• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.639-643
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• 2010

Sudden deaths have occurred in feedlot cattle with marked necro-hemorrhagic enteritis of the jejunum, ileum and colon. Suckling beef calves are the most frequently affected. Over-consumption of large amounts of milk, inadequate colostrum intake, chilling and stress are conducive to the development of enterotoxemia. Enterotoxemia caused by Clostridium perfringens type D mostly occurs following a sudden change of diet, particularly to feeds made richer in order to grow the cattle to market weight in feedlots. During July 2006, sudden deaths of cattle occurred in the Youngcheon regional area of Gyeongbuk province. There were no significant clinical signs except anorexia, depression, intermittent diarrhea and mild respiratory failure. Histological findings revealed a prominent intranuclear inclusion as well as infiltration of the globular leukocytes in various organs including the heart, kidneys, liver, spleen and lymph nodes. Spleen and lymphatic tissues showed lymphatic necrosis and a starry sky appearance. In the submucosa of the small intestines, basophilic aggregation was detected with massive infiltration of the globular leukocytes and eosinophils. Gram staining for the tissue sections containing inclusions of the small intestines revealed a positive histochemical reaction. Taken together, we suggest that Clostridium perfringens type D-induced enterotoxemia is determined to be the cause of sudden death of feedlot cattle.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.339-345
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• 2009

Two lactic acid bacteria (LAB) with high ornithine-producing capacity were isolated from kimchi. Examination of the biochemical features using an API kit indicated that the strains belonged to the members of Weissella genus. They were gram positive, short rod-type bacteria, and able to grow anaerobically with $CO_2$ production. The isolates grew well on MRS broth at $25\sim37^{\circ}C$ and pH of 6.0~7.0. The optimum temperature and pH for growth are $30^{\circ}C$ and pH 6.5. The isolates fermented arabinose, ribose, xylose, glucose but not cellobiose, galactose, raffinose, or trehalsoe. The 16S rDNA sequences of isolates showed 99.6% and 99.7% homology with the Weissella koreensis S5623 16S rDNA (access no. AY035891). They were accordingly identified and named as Weissella koreensis OK1-4 and Weissella koreensis OK1-6, and could produce ornithine from MRS broth supplemented with 1% of arginine at a productivity of 27.01 and 31.41 mg/L/h, respectively. This is the first report on the production of ornithine by the genus Weissella isolated from kimchi.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.69 no.6
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• pp.469-473
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• 2010

Nocardia farcinia, an aerobic, gram-positive bacilli actinomycetes of the genus Nocardia, is an uncommon pathogen found in humans. The most common Nocardia infection sites are the lung, central nervous system, and skin. Even though hematogenous dissemination can occur, isolation of the organism from blood cultures is very rare. We report a case of Nocardia infection that was isolated on blood cultures. A 59-year-old male with a medical history that includes a liver transplantation 6-years prior due to hepatocellular carcinoma secondary to chronic hepatitis B, developed pneumonia and was transferred to Severance Hospital. At the time of admission, the patient's initial exam showed hypothermia, tachypnea, and hypotension. His chest radiograph showed severe pneumonia and a large abscess on left upper lobe. Under the presumptive diagnosis of bacterial pneumonia or other opportunistic infection, we started broad spectrum antibiotics. However, he developed Nocardia sepsis, rapidly deteriorated, and subsequently died.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2003

Immunostimulating effects of lactic acid bacteria as biological response modifier is a subject of growing interest, but the knowledge of these focused on some bacteria as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. In this study, we investigated the effects of Pediococcus pentosaceus EROM101 on the immunostimulating and anti-cancer activity in murine model. P. pentosaceus was mainly found in Kimchi and fermented sea food and is facultatively anaerobic, catalase-netative, gram-positive cocci arranged in pairs, tetrads and clusters. The immunostimulating effects of P. pentosaceus EROM101 were evaluated using IgA production assay of Peyer's patch and proliferation assay of exudated immune cells of Balb/C mice fed P. pentosaceus EROM101 for 3 weeks. The macrophage and splenocyte proliferation were enhanced by orally administrated of P. pentosaceus EROM101. Also, IgA production in Peyer's patch increased by P. pentosaceus EROM101. Anti-cancer activity of P. pentosaceus EROM101 was appeared in Sarcoma 180 tumor-bearing ICR mice. However, this bacterium lysate itself appeared to have noncytotoxic substance against Sarcoma 180 cell in vitro. These results suggested that P. pentosaceus EROM101 reinforce immune system and therefore was revealed to be anti-cancer activity in mice.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.131-145
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• 2005

There are normal inhabitants doing medically useful functions in the body. There are many kinds of bacteria performing specific functions in the oral cavity. Two strains of lactic add bacteria were isolated from normal inhabitants of children's oral cavity, which inhibited the production of volatile sulfur compounds by anaerobic bacteria. The authors identified the isolates by 16S rDNA partial sequencing. 1. Two isolates were Gram-positive bacilli and produced hydrogen peroxide. 2. When Streptococcus mutans was cultured in the media, the mean weight of formed artificial plaque on the orthodontic wires was $124.4{\pm}30.4$ mg, whereas being reduced to $5.2{\pm}2.0$ mg and $10.6{\pm}6.6$ mg in the media cultured with Streptococcus mutans and each isolate, respectively(p<0.05). 3. The number of viable cells of Streptococcus mutans was $3.4{\times}10^9$ per ml in the cultured solution, whereas those of Streptococcus mutans in the combined culture with each of isolates were $4.6{\times}10^8$ and $2.4{\times}10^8$ per ml. 4. The optical density was 1.286 in the supernatant of Fusoacterium nucleatum after vortexing for 30 minutes, whereas in the supernatant of combined Fusoacterium nucleatum and each isolate, they were reduced to 0.628 and 00497, which the percentages of coaggregation between them were 2904% and 57.8%, respectively. 5. The optical density of Fusoacterium nucleatum precipitate was 1.794 in the culture media containing cysteine and $FeSO_4$ being reduced to 1.144 and 0.915 in the coaggregated precipitates of Fusoacterium nucleatum and each isolate. 6. The similarity values of 16S rDNA sequence between each of isolates and Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinius were 99.60% and 99.73%, respectively, meaning that isolates were Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinius. These results indicated that two strains isolated from children's saliva, which inhibited the formation of plaque and the production of volatile sulfur compounds, were identified as Lactobacillus salivarius subsp. salicinius.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.170-175
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• 2004

In this paper we studied about Bacillus sp. TBM40-3 producing biosurfactants. The strains were isolated from Taeback Mountain soil and identified as Bacillus sp. by l6S rDNA nucleotides sequence analysis. The TBM40-3 was gram-positive and rod-shaped as observed by field emission scanning microscopy. After the cultivation TBM40-3 in LB broth for 90 h and the surface tension of supernatant was decreased to 29 mN/m. Emulsification activity and stability of crude biosurfactant was measured by using water-immiscible hydrocarbons and oil as substrate. Maximum emulsification activity and stability was obtained from soybean oil. Also, we confirmed that the TBM40-3 producing biosurfactant had an effect on crude oil while showing a superior effect as compared to chemically synthesized surfactants (SDS, Span85, Tween40, Triton X-100). As a result, the Bacillus sp. TBM40-3 producing biosurfactant had potent properties as an emulsifying agent and an emulsion stabilizing agent.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.303-311
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• 2002

Isolation and identification of causative microorganisms and susceptibility testing are important in selecting appropriate antimicrobial agent. The purpose of this study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility patterns and identification of bacteria for the selection of a therapeutic antibiotic agent for treatment. Specimens were cultured aerobically from dog patients brought to the veterinary medical teaching hospital of Seoul National University between July 1999 and September 2000. A total of 157 isolates were from skin(63), urine(45), ear canal(31) and conjunctiva(18). The result is that the most common organisms isolated from dog patients were S. intermedius was the most common isolates from the skin, ear canal, and conjunctiva. E. coli was the most common isolated from urine. Most of gram-positive isolates were resistant to ampicillin(80.6%), erythromycin(68.8%), penicillin(86.2%), tetracycline(89.2%). Otherwise most of gam-negative isolates were resistant to ampicillin(73.4%), trimethoprim-sulfa(53.3%). E. coli was resistant to ciprofloxacin(61.5%), piperacillin (69.2%). Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern by the sampling site was not remarkably different except 5. aureus isolated from urine.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.275-280
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• 2005

Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by the gram-positive bacterium, Bacillus anthracis. Anthrax toxin is a tripartite toxin comprising of protective antigen (PA), lethal factor (LF) and edema factor (EF). PA is the receptor-binding component, which facilitates the entry of LF or EF onto the cytosol. LF is a zinc-dependent metalloprotease, which is a critical virulence factor in cytotoxicity of infected animals. Therefore, it is of interest to develop its potent inhibitors for the neutralization of anthrax toxin. The first step to identify the inhibitors is the development of a rapid, sensitive, and simple assay method with a high-throughput ability. Much efforts have been concentrated on the preparation of powerful assays and on the screening of inhibitors using these system. In the present study, we have tried to construct anthrax lethal factor in yeast expression system to prepare cell-based high-throughput assay system. Here, we have shown the results covering the construction of a new vector system, subcloning of LF gene, and the expression of target gene. Our results are first trial to express LF gene in eukaryote and provide the basic steps in design of cell-based assay system.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2019

In order to control disease caused by multi-drug resistant bacteria in the aquaculture, the use of veterinary antibiotics, which are prohibited to fish, is increasing, instead of the existing fisheries antibiotics. Among them, tiamulin is illegally used in some cultured fish because it exhibits effective antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria. To prevent unauthorized use, treatment of fish should be accompanied by a prescription from veterinarians or fisheries disease managers through research on fish of tiamulin. Tiamulin was injected intramuscularly at 5, 10 and 15 mg kg^-1 for the streptococcus-infected starry flounder, but did not show any therapeutic effect. Oral administration at a concentration of 15 and 30 mg kg^-1 was similarly ineffective. The concentrations of 30 and 60 mg kg^-1 resulted in death due to toxicity of antibiotics. Therefore, it is inappropriate to treat antibiotics with streptococcus-infected starry flounder.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.74-76
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• 2019

Gram-positive anaerobic bacilli Actinomyces spp. commonly reside on mucosal surfaces of the oropharynx, gastrointestinal tract, and urogenital tract. Here, we first report the draft genome sequence of Actinomyces georgiae KHUD_A1, isolated from dental plaque of a Korean elderly woman. The genome is 2,652,059 bp in length and has a GC content of 68.06%. The genome includes 2,242 protein-coding genes, 9 rRNAs, and 64 tRNA. We identified 157 KHUD_A1 strain-specific genes, including genes encoding CPBP family intramembrane metalloprotease, bile acid: sodium symporter family protein, Txe/YoeB family addiction module toxin and Phd/YefM family antitoxin. The sequence information of A. georgiae KHUD_A1 will help understand the general characteristics of the bacterial species and the genome diversity of the genus Actinomyces.