• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.12
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• pp.1656-1666
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• 2021

Dental pathogens lead to chronic diseases like periodontitis, which causes loss of teeth. Here, we examined the plausible antibacterial efficacy of copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) synthesized using Cupressus macrocarpa extract (CME) against periodontitis-causing bacteria. The antimicrobial properties of CME-CuNPs were then assessed against oral microbes (M. luteus. B. subtilis, P. aerioginosa) that cause periodontal disease and were identified using morphological/ biochemical analysis, and 16S-rRNA techniques. The CME-CuNPs were characterized, and accordingly, the peak found at 577 nm using UV-Vis spectrometer showed the formation of stable CME-CuNPs. Also, the results revealed the formation of spherical and oblong monodispersed CME-CuNPs with sizes ranged from 11.3 to 22.4 nm. The FTIR analysis suggested that the CME contains reducing agents that consequently had a role in Cu reduction and CME-CuNP formation. Furthermore, the CME-CuNPs exhibited potent antimicrobial efficacy against different isolates which was superior to the reported values in literature. The antibacterial efficacy of CME-CuNPs on oral bacteria was compared to the synergistic solution of clindamycin with CME-CuNPs. The solution exhibited a superior capacity to prevent bacterial growth. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) of CME-CuNPs with clindamycin recorded against the selected periodontal disease-causing microorganisms were observed between the range of 2.6-3.6 ㎍/ml, 4-5 ㎍/ml and 0.312-0.5, respectively. Finally, the synergistic antimicrobial efficacy exhibited by CME-CuNPs with clindamycin against the tested strains could be useful for the future development of more effective treatments to control dental diseases.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.167-178
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• 2023

Large amounts of waste and wastewater from aquaculture have negatively impacted ecosystems. Among them, shrimp aquaculture wastewater contains large amounts of nitrogen contaminants derived from feed residues in an aerobic environment. This study isolated candidate strains from adult rockworms to treat shrimp aquaculture wastewater (SAW) in an aerobic environment. Among 87 strains isolated, 25 grew well at the same temperature as the shrimp aquaculture with excellent polymer degradation ability (>0.5 cm clear zone). Six isolates (strains AL1, AL4, AL5, AL6, LA10, and PR15) were finally selected after combining strains with excellent polymer degradation ability without antagonism. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that strains AL1, AL4, AL5, AL6, LA10, and PR15 were closely related to Bacillus paramycoides, Bacillus pumilus, Stenotrophomonas rhizophila, Bacillus paranthracis, Bacillus paranthracis, and Micrococcus luteus, respectively. When these six isolates were applied to SAW, they reached a maximum cell viability of 2.06×10⁵ CFU mL^-1. Their chemical oxygen demand (COD_Cr) and total nitrogen(TN) removal rates for 12h were 51.0% and 44.6%, respectively, when the COD_Cr/TN ratio was approximately 10.0. Considering these removal rates achieved in this study under batch conditions, these six isolates could be used for aerobic denitrification. Consequently, these six isolates from rockworms are good candidates that can be applied to the field of aquaculture wastewater treatment.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.270-277
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• 2010

In order to manufacture Bacillus cereus-free fermented soybean products, an antimicrobial agentproducing isolate against B. cereus was obtained from 150 traditionally fermented soybean products. The morphological and biochemical tests and the phylogenetic relationship among 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that the isolate named as the strain SCK 121057 was most closely related to Bacillus licheniformis. The B. licheniformis isolate began to produce the antimicrobial agent after 48 h of incubation. The agent was nonproteinaceous and insensitive to heat, long term storage and protease K. Electron microscopic observation indicated that the agent attacked the membrane of B. cereus, leaving the ghost cell. The isolate inhibited growth of B. subtilis, Lactobacillus brevis and various types of pathogenic strains including Escherichia coli, E. faecalis, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus flavus, A. ochraceus, and A. parasiticus as well as B. cereus. After coinoculation of B. licheniformis SCK 121057 and B. cereus in the ratio (as the basis of CFU/g sample) of 10 to 1 on the surface of cooked soybeans, cell numbers of B. cereus had been dramatically reduced after 31 days of incubation compared to those of single inoculation of B. cereus.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.254-262
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• 1980

A series of experiment were carried out to separate the factor accelerating the lysis of cell wall of $Saccharomyces\;sak{\acute{e}}$ from the preparation of crude zymolyase obtained from Arthrobacter luteus. An attempt was also made to purify the enzyme which is essential for the study on the separation of the factor. The results are summarized as follows: 1. Crude zymolyase was fractionated 5 peaks $(A{\sim}E)$ containing three peaks $(A{\sim}C)$ passed through the column by the chromatography on Biogel CM-30. 2. Among the five peaks, peak E (protease fraction) was found to contain the factor accelerating the lytic activity of the zymolyase. 3. L-c fraction purified in almost free form from the nonlytic ${\beta}-1$, 3-glucanase, protease and inert protein by the affinity adsorption chromatography with Sephadex G-75 gel was obtained from zymolyase fraction (peak D). When it was subjected to polyacrylamide gel disc electrophoresis, only one clear protein band was observed at pH 4. 5, but still detected two or more band at pH 8. 3.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.359-365
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• 2020

This study aimed to investigate the causes of bacterial growth to prevent infection caused by ultrasound gel and gel containers in contact with patients during ultrasonography. To investigate bacterial contamination during manufacturing or storage, we cultured ultrasound gels originally supplied from three manufacturers. To analyze bacterial growth according to the lapse of time and frequency of use of the ultrasound gel container, the gel and container were cultured at regular intervals every week for 4 weeks. In addition, to determine the source of infection, the examiner's hand was inspected with hand plate and the degree of bacterial contamination was measured before the test. As a result of the study, bacteria were not detected in the gel provided at the initial supply, and in the gel and gel container used repeatedly for 4 weeks, the same bacteria residing on the skin were identified in the examiner's hand, such as Staphylococcus epidermidis, Micrococcus luteus, Leuconostoc mesenteroid spp cremoris, Kocuria rhizophila, and etc. Separated strains were classified as those of the low- or non-pathogenicity; however, most of these strains may render fatal consequences to patients of lower level of immunity due to acquired tolerance to antibiotics. At week 1, when the number of tests was the highest, 44 colonies were identified, and at week 4, when the number of tests was the lowest, 4 colonies were identified. As r=0.994, it was found that the number of colonies increased as the number of tests increased. In conclusion, it was confirmed that the cause of the infection was not the ultrasound gel, but the examiner's hand. The ultrasound gel or gel container may be contaminated by skin flora of examiner's hands, which can cause opportunistic infection in patients with low immunity. The ultrasound gel or gel container may be contaminated by skin flora of examiner's hands, which can cause opportunistic infection in patients with low immunity. Therefore, it was confirmed that thorough hand disinfection was necessary to block healthcare-associated infections.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 2008

Modern automated culture systems have increased the isolation rate of microorganisms and shortened the time to detection, reducing experimental errors in diagnosis of infecting agents. BacT/ALERT 3D system is based on the colorimetric detection of $CO_2$ produced by the growing microorganisms. In order to evaluate the efficiency of the detection system, sterility test were performed using 6 bacteria. With standard aerobic and anaerobic bottles containing the liquid media, both three aerobic bacteria (P. aeruginosa, M. luteus, B. subtilis) and a facultative bacterium S. aureus were detected up to 1 CFU in 31.44 hr. In addition, growth of anaerobic C. sporogenes was recognized up to 1 CFU in 15.96 hr. The slowly growing bacteria P. acnes was detected up to 10,000 CFU in 129.36 hr. In comparison with conventional culture method, BacT/ALERT 3D automated culture system was more sensitive and saved detection time up to$2\sim10$ hr. Therefore, this automated culture system enables to efficiently detect bacteria in clinical samples and biological medicines.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.139-143
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• 2016

This study investigated the effect of electron beam (EB) treatment on the microbial reduction of dried laver (Porphyra tenera) and identified EB-resistant bacteria from the treated dried laver. After EB treatments of 4 kGy and 7 kGy, the numbers of total bacteria and EB-resistant bacteria were measured using tryptic soy agar and mannitol salt agar, respectively. The morphological and biochemical characteristics of each isolated EB-resistant bacteria were investigated and these bacteria were identified. Compared to the control ($1.5{\pm}0.2){\times}10^6CFU/g$, the total bacterial number was significantly decreased to ($5.4{\pm}0.5){\times}10^4CFU/g$ and ($1.1{\pm}0.6){\times}10^4CFU/g$ after EB treatments of 4 kGy and 7 kGy, respectively. With a higher EB dosage, the number of red colonies was almost same, whereas the number of yellow colonies was significantly decreased to ($3.3{\pm}1.2){\times}10^3CFU/g$ and 0 CFU/g for 4 kGy and 7 kGy, respectively. All red and yellow colonies were gram-positive cocci, catalase-positive, and resistant to 3% and 5% NaCl media. From the 16S rDNA sequence analysis, yellow and red colonies were identified as either Micrococcus flavus or M. luteus, with 99% similarity for the yellow colonies, and Deinococcus proteolyticus and D. piscis, with 99% and 97% similarity for the red colonies, respectively.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.189-194
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• 2003

Approved chemical preservatives have been widely used to preserve foods and increase their shelf life. There are increasing demends of the partial or complete removal of chemical preservatives from foods vecause of adverse health effect of chemicals. In this study, the possibility of natural antimicrobial compounds, Korean propolis as food preservatives are investigated. Propolis samples were extracted on various concentration of ethanol. Propolis extracts extracted with 100% ethanol showed the highest inhibitory effect aginst food spoilage microorganisms. The 100% ethanol extracts of propolis were selected and the antimicrobial activites of 100% ethanol extracts of proplis against several food spoilage microorganisms were examined. Bacillus subtilis, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli, Staphylcoccus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Shigella sonnei, Salmonella choleraesuis, Erwinia rhapontici, and Vibrio parahaemolyticus as food poisoning microorganisms were chosen for the examination. The Propolis extracts had antimicrobial activity against food spoilage microorganisms. When the microorganisms were treated with propolis extracts, the population of food spolige microorganisms were decreased by 1~9 log.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1667-1678
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• 1999

Certain parts of 190 kinds of medicinal herbs and 171 kinds of original materials of food were extracted by methanol. The extracts were tested their microbial inhibition activities against several food spoilage microorganisms, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, Penicillium citrinum, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger. The methanol extracts of Cornus officinalis, Evodia officinalis, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Salvia miltiorrhiza. Schizandrae fructus, Coptidis rhizoma, aroma hop and bitter hop were shown inhibitory effect on certain species of gram(+) bacteria. Aroma hop and bitter hop were shown inhibitory effect on certain species of gram(-) bacteria. The methanol extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza exhibited a strong antibacterial activities. It was purified by solvent fractionation, silicagel column chromatography, prep. TLC, prep. HPLC. The purified active substance was identified as cryptotanshinone by EIMS, $1^H-NMR,\;{13}^C-NMR$ and DEPT. Cryptotanshinone showed a strong antibacterial activity against gram positive bacteria $(MIC\;:\;3.91{\sim}62.50\;{\mu}g/mL)$. Especially, this compound was the most strong activity against Bacillus subtilis $(MIC\;:\;3.91\;{\mu}g/mL)$.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2007

Indoor airborne bacterial and fungal concentrations were examined at classrooms and corridors of 3 elementary schools in Ulsan. Airborne microorganisms were collected with an impaction-type air sampler using plate count agar and dichloran rose bengal chloramphenicol agar. During the semester, concentrations of bacteria ranged $168{\sim}3,887 MPN/m^3$ at classrooms and $168{\sim}6,339 MPN/m^3$ at corridors, while those of fungi ranged $34{\sim}389 MPN/m^3$ at classrooms and $91{\sim}507 MPN/m^3$ at corridors. The bacterial concentrations showed larger variations between situations and schools compared to those of fungi. When airborne bacteria were isolated and identified, 84% were observed as Gram-positive, and Micrococcus spp. was the most abundant group with 61% of tested isolates, followed by genus Staphylococcus with 10%. The Micrococcus spp. isolates, of which 75% were identified as M. luteus, appeared to be from human origins. The protective pigments and substantial cell wall of Micrococcus may provide selective advantage for their survival in the air. We also isolated and identified 15 genera of filamentous fungi. The most common culturable fungi were Cladosporium, Aspergillus and Penicillium, and these 3 genera were 69% of fungal isolates. Genus Stachybotrys, of which S. chartarum is a well known producer of many potent mycotoxins, was also detected from one of the schools. further systematic studies are necessary with an emphasis on species identification and mycotoxin production of isolated fungal genera, including Aspergillus, Penicillium, and Stachybotrys.