• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2012

The association of verotoxic E. coli and Acinetobacter spp. with various antibiotic-resistant, diarrhogenic, and nosocomial infections has been a cause for concern worldwide. E. coli and A. haemolyticus isolated on a number of selective media were screened for virulence factors, antibiotic resistance, and transformation of resistance genes. Out of 69 E. coli isolates obtained, 25 (35.23%), 14 (20.30%), and 28 (40.58%) were positive for Vtx1&2, Vtx1, and Vtx2, respectively, 49 (71.015%) for extendedspectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), 34 (49.28%) for serum resistance, 57 (82.61%) for cell surface hydrophobicity, 48 (69.57%) for gelatinase production, and 37 (53.62%) for hemolysin production. For the 14 A. haemolyticus isolates, only 2 (14.29%) in each case from all the samples investigated were positive for Vtx1, Vtx2 and Vtx1&2 respectively, 8 (57.14%) for ESBLs, 7 (50.00%) for serum resistance, 11 (78.57%) for cell surface hydrophobicity, 4 (28.57%) for gelatinase production, and 8 (57.14%) for hemolysin production. Although transformation occurred among the E. coli and Acinetobacter isolates (transformation frequency: $13.3{\times}10^{-7}-53.4^{-7}$), there was poor curing of the plasmid genes, a confirmation of the presence of stable antibiotic-resistant genes (DNA concentration between 42.7 and 123.8 ${\mu}g$) and intragenetic transfer of multidrug-resistant genes among the isolates. The isolates were potentially virulent and contained potentially transferable antibiotic resistance genes. Detection of virulence factors, antibiotic resistance genes, and transformation among these isolates is a very significant outcome that will influence approaches to proactive preventive and control measures and future investigations. However, continued surveillance for drug resistance among these bacteria and further investigation of the mechanism of action of their virulence factors are a necessity.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.456-460
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• 2016

Biofertilizers are increasingly available in the market as one of the alternatives to chemical fertilizers. The supply of a high number of viable microorganisms is important for farmers. Lysobacter capsici YS1215 producing chitinases and gelatinases, isolated from soil in Korea, was evaluated for the establishment of an optimal medium condition of its shelf life under an in vitro condition. In this study, the population density of a biofertilizer (L. capsici YS1215) in media containing crab shell and gelatin powder (M1, M2, M3 and M4) was observed to be higher than that of populations grown in TSB (Tryptic soy broth) media (M5, M6 and M7) during experimental period. In addition, the population density at 11 months was over $10^6\;CFU\;mL^{-1}$ in M1, M3 and M4, but under $10^6\;CFU\;mL^{-1}$ in M2, M5, M6 and M7. The best optimal medium for the shelf life was M1 ($2.6{\times}10^6\;CFU\;mL^{-1}$) containing both chitinous and gelatinous materials at 11 months. Therefore, this study provided results of the appropriate medium composition for the enhancement of the shelf life of L. capsici YS1215.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 2003

Follicular fluid(FF) of mammalian Graafian follicles contains various kinds of proteins and proteinases that are believed to play important roles during follicular growth oocyte maturation and ovulation of mature oocytes. Previous studies of human FF(hFF) demonstrated the presence of many serine/threonine proteinases and matrix metalloproteinases such as gelatinases, however, little is known about the caseinases. Present study was aimed to examine the presence and the property of caseinolytic enzyme in hFF. Using casein zymographic method, it was found that hFF, human adult serum and cord serum exhibited one intense 80 kDa and another weak 78 kDa bands having caseinolytic activity. When inhibitors were added to the zymographic substrate buffer, caseinolytic activity of both 80 kDa and 78 kDa proteins were inhibited by othylenediarnine tetraacetic acid(EDTA) or soybean trypsin inhibitor(SBTI), but not by E-64, phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride(PMSF) or 1,10-phenanthroline. Thus both enzymes appear to belong to a family of trypsin-like enzyme. Addition of EDTA to the zymographic substrate buffer almost abolished the caseinolytic activity of both enzymes. However, further addition of a divalent metal ion such as CaC $l_2$, MgC $l_2$, MnC $l_2$ or ZnC $l_2$ to the same buffer fully restored the enzyme activity at 5 mM concentration despite the presence of EDTA. Based upon these observations, 80 kDa and 78 kDa caseinolytic enzymes are present in human follicular fluid and they appear to be trypsin-like enzymes of which caseinolytic activity needs the presence of $Ca^{++}$, aM $g^{++}$, M $n^{++}$ or Z $n^{++}$././././.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 1998

Protein expression patterns of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were examined in mouse reproductive organs during estrous cycle. Estrous cycle was classified into diestrus, proestrus, estrus or metestus and MMP expression was analyzed by zymography using gelatin as a substrate. Uterine fluid (UF) obtained both at diestrus and proestrus exhibited 4 major MMPs including 106kDa, 64kDa, 62kDa and 59kDa gelatinases. However, in UF at estrus, the gelatinolytic activity of 64kDa MMP disappeared and that of 106kDa and 62kDa MMPs dramatically decreased. At metestrus, 64kDa MMP activity reappeared and 106kDa and 62kDa MMP exhibited increased activities such that the band intensity of 106kDa was comparable to that in UF at diestrus. Gelatinolytic activity of 59kDa MMP was not changed throughout the cycle. Both ovarian and oviductal tissue homogenate revealed 4 MMPs which corresponded to the 4 MMPs of UF. However, unlike UF MMPs, gelatinolytic activity of these MMPs did not show distinct changes throughout the cycle. Either an inhibitor of MMP, 1,10-phenanthroline, or a metal chelator, EDTA, abolished the appearance of the above MMP activities in gelatinated gel whereas a serine proteinase inhibitor, phcnylmethylsulfonyl fluoride, failed to inhibit the appearance of MMP activities, proving that gelatinolytic activity of the above reproductive tissues were due to the enzymatic activity of MMP. When gclatinolytic activity of mouse serum was examined, it revealed 5 MMPs (131kDa, 106kDa, 89kDa, 64kDa and 62kDa bands) and one gelatinase (84kDa) band. From these results, it is concluded that the protein expression of MMPs of mouse reproductive organs, particularly uterus, is temporally regulated during estrous cycle and uterine 106kDa, 64kDa and 62kDa MMPs are suggested to play an important role in cyclic tissue remodeling of mouse uterus.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.45-60
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• 2002

Mouse calvarial osteoblast cells were isolated and cultured. To examine whether the cells produce active gelatinases in culture medium or not,the cells were analyzed using by zymograsphic analysis on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). We show that mouse calvarial osteoblasts in culture constitutively synthesize progelatinase- A. Then, mouse osteoblasts, which were stimulated by PTH, $1,25(OH)_2D_3$, mononuclear cell conditioned medium (MCM) and IL-1 as bone resorption agent's, showed increased collagenolysis by producing the active gelatinase. However, treatment of indomethacin and dexamethasone significantly decreased those effects of collagenolysis in mouse osteoblastic cells. On the other hand, IL-1 in stimulating bone resorption was examined using fetal mouse long bone organ culture. IL-1 stimulated bone resorption and produced marked resorption when present simultaneously. Furthermore, when it was examined the effects of indomethacin and dexamethasone on the dose dependent responses of $IL-1{\alpha}$, indomethacin and dexametasone produced a rightward shift in the IL-1 dose response curve. The results of in vitro cytotoxicities showed that Taeyoungjon-Jahage water extracts(T.Y.J-J.H.G extracts) have no any cytotoxicities in concentrations of $1-200\;{\mu}g/ml$ and furthermore there is no any cytotoxicity even in concentration of $300\;{\mu}g/ml$ on mouse calvarial bone cells. T.Y.J.-J.H.G. extracts had protective activity against PTH (2 units/mI), or MCM (5%, v/v), or $rhIL-1{\alpha}$ (1 ng/mI) or $1,25(OH)_2D3$ (10 ng/ml) , $IL-1{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}-induced$ collagenolysis in the mouse calvarial cells. Pretreatment of the T.Y.J.-J.H.G.extracts for 1 h, which by itself had little effect on cell survival, did not enhance the collagenolysis, nor significantly reduced the collagenolysis by pretreatment. Furthermore. the medicinal extracts were shown to have the protective effects against collagenolysis induced by $IL-1{\alpha}$ and $IL-1{\beta}$. Pretreatment of the extracts for 1 h significantly reduced the collagenolysis. Interestingly, the T.Y.J.-J.H.G. extracts were shown to have the inhibiting effects against gelatinase enzyme and processing activity induced by the bone resortion agents of PTH, $1,25(OH)_2D_3$, $IL-1{\beta}$ and $IL-1{\alpha}$, with strong protective effect in pretreatment with the extracts. T.Y.J.-J.H.G. extracts were shown to have the inhibiting effects against $IL-1{\alpha}-$ and $IL-1{\beta}-stimulated$ bone resorption and the effect of the pretreatment with a various concentrations of the medicinal extracts were significant. The inhibition extent and phenomena of IL-1 stimulated bone resorption by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents of indomethacin and dexamethasone were similar to those obtained by T.Y.J.-J.H.G. extracts treatment in the mouse calvarial tissue culture system. These results indicated that the T.Y.J.-J.H.G.-water extracts are highly stable and applicable to clinical uses in osteoporosis.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.61 no.5
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• pp.447-455
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• 2006

Background: MMPs and TIMPs are important factors for abnormal remodeling the pulmonary parenchyme in idiopathic interstitial pneumonia(IIP) This study evaluated the expression of MMPs and TIMPs in the tissue of IPF, NSIP and normal control subjects. Method: The MMP-2 and -9 activity in the lung tissue was studied by gelatin zymography, and the expression of MMP-1, -2, -9, TIMP-1 and -2 in the lung tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry. Thirty five patients, who were diagnosed with IIP (UIP ; 22, NSIP ; 13), were enrolled in the immunohistochemical study. Thirteen patients with IIP (UIP ; 9, NSIP ; 4) and five patients with lung cancer were enrolled in the zymographic assay. Results: (1) The immunohistochemistry for MMP-1,-2,-9, TIMP-1 and-2 ; MMP-1,-9 and TIMP-2 were stained stronger in the UIP subjects than NSIP and the normal control. TIMP-2 was strongly stained in the UIP tissue. particularly the fibroblasts in the fibroblastic foci. (2) Zymography for MMP-2 and MMP-9 revealed MMP-2 to have prominent expression in the UIP tissue than in the NSIP tissue. Conclusions: These results suggest that the overexpression of the TIMPs and gelatinases in UIP might be important factors in the irreversible fibrosis of the lung parenchyme.