% 시료에서 검출되었다. 일반적으로 어패류 식품의 경우 V. parahaemolyticus의 오염을 우려하지만, 유통 초밥시료를 채취하여 실험한 결과 B. cereus group과 S. aureus의 오염도가 더욱 높은 것으로 나타났다. 그러므로 V. parahaemolyticus와 아울러 B. cereus group과 S. aureus의 위해 관리가 강화되어야 할 것으로 사료된다.