• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.596-603
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• 2009

This study aimed to examine the influence of adding an oxygen vector, n-dodecane, on hyaluronic acid (HA) production by batch culture of Streptococcus zooepidemicus. Owing to the high viscosity of culture broth, microbial HA production during 8-16 h was limited by the oxygen transfer coefficient $K_La$, which could be enhanced by adding n-dodecane. With the addition of n-dodecane to the culture medium to a final concentration of 5% (v/v), the average value of $K_La$ during 8-16 h was increased to $36{\pm}2h^{-1}$, which was 3.6 times that of the control without n-dodecane addition. With the increased $K_La$ and dissolved oxygen (DO) by adding 5% (v/v) of n-dodecane, a 30% increase of HA production was observed compared with the control. Furthermore, the comparison of the oxygen mass transfer in the absence and presence of n-dodecane was conducted with two proposed mathematical models. The use of n-dodecane as an oxygen vector, as described in this paper, provides an efficient alternative for the optimization of other aerobic biopolymer productions, where $K_La$ is usually a limiting factor.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.718-724
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• 2008

Dissolved oxygen (DO) and shear stress have pronounced effects on hyaluronic acid (HA) production, yet various views persist about their effects on the molecular weight of HA. Accordingly, this study investigated the effects of DO and shear stress during HA fermentation. The results showed that both cell growth and HA synthesis were suppressed under anaerobic conditions, and the HA molecular mass was only $(1.22{\pm}0.02){\times}10^6 Da$. Under aerobic conditions, although the DO level produced no change in the biomass or HA yield, a high DO level favored the HA molecular mass, which reached a maximum value of $(2.19{\pm}0.05){\times}10^6 Da$ at 50% DO. Furthermore, a high shear stress delayed the rate of HA synthesis and decreased the HA molecular weight, yet had no clear effect on the HA yield. Therefore, a high DO concentration and mild shear environment would appear to be essential to enhance the HA molecular weight.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.3
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• pp.344-357
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• 2020

Strain improvement and bioprocess development were undertaken to enhance hyaluronic acid(HA) production by Streptococcus zooepidemicus cells. Using a high-yielding mutant strain, statistical medium optimization was carried out in shake flask cultures, resulting in 52% increase in HA production (5.38 g/l) at the optimal medium composition relative to the parallel control cultures. For sufficient supply of dissolved oxygen (DO), which turned out to be crucial for enhanced production of HA, agitation system and speed were intensively investigated in 5 L bioreactor cultures. Increase in oxygen mass transfer coefficient (k_La) through increment of agitation speed (rpm) and 35% expansion of diameter of the newly-designed impellers showed significantly positive effects on HA production. By installing an expanded Rushton-turbine impeller for efficient break-down of sparged air, and an extended marine impeller above the Rushton-turbine impeller for efficient mixing of the air-born viscous fermentation broth, maximum amount of HA (9.79 g/l) was obtained at 450 rpm, 1.8 times higher level than that of the corresponding flask culture. Subsequently, the possibility of bioprocess scale-up to a 50 L bioreactor was investigated. Despite almost identical maximum HA production (9.11 vs 9.25 g/l), the average HA volumetric productivity (r_p) of the 50 L culture turned out only 74% compared to the corresponding 5 L culture during the exponential phase, possibly caused by shear damages imposed on the producing cells at the high stirring in the 50 L culture. The scale-up process could be successfully achieved if a scale-up criterion of constant oxygen mass transfer coefficient (k_La) is applied to the 50 L pilot-scale bioreactor system.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.209-216
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• 2011

This study carried out to investigate the pathogenic Streptococcus spp. isolated from respiratory tract of Thoroughbred in Jeju province. The specimens were collected from nasal mucosa using a culture swab from 113 Thoroughbred horses. Suspected colonies were selected onto blood and MacConkey agar plate, and identified by standard biochemical properties using Vitek 2 system and PCR method. In this study, we isolated S. equi (n=6), S. zooepidemicus (n=31), S. equisimilis (n=5), S. dysgalactiae (n=2), S. agalctiae (n=1), non identified ${\beta}$-hemolytic Streptococcus spp. (n=1) from Thoroughbred horses. In antimicrobial susceptibility test, it showed a high sensibility in the most of antimicrobial except for neomycin, streptomycin, spectinomycin, erythromycin and clindamycin. These results will provide the basic information to establish control measures for the treatment and prevention of respiratory disease by pathogenic Streptococcus spp. in Thoroughbred horses in Korea.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.158-163
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• 2006

This work describes an outbreak of strangles due to Streptococcus equi subsp. equi in 1 to 2 years old Thoroughbred horses. A total of 7 samples were collected from 5 horses in two different horse farms during 2003. Six ${\beta}$-hemolytic colonies selected from each sample were identified by biochemical tests using API STREPTO followed by PCR amplification which is able to recognize unique region of SeM gene of S. equi subsp. equi. All colonies selected from the ruptured lymphadenitis of 2 horses in farm A were identified as S. dysgalactiae subsp. equisimillis. It seems to be secondary infection because the sampling sites have been already opened and the horses have been treated with antibiotics for a week. All colonies from 2 submandibular lymphadenitis samples in Farm B were S. equi subsp. equi while the isolates from 3 nasal discharges in this farm were mixed with S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.19-23
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• 2015

This study was carried out to investigate the genital tract bacterial flora of riding mare in Jangsu stud farm during March to September, 2014. The specimens were collected from vaginal and uterus using a swab from 104 riding mares. Colonies were selected on blood and MacConkey agar plates, and identified as standard biochemical properties and Maldi-Tof MS. From this study, we isolated 148 strains including Escherichia (E.) coli (14.19%), Streptococcus (S.) equi subsp. zooepidemicus (2.7%), Streptococcus (S.) dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis (2.03%), Klebsiella (K.) pneumonia (1.35%) and other strains from riding mares. In antimicrobial agents susceptibility test, it showed a high sensibility to the antibiotics of the most. E. coli and S. zooepidemicus were visible to have a high sensibility to almost antibiotics used in this study. However, K. pnemoniae showed a high antibiotic resistance patterns. These results may provide the basic information to establish strategies for the treatment and prevention of reproductive diseases in riding mares in Korea.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.525-532
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• 2020

A continuous fermentation process was carried out to enhance hyaluronic acid (HA) production using Streptococcus zooepidemicus cells. During the 1st stage continuous operation from 8 h with a dilution rate of 0.029/h (D1), HA was produced in the range of 7.5-10 g/l. During the 2nd stage from 44 h with a dilution rate of 0.036/h (D2), HA production (8.28 g/l) was initially reduced to a small extent due to increase of dilution rate from D1 to D2, and then a new pseudo-steady state was formed within a few hours with a concurrent small variations of HA production. The HA amount produced during the latter part of the 2nd stage was stably maintained in the range of 8.28-9.48 g/l, about 4.7% less amount compared to the 1st stage. Due to 24% increase of dilution rate from D1 to D2, however, maximum volumetric productivity (DP) amounting to 0.341 g/l/h was obtained at 96 h during the 2nd stage. This maximum productivity obtained from the continuous culture turned out only a small increase (3%) as compared to the corresponding batch fermentation. However, it should be noted that, in the case of batch process, one run typically consists of serial stages of growth culture plus one final production culture. This implies that, if the continuous fermentation that practically needs no dead time necessary for the multi-stage growth cultures is run for longer period, the total amount of the accumulated HA would be far greater than the amount obtained from the corresponding batch culture performed for the identical period.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2007

This study carried out to investigate the genital tract bacterial flora of Thoroughbred mare in Jeju province during March and July, 2006. The specimens were collected from vaginal ucosa and clitorial fossa using a culture swab (BBL, USA) from 100 Thoroughbred mares. Colonies were selected blood and MacConkey agar plate, and identified as standard biochemical properties using Biolog system (Thermo, USA). In this study, 470 gram-negative strains were isolated more frequently than 249 gram-positive strains. We were Isolated Escherichia coli (19.8%), Proteus mirabillis (14.9%), Enterobacter nimipressuralis (7.4%), Enterobacter mobilis (4.7%), Aeromonas encheleia (4.3%), Pseudomonas aeroginosa (3.0%), Staphylococcus aureus (14.9%), Staphylococcus epidermidis (11.2%), Coagulasenegative Staphylococcus spp. (10.0%), Enterococcus faecalis (9.2%), Enterococcus faecium (8.0%), Actinomyces viscosus (7.2%), Micoroccus diversus(6.8%), Streptococcus dysgalactiae subsp. equisimilis(5.2%), Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus (3.2%), Other non-beta hemolytic Streptococcus spp. (2.0%) and many others from vaginal mucosa and clitorial fossa in Thoroughbred mares. No significant bacteria (Taylorella equigenitalis and Klebsiella pneumonia) were isolated from the mare genital tract. In antimicrobial agents susceptibility test, it shows a high sensibility in the antibiotics of the most which excepts the streptomycin and neomycinm, kanamycin, spectinomycin, compound sulfonamides. Especially, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Enterococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. were visible a high sensibility in the all antibiotics. However, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus spp. and E. coli were showed a high antibiotic resistance patterns. These results may provide the basic information to establish strategies for the treatment and prevention of reproductive disease in Thoroughbred mares in Korea.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Veterinary Pathology Conference
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• 2004.10a
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• pp.44-44
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• 2004

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.1041-1050
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• 2009

Equine respiratory disease is a common cause of poor performance and training interruptions. The higher incidence rate of infectious upper respiratory disease (IURD) in thoroughbred racehorses at the Seoul Race Park coincided with the frequent stabling season, shorter stabling periods, and younger ages in this study. Incidence rates were also correlated with significantly lower proportions of cells expressing MHC class II-, CD2 antigen-, $CD4^+$- or $CD8^+$-T lymphocyte-, and B lymphocyte in IURD patients compared with healthy control groups in the summer and fall and in 2-and-3-year-old groups. The data suggested that movement and new environments may have resulted in immunosuppression and inappropriate responses to respiratory pathogens in IURD patients. The IURD incidence decreased with age, perhaps by the acquisition of immunity, and study results suggested that immunologic protection was associated with IURD, particularly in young thoroughbred racehorses. Streptococci isolates were identified in 11 of 72 IURD horses, and 3 of these isolates were identified as Streptococcus. equi subsp. equi. S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus was isolated from 2 of 23 IURD horses in the spring (8.7%), 5 of 23 in the summer (21.7%), and 1 of 6 in winter (16.7%). S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus (5%) was also identified in 3 of 61 isolates from clinically normal horses. Racetracks should implement anti-IURD protective measures by assessing the capacity of equine immunologic protection at the Park and by limiting the introduction of specific respiratory pathogens (such as S. equi subsp. equi) by preventing the access of infected but subclinical horses with a specified respiratory pathogen-free certification system prior to Park entry.