• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.32 no.10
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• pp.3675-3681
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• 2011

Fusarium oxysporum, an important pathogen that mainly causes vascular or fusarium wilt disease which leads to economic loss. Disruption of gene encoding a heterotrimeric G-protein-${\beta}$-subunit (FGB1), led to decreased intracellular cAMP levels, reduced pathogenicity, colony morphology, and germination. The plant defense protein, Nicotiana alata defensin (NaD1) displays potent antifungal activity against a variety of agronomically important filamentous fungi. In this paper, we performed a molecular modeling and docking studies to find vital amino acids which can interact with various antifungal compounds using Discovery Studio v2.5 and GRAMMX, respectively. The docking results from FGB1-NaD1 and FGB1-antifungal complexes, revealed the vital amino acids such as His64, Trp65, Ser194, Leu195, Gln237, Phe238, Val324 and Asn326, and suggested that the anidulafungin is a the good antifungal compound.The predicted interaction can greatly assist in understanding structural insights for studying the pathogen and host-component interactions.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.431-435
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• 2019

Chlorine dioxide is an effective chemical to inhibit the growth of bacteria and viruses or to disinfect infected areas. In this study, the effects of chlorine dioxide on several bacteria in hospitals were analyzed. Alloiococcus otitis, Kocuria rosea, Leuconostoc mesenteroides spp. and Staphylococcus lentus as gram-positive bacteria and Acinetobacter lwoffii, Aeromonas salmonicida, Brucella melitensis, Oligella ureolytica as gram-negative bacteria were done for the inhibitory analysis. The growth and morphology of the bacteria were analyzed by placing a plastic stick which was called "FarmeTok (medistick/Puristic)" provided by Purgofarm, co, Ltd. to release ClO₂ (13 ppmv/hr) next to the plate where the bacteria were incubated for 24 hours. Less than 10 bacterial colonies were evaluated as having 99% inhibitory effect. The initial bacterial culture concentration of 0.5 McFaland turbidity was good for analyzing the chlorine dioxide inhibitory effect. All bacteria could be easily counted post 24 hr co-incubation with ClO₂, but A. otitis and A. lwoffii without ClO₂ gas were not countable due to very dispersed colony types which were not affected for result analysis. As shown in this study, the FarmeTok plastic stick, which discharges chlorine dioxide at 13 ppmv / hour, was evaluated to be sufficient to suppress the above bacteria in the hospital. Bacteria existing in the clinic such as this hospital will be used as a data to inhibit the growth of bacteria by using ClO₂, and molecular biology analysis using the gene of bacteria will be possible in the future rather than inhibiting the growth of bacteria itself.

• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.166-171
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• 2015

PURPOSE. The aim of this study was to evaluate antibacterial activity and osteoblast-like cell viability according to the ratio of titanium nitride and zirconium nitride coating on commercially pure titanium using an arc ion plating system. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Polished titanium surfaces were used as controls. Surface topography was observed by scanning electron microscopy, and surface roughness was measured using a two-dimensional contact stylus profilometer. Antibacterial activity was evaluated against Streptococcus mutans and Porphyromonas gingivalis with the colony-forming unit assay. Cell compatibility, mRNA expression, and morphology related to human osteoblast-like cells (MG-63) on the coated specimens were determined by the XTT assay and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS. The number of S. mutans colonies on the TiN, ZrN and $(Ti_{1-x}Zr_x)N$ coated surface decreased significantly compared to those on the non-coated titanium surface (P<0.05). CONCLUSION. The number of P. gingivalis colonies on all surfaces showed no significant differences. TiN, ZrN and $(Ti_{1-x}Zr_x)N$ coated titanium showed antibacterial activity against S. mutans related to initial biofilm formation but not P. gingivalis associated with advanced periimplantitis, and did not influence osteoblast-like cell viability.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.179-186
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• 2003

Human embryonic stem (hES) cell lines have been derived from human blastocysts and are expected to have far-reaching applications in regenerative medicine. The objective of this study is to improve freezing method with less cryo-injuries and best survival rates in hES cells by comparing various vitrification conditions. For the vitrifications, ES cells are exposed to the 4 different cryoprotectants, ethylene glycol (EG), 1,2-propanediol (PROH), EG with dime-thylsulfoxide (DMSO) and EG with PROH. We compared to types of vehicles, such as open pulled straw (OPS) or electron microscopic cooper grids (EM grids). Thawed hES cells were dipped into sequentially holding media with 0.2 M sucrose for 1 min, 0.1 M sucrose for 5 min and holding media for 5 min twice and plated onto a fresh feeder layer. Survival rates of vitrified hES cells were assessed by counting of undifferentiated colonies. It shows high survival rates of hES cells frozen with EG and DMSO (60.8％), or EG and PROH(65.8％) on EM grids better than those of OPS, compared to those frozen with EG alone (2.4％) or PROH alone (0％) alone. The hES cells vitrified with EM grid showed relatively constant colony forming efficiency and survival rates, compared to those of unverified hES cells. The vitrified hES cells retained the normal morphology, alkaline phosphates activity, and the expression of SSEA-3 and 4. Through RT-PCR analysis showed Oct-4 gene expression was down-regulated and embryonic germ layer markers were up-regulated in the vitrified hES cells during spontaneous differentiation. These results show that vitrification method by using EM grid supplemented with EG and PROH in hES cells may be most efficient at present to minimize cyto-toxicity and cellular damage derived by ice crystal formation and furthermore may be employed for clinical application.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.325-334
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• 2007

Recently, quorum sensing has been implicated as an important global regulator controlling the production of numerous virulence factors such as capsular polysaccharides in bacterial pathogens. The nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of smcR, a homolog of V. harveyi luxR identified from V. vulnificus ATCC29307, were analyzed. The amino acid sequence of SmcR from V. vulnificus was 72 to 92% similar to those of LuxR homologs from Vibrio spp. Functions of SmcR were assessed by the construction of an isogenic mutant, whose smcR gene was inactivated by allelic exchanges, and by evaluating its phenotype changes in vitro and in mice. The disruption of smcR resulted in a significant alteration in biofilm formation, in type of colony morphology, and in motility. When compared with the wild-type, the smcR mutant exhibited reduced survival under adverse conditions, such as acidic pH and hyperosmotic stress. The smcR mutant exhibited decreased cytotoxic activity toward INT 407 cells in vitro. Furthermore, the intraperitoneal $LD_{50}$ of the smcR mutant was approximately $10^2$ times higher than that of parental wild-type. Therefore, it appears that SmcR is a novel global regulator, controlling numerous genes contributing to the pathogenesis as well as survival of V. vulnificus.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.231-239
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• 2018

While screening indigenous prokaryotic species in Republic of Korea in 2017, a total of 17 bacterial strains assigned to the phylum Bacteroidetes were isolated from a variety of environmental habitats including water of fountain, tidal flat, plant root, soil, the gut of Russian grayling butterfly, ginseng field, seawater, lagoon and seashore sand. From the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of more than 98.7% and the formation of a robust phylogenetic clade with the closest species, it was found that the 17 strains belong to independent and recognized bacterial species. There has been no official report that the identified 17 species have been previously isolated in the Republic of Korea. Thus, 15 species in 10 genera of one family in the order Flavobacteriales, one species in one genus of one family in the order Cytophagales, and one species in one genus of one family in the order Sphingobacteriales are proposed as unrecorded species of the phylum Bacteroidetes found in the Republic of Korea. Gram reaction, colony and cell morphology, basic phenotypic characteristics, isolation source, taxonomic status, strain ID and other information are described in the species descriptions.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.85-104
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• 2020

In 2019, after a comprehensive investigation of indigenous prokaryotic species in Korea, a total of 12 bacterial strains assigned to the phylum Proteobacteria were isolated from soil. With the high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (>98.8%) and formation of a robust phylogenetic clade with the closest species, it was determined that each strain belonged to independent, predefined bacterial species. This study identified two species in the family Burkholderiaceae, one species in the family Comamonadaceae, two species in the family Oxalobacteraceae, one species in the family Micrococcaceae, one species in the family Bradyrhizobiaceae, one species in the family Methylobacteriaceae, one species in the family Rhizobiaceae, one species in the family Rhodocyclaceae, and one species in the family Sphingomonadaceae. There is no official report about these 12 species in Korea, so are described as unreported bacterial species in Korea in this study. Gram reaction, basic biochemical characteristics, colony, and cell morphology are also described in the species description section.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.59-67
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• 2011

A bacterial strain CH-67 which exhibits antagonism towards several plant pathogenic fungi such as Botrytis cinerea, Fulvia fulva, Rhizoctonia solani, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, Colletotrichum sp. and Phytophthora sp. was isolated from forest soil by a chitin-baiting method. This strain was identified as Burkholderia cepacia complex (Bcc) and belonging to genomovar IX (Burkholderia pyrrocinia) by colony morphology, biochemical traits and molecular method like 16S rRNA and recA gene analysis. This strain was used to develop a bio-fungicide for the control of tomato leaf mold caused by Fulvia fulva. Various formulations of B. pyrrocinia CH-67 were prepared using fermentation cultures of the bacterium in rice oil medium. The result of pot experiments led to selection of the wettable powder formulation CH67-C containing modified starch as the best formulation for the control of tomato leaf mold. CH67-C, at 100-fold dilution, showed a control value of 85% against tomato leaf mold. Its disease control efficacy was not significantly different from that of the chemical fungicide triflumidazole. B. pyrrocinia CH-67 was also effective in controlling damping-off caused by Rhizoctonia solani PY-1 in crisphead lettuce and tomato plants. CH67-C formulation was recognized as a cell-free formulation since B. pyrrocinia CH-67 was all lethal during formulation process. This study provides an effective biocontrol formulation of biofungicide using B. pyrrocinia CH-67 to control tomato leaf mold and damping-off crisphead lettuce and tomato.

• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.319-329
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• 2019

Purpose: Direct application of atmospheric-pressure plasma jets (APPJs) has been established as an effective method of microbial decontamination. This study aimed to investigate the bactericidal effect of direct application of an APPJ using helium gas (He-APPJ) on Porphyromonas gingivalis biofilms on sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) titanium discs. Methods: On the SLA discs covered by P. gingivalis biofilms, an APPJ with helium (He) as a discharge gas was applied at 3 different time intervals (0, 3, and 5 minutes). To evaluate the effect of the plasma itself, the He gas-only group was used as the control group. The bactericidal effect of the He-APPJ was determined by the number of colony-forming units. Bacterial viability was observed by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM), and bacterial morphology was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Results: As the plasma treatment time increased, the amount of P. gingivalis decreased, and the difference was statistically significant. In the SEM images, compared to the control group, the bacterial biofilm structure on SLA discs treated by the He-APPJ for more than 3 minutes was destroyed. In addition, the CLSM images showed consistent results. Even in sites distant from the area of direct He-APPJ exposure, decontamination effects were observed in both SEM and CLSM images. Conclusions: He-APPJ application was effective in removing P. gingivalis biofilm on SLA titanium discs in an in vitro experiment.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.39-45
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• 2019

In 2017, as a study to discover indigenous prokaryotic species in Korea, a total of 6 bacterial strains assigned to the genus Pseudomonas were isolated from soil. From the high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity (${\geq}99.5%$) and phylogenetic analysis with closely related species, the isolated strains were identified as independent Pseudomonas species which were unrecorded in Korea. The six Pseudomonas species were Pseudomonas mandelii, P. canadensis, P. thivervalensis, P. jessenii, P. lurida, and P. brenneri. Gram reaction, culture conditions, colony and cell morphology, basic physiological and biochemical characteristics are described in the species description section.