• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.243-257
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• 2021

Bacillus pumilus is the causal agent of trunk bulges disease affecting rubber and rubberwood quality and yield production. In this study, B. pumilus and other closely related species were included in B. pumilus group, as they shared over 99.5% similarity from 16S rRNA analysis. Multilocus sequence analysis (MLSA) of five housekeeping genes and repetitive elements-based polymerase chain reaction (rep-PCR) using REP, ERIC, and BOX primers conducted to analyze the diversity and systematic relationships of 20 isolates of B. pumilus group from four rubber tree plantations in Peninsular Malaysia (Serdang, Tanah Merah, Baling, and Rawang). Multi rep-PCR results revealed the genetic profiling among the B. pumilus group isolates, while MLSA results showed 98-100% similarity across the 20 isolates of B. pumilus group species. These 20 isolates, formerly established as B. pumilus, were found not to be grouped with B. pumilus. However, being distributed within distinctive groups of the B. pumilus group comprising of two clusters, A and B. Cluster A contained of 17 isolates close to B. altitudinis, whereas Cluster B consisted of three isolates attributed to B. safensis. This is the first MLSA and rep-PCR study on B. pumilus group, which provides an in-depth understanding of the diversity of these rubber-pathogenic isolates in Malaysia.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.3 s.91
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• pp.206-212
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• 2000

Since some cyanobacterial isolates under selective culturing conditions are lacking of characteristic specialized cells or showing altered morphology, the morpho-taxonomic criteria are not accurate enough to discriminate between species. Instead of morphological parameters, a method based on the single or the combination of repetitive oligonucleotides in a single PCR, repetitive oligonucleotides-primed PCR (ROP-PCR), was applied to generate DNA profiles for members of the cyanobacterial genera Anabaena and Oscillatoria, both of which are responsible for causing poisonous blooms in various freshwater systems. ROP-PCR performed on 10 isolates of the cyanobacteria with ERIC and REP sequences from gram-negative bacteria, STRR1A and LTRR sequences derived from cyanobacterial genome, and eukaryotic repetitive sequences, led to the identification of distinct genotypes, and provided specific and repeatable DNA fingerprints for cyanobacterial isolates. Grouping analysis of cyanobacterial isolates showed a signifiant difference depending on the primer used in PCR.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.269-275
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• 2016

Black shoot blight disease caused by Erwinia pyrifoliae have damaged economic loss to apple and pear growers until now since it was firstly reported in 1995 in Korea. This study was performed to reduce economic loss by mandatory eradication of all infected trees in case of more 10% disease incidence per orchard as official control. It also aims to set up effective management protocol for this disease by examining how far bacterial pathogen is present from the border of symptomatic and asymptomatic regions in infected apple twigs. Colony-PCR using isolated bacterial cells instead of genomic DNA was used to identify bacterial pathogen, EpSPF/EpSPR primer designed in enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) region was selected as specific for E. pyrifoliae. As results of monitoring of this disease during April to October in 2014-2015 by colony-PCR, occurrence of this disease was frequent from mid-May to early-July, when daily average temperature was around $25^{\circ}C$. Moreover, bacterial cells were continuously detected only in symptomatic regions and also asymptomatic regions of less than 20 cm from symptomatic regions. Therefore, we concluded that pruning of infected twigs at the region of more than 20 cm from symptomatic regions might be effective to manage black shoot blight disease in apple trees.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.169-178
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• 2010

The microbial community structure in Thailand soils contaminated with low and high levels of arsenic was determined by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Band pattern analysis indicated that the bacterial community was not significantly different in the two soils. Phylogenetic analysis obtained by excising and sequencing six bands indicated that the soils were dominated by Arthrobacter koreensis and $\beta$-Proteobacteria. Two hundred and sixty-two bacterial isolates were obtained from arsenic-contaminated soils. The majority of the As-resistant isolates were Gramnegative bacteria. MIC studies indicated that all of the tested bacteria had greater resistance to arsenate than arsenite. Some strains were capable of growing in medium containing up to 1,500 mg/l arsenite and arsenate. Correlations analysis of resistance patterns of arsenite resistance indicated that the isolated bacteria could be categorized into 13 groups, with a maximum similarity value of 100%. All strains were also evaluated for resistance to eight antibiotics. The antibiotic resistance patterns divided the strains into 100 unique groups, indicating that the strains were very diverse. Isolates from each antibiotic resistance group were characterized in more detail by using the repetitive extragenic palindromic-PCR (rep-PCR) DNA fingerprinting technique with ERIC primers. The PCR products were analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The genetic relatedness of 100 bacterial fingerprints, determined by using the Pearson product-moment similarity coefficient, showed that the isolates could be divided into four clusters, with similarity values ranging from 5-99%. Although many isolates were genetically diverse, others were clonal in nature. Additionally, the arsenic-resistant isolates were examined for the presence of arsenic resistance (ars) genes by using PCR, and 30% of the isolates were found to carry an arsenate reductase encoded by the arsC gene.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.77-82
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• 2009

The roots of grapevine in the field in which the crown gall was occurred severely in Chungbuk province were collected and Agrobacterium spp. were isolated from the roots using the selective media. The selected 13 isolates were identified as A. tumefaciens with fatty acid analysis using MIDI system, nucleotide sequence of 16S rDNA, biochemical characteristics, and PCR with the species-specific primers. A. vitis, a pathogen of crown gall disease of grapevine was not isolated from the roots. All of the isolates did not show pathogenicity on the tomato seedlings and the stem and root of grapevine. Eric-PCR showed that DNA band patterns of the root isolates were a little more similar to A. tumefaciens than A. vitis. However, overall similarity between the root isolates and the pathogenic strains of A. tumefaciens and A. vitis was low by rep-PCR. These results suggest that a pathogen causing crown gall in grapevine in Chungbuk province may transmitted through the seedlings rather than via soil or roots.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.60-67
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• 2012

For the genetic differentiation of $Pseudomonas$ $syringae$ pathovar $tomato$, a total of 51 $P.$ $syringae$ pv. strains infecting 33 different host plants were analyzed using repetitive element PCR(REP-PCR) and universal rice primer PCR(URP-PCR). The entire DNA fingerprint profiles were analyzed using unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages (UPGMA). The 51 $P.$ $syringae$ pv. strains could be divided into five clusters based on 65% similarity by Rep-PCR using BOX, ERIC, and REP primers. $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $tomato$ cluster was well separated from other 31 $P.$ $syringae$ pathovars. $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $tomato$ cluster included only $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $maculicola$ and $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $tomato$. $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $tomato$ strains could be divided into two genetic groups. Meanwhile, the Pseudomonas pv. strains could be divided into four clusters based on 63% similarity by URP-PCR using 2F, 9F, and 17R primers. $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $tomato$ cluster was also well separated from 30 other $P.$ $syringae$ pathovars. In this case, $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $tomato$ cluster included $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $maculicola$, $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $berberidi$, and $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $tomato$. $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $tomato$ strains was also separated into two genetic groups by URP-PCR analysis. Overall, our work revealed that $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $tomato$ can be genetically differentiated from other $P.$ $syringae$ pathovars by the DNA fingerprint profiles of REP-PCR and URP-PCR. We first report that there are two genetically diverged groups in $P.$ $syringae$ pv. $tomato$ strains.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.1377-1383
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• 2006

Among 46 Acinetobacter baumannii isolates collected in 2004, two imipenem-resistant isolates were obtained from clinical specimens taken from patients hospitalized in Busan, Republic of Korea. Two carbapenemase-producing isolates were further investigated to determine the mechanism of resistance. These isolates were analyzed by antibiotic susceptibility testing, microbiological tests of carbapenemase activity, determination of pI, transconjugation test, enterobacterial repetitive consensus (ERIC)-PCR, and DNA sequencing. Two cases of infection by A. baumannii producing the IMP-1 ${\beta}$-lactamase were detected. The isolates were characterized by a modified cloverleaf synergy test and EDTA-disk synergy test. Isoelectric focusing of crude bacterial extracts revealed nitrocefin-positive bands with a pI value of 9.0. PCR amplification and characterization of the amplicons by direct sequencing indicated that the isolates carried a $bla_{IMP-l}$ determinant. The isolates were characterized by a multidrug resistance phenotype, including penicillins, extended-spectrum cephalosporins, carbapenems, and aminoglycosides. These results indicate that the observed imipenem resistance of two Korean A. baumannii isolates was due to the spread of an IMP-1-producing clone. Our microbiological test of carbapenemase activity is simple to screen class B metallo-${\beta}$-lactamase-producing clinical isolates to determine their clinical impact and to prevent further spread. This study shows that the $bla_{IMP-l}$ resistance determinant, which is emerging in Korea, may become an emerging therapeutic problem, since clinicians are advised not to use extended-spectrum cephalosporins, imipenem, and aminoglycosides. This observation emphasizes the importance of having effective control measures in Asian hospitals, such as early detection of colonized patients, isolation procedures, and a judicious use of antibiotics.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-24
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• 2012

The genetic diversity of plant growth-promoting rhizobacterial (PGPR) fluorescent pseudomonads associated with the sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) rhizosphere was analyzed. Selected isolates were screened for plant growthpromoting properties including production of indole acetic acid, phosphate solubilization, denitrification ability, and production of antifungal metabolites. Furthermore, 16S rDNA sequence analysis was performed to identify and differentiate these isolates. Based on 16S rDNA sequence similarity, the isolates were designated as Pseudomonas plecoglossicida, P. fluorescens, P. libaniensis, and P. aeruginosa. Differentiation of isolates belonging to the same group was achieved through different genomic DNA fingerprinting techniques, including randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD), amplified ribosomal DNA restriction analysis (ARDRA), repetitive extragenic palindromic (REP), enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC), and bacterial repetitive BOX elements (BOX) analyses. The genetic diversity observed among the isolates and rep-PCR-generated fingerprinting patterns revealed that PGPR fluorescent pseudomonads are associated with the rhizosphere of sugarcane and that P. plecoglossicida is a dominant species. The knowledge obtained herein regarding the genetic and functional diversity of fluorescent pseudomonads associated with the sugarcane rhizosphere is useful for understanding their ecological role and potential utilization in sustainable agriculture.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.423-432
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• 2008

The difference of carbon source utilization and fatty acid composition between the pathotypes of Xanthomonas strains, which causing citrus bacterial canker was compared, and the physiochemical characteristics were used to analyze relationship of the strains for the first time. The pattern of several carbon sources utilization and fatty acids composition reliably discriminated the pathotypes of Xanthomonas strains. The dendrogram which was constructed by 95 carbon source utilization profiles differentiated X. axonopodis pv. citri A, $A^*$ and $A^w$ from the other pathotypes. When the dendrogram was drawn by combined analysis of carbon source utilization pattern and fatty acid composition, X. axonopodis pv. aurantifolii B, C and X. axonopodis pv. citrumelo formed a distinct cluster. The difference of carbon source utilization and fatty acid composition could be used effectively for the identification of pathotypes of citrus bacterial canker. The physiochemical characteristics strongly indicated that the strains isolated in Korea belong to X. axonopodis pv. citri A type. The cluster analysis by the band patterns of ERIC-, BOX- and REP-PCR allowed the discrimination of the pathotypes isolated from Korea. However, the rep-PCRs could not differentiate X. axonopodis pv. citri A types from $A^*$ and $A^w$ types. The overall results of metabolic profiles and rep-PCRs strongly indicated that the Korean isolates are X. axonopodis pv. citri A type.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.647-653
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• 2016

Background: Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer affecting Malaysian women. Recent statistics revealed that the cumulative probability of breast cancer and related deaths in Malaysia is higher than in most of the countries of Southeast Asia. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in CYP2E1 (rs6413432 and rs3813867), STK15 (rs2273535 and rs1047972) and XRCC1 (rs1799782 and rs25487) have been associated with breast cancer risk in a meta-analysis but any link in Southeast Asia, including Malaysia, remained to be determined. Hence, we investigated the relationship between these SNPs and breast cancer risk among Malaysian women in the present case-control study. Materials and Methods: Genomic DNA was isolated from peripheral blood of 71 breast cancer patients and 260 healthy controls and subjected to polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis. Results: Our study showed that the c1/c2 genotype or subjects with at least one c2 allele in CYP2E1 rs3813867 SNP had significantly increased almost 1.8-fold higher breast cancer risk in Malaysian women overall. In addition, the variant Phe allele in STK15 rs2273535 SNP appeared to protect against breast cancer in Malaysian Chinese. No significance association was found between XRCC1 SNPs and breast cancer risk in the population. Conclusions: This study provides additional knowledge on CYP2E1, STK15 and XRCC1 SNP impact of risk of breast cancer, particularly in the Malaysian population. From our findings, we also recommend Malaysian women to perform breast cancer screening before 50 years of age.