• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.40 no.10
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• pp.1353-1360
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• 2011

This study was performed to investigate the antimicrobial effects against food-borne pathogens and antioxidant activity of Rhododendron brachycarpum ethanol-extract. The antimicrobial activity of the extract was determined using a paper disc-diffusion method, and the diameter of the clear zone was measured. The diameter of the clear zone in the presence of 10 mg of extract was maximal against Bacillus cereus among the three tested Gram-positive bacteria and against Escherichia coli O157:H7 among the five tested Gram-negative bacteria. Analysis of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) showed that the extract exhibited a similar efficacy as that of sorbic acid, a well-known chemical preservative. The growth inhibitory effects of the extract at concentrations of 250, 500, 1,000, and 2,000 mg/L on food-borne pathogens were determined against Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Escherichia coli O157:H7. Growth of the microorganisms was not affected by the extract at concentrations up to 250 mg/L, but it was significantly (p<0.05) inhibited by the extract at concentrations higher than 1,000 mg/L. The antioxidant effects of the extract were examined via measurement of DPPH radical scavenging activity, inhibition of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation using fluorescent dichlorofluorescien (DCF) assay, and prevention of peroxyl radical- and hydroxyl radical-induced supercoiled DNA breakage. The $IC_{50}$ of the extract for DPPH radical scavenging activity was about half that of ${\alpha}$-tocopherol, which was used as a positive control. DCF fluorescence intensity decreased as the concentration of the extract increased, demonstrating that ROS generation was inhibited in a concentration-dependent manner. The ROS inhibitory effect of the extract was higher than that of ascorbic acid. The extract prevented supercoiled DNA strand breakage induced by peroxyl radical and hydroxyl radical. Thus, the results of the present study demonstrate that the extract exhibits antimicrobial effects against food-borne pathogens as well as potent antioxidant capacity, suggesting that R. brachycarpum could be used as a natural antibacterial agent and effective antioxidant in food.

• Neonatal Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.163-171
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• 2009

Purpose: This study was conducted to determine the incidence, causative pathogens, risk factors and mortality for early onset sepsis in the first three days in very low birth weight infants. Methods: The medical records of 1,124 very low birth weight infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of Samsung Medical Center between November 1994 and December 2008 were retrospectively reviewed. The incidence, causative pathogens, risk factors, and mortality for early onset sepsis in the first 3 days of life in very low birth weight infants were evaluated. Results: Early onset sepsis, as confirmed by positive blood cultures, was present in 17 of 1,124 infants (1.5%). Sixty-four percent of the isolated pathogens were gram-positive bacteria and 35% of the isolated pathogens were gram-negative bacteria. The dominant pathogens of early onset sepsis included Staphylococcus aureus (23.5%), Esherichia coli (23.5%), and Enterococcus (17.6%). Vaginal delivery (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 3.7; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-10.3; P=0.01) was associated with early onset sepsis. The overall mortality (adjusted hazard ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 1.4-6.5; adjusted P=0.0039) and mortality within 72 hours of life (adjusted hazard ratio, 6.5; 95% CI, 2.2-18.9; adjusted P=0.0005) of infants with early onset sepsis were higher than that of uninfected infants. Conclusion: Early onset sepsis remains an uncommon, but potentially lethal problem among very low birth weight infants. Knowledge of the likely causative organisms and risk factors for early onset sepsis can aid in instituting prompt and appropriate therapy, in order to minimize mortality.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.93-100
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• 2005

This research was performed to investigate the possibilities of industrial usage of camellia (Camellia japonica L.) by examining the antioxidant and antimicrobial effects of methanol extract with different sections. Content of total phenolics, DPPH radical scavenging activities and antibacterial activity of young leaf, mature leaf, flower bud, flower, bark, and seed of camellia were compared in vitro experimental models. Total phenolics was contained the higher in young leaf (74.62 mg), flower bud (65.02 mg) and flower (62.42 mg) but less than 20.95 mg per 100 g of dry weight in other parts of Camellia japonica L. And effects of antioxidant measured by DPPH radical scavenger activity ($RC_{50}$, reduce concentration 50%), was shown higher $7.16{\sim}18.14\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ in methanol extract of young leaf, flower bud and flower than $61.23\;{\mu}g/m{\ell}$ of BHT as a chemical oxidant. Also, the antimicrobial activity of Camellia japonica L. extracts determined using a paper disc method against food-borne pathogen and food spoilage bacteria, the young leaves extracts showed the most active antimicrobial activity against 7 kinds of harmful microorganisms. Flower bud extracts showed the highest antibacterial activity against P. aeruginosa and Enterobacter spp. C1036. In addition, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of young leaf extract against B. subtillis,S. fradiae,S. aureus,E. coli,P. aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp. C1036, and S. typhimurium were revealed 1 to 15 ${\mu}g/m{\ell}$. As a result, antimicrobial activity of camellia extracts was shown higher gram positive bacteria than gram negative bacteria.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.370-377
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• 1992

A series of field and laboratory experimentes were conducted to find out the effects of kinds of crops residues and the different amount of fertilizer to the microbial interaction, chemical properties, plant growth and their interaction under continous cultivation of hot pepper, soybean, sesame and upland rice. The results obtained were summerized follows : 1. Total number of bacteria and actinomycetes were enhanced by cultivation of upland rice and soybean while no appreciable effects were obtained by the cultivation of hot pepper and sesame. 2. The number of bacteria, actinomycetes and fungi were increased by return of crop residues when the cultivation of hot pepper, soybean, sesame and upland rice. Specially, actinomycetes was remarkably increased by upland rice cultivation. 3. Increased amount of fertilizer were remarkably affected to decrease of number of soil microorganisms. Specially, actinomycetes succession was appearently affects while plant growing time. 4. The number of identified soil bacterial species were obtained high in order of Bacillus sp.>Rhizobium sp.>Agrobacterium sp.>Pseudomonas sp. The number of Gram positive bacteria were superior than that of Gram negative bateria. 5. Interaction between microbial succession and crops cultivation, the number of Bacillus sp. was increased in hot pepper, Rhizobium sp. was in soybean, and sesame, and Agrobacterium sp. were increased in soybean, respectively. 6. Survival and habitate of soil microorganisms were differ with kinds of crop, application of residue and fertilizers. Most high number of Bacillus sp. Rhizobium sp. and Pseudomonas sp. were obtained on the rhizoplane and rhizosphere while Agrobacterium sp. and Fusarium sp. were high in rhizosphere. 7. Factors in relation to change of soil microbial population was obtained high in order of climates>crops>organic>matter>fertilizer.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.11
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• pp.1276-1289
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• 2017

This study isolated and purified the antimicrobial peptide McSSP-31 from an acidified hemocyte extract of a Mytilus coruscus. The antimicrobial peptide was purified by using a $C_{18}$ reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The peptide was determined to be 3330.549 Da by matrix assisted-laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrophotometer (MALDI-TOF/MS). The N-terminus of a 14 amino-acid sequence was identified as P-S-P-T-R-R-S-T-S-R-S-K-S-R by Edman degradation method. The acquired sequence showed a 93% similarity with the sperm-specific protein Phi-1, which is from M. californianus. The identified open-reading frame (ORF) of peptide was 306 bp encoding 101 amino acids, which was analyzed by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE), cloning and sequencing analysis. We compared the full sequence with other known proteins that reveal the sperm-specific protein Phi-1 (93.5%) of M. californianus. Synthesized antimicrobial peptide (McSSP-31) showed antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria including B. subtilis, S. mutans, S. aureus and gram-negative bacteria including E. coli, K. pneumoniae, P. mirabilis, P. aeruginosa and fungi, C. albicans. Also, synthesized peptide showed strong antibacterial activity against antibiotic-resistant strains, including S. aureus. The cytotoxicity of the peptide was determined by using the HUVEC human cell line. The peptide did not exhibit any significant cytotoxic effects on the normal human cell line, and it had very low hemolytic activity with flounder hemoglobin. The results demonstrated that peptide purified from the hemocyte of a M. coruscus exhibits antibacterial activity against various bacteria and has the potential to be an alternative antibiotic agent.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.55-61
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• 2003

To isolate and purify the antimicrobial and antitumor agents in Xanthium strumarium L. hydrothermal extract. The crude extract was extracted in ether or ethylacetate under neutral, acidic, and alkali conditions. The antimicrobial activity of each extract was tested against 16 strains of bacteria, 2 strains of yeast, and 2 strains of fungus. The ether neutral extract (XE-N) exhibited the strongest growth inhibition upon the 8 strains of gram-positive bacteria, 6 strains of gram-negative bacteria and Cryptococcus neoformans. Fluorescein diacetate (FDA) testing of XE-N and XEA-N showed growth inhibition of the 3 strains of E. coli, S. aureus and C. albicans even at 30 ng/mL, with the exception of p. aeruginosa. XE-N-S1 and XE-N-S3 from neutral ether extract (XE-N), XE-N-S3 from the acidic ether extract (XE-A), and XEA-N-S1 from ethylacetate (XEA-N) were purified as antimicrobial and antitumor agents. However all purified compounds decomposed with the exception of XE-N-S1. The results upon the antitumor activities of the crude extract and of its purified compounds, showed that XE-N-S1 had the best antitumor activity against HeLa cells. In terms of antitumor activity against HepG2 cells, XE-N-S1 and XE-N-S3 were superior, and against HT29 cells XE-N and XE-N-Sl were good, against Saos2, NCI H522, NCI H1703, Clone M3 cells XE-N-51 was very good, and against LN CAP cells XE-N-S3 was the best. Comparing of cellular toxicities various extracts and purified compounds with the existing antitumor agents, XE-A, XEA-A and XEA-B had the lowest toxicity, and XE-B had a lower toxicity than etoposide. XE-N-S1 and XE-N-S3 showed higher toxicities than etoposide, and the toxicity of XE-A-S3 was higher than that of etoposide, and lower than that of csplatin.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2001.06a
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• pp.149-153
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• 2001

To investigate the mode of bactericidal action for antimicrobial peptide, pediocin, synthetic and mutant pediocins were prepared by direct chemical synthesis. Native pediocin was purified from Pedio-coccus acidilactici M and its conformational structure and bactericidal functions were analyzed and compared to synthetic pediocin. Schematic mode of pediocin actions, how pediocin binds on the target cell membrane, penetrates and makes tunnel are proposed. For these purposes, primary and secondary structures of pediocin was analyzed and disulfide bond assignment was also done. The pediocin purified from P. acidilactici M had high effective bactericidal ability against gram positive bacteria, especially Listeria monocytogenes and was very stable at extreme pHs and even at high temperatures such as autoclaving temperature (121$^{\circ}C$). Pediocin was consisted of 44 amino acids with four cysteines. Novel synthetic peptides were achieved by solid phase peptide synthesis(SPPS) method. To explain the function of cysteine in C-terminal region, mutant pediocin, Ped[C24A＋C44A], was synthesized and their structural and biological functions were analyzed. Second mutant pediocin, Ped[KllE], was prepared to explain the function of lysine at 11 of N-terminal part of pediocin, especially loop of $\beta$-sheet, and to predict the initial binding site of pediocin. The native and synthetic pediocins was showed random coil conformation by spectropolarimetry in moderate conditions. This conformation was observed in extreme conditions such as high temperature and low and high pHs, also. Circular dichroism(CD) data also showed the existence of $\beta$-turn structure in N-terminal part both native and synthetic pediocins. A structural model for pediocin predicts that 18 amino acids in the N-terminal part of the peptide assume a three-strand $\beta$-sheet conformation. This random coil in C-terminal part of pediocin was converted to folding structure, helix structure, in nonpolar solvents such as alcohol and TFE. The disulfide bond between $^{9}$ Cys and $^{14}$ Cys was concrete and inevitable, however, evidences of disulfide bond between $^{24}$ Cys and $^{44}$ Cys was not. Data of Ped[C24A＋C44A], pediocin mutant showed that $^{44}$ Cys was required during killing the target cells but not inevitable, since Ped[C24A＋C44A] still have bactericidal activity but much less than native pediocin. Another pediocin mutant, Ped[KllE], had still bactericidal activity, was controversial to propose that positive charge like as $^{11}$ Lys in loop or hinge in bacteriocin bound or helped to binding to microorganism with electrostatic interaction between cell membrane especially teichoic acid and positive amino acid nonspecifically. The conformation of pediocin among native, synthetic and mutant pediocins did not show big difference. The conformations between oxidized and reduced pediocin were almost similar regardless of native or synthetic.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.83-90
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• 2010

Purpose : Although the incidence of polymicrobial bloodstream infection (PBSI) has increased, only a few studies have so far focused on children. Therefore, in an effort to prevent more serious situations in pediatric patients, we analyzed the clinical features, organisms, and laboratory results of PBSI. Methods : We performed a retrospective review of the case records of 97 patients with polymicrobial bloodstream infection in the Severance hospital, from 2001 to 2008. Using t-test and chi-square test, we analyzed the underlying medical conditions, clinical characteristics, organisms, and laboratory results of those patients. Results : Annual incidence of polymicrobial bloodstream infection increased from 1.4 % in 2001 to 10.9% in 2008 in pediatric patients. Immunocompromised hemato-oncological malignancy was found in 31 (31.9%) patients, and was the most common underlying medical condition; cardiovascular disease was found in 15 patients (15.4%), neurologic disease in 10 patients (10.3%), and so on. Gram positive organisms were recovered in 143 cases and gram negative organisms were recovered in 101 cases of PBSI. Staphylococcus epidermidis was the most common organism. Factors affecting mortality included underlying medical disease, immune status, nosocomial infection, and central catheter-related infection, for which the rate of mortality showed a greater increase (P<0.05). Conclusion : Due to the close connection between PBSI and fatal conditions or high mortality, it requires more aggressive management. Compared with previous studies, we discovered that immunocompromised hemato-oncological malignancy was the most common underlying medical condition and that frequency of gram-positive bacteria and fungus isolated has increased.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.331-340
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• 1997

Hyalophora cecropia attacin-like antibacterial gene was isolated from Bombyx mori induced with nonpathogenic bacteria. It was expressed in Spodopfera frugiperda 9 (Sf9 cells using baculovirus expression vector system (BEVS), and examined its antibacterial activity. With a cDNA library constructed from fifthinstar B. mori injected with Escherichia coli(4 X IOhcellsllarva), differential screening was performed using naive and induced mRNA probes. BmInc6 clone was screened by partial nucleotide sequence and GenBank database analysis. A complete nucleotide sequence of Bmlnc6 cDNA was determined (GenBank, AF005384). Its insert size was 852 bp and had open reading frame that started translation at position 35 and stopped at 679. And its putative polyadenylational signal existed at 812 bp. The number of amino acid deduced from Bmlnc6 cDNA was 214 and hydropathy analysis showed that this peptide was hydrophilic. This peptide deduced by BmInc6 was named nuecin. When the nuecin gene was expressed in Sf9 cells using BEVS, about 950 bp of the transcripts was detected. In addition, SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the molecular weights of intracellular expressed protein and the mature protein secreted to culture media were approximately 23 and 20 kDa, respectively. The antibacterial activity of nuecin against E. coli and Bacillus subtilis was significantly high, demonstrating that nuecin had a wider antibacterial spectrum with gram negative and positive bacteria than attacin.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 2011

Culture-independent microscopic observations and 16S rDNA analyses were applied to describe the bacterial community inherent to the biofilm structure of the RABC (Rotating Activated Bacillus Contactors) process for swine butchery wastewater treatment. The ratios of Gram-positive bacterial counts to total bacterial counts of the RABC process were significantly increased in the last aeration tank as well as returned sludge, while those of the existing A2O (Anaerobic-Anoxic-Oxic) process maintained constant from aeration tanks to returned sludge. Totally nine phyla were recovered by 16S rDNA analysis, two of which were major groups: the Proteobacteria (64.1%) and the Actinobacteria (18.4%). The third major group was the endospore-forming Firmicutes (5.4%). The remaining six minor groups are the Bacteroidetes (3.3%), the Chlorobi (2.2%), the Nitrospirae (1.1%), the Chlorofleix (1.1%), the Acidobacteria (1.1%), and the Fusobacteria (1.1%). The ratio of endospore-forming bacteria was 19.4%, which was composed of the members of the Firmicutes phylum (5.4%) and the Intrasporangiaceae family (14.0%) of the Actinobacteria phylum. Nitrifying and denitrifying related- and phosphorus accumulating related-sequences were composed of 6.5% and 5.4% of total community, respectively, these could mean the high capacity of the RABC process to remove odor compounds and reduce eutrophication by efficient removing inorganic nutrients.