• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.17-31
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• 1986

Forty clinical isolates of Serratia marcescens were tested for their susceptibility to 19 antimicrobial drugs and studied on the molecular characteristics of R plasmids. Cefotaxime (Ct) was the most effective drug and only 2 (5%) strains were resistant to this drug. Thirteen to 18% of strains were resistant to cefoperazone (Cz), amikacin (Ak). and trimethoprim (Tp), and 28 to 40% were resistant to piperacillin (Pi), nalidixic acid (Na), gentamicin (Gm), and cefoxitin (Cx). A majority of strains were resistant to carbenicillin (Cb), tobramycin (Tp), kanamycin (Km), and cefamandole (Cd), and all to cephalothin. One half of the isolates were resistant to 10 or more drugs. $MIC_{90}$ of Pi to Gm-resistant strains (Gm') were 8 times higher than that to Gm-susceptible strains (Gm'), but $MIC_{90}$ of Ak, Cx, Ct, and Cz were almost the same between both Gm' and Gm' strains. Nine (23.7%) strains among 38 of multiply drug-resistant S. marcescens transferred conjugally their partial patterns of resistance to E. coli or Klebsiella strains, and two S. marcescens strains producing bacteriocin transferred their resistance to Klebsiella only, but not to E. coli. The plasmid profiles of S. marcescens were studied by the methods of SDS lysis and agarose gel electrophoresis. Twenty-four (60%) strains carried one to four plasmids of 1.4. to 144 Mdal, and conjugative R plasmids of 49 to 127 Mdal were noted in transconjugants. MIC levels of drugs in transconjugants were variable by the R plasmids and recipient strains.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.6 no.6
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• pp.414-419
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• 1996

The xylnX gene encoding a xylanase from Clostridium thermocellum ATCC27405 was cloned in the plasmid pJH27, an E. coli-Bacillus shuttle vector and the resultant recombinant plasmid, pJX18 was transformed into E. coli HB101. The overexpressed xylanase was found to be secreted into the periplasmic space of the recombinant E. coli cells. The crude enzyme was obtained by treating the E. coli cells with lysozyme, and purified by DEAE-Sepharose column chromatography. Molecular wieght of the xylanase was estimated to be 53 kDa by gel filtration. The pI value was determined to be pH 8.8. The N-terminal sequence of the enzyme protein was Asp-Asp-Asn-Asn-Ala-Asn-Leu-Val-Ser-Asn which was considered to be the sequence of that of the mature form protein. The Km value of the enzyme for oat spelt xylan was calculated to be 2.63 mg/ml and the Vmax value was $0.47 {\mu}mole/min$. The xylanase had a pH optimum for its activity at pH 5.4 and a temperature optimum at $60^{\circ}C$. The enzyme hydrolyzed xylan into xylooligosaccharides which were composed mainly of xylobiose (40%) and xyloltriose (12%) after 5 hour reaction. This result indicates that the xylanase from C. thermocellum ATCC27405 is an endo-acting enzyme.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.109-114
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• 1994

The Escherichia coli aroA and serC genes constitute a mixed-function operon which involves in two different amino acid biosynthetic pathways. The regulation of expression of serC-aroA operon was evaluated through the use of a serC-araA-lacZ fusion plasmid pWH2. The expression of the serC-aroA operon was decreased by aromatic amino acids such as tyrosine, tryptophan, and phenylalanine. The repressible effects were diminished in E. coli tyrR of trpR strain, indicating the involvemnt of TyrR of TrpR protein in the repression. Tyrosine was competitie with cAMP in the influence on the expression of the serC-AroA operon. From these data, it was suggested that the serC-aroA operon is controlled by aromatic amino acids in a negative manner.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.324-329
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• 2008

Vibrio parahaemolyticus species, which cause acute gastroenteritis in humans, were isolated from farmed fish and seawater and their antimicrobial-resistance pattern and factor were investigated. They exhibited the highest resistance to ampicillin (88.9%), followed by trimethoprim (51.9%) and rifampin (22.2%). The relatively high resistance to trimethoprim was unexpected because trimethoprim was not commonly used in fish farming in Korea. R plasmid related resistance was identified by the treatment of novobiocin (7 ug/mL) and it was named as pVPBW1. A putative trimethoprim resistance gene in 2.0 kb fragment of pVPBW1 was also confirmed.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2000

To identity the genes responsible for the biosynthesis of exopolysaccharide, recombinant plasmids pUEX10 and pLEX10 were constructed from plasmid pLEX3 which was isolated from the recombinant cosmid library of Zoogloea ramigera 115. The complete nucleotide sequence of the 1.7 kb genomic DNA insert in plasmid pUEX10 was determined. Its analysis identified two open reading frames (ORF3 & ORF4) which could encode two proteins. The amino acid sequence derived from ORF3 showed the homology with gumC protein in Xanthomonas campestris as well as exoP protein in Rhizobium melizoti. The partial amino acid sequence of ORF4 showed the homology with polysaccharide export protein in Thermotoga maritima. Z. ramigera 115SLR and Z. ramigera 115SLR/pLEX10 showed the similar pattern for EPS production. Yield of exopolysaccharides produced by Z. ramigera 115SLR and Z. ramigera 115SLR/pLEX10 was 0.26% (w/v) and 0.16% (w/v), respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.211-218
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• 2023

A cryptic plasmid (pTH32) was characterized from Tetragenococcus halophilus 32, an isolate from jeotgal, Korean traditional fermented seafood. pTH32 is 3,198 bp in size with G+C content of 35.84%, and contains 4 open reading frames (ORFs). orf1 and orf2 are 456 bp and 273 bp in size, respectively, and their translation products showed 65.16% and 69.35% similarities with RepB family plasmid replication initiators, respectively, suggesting the rolling-circle replication (RCR) mode of pTH32. orf3 and orf4 encodes putative hypothetical protein of 186 and 76 amino acids, respectively. A novel Tetragenococcus-Escherichia coli shuttle vector, pMJ32E (7.3 kb, Em^r), was constructed by ligation of pTH32 with pBluescript II KS(+) and an erythromycin resistance gene (ErmC). pMJ32E successfully replicated in Enterococcus faecalis 29212 and T. halophilus 31 but not in other LAB species. A pepA gene, encoding aminopeptidase A (PepA) from T. halophilus CY54, was successfully expressed in T. halophilus 31 using pMJ32E. The transformant (TF) showed higher PepA activity (49.8 U/mg protein) than T. halophilus 31 cell (control). When T. halophilus 31 TF was subculturd in MRS broth without antibiotic at 48 h intervals, 53.8% of cells retained pMJ32E after 96 h, and only 2.4% of cells retained pMJ32E after 14 days, supporting the RCR mode of pTH32. pMJ32E could be useful for the genetic engineering of Tetragenococcus and Enterococcus species.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.438-441
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• 2008

A novel lactobacilli replicon from plasmids of Lactobacillus reuteri KCTC 3678 was isolated. Eight L. reuteri strains from Korean Collection for Type Cultures (KCTC) and Korea Food Research Institute (KFRI) were screened for cryptic plasmids and most strains harbored 1 or 2 plasm ids. Particularly, L. reuteri KCTC 3678 contained 6 plasm ids which all were used for screening of lactobacilli replicon. EcoRI digests of the plasmid DNA prep from L. reuteri KCTC 3678 were ligated with pUC19 and the recombinant DNAs were serially named from pLR1 to pLR7. A cat (chloramphenicol acetyltransferase; $Cm^r$) gene originated from pC194 was introduced into pLR1-7, resulting in pLR1cat-pLR7cat, respectively. The recombinant plasmids were introduced into L. reuteri KCTC 3679, and only transformants harboring pLR5cat were obtained, indicating that the insert in pLR5 functioned as a lactobacilli replicon.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.544-549
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• 1995

The alkaline elastase is an extracellular serine protease of the alkalophilic Bacillus strain Ya-B. To increase the gene copy number and the production level of the alkaline elastase Ya-B, we designed, on the B. subtilis chromosome, a gene amplification of the 10.6 kb repeating unit containing amyE, aleE (alkaline elastase Ya-B gene) and tmrB. The aleE was inserted between amyE and tmrB, and B. subtilis APT119 strain was transformed with this amyE-aleE-tmrB-junction region fragment. As a result, we succeeded in obtaining tunicamycin-resistant (Tm$^{r}$) transformants (Tf-1, Tf-2) in which the designed gene amplification of 10.6 kb occurred in chromosome. The transformants showed high productivity of $\alpha $-amylase and alkaline elastase Ya-B. The copy number of the repeating unit (amyE-aleE-tmrB) was estimated to be 25, but plasmid vector (pUC19) was not integrated. The amplified aleE of chromosome was more stable than that of plasmid in absence of antibiotics.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.394-399
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• 1986

From the lysates of the 7 selected strains of Pseulomonas utilizing 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyactate as a sole source of carbon and energy, several MCPA plasmids, which encodes genes for the degradation of 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetate, were isolated, and measured their molecular weight as well as genetic characters such as resistance to antibiotics and degradative ability of other chlorinated herbicides. Transmissibility of the MCPA plasmids, pKU1, pKU15, and pKU17 was tested by conjugation or transformation and the restriction pattern of pKU15 for Pvu II, Hind III, EcoR I, Xho I, Bgl II, and Ava II was analyzed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.427-434
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• 1994

The primordial germ cells (PGCs) were transfected in vitro and expressed the exogenous RSVLTR/${\beta}G2$ plasmid, suggesting thaI PGC is a possible vector for direct gene transfer into the germ line. Transfection efficiency of cell suspensions containing PGCs was 1.5% by liposome mediated DNA transfection. By microinjection of the transfected PGCs into the host germinal crescent, PGCs migrated via blood vessel to the future gonad and these transfected PGCs resulted in the RSVLTR/${\beta}G2$ expression in the gonad. The results from the seeding of PGCs on the chorioallantoic membrane were insufficient to test the hypothesis that PGCs can penetrate or invade the chorioallantoic membrane for transport via the circulatory system.