• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.32-35
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• 2024

In vitro antimicrobial activities of hot water extracts of Chamaecyparis obtuse, for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) was compared to commonly used conventional antimicrobial agents. All MRSA was susceptible to linezolid or vancomycin, but also to erythromycin. MIC range and MIC₉₀ to erythromycin, clindamycin, levofloxacin, tetracycline for MRSA were each 4 ㎍/mL, 2 ~ >128 ㎍/mL, ≤0.06 ~ >128 ㎍/mL, 0.25 ~ >128 ㎍/mL, 0.25~64 ㎍/mL and 4 ㎍/mL, .128 ㎍/mL, >128 ㎍/mL, >128 ㎍/mL, 64 ㎍/mL. The hot water extracts of leaf of C. obtuse had the lowest MIC range, MIC₅₀, and MIC₉₀ (0.125 µL/mL) for the MRSA tested, and it was possible more potent than various conventional antimicrobial agents. Screen antibacterial drug candidate with high antibacterial activity such as derivatives of C. obtuse leaf extract such as terpinen-4-ol or using combined therapy with commercialized antibacterial agents will likely be helpful in treating refractory MRSA infections.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.152-161
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• 2014

The in vitro antimicrobial potential of the unexplored Moringa oleifera seed coat (SC) was evaluated against some Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and yeast pathogens. Antimicrobial studies with various solvent extracts indicated ethyl acetate to be the best extractant, which was used for the rest of the antimicrobial studies as it tested neither toxic nor mutagenic. Gram-positive bacteria including a methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strain were more susceptible with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) range of 0.03-0.04 mg/ml. The antimicrobial pharmacodynamics of the extract exhibited both concentration-dependent and time-dependent killing. Most of the test organisms exhibited a short post antibiotic effect (PAE) except Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae 1, which exhibited longer PAEs. Amongst the major phytoconstituents established, flavonoids, diterpenes, triterpenes and cardiac glycosides exhibited inhibitory properties against most of the test organisms. The identified active phytochemicals of the M. oleifera seed coat exhibited antimicrobial potential against a wide range of medically important pathogens including the multidrug-resistant bugs. Hence, the M. oleifera seed coat, which is usually regarded as an agri-residue, could be a source of potential candidates for the development of drugs or drug leads of broad spectrum that includes multidrug-resistant bugs, which are one of the greatest concerns of the $21^{st}$ century.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.51-57
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• 2016

Fifty and forty two Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar 52 Typhimurium (ST) strains were isolated from chicken and pigs, respectively, collected from markets throughout Korea from 2008 to 2011. The isolates were investigated for the presence of antimicrobial resistance and multi-drug patterns. All 50 ST isolates from chicken and 42 ST isolates from pigs were resistant to at least one of 13 antibiotics used in this study, 92.0% of ST isolates from chicken and 88.1% of ST isolates from pigs were resistant to three or more antimicrobials. As many as 3 isolates of ST isolates from chicken were resistant to 11 of 13 antimicrobials tested in this study. Only one isolate of ST isolates from pigs was resistant to 10 of 13 antimicrobials. The ACSSuT resistance phenotype was observed in 34% of the 50 isolates and 23.8% of the 42 isolates. Especially, 1 isolate from pigs had the ACSSuTAu. The high rate of antimicrobial-resist and multi-drug resistant (MDR) ST isolation may give rise to crucial public health problems. Therefore, control of antimicrobial use, and continuous monitoring of antimicrobial resistance and MDR patterns among Salmonella isolates in chicken and pig farms is necessary to ensure public health.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.118-123
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• 2016

Antimicrobial agents have been used in poultry for treatment of bacterial infections or additives over the past half century. However, increasing antimicrobial resistance has led to selective pressure for therapeutic use in humans and made treatment of bacterial infection more difficult. In this study, we examined the prevalence of plasmid mediated antimicrobial resistant determinants for resistance to ${\beta}-lactam$, quinolone, and aminoglycoside in Enterobacteriaceae isolates obtained from chickens in Gyeongsang provinces, and correlation between the resistant genes and antimicrobial resistance rate was also assessed. A total of 43 Enterobacteriaceae isolates were recovered from 40 chickens at Gyeongsang provinces in Korea. Antimicrobial susceptibility was determined by disk diffusion method. PCR and DNA sequencing were performed to characterize the antimicrobial resistant genes. Of the 43 Enterobacteriaceae isolates tested, 2 isolates harbored $bla_{CTX-M-14}$ gene, and 2 and 5 strains contained qnrS and aac(6')-Ib-cr genes, respectively. A total of 43 isolates displayed a relatively lower susceptible rate ranging between 0.0 and 23.3% to most of the antimicrobial agents, except cefepime, ceftazidime, and cefaclor. We confirmed that plasmid mediated antimicrobial resistant determinants were distributed in Enterobacteriaceae isolates from chickens. Investigation of the genes and monitoring of antimicrobial resistance rate is required to prevent further spreading of antimicrobial resistant genes among Enterobacteriaceae isolates.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.850-857
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• 2022

Seventy-five Vibrio parahaemolyticus isolates from the surface seawater of the Geum River Estuary area, on the west coast of Korea, were analyzed for the presence of virulence genes and susceptibility to 17 different antimicrobials. All 75 isolates were examined for the presence of two virulence genes (tdh or trh) using polymerase chain reaction; Only one of the isolates possessed the tdh or trh gene. According to the results of disk diffusion susceptibility tests, all of the strains were resistant to penicillin G, 92.0% were resistant to ampicillin, 82.7% were resistant to amoxicillin, 2.7% were resistant to ciprofloxacin, 2.7% were resistant to trimethoprim, 1.3% were resistant to cephalothin, and 1.3% were resistant to erythromycin. However, all of the strains were susceptible to amikacin, cefoxitin, chloramphenicol, gentamycin, kanamycin, nalidixic acid, nitrofurantoin, rifampin, streptomycin, and tetracycline. The average minimum inhibitory concentrations for ampicillin for V. parahaemolyticus was 557.6 ㎍/mL. These results not only provide novel insight into the necessity for seawater sanitation in Geum river estuary area, but they help reduce the risk of contamination of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.3-6
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• 2000

Antimicrobial resistance has been a well-recognized problem ever since the introduction of penicillin into clinical use. History of antimicrobial development can be categorized based on the major antibiotics that had been developed against emerging resistant $pathogens^1$. In the first period from 1940 to 1960, penicillin was a dominating antibiotic called as a "magic bullet", although S.aureus armed with penicillinase led antimicrobial era to the second period in 1960s and 1970s. The second stage was characterized by broad-spectrum penicillins and early generation cephalosporins. During this period, nosocomial infections due to gram-negative bacilli became more prevalent, while those caused by S.aureus declined. A variety of new antimicrobial agents with distinct mechanism of action including new generation cephalosporins, monobactams, carbapenems, ${\beta}$-lactamase inhibitors, and quinolones characterized the third period from 1980s to 1990s. However, extensive use of wide variety of antibiotics in the community and hospitals has fueled the crisis in emerging antimicrobial resistance. Newly appeared drug-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae (DRSP), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), extended-spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamase-producing Klebsiella, and VRSA have posed a serious threat in many parts of the world. Given the recent epidemiology of antimicrobial resistance and its clinical impact, there is no greater challenge related to emerging infections than the emergence of antibiotic resistance. Problems of antimicrobial resistance can be amplified by the fact that resistant clones or genes can spread within or between the species as well as to geographically distant areas which leads to a global concern$^2$. Antimicrobial resistance is primarily generated and promoted by increased use of antimicrobial agents. Unfortunately, as many as 50 % of prescriptions for antibiotics are reported to be inappropriate$^3$. Injudicious use of antibiotics even for viral upper respiratory infections is a universal phenomenon in every part of the world. The use of large quantities of antibiotics in the animal health industry and farming is another major factor contributing to selection of antibiotic resistance. In addition to these background factors, the tremendous increase in the immunocompromised hosts, popular use of invasive medical interventions, and increase in travel and mixing of human populations are contributing to the resurgence and spread of antimicrobial resistance$^4$. Antimicrobial resistance has critical impact on modem medicine both in clinical and economic aspect. Patients with previously treatable infections may have fatal outcome due to therapeutic failure that is unusual event no more. The potential economic impact of antimicrobial resistance is actually uncountable. With the increase in the problems of resistant organisms in the 21st century, however, additional health care costs for this problem must be enormously increasing.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.719-724
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• 2018

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium responsible for a number of infections in humans that are difficult to treat, and as a result, is a substantial contributor to morbidity and mortality. In the present study, in search of natural products capable of inhibiting this multidrug-resistant bacterium, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of Lysimachia clethroides Duby root. The antibacterial activities of EtOH extract of Lysimachia clethroides Duby root and its n-hexane, EtOAc, n-BuOH and water fractions were evaluated against 15 strains of methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and 1 standard methicillin-susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) strain by using the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) assay, colorimetric assay using MTT test, checkerboard dilution test. Antimicrobial activity of n-hexane fraction of Lysimachia clethroides Duby root was remarkable. Against the 16 strains, the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were in the range of $31.25-62.5{\mu}g/ml$ and FICI values for n-hexane fraction of Lysimachia clethroides Duby root+AM and n-hexane fraction of Lysimachia clethroides Duby root+OX were checkerboard method performed using the MRSA, MSSA and one clinical isolate strains via MICI 0.12-1 and 0.25-0.75, showing the increase of synergistic effect. When combined together, these antibiotic effects were dramatically increased. These effective combinations could be new promising agents in the management of MRSA.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.41 no.6
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• pp.435-439
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• 2008

The antimicrobial resistance of 160 strains of Enterococcus faecalis and 173 strains of E. faecium to 12 antimicrobial agents was investigated. The test strains were isolated from 126 wild seawater and farmed fish, including olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), black rock fish (Sebastes schlegeli), red sea bream (Pagrus major), and sea bass (Lateolabrax japonicus), in 2005 and 2006. Overall, 91.9% of the E. faecalis isolates and 88.4% of the E. faecium isolates showed antimicrobial resistance to at least one antimicrobial agent. The pattern of antimicrobial resistance of the isolates differed little according to the species of fish. The percentage of E. faecalis and E. faecium with specific antimicrobial resistance differed according to the sample source. For the isolates from farmed fish samples, 66.7% of E. faecalis were tetracycline resistant and 54.5% of E. faecium were erythromycin resistant. By contrast, in the wild fish seawater samples, 92.0% of E. faecalis were rifampin resistant and 88.5% of E. faecium were tetracycline resistant.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.1007-1014
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• 2015

Plectasin, the first defensin extracted from a fungus (the saprophytic ascomycete Pseudoplectania nigrella), is attractive as a prospective antimicrobial agent. The purpose of this study was to establish a bacterium-based production system and evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the resulting plectasin. A gene encoding plectasin, with the codon preference of Escherichia coli, was optimized based on its amino acid sequence, synthesized using genesplicing with overlap extension PCR, and inserted into the expression vector pGEX-4T-1. The fusion protein was expressed in the soluble fraction of E. coli and purified using glutathione Stransferase affinity chromatography. Plectasin was cleaved from the fusion protein with thrombin and purified by ultrafiltration. The purified plectasin showed strong, concentrationdependent antimicrobial activity against gram-positive bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant bacteria, especially penicillin-resistant Enterococcus faecium. This antimicrobial activity was equal to chemically synthesized plectasin and was maintained over a wide range of pH and temperatures. This soluble recombinant expression system in E. coli is effective for producing plectasin at a relatively lower cost, and higher purity and efficiency than prior systems, and might provide a foundation for developing a large-scale production system. Overall, plectasin shows potential as a novel, high-performance, and safe antibiotic for the treatment of refractory diseases caused by drug-resistant bacterial strains.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.2043-2050
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• 2016

Exploring novel antibiotics is necessary for multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria. Because the probiotics in soybean food have antimicrobial activities, we investigated their effects on multidrug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Nineteen multidrug-resistant A. baumannii strains were clinically isolated as an experimental group and 11 multidrug-sensitive strains as controls. The growth rates of all bacteria were determined by using the analysis for xCELLigence Real-Time Cell. The combination of antibiotics showed synergistic effects on the strains in the control group but no effect on the strains in the experimental group. Efflux pump gene adeS was absent in all the strains from the control group, whereas it exists in all the strains from the experimental group. Furthermore, all the strains lost multidrug resistance when an adeS inhibitor was used. One strain of probiotics isolated from soybean food showed high antimicrobial activity for multidrug-resistant A. baumannii. The isolated strain belongs to Bacillus subtilis according to 16S RNA analysis. Furthermore, E. coli showed multidrug resistance when it was transformed with the adeS gene from A. baumannii whereas the resistant bacteria could be inhibited completely by isolated Bacillus subtilis. Thus, probiotics from soybean food provide potential antibiotics against multidrug-resistant pathogenic bacteria.