• BMB Reports
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.443-450
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• 1995

Cloned staphylococcal peptidoglycan hydrolase was used in determining the physiological characteristics of peptidoglycan hydrolase. This enzyme hydrolyzed the bacterial cell walls and released the N-terminal alanine, but not the reducing groups. This cloned gene product was localized in the cytoplasm of transformed Escherichia coli. Activity gels indicated the enzyme had an Mr of about 54,000, which was consistent with the deduced Mr from sequencing of the cloned gene. The activity bound to CM-cellulose but not DEAE-cellulose resin, indicating it as a basic protein. Enhanced enzyme activity in a low concentration of cations, and inhibited enzyme activity in a solution with dissolved phospholipids, suggested that the activity and the availability of this basic protein may be regulated between negatively charged and positively charged cellular molecules. The activity against boiled crude cell wall was much greater than against purifed cell wall, suggesting protein associated with crude cell wall may aid in the binding of the peptidoglycan hydrolase The cloned peptidoglycan hydrolase showed positive activity on whole cells of some lysostaphin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci. The cloned enzyme may be an alternative for lysostaphin for lysis of staphylococci.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.348-355
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• 2011

Staphylococcus aureus is a major human pathogen that is associated with various types of local and systemic infection. Staphylococcal protin A (SPA), a highly expressed surface component of S. aureus, may have a role in virulence such as activating inflammation and interfering with immune clearance. We examined the effect of recombinant SPA on inflammatory response in human HaCaT keratinocytes. The recombinant SPA protein was prepared using the pET-28a Vector System in Escherichia coli. The expression of pro-inflammatory related adhesion molecules and cytokines in HaCaT cells incubated for 6, 12, and 24 h with SPA (2 ${\mu}g$/ml) was analyzed by comparative RT-PCR or ELISA. The expression of E-selectin, ICAM-1, MCP-1, IL-6 and IL-8 was significantly increased in HaCaT from 6 to 24 h after treatment with SPA. SPA showed the effect on the adhesion-promoting ability of U937 monocytes to HaCaT cells. Our data demonstrate that SPA stimulates inflammatory response of HaCaT cells, implicating an important factor for exacerbation of skin inflammation of immunologic disease.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.145-149
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• 1986

The development of delayed-type hypersensitivity(DTH) reaction to Staphylococcus aureus in mice was studied, Mice received 3 injections of $10^8$ viable S. aureus subcutaneously showed a marked footpad swelling when mice were challenged with $10\;{\mu}g$ staphylococcal protein antigen into footpad(The percent increase of footpad thickness at 24 h after challenge wsa 35% approximately). Histological observation of footpad of immunized mice showed a marked thickness of subcutaneous tissue due to edematous reaction and massive infiltration of lymphocytes and neutrophils which are characteristic cells in DTH reaction. Intensity of DTH reaction of mice immunized with viable bacteria was much higher than that of mice immunized with staphylococcal protein or heat-killed bacteria. The DTH reaction to S. aureus could be transferred to normal recipient mice by both spleen cells and lymph node cells.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.1018-1020
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• 2003

The complete 1,486 nucleotide sequence of a cryptic plasmid separated from Lactobacillus bifermentans strain A02 isolated from Kimchi has been determined. The plasmid, designated as pA021, encodes a 33,488 Da putative Rep protein. Based on the sequence similarity, the protein shows homology with coding protein of pRS1, a previously reported plasmid of Oenococcus oeni and the replication initiation protein (Rep) of the Staphylococcal pT181 plasmid family.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.273-278
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• 2012

Staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB), which is a bacterial superantigen produced by Staphylococcus aureus, is associated with serious diseases, including food poisoning and atopic dermatitis. This study was performed to produce about 30 kDa of recombinant SEB protein and to immunize in chickens to acquire the specific egg yolk antibody (IgY) against the recombinant SEB. Chickens were immunized with the recombinant SEB intramuscularly in the breast muscle by injection 3 times at intervals of two weeks. Serum- and egg yolk-antibody titers of hens against SEB were highest at 4 weeks after first immunization. In western blot, anti-recombinant SEB IgY was reacted immunospecifically against the recombinant SEB and commercialized SEB. These results suggested that the recombinant SEB antigen could be used as an immunogen to elicit antibody (IgY) against SEB and the anti-recombinant SEB IgY could neutralized staphylococcal enterotoxin B effectively.

• BMB Reports
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.457-462
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• 2001

Using the monomolecular film technique, we compared the interfacial properties of Staphylococcus simulans lipase (SSL) and Staphylococcus aureus lipase (SAL). These two enzymes act specifically on glycerides without any detectable phospholipase activity when using various phospholipids. Our results show that the maximum rate of racemic dicaprin (rac-dicaprin) hydrolysis was displayed at pH 8.5, or 6.5 with Staphylococcus simulans lipase or Staphylococcus aureus lipase, respectively The two enzymes interact strongly with egg-phosphatidyl choline (egg-PC) monomolecular films, evidenced by a critical surface pressure value of around $23\;mN{\cdot}m^{-1}$. In contrast to pancreatic lipases, $\beta$-lactoglobulin, a tensioactive protein, failed to inhibit Staphylococcus simulans lipase and Staphylococcus aureus lipase. A kinetic study on the surface pressure dependency, stereoselectivity, and regioselectivity of Staphylococcus simulans lipase and Staphylococcus aureus lipase was performed using optically pure stereoisomers of diglycerides (1,2-sn-dicaprin and 2,3-sn-dicaprin) and a prochiral isomer (1,3-sn-dicaprin) that were spread as monomolecular films at the air-water interface. Both staphylococcal lipases acted preferentially on distal carboxylic ester groups of the diglyceride isomer (1,3-sn-dicaprin). Furthermore, Staphylococcus simulans lipase was found to be markedly stereoselective for the sn-3 position of the 2,3-sn-dicaprin isomer.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.92-96
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• 1997

A new site-specific recombinase sin, as a component of a putatie transposon has been cloned and its base sequence has been determined. The proposed sin shows a hish degree of homology with pI9789-sin and pSK1-sin. There is a large (16 bp) inverted repeat downstream of proposed sin and the postulate dhelix-turn-helix motif is located at the extreme C-terminus of the poposed Sin. The transposase gene (tnpA) and .betha.-lactamase gene (blaZ) are located upstream of sin and arsenate reductase gene (arsC) and arsenic efflux pump protein gene (ars B) are downstream. This genetic arrangement seems to be a part of a new putative transposon because there is no known transposon with a gene arrangement of tnpA-blaZ-sin-arsC.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.103-108
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• 1997

To improve the detection of methicillin resistant staphylococci, lowered incubation temperature (30.deg.) and inclusion of sodium chloride in media have been empirically recommended. However, in this study, we found that sodium chloride in Peptone-Yeast Extract-K$\_$2/HPO$\_$4/ (PYK) medium decreased methicillin minimum inhibitory concentrations. Divalent cations were shown to restore the expression of staphylococcal methicillin resistance. However, when it was determined by efficiency of plating, sodium chloride increased methicillin resistance expression on agar medium in which higher divalent cations were contained in the agar medium. The decrease of minimum inhibitory concentrations at 30.deg.C by sodium chloride occurred in Brain Heart Infusion but did not occur in other media investigated. Interestingly, both PYK and Brain Heart Infusion media had peptone, which contain cholic acids having detergent activities. Inclusion of sodium chloride in PYK caused a higher rate of autolysis. Penicillin binding protein 2a that has a low affinity to beta-lactam antibiotics, was highly inducible in methicillin resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis strains. In this study, we found that autolysins that are activated by the sodium chloride decreased the minimum inhibitory concentration at 30.deg.C, and peptidoglycan is weakened due to the presence of methicillin. Peptone in the media may aggravate the fragile cells. However, stabilization due to the presence of divalent cations and production of penicilin binding protein 2a increase the survival of staphylococci.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.7
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• pp.894-901
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• 2012

Based on their respective antitumor and thrombolytic activities, the superantigen staphylococcal enterotoxin C2 (SEC2) and staphylokinase (Sak) were chosen for the construction of the novel chimeric proteins Sak-linker-SEC2 and SEC2-linker-Sak using a linker composed of nine Ala residues. Both chimeric proteins possessed nearly the same PBMC proliferation stimulating activity and antitumor activity as SEC2 and thrombolytic activity as Sak. Neither the SEC2 or Sak component of each chimeric protein affected the activity of the other component. The results presented in this study provide a possible strategy to prevent and cure tumor thrombus.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.445-451
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• 1987

Coagglutination method is widely used for the diagnosis of Salmonella infection. This test, however, has a disadvantage of false positive reaction due to the coagglutination of staphylococci with non-specific immune complexes or anti-staphylococci antibody in serum. Salmonell O antigen was detected by enzyme immunoassay with protein A-bearing Staphylococcus aureus as in the solid phase. Horse radish peroxidase was labeled to IgG specific against Salmonella O antigen. This enzyme immunoassay was much more sensitive than conventional coagglutination method without false poitive agglutination. To improve the sensitivity for detection of Salmonella O antigen in samples, we tried to determine the optimal concentration of normal IgG that inhibits non-specific binding of horse radish peroxidase labeled IgG to staphylococci, and to establish the optimal condition of reaction between antigen-antibody complex and staphylococci. Non-specific binding of horse radish peroxidase labeled specific IgG to staphylococci was almost blocked when the enzyme labeled IgG was 500-fold diluted with phosphate buffered saline containing 2mg/ml of normal IgG. When staphylococci coated with antibody to Salmonella O antigen were mixed with antigen-antibody complex and then incubated for 1 hour at room temperature, the minimal detectable concentration of Salmonella O antigen was 1ng/ml. The sensitivity of enzyme immunoassay was 100-fold greater than a conventional coagglutination method. This enzyme immunoassay could be expected as an improved method for detection of other infectious agents.