• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.799-805
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• 2016

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the major causative agent of nosocomial infection, has also been reported from non-human sources. A sequence type (ST) 541 MRSA isolate designated K12PJN53 was isolated from a healthy pig in 2012. The genome of K12PJN53 consists of 44 contiguous sequences (contigs), totalling 2,880,108 bases with 32.88% GC content. Among the annotated contigs, 14, 17, and 18 contained genes related to antimicrobial resistance, adherence, and toxin genes, respectively. The genomic distance of strain K12PJN53 was close to the ST398 strains. This is the first report of the draft genome sequence of a novel livestock-associated MRSA ST541 strain.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제8권4호
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• pp.388-398
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• 1998

A bacterium which is resistant to both mercury and cadmium, and also capable of utilizing phenol as a carbon and energy source, was isolated from the Kumho River sediments near Kangchang Bridge, Taegu, Korea. The isolate was labeled Pseudomonas sp. KM10 and characterized. The bacteria grew in 4 mM $CdCl_2$and in $70{\mu}M$ $HgCl_2$. The bacteria efficiently removed over 90% of 1 g/l phenol within 30 h. In the presence of 1.250 g/l phenol, the growth of the microorganism was slightly retarded and the microorganism could not tolerate 1.5 g/l phenol. Curing of plasmid from the bacteria was carried out to generate a plasmidless strain. Subsequent experiments localized the genes for phenol degradation in plasmid and the genes for mercury resistance and cadmium resistance on the chromosome. Dot hybridization and Southern hybridization under low stringent conditions were performed to identify the DNA homology. These results showed significant homologies between the some sequence of the chromosome of Pseudomonas sp. KM10 and merR of Shigella flexneri R 100, and between the some sequence of the chromosome of Pseudomonas sp. KM10 and cadA of Staphylococcus aureus pI258. The mechanism of cadmium resistance was efflux, similar to that of S. aureus pI258 cadA, and the mechanism of mercury resistance was volatilization, similar to that of S. flexneri R100 mer.

• 한국수산과학회지
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• 제52권6호
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• pp.596-604
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• 2019

Vibrio parahaemolyticus causes food poisoning, mainly via marine fisheries products. We investigated the virulence factors and drug resistance of V. parahaemolyticus isolated from fisheries products purchased from the Yeosu Fisheries Market. The isolates were identified using a variety of biochemical tests and the detection of toxR and hns gene. The presence of the virulence factor-encoding genes tdh and trh in the isolates was also investigated by PCR. The resistance of the isolates to 13 antibacterial agents was tested using the disc-diffusion method and carriage of β-lactamase genes and class 1 integrons by ampicillin-resistant isolates was investigated by PCR. Four of seventeen isolates identified as V. parahaemolyticus by biochemical tests produced a species-specific PCR band. Those isolates showed >98% 16S rRNA gene sequence homology with V. parahaemolyticus and only one isolate harbored the tdh gene. All of the V. parahaemolyticus isolates were resistant to ampicillin and amoxicillin; moreover, VPA0477, a class A β-lactamase gene, and class 1 integrons were detected. Therefore, V. parahaemolyticus from fisheries products represents a low risk to human health. Also, V. parahaemolyticus is likely to develop multidrug resistance because it has class 1 integrons.

• 대한의생명과학회지
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• 제27권2호
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• pp.59-68
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• 2021

Multidrug-resistant strain of Acinetobacter baumannii (MDRAB) is an emerging pathogen in health care facilities, preventing MDRAB is a public health concern. We conducted this experiment on a clinical isolate of A. baumannii with two main goals: the role of the efflux pump system in the stress provision of carbapenem and the response to the transcription level of the efflux pump gene. A total of 34 strains of A. baumannii was isolated from the Yangsan Hospital of Pusan National University. First, when we compared and observed the expression of the efflux pump gene and antibacterial resistance to carbapenem, a strong correlation was observed between carbapenem resistance and overexpression of adeB (P=0.0056). Second, a correlation between the efflux pump and concentration gradient and tolerance to carbapenem stress at the AdeABC efflux pump genes transcription level was confirmed. Our results revealed that the expression of the AdeABC efflux pump is an important resistance determinant in obtaining antibiotic resistance of the carbapenem group in A. baumannii.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제31권11호
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• pp.1481-1489
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• 2021

Early and accurate detection of pathogens is important to improve clinical outcomes of bloodstream infections (BSI), especially in the case of drug-resistant pathogens. In this study, we aimed to develop a culture-independent digital PCR (dPCR) system for multiplex detection of major sepsis-causing gram-negative pathogens and antimicrobial resistance genes using plasma DNA from BSI patients. Our duplex dPCR system successfully detected nine targets (five bacteria-specific targets and four antimicrobial resistance genes) through five reactions within 3 hours. The minimum detection limit was 50 ag of bacterial DNA, suggesting that 1 CFU/ml of bacteria in the blood can be detected. To validate the clinical applicability, cell-free DNA samples from febrile patients were tested with our system and confirmed high consistency with conventional blood culture. This system can support early identification of some drug-resistant gram-negative pathogens, which can help improving treatment outcomes of BSI.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제33권3호
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• pp.277-287
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• 2023

Since the first discovery of antibiotics, introduction of new antibiotics has been coupled with the occurrence of antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB) and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). Rapid dissemination of ARB and ARGs in the aquatic environments has become a global concern. ARB and ARGs have been already disseminated in the aquatic environments via various routes. Main hosts of most of ARGs were found to belong to Gammaproteobacteria class, including clinically important potential pathogens. Transmission of ARGs also occurs by horizontal gene transfer (HGT) mechanisms between bacterial strains in the aquatic environments, resulting in ubiquity of ARGs. Thus, a few of ARGs and MGEs (e.g., strA, sul1, int1) have been suggested as indicators for global comparability of contamination level in the aquatic environments. With ARB and ARGs contamination, the occurrence of critical pathogens has been globally issued due to their widespread in the aquatic environments. Thus, active surveillance systems have been launched worldwide. In this review, we described advancement of methodologies for ARGs detection, and occurrence of ARB and ARGs and their dissemination in the aquatic environments. Even though numerous studies have been conducted for ARB and ARGs, there is still no clear strategy to tackle antibiotic resistance (AR) in the aquatic environments. At least, for consistent surveillance, a strict framework should be established for further research in the aquatic environments.

• 한국작물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국작물학회 2022년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.273-273
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• 2022

The increasing number of Westernized eating patterns based on wheat flour in Korea has led to an increase in the rate of diseases such as obesity and diabetes, which has become a social problem. Wheat consumption is increasing due to changes in eating habits, but domestic wheat has low price competitiveness and has stagnated recently, so it is necessary to secure new resources to differentiate from imported wheat. Resistant starch, a newly created resource in domestic wheat, can act as a prebiotic similar to dietary fiber in the body, inducing microbial changes in the gut and having beneficial effects on metabolic syndrome. Wheat research on resistant starch was carried out based on the breeding of high amylose. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was used to perform SNP identification and expression analysis related to wheat amylose through phenotype and genotype. 561 wheat core collection gene sources were investigated for amylose content in wheat, and related genes were extracted and analyzed. In the GWAS analysis, the model formulas BLIMK, FarmCPU, GLM, MLM, and MLMM were used to derive results such as QQ plots and Manhattan plots through phenotypic data. Among these models, BLAST was conducted to find the association between the SNPs identified using FarmCPU and genes related to starch, and 15 were found. Using the identified markers, it becomes easier to develop and browse related wheat cultivars according to their amylose content.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권11호
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• pp.4499-4505
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• 2014

Glioblastoma, the most aggressive and malignant form of glioma, appears to be resistant to various chemotherapeutic agents. Hence, approaches have been intensively investigated to targeti specific molecular pathways involved in glioblastoma development and progression. Aloe emodin is believed to modulate the expression of several genes in cancer cells. We aimed to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effect of Aloe emodin on gene expression profiles in the human U87 glioblastoma cell line utilizing microarray technology. The gene expression analysis revealed that a total of 8,226 gene alterations out of 28,869 genes were detected after treatment with $58.6{\mu}g/ml$ for 24 hours. Out of this total, 34 genes demonstrated statistically significant change (p<0.05) ranging from 1.07 to 1.87 fold. The results revealed that 22 genes were up-regulated and 12 genes were down-regulated in response to Aloe emodin treatment. These genes were then grouped into several clusters based on their biological functions, revealing induction of expression of genes involved in apoptosis (programmed cell death) and tissue remodelling in U87 cells (p<0.01). Several genes with significant changes of the expression level e.g. SHARPIN, BCAP31, FIS1, RAC1 and TGM2 from the apoptotic cluster were confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). These results could serve as guidance for further studies in order to discover molecular targets for the cancer therapy based on Aloe emodin treatment.

• 한국응용곤충학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.52-66
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• 1983

The brown planthopper, N. lugens (Stal), has become a serious pest of rice in tropical Asia during the last decade. At high pest density, its feeding damage causes 'hopperburn' or complete wilting and drying of the rice plant. It also transmits grassy and ragged stunt virus diseases. The estimated losses caused by the pest in tropical Asia exceed $US\$300$ millions. While cultivation of resistant rice varieties has proved to be highly effective against the pest, their long-term stability is threatened because of the evolution of prolific biotypes which can destroy these varieties. At present, identification of biotypes is based principally on the differential reactions of host rice varieties to the pest and on host-mediated behavioral and physiological responses of the pest. Recent findings of morphological differences in adult rostrum, legs, and antennae, body parts that possess receptors for host plant location and discrimination, and cytological differences in N. lugens populations maintained as stock cultures strongly complement other biotype studies. So far, three N. lugens biotypes have been identified in the Philippines. Biotype I can survive on and damage varieties that do not carry and genes for resistance, while Biotype 2 survives on resistant varieties carrying Bph 1 gene and Biotype 3 on varieties carrying gene bph 2. However, none of these biotypes can survive on varieties with genes Bph 3 or bph 4. Several varieties which are resistant in the Philippines are susceptible in India and Sri Lanka as the South Asian biotypes of N. lugens are more virulent than Southeast Asian biotypes. To monitor the pest biotypes in different geographical regions and to identify new sources of resistance, an International Brown Planthopper Nursery has been established in many cooperating countries. The evolution of biotypes is an exceedingly complex process which is governed by the interactions of genetic and biological factors of the pest populations and the genetic makeup of the cultivated varieties. While the strategy for sequential release of varieties with major resistance genes has been fairly successful so far, the monegenic resistance of these varieties makes them vulnerable to the development of the pest biotypes. Therefore, present breeding endeavors envisage utilizing both major and minor resistance genes for effective control of the pest.

• 한국식품위생안전성학회지
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.63-67
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• 2012

동물성 식품 유래 장구균의 항생제 내성은 내성균주 또는 내성 유전자가 먹이사슬을 통해 인체로 전달될 수 있다는 가능성 때문에 공중보건학적으로 중요하게 대두되고 있다. 본 연구는 원유 시료에서 분리된 장구균의 tetracycline에 대한 내성을 표현형 및 유전형 수준에서 분석하였다. 원유 시료에서 총 245주의 장구균을 분리하였으며 그 중 $E.$ $faecalis$ 가 199주로 전체의 81.2%를 차지 하였으며 그 외에 $E.$ $faecium$ 이 25주(10.2%), $E.$ $avium$ 이 7주(2.9%), $E.$ $durans$ 이 6주(2.5%), $E.$ $gallinarum$ 이 4주(1.6%), $E.$ $raffinosus$ 이 4주(1.6%)의 비율로 분리되었다. 분리 균주중 76.3%에 해당하는 187주가 tetracycline에 내성을 나타내었으며 내성균주의 83.4%에 해당하는 156주가 $tet$(M)을 26.7%에 해당하는 50주가 $tet$(S)를 16.1%에 해당하는 30주가 $tet$(L)을 3.2%에 해당하는 6주가 $tet$(M) + $tet$(L) + $tet$(S)의 3개의 유전자를 동시에 소유하고 있는 것으로 분석되었다.