• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.602-611
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• 2022

The persistence of pathogenic Escherichia coli under acidic conditions poses a serious risk to food safety, especially in acidic foods such as kimchi. To identify the bacterial factors required for acid resistance, transcriptomic analysis was conducted on an acid-resistant enterotoxigenic E. coli strain and the genes with significant changes in their expression under acidic pH were selected as putative resistance factors against acid stress. These genes included those associated with a glutamate-dependent acid resistance (GDAR) system and copper resistance. E. coli strains lacking GadA, GadB, or YbaST, the components of the GDAR system, exhibited significantly attenuated growth and survival under acidic stress conditions. Accordantly, the inhibition of the GDAR system by 3-mercaptopropionic acid and aminooxyacetic acid abolished bacterial adaptation and survival under acidic conditions, indicating the indispensable role of a GDAR system in acid resistance. Intriguingly, the lack of cueR encoding a transcriptional regulator for copper resistance genes markedly impaired bacterial resistance to acid stress as well as copper. Conversely, the absence of YbaST severely compromised bacterial resistance against copper, suggesting an interplay between acid and copper resistance. These results suggest that a GDAR system can be a promising target for developing control measures to prevent E. coli resistance to acid and copper treatments.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.231-235
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• 1998

We have introduced a genetic assay to study the existence of intramolecular triplexes in Escherichia coli. A plasmid containing the gene that encodes a temperature-sensitive EcoRI methylase was cotransformed with different plasmids containing inserts, $(G)_9AATTC(G)_9$ and $(GAA)_9TTC(GAA)_8$, that are able to form intramolecular triplexes in vitro. Inhibition of methylation in vivo was found for $(G)_9AATTC(G)_9$ and $(GAA)_9TTC(GAA)_8$, suggesting that the pur pyr sequences adopt unusual strucures in E. coli. In addition, experiments using two dimensional gel electrophoresis confirmed that intramolecular triplexes are formed for the pur pyr sequences under negative supercoiling. These results demonstrate the existence of intramolecular triplexes in E. coli.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.157-160
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• 2005

Antibiotic resistance of bacteria in the biofilm mode of growth contributes to the chronicity of infection and disease. The penetration of antibiotic, through biofilm developed in an itt vitro model system was investigated. Antibiotic resistant bacteria (E. coli) were obtained from Culture Collection of Antibiotic Resistant Microbes. Ca-alginate bead used as simulated biofilm and a cell entrapment test using compressed air were experiment for the improvement cell viability. Antibiotic susceptibilities though biofilms was measured by assaying the concentration of antibiotic that diffused through the biofilm to minimal inhibition concentration (MIC). Survival of immobilized cells were reduced as compared to free cells. In case of antibiotic susceptible E. coli reduced continuously, but antibiotic resistant E. coli kept up survival rate constantly. Survival was showed after exposed to the antibiotics that the more treated antibiotic resistant E. coli and low concentration of antibiotics) the more survived.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.191-204
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• 2019

The 20-kHz ultrasonic irradiation was applied to investigate bacterial inactivation and antibiotic susceptibility changes over time. Applied intensities of ultrasound power were varied at 27.7 W and 39.1 W by changing the amplitude 20 to 40 to three bacteria species (Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, and Staphylococcus aureus). By 15-min irradiation, E. coli, a gram-negative bacterium, showed 1.2- to 1.6-log removals, while the gram-positive bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis and Staphylococcus aureus, showed below 0.5-log removal efficiencies. Antibiotic susceptibility of penicillin-family showed a dramatic increase at E. coli, but for other antibiotic families showed no significant changes in susceptibility. Gram-positive bacteria showed no significant differences in their antibiotic susceptibilities after ultrasound irradiation. Bacterial re-survival and antibiotic susceptibility changes were measured by incubating the ultrasound-irradiated samples. After 24-hour incubation, it was found that all of three bacteria were repropagated to the 2- to 3-log greater than the initial points, and antibiotic inhibition zones were reduced compared to ones of the initial points, meaning that antibiotic resistances were also recovered. Pearson correlations between bacterial inactivation and antibiotic susceptibility showed negative relation for gram-negative bacteria, E. coli., and no significant relations between bacterial re-survival and its inhibition zone. As a preliminary study, further researches are necessary to find practical and effective conditions to achieve bacteria inactivation.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.730-735
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• 1996

Antibacterial action of garlic extract against Escherichia coli was investigated. When the survival of E. cloi in tryptic soy broth (TSB) containing 50% garlic extract was compared with those of Lactobacillus plantarum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli was the most sensitive to garlic antibacterial action. When E. coli was inoculated into TSB with different concentrations of garlic extract, viable cell number decreased continuously during the test period even at 1% garlic extract. When E. coli was inoculated into pH-adjusted TSB containing 0.5% garlic extract, viable cell number of E. coli decreased continuously at initial pH of 5.2 and 6.2, while it decreased initially but increased to $8.0{\times}10^{7}\;CFU/ml at 48 hr at pH 7.2. With larger initial populations $(10^{6}\;CFU/ml), E. coli grew without apparent inhibition, while with smaller initial populations $(<10^{5}\;CFU/ml), viable cell number decreased initially but later increased. Thiol compounds like cysteine and glutathione, with free SH group (s), helped E. coli to grow or survive better in TSB with inhibitory level (5%) of garlic extract. The possibility of eliminating E. coli by using garlic extract from foods like kimchi of which garlic is one of regular ingredients is suggested.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.206-211
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• 2002

For developing natural presevatives, essential oils of Mentha arvensis L. var. piperascens Malivaud and Agastache rugosa O. Kuntze were analyzed the composition of two oils and experimented on microorganism survival. Main components of Mentha arvensis oil were isomenthol (26.84%) and menthol (25.48%), and those of Agastache rugosa oil were estragole (79.83%) and limonene (4.13%) from GC-MSD analysis. Inhibition activities of Mentha arvensis oil against growth of Escherichia coli O157 : H7 ATCC 43895 and Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 7988 were observed from their clear zone $(9{\sim}14 mm\;&\;9{\sim}13\;mm)$, and that of Agastache rugosa oil were done from the clear zone $(13{\sim}20 mm\;&\;10{\sim}18\;mm)$ by concentration-dependent manner, respectively. In the inhibition test on CFU/ml of the microorganisms, both of the plant essential oils at concentration of 5 and 10 mg showed potent growth inhibition activities from 9 hour of incubation. Analysis using transmission electron microscope on E. coli also showed antimicrobial activities of the oils as deformation of the cell and loss of the intracellular materials.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.214-220
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• 2019

Hwangryunhaedok-tang (HT) is prescribed in oriental medicine to treat inflammation-related diseases. This study examined the anti-bacterial effect to select the index components of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) HT. The disc diffusion method and minimum inhibition concentrations (MIC) tests were conducted to measure the antibacterial activity of HT. The strains were Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923 and Escherichia coli 23724. Berberine and geniposide were selected as the index components of HT and were analyzed quantitatively by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). As a result, the inhibition ring was formed at $11.7{\pm}1.3mm$ and $8.7{\pm}0.7mm$ at HT 20 mg and 10 mg on S.aureus ATCC 25923, respectively; and $8.0{\pm}0.0mm$ at HT 20 mg on E.coli ATCC 23724. The MIC were 31.25 mg/mL in S.aureus ATCC 25923 and 125.0 mg/mL in E.coli ATCC 23724. In quantitative analysis for standardization, HT contained 16.55 mg/g of berberine and 81.85 mg/g of geniposide. Overall, when antibiotics are developed using natural products, they may reduce the side effects and inhibit resistant bacteria. If research on HT continuously proceeds, positive developments are expected to be made in oriental medicine as well as in various other industries.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.316-321
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• 1997

The effects of the silver ion-exchanged water treatment agent (Ag-Os) upon E. coli RB 797 and Bacillus sp. have been discussed in this study. Silver ion causes a number of toxic effects with no known biological function. Silver ion-exchanged water treatment agent (Ag-Os) using oyster shell here showed antimicrobial activities. the soluble form of silver ion in water is more toxic to the growth of Bacillus sp. than that of E. Coli RB 797. The minium amount of Ag-Os needed for growth inhibition is 0.2 mg/ml for E. Coli RB 797 and 0.02 mg/ml for Bacillus sp., which is consistant with the data of the survival cell fraction. Binding studies suggested that binding of silver to the cell surface was a rapid, metabolic-independent process and different from active transport. Bacillus sp. showed more binding than E. Coli RB 797. Reducing substances of the cell cultures in the presence of Ag-Os was detected using Methylen blue as an indicator. From these results, we suggest that Ag-Os is effective as an antimicrobial agent on E. Coli RB 797 and Bacillus sp. and silver binds to the cells through rapid, metabolic-independent process and might complex to sulfur group in the cells for its toxicity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.169-175
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• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of bifidobacteria on the growth and Caco-2 cell-adherence of Escherichia coli O157:H7 .Dur-ing momo-culture of E. coli O157:H7 and mixed culture with Bifidobacterium infantis K9, pH viable cell count, and ammonia concentration were measured Co-cultivation of E. coli O157:H7 with bifidobacteria. producing acidic metabolites rapidly decreased the viable cell count of E. coli O157:H7 In addition rapid decrease of ammo- nia concentration was observed during mixed culture after 8 hrs incubation compared to single culture of E. coli O157:H7 Therefore it is likely that bifidobacteria assimilate ammonia produced by E. coli O157:H7 P4 B, infantis K9 showed quite similar adherence on the Caco-2 cells in either case. On the other hand adherence of E. coli O157:H7 decreased from 2.6% to 1.86% when B infantis K9 was adhered to Caco-2 cell 2 hrs prior to the application of E. coli O157:H7 In conclusion in adherence of E coli O157:H7 to Caco -2 cell was inhibited by competition of its binding to the adherence site with bifidobacteria. In addition inhibitory effects of bifidobacteria on E coli O157:H7 appeared to be much higher with increae of the number of bifidobacteria and its ability of adherence to Caco-2 cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1120-1126
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• 2007

This study was performed to screen probiotic bifidobacteria for their ability to bind and neutralize lipopolysaccharides (LPS) from Escherichia coli and to verify the relationship between LPS-binding ability, cell surface hydrophobicity (CSH), and inhibition of LPS-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) secretion by HT-29 cells of the various bifidobacterial strains. Ninety bifidobacteria isolates from human feces were assessed for their ability to bind fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled LPS from E. coli. Isolates showing 30-60% binding were designated LPS-high binding (LPS-H) and those with less than 15% binding were designated LPS-low binding (LPS-L). The CSH, autoaggregation (AA), and inhibition of LPS-induced IL-8 release from HT-29 cells of the LPS-H and LPS-L groups were evaluated. Five bifidobacteria strains showed high levels of LPS binding, CSH, AA, and inhibition of IL-8 release. However, statistically significant correlations between LPS binding, CSH, AA, and reduction of IL-8 release were not found. Although we could isolate bifidobacteria with high LPS-binding ability, CSH, AA, and inhibition of IL-8 release, each characteristic should be considered as strain dependent. Bifidobacteria with high LPS binding and inhibition of IL-8 release may be good agents for preventing inflammation by neutralizing Gram-negative endotoxins and improving intestinal health.