• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.410-416
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• 2008

The gene SfXyn10, which encodes a protease-resistant xylanase, was isolated using colony PCR screening from a genomic library of a feather-degrading bacterial strain Streptomyces fradiae var. k11. The full-length gene consists of 1,437bp and encodes 479 amino acids, which includes 41 residues of a putative signal peptide at its N terminus. The amino acid sequence shares the highest similarity (80%) to the endo-1,4-${\beta}$-xylanase from Streptomyces coelicolor A3, which belongs to the glycoside hydrolase family 10. The gene fragment encoding the mature xylanase was expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3). The recombinant protein was purified to homogeneity by acetone precipitation and anion-exchange chromatography, and subsequently characterized. The optimal pH and temperature for the purified recombinant enzyme were 7.8 and $60^{\circ}C$, respectively. The enzyme showed stability over a pH range of 4.0-10.0. The kinetic values on oat spelt xylan and birchwood xylan substrates were also determined. The enzyme activity was enhanced by $Fe^{2+}$ and strongly inhibited by $Hg^{2+}$ and SDS. The enzyme also showed resistance to neutral and alkaline proteases. Therefore, these characteristics suggest that SfXyn10 could be an important candidate for protease-resistant mechanistic research and has potential applications in the food industry, cotton scouring, and improving animal nutrition.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.26-35
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• 1997

Background : Glycopeptide antibiotics are the only drugs for treatment of infections due to beta-lactam-resistant Gram-positive bacteria. As the incidence of infection and colonization with vancomycin-resistant enterococci(VRE) rapidly increases, the hospital infection control practices advisory committee(HICPAC) recommends prudent vancomycin use to detect, prevent and control infection and colonization with VRE. Methods : The inpatients admitted from September to December, 1996 in Pusan National University Hospital, with Gram-positive bacterial infections were evaluated retrospectively to see whether the administrations of glycopeptide antibiotics were appropriate or not, upon comparison with the recommendations for preventing the spread of vancomycin resistance by HICPAC. Results : Teicoplanin has been chosen more frequently than vancomycin of the glycopeptide antibiotics. The indications of administration of glycopeptides in patients with pneumonia, wound infections, sepsis, and in febrile or neutropenic patients with malignancies were appropriate, but the use of glycopeptides for elimination of merely colonized bacteria in the oral cavity could not be excluded. Inappropriate use of glycopeptides was 10.6%, and inappropriately long-term use without positive culture for beta-lactam-resistant Gram-positive organisms was about 40% of total days of drug use. Conclusion : It seems essential for the quality assurance committee to make a plan in teaching the HICPAC recommendations to the medical practitioners who prescribed the glycopeptides inappropriately or used for irrelevantly long to his patient, monitor and survey their use of glycopeptides prospectively and periodically, and if there are repeated inappropriate prescriptions, a certain penalty would be given to the practitioners.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1336-1342
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• 2005

The present research work was conducted to evaluate the beneficial effects as well as the safety aspects of lactobacilli as probiotic. Lactobacilli were isolated from poultry faecal samples, feed samples and from some known preparations procured from poultry feed manufacturers. L. acidophilus and L. sporogenes were tested for the antibacterial activity against four poultry pathogens viz. Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Proteus spp. and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Cell free supernatant (CFS) of L. acidophilus exhibited significantly higher antibacterial activity against Salmonella spp. at original pH (4.50${\pm}$0.02). At the adjusted pH (6.50${\pm}$0.02) significantly higher antibacterial activity was recorded against indicator organism except for P. aeruginosa. Likewise, L. sporogenes exhibited similar antibacterial activity at original as well as adjusted pH except for E. coli. Antibacterial activity against E. coli was significantly higher at adjusted pH than at original pH of CFS. The competitive exclusion of E. coli by lactobacilli over the intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) was checked. L. acidophilus strain I, which was of poultry origin, exhibited maximum attachment over IEC as compared to other three strains of non-poultry origin viz. L. acidophilus strain II, L. sporogenes strain I and II. Overall, L. acidophilus exhibited higher competitive exclusion as compared to L. sporogenes. All the lactobacilli of poultry origin were most sensitive to penicillin G, amoxycillin, ampicillin and chloramphenicol, least sensitive to sulphamethizole, ciprofloxacin, neomycin, norfloxacin and pefloxacin and resistant to metronidazole and nalidixic acid. The isolates from probiotic preparations were most sensitive to ampicillin, amoxycillin and tetracycline, least sensitive to sulphamethizole, norfloxacin, neomycin and ceftriazone and resistant to nalidixic acid and metronidazole. Eight of the multiple drug resistant lactobacilli isolates were studied for the presence of plasmids. Plasmids could be extracted from six isolates of lactobacilli. These plasmids could be responsible for bacteriocin production or for antibiotic resistance of the strains. The lactobacilli need further studies regarding their safety for use in the probiotic preparations.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.9
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• pp.127-133
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• 1991

PI201232, a pepper line resistant to Phytophthora capsici Leonian, was crossed with PI2713222 and P1163192, resistant to Xanthomonas campestTis pv. vesicatoria (Doidge) Dye and inheritance of the resistance to each disease and genetic relationship between the two disease resistances was studied. Non-hypersensitive resistance to race 3 of X. c. pv. vesicatoria of PI271322 was inherited in a quantitative mode. Resitance to P. capsici of PI201232 was inherited in a mode close to two dominant alleles. Hypersensitive resistance to race 1 of X. c. pv. vesicatoria of PI271322 was inherited in a mode of single dominant allele. PI 163192 was consistently resistant to both race 1 and race 3 of X c. pv. vesicatoria and the resistance was inherited in a quantitative mode with high dominance effect. Resistance to X. c. pv. vesicatoria was inherited independently from resistance to P. capsici.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.78 no.3
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• pp.289-292
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• 2015

Lemierre syndrome (LS) is a septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein (IJV) following an oropharyngeal infection. LS is commonly caused by normal anaerobic flora and treated with appropriate antibiotics and anticoagulation therapy. Although the incidence of disease is very rare, 15% cases of LS are fatal even in the antibiotic era because of disseminated septic thromboemboli. We reported a case of extensive bilateral LS due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis in a 63-year-old female with lung adenocarcinoma. Initial examination revealed a retropharyngeal abscess; hence, intravenous ceftriaxone and steroid were initiated empirically. However, pulmonary thromboembolism developed and methicillin-resistant S. epidermidis was identified in the bacterial culture. Despite intensive antibiotic and anticoagulation therapies, extensive septic thrombophlebitis involving the bilateral IJV and superior vena cava developed. Adjunctive catheter-directed thrombolysis and superior vena cava stenting were performed and the patient received antibiotic therapy for an additional 4 weeks, resulting in complete recovery.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2007

Due to wide abuse of antibiotics both in human and livestock use, the advent and spread of multidrug resistant (MDR) pathogens becomes a serious health problem all over the world. Since the development of new antibiotics is at a standstill in pharmaceutical industry, the choice of therapeutic antibiotics is getting narrower. In this study, in an effort to search new antibiotics, the antimicrobial activity of Paenibacillus DY1 isolated from Korean soil was characterized on its growth inhibition spectrum against various health threatening MDR strains, with its stability and chemical structure. Extracellular culture filtrate of Paenibacillus DY1 effectively inhibits the growth of all the tested MDR enteropathogenic Eshcherichia coli, enterohemolytic E. coli, and enterotoxigenic E. coli strains, at a similar level to that on the nonresistant control E. coli strains. It showed significant growth inhibition effect against the causative agents of class one legal communicable disease, MDR Salmonella typhi, MDR Salmonella paratyphi A, food poisoning bacteria, MDR Salmonella typhimurium, and other MDR Salmonella spp. The growth of all of 10 different MDR Shigella spp. strains and 6 different Vibrio spp. strains tested was also inhibited. The antimicrobial activity of Paenibacillus DY1 was well preserved after heat treatment, and was also stable in both alkaline and acidic environment. The antimicrobial activity was partially purified with Diaion HP20 column and TLC. By NMR study, the putative structure of the activity was postulated as an alkane having hydroxyl groups.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.239-247
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• 2003

In Korea, a local soybean (Glycine max) genotype 56l. was found to be strongly resistant to a virulent bacterial strain of a Pseudomonas sp. SN239. Specific genes involved in the resistance of the soybean genotype 561 were identified and the pattern of gene expression against the Pseudomonas infection was analyzed using differential-display reverse transcription PCR (DDRT-PCR). More than 126 cDNA fragments representing mRNAs were induced within 48 hours of bacteria inoculation. Among them, 28 cDNA fragments were cloned and sequenced. Twelve differentially displayed clones with open reading frames had unknown functions. Sixteen selected cDNA clones were homologous to known genes of other organisms. Some of the identified cDNAs were pathogenesis-related (PR) genes and PR-like genes. These cDNAs included a putative calmodulin-binding protein; an endo-l,3-1,4-$\bate$-D-glucanase; a $\bate$-1,3-endoglucanase; a $\bate$-1,3-exoglucanase; a phytochelatin synthetase-like gene; a thiol protease; a cycloartenol synthase; and a putative receptor-like serine/threonine protein kinase. Among them, four genes were found to be putative PR genes induced significantly by the Pseudomonas infection. These included a calmodulin-binding protein gene, a $\bate$-1,3-endoglucanase gene, a receptor-like serine/threonine protein kinase gene, and pS321 (unknown function). These results suggest that the differentially expressed genes may mediate the strong resistance of soybean 561 to the strain SN239 of Pseudomonas sp.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.574-579
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• 2003

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) has been emerging worldwide as one of the most important hospital and community pathogens. Therefore, new agents are needed to treat the MRSA. In the present study, we investigated antimicrobial activity of ethyl acetate, methanol, and water extracts of Curcuma longa L. (C. longa) aganist clinical isolates of MRSA. The ethyl acetate extract of C. long a demonstrated a higher antibacterial activity than the methanol extract or water extract. Since the ethyl acetate extract was more active than other extracts, we examined whether ethyl acetate extract may restore the antibacterial activity of β-lactams and alter the adhesion and invasion of MRSA to human mucosal fibroblasts (HMFs). In the checkerboard test, ethyl acetate extract of C. longa markedly lowered the MICs of ampicillin and oxacillin against MRSA. In the bacterial adhesion and invasion assay, MRSA intracellular invasion were notably decreased in the presence of 0.125 - 2 mg/ml of C. longa extract compared to the control group. These results suggest that ethyl acetate extract of C. longa may have antibacterial activity and the potential to restore the effectiveness of β-lactams against MRSA, and inhibit the MRSA adhesion and invasion to HMFs.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.371-378
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• 2016

An aim of current study was to investigate the prevalence and the mechanism of quinolone-resistance in E. coli isolates obtained from chicken cecum in Korea. In addition, multilocus sequence typing (MLST) was also performed for the molecular characterization of E. coli isolates. In an antimicrobial susceptibility test by the disk diffusion method, the 63.5% (54/85) of E. coli isolates showed the resistance to quinolone group of antimicrobial agents. All of the 54 E. coli isolates showing resistant to quinolone group had sense mutations in gyrA gene and point mutations at the $57^{th}$, $80^{th}$, or $84^{th}$ residues in parC gene were detected in 90.7% of the isolates. Interestingly, E. coli ST was closely related to amino acid substitutions in parE gene. Our results indicated that the long-term use of antimicrobial agents in food-producing animals was strongly associated with a prevalence of antimicrobial resistance in commensal Enterobacteriaceae, suggesting the need for continuous surveillance and monitoring of antimicrobial resistant determinants in bacterial isolates from food animals.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.31-45
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• 2020

Objectives In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial activity of a 70% ethanol extract of Maneung-hwan (MEH), which is prescribed by practitioners of oriental medicine for use against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Methods The antibacterial activity of MEH against MRSA strains was evaluated using the disc diffusion method, broth microdilution method (minimal inhibitory concentration, MIC), checkerboard dilution test, and time-kill test. The mechanism of action of MEH was investigated by bacteriolysis using detergents or ATPase inhibitors Additionally, mRNA and protein expression were investigated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blot assay, respectively. Results The MIC of MEH was 25~1,600 ㎍/mL against all the tested bacterial strains. We showed that MEH extract exerts strong antibacterial activity. In the checkerboard dilution test, the fractional inhibitory concentration index of MEH in combination with antibiotics indicated synergism or partial synergism against S. aureus. The time-kill study indicated that the growth of the tested bacteria was considerably inhibited after a 24-h treatment with MEH and selected antibiotics. To measure the cell membrane permeability, MEH (3.9 ㎍/mL) was combined with Triton X-100 (TX) at various concentrations N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodimide (DCCD) was also tested as an ATPase inhibitor. TX and DCCD cooperation against S. aureus exhibited synergistic action. Accordingly, the antimicrobial activity of MEH in the context of cell membrane rupture and ATPase inhibition was assessed. Additionally, the expression of genes and proteins associated with resistance was reduced after exposing MRSA to MEH. Conclusions These results suggest that MEH possesses antibacterial activity and acts as a potential natural antibiotic against MRSA.