• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.289-294
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• 2013

Enterococcus faecium was isolated from the internal organs of the rough-toothed dolphine, Steno bredanensis which was stranded at Jeju island. E. faecium were isolated from the liver, spleen, kidney, heart and lung up to $1.54{\times}10^6$ cfu/g. No significant differences of bacterial enzyme activities between E. faecium KCCM 12118 and the isolates were found. Biochemical constellation was the same or similar to that of E. faecium KCCM 12118 according to API20 strep. All isolates had the multi-drug resistance to 6 antibiotics by an agar disk diffusion method but these isolates didn't have resistance to chloramphenicol and vancomycin.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.151-160
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• 2004

Enterococcus faecium MJ5-14 isolated from Meju produced a bacteriocin, which was antagonistic towards Listeria monocytogenes. Bacteriocin activity reached a maximum (640 BU/mL) after incubation for 12 hr, the early stationary phase, then dropped after the late stationary phase. Bacterocin of E. faecium MJ5-14 was extremely active against a wide range of Listeria species, including L. monocytogenes with sensitives up to about 640 BU/mL. In case of mixed culture with 105 CFU/mL L. monocytogenes and 105 CFU/mL E. faecium MJ5-14, the inhibitory effect against L. monocytogenes at $37^{\circ}C$ was higher than at $25^{\circ}C$. The mode of action was identified as bactericidal, because the addition of 100 BU/mL this bacteriocin to cell suspensions of L. monocytogenes KCTC 3569, led to a marked decrease in the number of viable cells. Further, when held in contact with bacteriocin of E. faecium MJ15-14 for 12 hr, L. monocytogenes KCTC 3569 displayed the disruption of the cells and an important efflux of the intracellular material.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.103-112
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• 2003

A multiplex PCR assay, which allows simultaneous detection of vancomycin resistant genotypes and Enterococcus species-specific genes, was developed. Vancomycin resistant enterococci (VRE) from chickens and humans could be detected for vanA, vanB, vanC-1, vanC-2, $ddl_{E.faecium}$ and $ddl_{E.faecalis}$ by multiplex PCR. Eight isolates of VRE from humans (n=11) had $ddl_{E.faecium}$ and vanA, and 3 isolates of the VRE had $ddl_{E.faecium}$ and vanB. One isolate of VRE from chickens (n=6) had $ddl_{E.faecium}$ and vanA, and 5 isolates of the VRE had only vanA. E. faecium, E. faecalis, E. gallinarum and E. casseliflavus were also confirmed for the species-specific gene by multiplex PCR. This multiplex PCR could detect E. faecium, E. faecalis, E. gallinarum, E. casseliflavus, vanA, vanB, vanC-1 and vanC-2, simultaneously. The PCR assay established in the present study can be an alternative to time-consuming biochemical tests and antibiotic susceptibility tests of Enterococcus spp.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.99-104
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• 2008

A lactic acid bacterium showing growth inhibitory activity against Enterobacter sakazakii was isolated from bovine intestinal tracts. From biochemical and molecular biological studies, the isolate was identified and named as Enterococcus faecium JH95. This strain was resistant to kanamycin and streptomycin at a concentration of $100{\mu}g/mL$. E. faecium JH95 had high antimicrobial activity against food-borne pathogens such as Escherichia coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, and Clostridium perfrigens. The culture supernatant of this strain did not have antimicrobial activity. The culture broth of this strain failed to show the antimicrobial activity by heat treatment at $100^{\circ}C$ for 5 min or by pretense treatments for 2 hr. This result suggested that the putative antimicrobial substance produced by E. faecium JH95 is likely a protein which is not secreted into culture medium.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.1071-1077
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• 2017

A rise in the occurrence of allergic diseases is attributed to the dysregulated balance of type 1/type 2 immunity, where type 2 T-helper (Th2) cells predominate over type 1 T-helper (Th1) cells, leading to an abnormally increased production of IgE in response to unharmful antigens. Kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented food, is a rich source of beneficial lactic acid bacteria. In this study, we investigated the ability of Enterococcus faecium FC-K derived from kimchi to induce type I immunity in the presence of Th2 polarizing conditions in vitro and in vivo. Stimulation of mouse peritoneal macrophages with E. faecium FC-K induced the production of tumor necrosis factor alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-12. Under the in vitro Th2 conditions in which splenic T cells were activated in the presence of IL-4, E. faecium FC-K enhanced the ability of T cells to produce interferon $(IFN)-{\gamma}$. Using the ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergy model, male BALB/c mice receiving E. faecium FC-K reduced the serum level of total IgE, but not that of OVA-specific IgE. Furthermore, the population of activated splenic B cells during OVA immunization was decreased in E. faecium FC-K-treated mice, accounting for a reduction of total IgE in the serum. Restimulating splenocytes from OVA-immunized mice with OVA ex vivo resulted in an increased production of $IFN-{\gamma}$, with no effect on IL-4, in E. faecium FC-K-treated mice. These observations provide the evidence that E. faecium FC-K can be a beneficial probiotic strain that can modulate the Th2-mediated pathologic response.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.66 no.2
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• pp.438-441
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• 2024

The Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) strain AK_C_05 was isolated from cheonggukjang, the Korean traditional food, collected from a local market in South Korea. In this report, we presented the complete genome sequence of E. faecium strain AK_C_05. The genome of E. faecium strain AK_C_05 genome consisted of one circular chromosome (2,691,319 bp) with a guanine + cytosine (GC) content of 38.3% and one circular plasmid (177,732 bp) with a GC content of 35.48%. The Annotation results revealed 2,827 protein-coding sequences (CDSs), 18 rRNAs, and 68 tRNA genes. It possesses genes, which encodes enzymes such as alpha-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.22), beta-glucosidase (EC 3.2.1.21) and alpha-L-arabinofuranosidase (EC 3.2.1.55) enabling efficient utilization of carbohydrates. Based on Clusters of Orthologous Groups analysis, E. faecium strain AK_C_05 showed specialization in carbohydrate transport and metabolism indicating the ability to generate energy using a variety of carbohydrates.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.9
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• pp.1467-1475
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• 2015

The use of microbial extracts containing plant hormones is a promising technique to improve crop growth. Little is known about the effect of bacterial cell-free extracts on plant growth promotion. This study, based on phytohormonal analyses, aimed at exploring the potential mechanisms by which Enterococcus faecium LKE12 enhances plant growth in oriental melon. A bacterial strain, LKE12, was isolated from soil, and further identified as E. faecium by 16S rDNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. The plant growth-promoting ability of an LKE12 bacterial culture was tested in a gibberellin (GA)-deficient rice dwarf mutant (waito-C) and a normal GA biosynthesis rice cultivar (Hwayongbyeo). E. faecium LKE12 significantly improved the length and biomass of rice shoots in both normal and dwarf cultivars through the secretion of an array of gibberellins (GA₁, GA₃, GA₇, GA₈, GA₉, GA₁₂, GA₁₉, GA₂₀, GA₂₄, and GA₅₃), as well as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study indicating that E. faecium can produce GAs. Increases in shoot and root lengths, plant fresh weight, and chlorophyll content promoted by E. faecium LKE12 and its cell-free extract inoculated in oriental melon plants revealed a favorable interaction of E. faecium LKE12 with plants. Higher plant growth rates and nutrient contents of magnesium, calcium, sodium, iron, manganese, silicon, zinc, and nitrogen were found in cell-free extract-treated plants than in control plants. The results of the current study suggest that E. faecium LKE12 promotes plant growth by producing GAs and IAA; interestingly, the exogenous application of its cell-free culture extract can be a potential strategy to accelerate plant growth.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.204-210
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• 2008

A total of 70 colonies were isolated from the Korean human milk samples on the BCP plate count agar. These LAB isolates were subcultured in 10% reconstituted skim milk, and two strain thereof were finally selected for their highest acid productions. These strains were identified as Enterococcusfaecium based on 16S rDNA sequencing data, named as Enterococcus faecium KHM-11. Sugar utilization of E. faecium KHM-11 was investigated by API 50CH kit, and 19 different sugars including D-arabinose, L-arabinose, galactose, D-glucose, D-fructose, and D-mannose were utilized. For fermentation profiles, a yogurt inoculated by E. faecium KHM-11 after 15 hour, reached at pH 4.09, titratable acidity at 1.10% and average viable counts $1.30{\times}10^9\;CFU/mL$. Effects of the administration of yogurt 0.5% of piglet diet to piglets were investigated for growth rate, analysis of blood and incidence of diarrhea. 24 heads of piglets were divided into two groups: the experimental and the control of 12 animals each. The average growth rate in the yogurt-fed group was higher for 21.67%, compared with control (p<0.05). There were no differences in the concentrations of blood glucose, cholesterol, albumin and globulin between the two treatments. Incidence of diarrhea was no in pigs fed yogurt as compare to control.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.288-299
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• 2018

Food bio preservation is of major interest in the food industry. Many types of antimicrobial compounds can be produced by lactic acid bacteria (LAB), including bacteriocins. Bacteriocins increase the shelf-life of food by decreasing some food-borne diseases. In this study, a multi-coding sequence of bacteriocin genes was used for primer design to produce bacteriocin genes in Enterococcus faecium AH2 strain and Pediococcus pentosaceus AH1. Multi-coding sequences were aligned to detect conserved sequences in the bacteriocin gene. Eight genes encoding proteins involved in bacteriocin production were isolated and sequenced, including six from E. faecium AH2 (entA, entI, entF, entR, orfA2, orfA3) and two from P. pentoceseus AH1 (papA, pedB), and all gene sequences were deposited in the Gen Bank database under accession numbers LC064146-LC064151, LC101300, and LC101789, respectively. P. pentosaceus AH1 and E. faecium AH2 strains displayed bacteriocin activities of $2610AU\;mL^{-1}$ and $690AU\;mL^{-1}$ and inhibition zones of 26 mm and 19 mm, respectively. Overexpression of entA in E. faecium AH2 increased the bacteriocin and antimicrobial activities.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.49-57
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• 2005

Enterococcus faecium MJ-14, having strong antilisterial activity, was isolated from Korean fermented food, Meju. MJ-14 showed the same phenotypic characteristics, but different sugar utilization, as reference strain, E. faecium KCCM12118. It could utilize D-xylose, amygdaline, and gluconate, whereas E. faecium KCCM12118 could not. Optimal condition for bacteriocin production by E. faecium MJ-14 was at $37^{\circ}C$ and pH 7.0. Bacteriocin activity appeared in mid exponential phase and increased rapidly up to stationary phase. Activity was significantly promoted in MRS broth containing 3.0% glucose, 1.5% lactose, 2.0% peptone, or 1.5% tryptone. Bacteriocins effectively inhibited Enterococcus faecalis and Listeria spp. of Gram-positive bacteria, and Helicobacter pylori of Gram-negative bacteria, but did not inhibit yeasts and molds. They were stable against heat (for 30 min at $100^{\circ}C$), pH (3.0-9.0), long-term storage (for 60 days at 4 or $-20^{\circ}C$), and enzymatic digestion by catalase, proteinase K, papain, lysozyme, trypsin, chymotrypsin, and lipase, etc. Bacteriocin activity was completely inhibited by protease and pepsin, and 50% by ${\alpha}$-amylase. Studies on PCR detection of enterocin structural genes revealed bacteriocins are identical to enterocins A and B.