• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.795-807
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• 2022

The development and commercialization of industrial genetically modified (GM) organisms is actively progressing worldwide, highlighting an increased need for improved safety management protocols. We sought to establish an environmental monitoring method, using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and propidium monoazide (PMA) treatment to develop a quantitative detection protocol for living GM microorganisms. We developed a duplex TaqMan quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay to simultaneously detect the selectable antibiotic gene, ampicillin (AmpR), and the single-copy Escherichia coli taxon-specific gene, D-1-deoxyxylulose 5-phosphate synthase (dxs), using a direct cell suspension culture. We identified viable engineered E. coli cells by performing qPCR on PMA-treated cells. The theoretical cell density (true copy numbers) calculated from mean quantification cycle (Cq) values of PMA-qPCR showed a bias of 7.71% from the colony-forming unit (CFU), which was within ±25% of the acceptance criteria of the European Network of GMO Laboratories (ENGL). PMA-qPCR to detect AmpR and dxs was highly sensitive and was able to detect target genes from a 10,000-fold (10^-4) diluted cell suspension, with a limit of detection at 95% confidence (LOD_95%) of 134 viable E. coli cells. Compared to DNA-based qPCR methods, the cell suspension direct PMA-qPCR analysis provides reliable results and is a quick and accurate method to monitor living GM E. coli cells that can potentially be released into the environment.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.49-60
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• 2024

A viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state is a survival strategy adopted by bacteria when faced with unfavorable environmental conditions, rendering them unable to grow on nutrient agar while maintaining low metabolic activity. This study explored the impact of temperature and nutrient availability on inducing VBNC state in Edwardsiella piscicida, the most important bacterial fish pathogen, and assessed its pathogenicity at VBNC state. E. piscicida was suspended in filtered sterile seawater and exposed to three different temperatures (4, 10, and 25℃) to induce the VBNC state. Subsequently, the induced VBNC cells were subjected to resuscitation by either raising the temperature to 28℃ or inoculating them in brain heart infusion broth supplemented with 1% NaCl. A propidium monoazide (PMA)-qPCR method was also developed to selectively quantify live (VBNC or culturable) E. piscicida cells. The results showed that the bacteria entered the VBNC state after approximately 1 month at 4℃ and 25℃, and 2 months at 10℃. The VBNC E. piscicida cells were successfully revived within 3 days in a nutrient-rich environment at 28℃, highlighting the significance of temperature and nutrition in inducing and resuscitating the VBNC state. In pathogenicity tests, resuscitated E. piscicida cells exhibited high pathogenicity in olive flounder comparable to cultured bacteria, while VBNC cells showed no signs of infection, suggesting they are unlikely to resuscitate in fish. In conclusion, this study contributes to our understanding of fish pathogen ecology by investigating the characteristics of the VBNC state under varying temperature and nutrition conditions.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.16-22
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• 2021

This study investigated the reduction in human norovirus (HNV) GII. 4 count in pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas using electron beam irradiation. Infectious HNV GII. 4 was detected using RT-qPCR (real time reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction) with PMA (propidium monoazide)/sarkosyl. At electron beam doses 1, 5, 7, and 10 kGy, the count of HNV GII. 4 was 2.74, 2.37, 2.06, and 1.55 log copies/μL (control, 3.01 log copy/μL), respectively, confirming that as the irradiation dose increased, norovirus count reduced significantly (P<0.05). After PMA/sarkosyl treatment, the counts further reduced at the same irradiation dose, and 10 kGy showed significant differences between the non-treated and PMA/sarkosyl-treated samples (P<0.05). The Ed (decimal reduction dose of electron beam) value based on the first-order kinetic model was 7.33 kGy (R2=0.98). No significant difference was observed in the pH values of the control (6.2) and electron beam-irradiated samples at all doses (6.1). For sensory evaluation, the non-treated sample scored the highest in all categories (5.25-6.17), while the samples treated with 10 kGy showed the lowest score (4.67-5.33), although without statistical significance (P>0.05). Overall, our results suggest that 7 kGy electron beam is sufficient for the non-thermal sterilization of oysters without causing significant changes in quality.