• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.189-212
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• 2003

I review the current status of understanding when, how long, and how giant elliptical galaxies formed, focusing on the globular clusters. Several observational evidences show that massive elliptical galaxies formed at z > 2 (> 10 Gyr ago). Giant elliptical galaxies show mostly a bimodal color distribution of globular clusters, indicating a factor of $\approx$ 20 metallicity difference between the two peaks. The red globular clusters (RGCs) are closely related with the stellar halo in color and spatial distribution, while the blue globular clusters (BGCs) are not. The ratio of the number of the RGCs and that of the BGCs varies depending on galaxies. It is concluded that the BGCs might have formed 12-13 Gyr ago, while the RGCs and giant elliptical galaxies might have formed similarly 10-11 Gyr ago. It remains now to explain the existence of a gap between the RGC formation epoch and the BGC formation epoch, and the rapid metallicity increase during the gap (${\Delta}t{\approx}$ 2 Gyr). If hierarchical merging can form a significant number of giant elliptical galaxies > 10 Gyr ago, several observational constraints from stars and globular clusters in elliptical galaxies can be explained.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.9
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• pp.1605-1612
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• 2016

Quinolone-resistant Salmonella strains were isolated from patient samples, and several quinolone-sensitive strains were used to analyze mutations in the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) of gyrA, gyrB, parC, and parE and to screen for plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance. Among the 21 strains that showed resistance to nalidixic acid and ciprofloxacin (MIC 0.125-2.0 μg/ml), 17 strains had a mutation in QRDR codon 87 of gyrA, and 3 strains had a single mutation (Ser83 → Phe). Another cause of resistance, efflux pump regulation, was studied by examining the expression of acrB, ramA, marA, and soxS. Five strains, including Sal-KH1 and Sal-KH2, showed no increase in relative expression in an analysis using the qRT-PCR method (p < 0.05). In order to determine the genes involved in the resistance, the Sal-9 isolate that showed decreased susceptibility and did not contain a mutation in the gyrA QRDR was used to make the STM (MIC 8 μg/ml) and STH (MIC 16 μg/ml) ciprofloxacin-resistant mutants. The gyrA QRDR Asp87 → Gly mutation was identified in both the STM and STH mutants by mutation analysis. qRT-PCR analysis of the efflux transporter acrB of the AcrAB-TolC efflux system showed increased expression levels in both the STM (1.79-fold) and STH (2.0-fold) mutants. In addition, the expression of the transcriptional regulator marA was increased in both the STM (6.35-fold) and STH (21.73-fold) mutants. Moreover, the expression of soxS was increased in the STM (3.41-fold) and STH (10.05-fold) mutants (p < 0.05). Therefore, these results indicate that AcrAB-TolC efflux pump activity and the target site mutation in gyrA are involved in quinolone resistance.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.120-126
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• 2020

Fluoroquinolone (FQ) resistant uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) have become a major problem in urinary tract infections (UTIs). The purpose of this study was to compare the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) and plasmid mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) determinants of FQ resistant UPEC between 1989 and 2010-2014. A total of 681 strains of UPEC clinical isolates was collected from Korean healthcare facility in 1989 (123 strains) and in 2010-2014 (558 strains). The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of FQs were determined by agar dilution method. QRDRs (gyrA, gyrB, parC and parE) and PMQR determinants (qnrA, qnrB, qnrS, aac(6')-Ib-cr and qepA) were analyzed polymerase chain reaction and sequencing method. Among 681 isolates, FQ resistant UPEC were 3 strains (2.4%) in 1989 isolates and 220 strains (39.4%) in 2010-2014 isolates. The rate of the FQ resistant UPEC strains in 2010-2014 isolates was increased than that of in 1989 isolates. UPEC isolates from 1989 and 2010-2014 were shown to carry mutations in gyrA (Ser83 and Asp87), gyrB (Ser464 and Thr469), parC (Ser80 and Glu84) and parE (Glu460, Ser458, Ile464 and Leu445). The most common mutations of QRDRs in 1989 isolates were Ser83Leu and Asp87Gly in gyrA and Ser80Ile in parC (2 strains: 66.7%) while those in 2010-2014 isolates were Ser83Leu and Asp87Asn in gyrA and Ser80Il2 and Glu84Val in parC (88 strains: 40.0%). PMQR determinants were detected only in 2010-2014 UPEC strains (47 strains: 21.4%).

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.1544-1548
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• 2010

Moxifloxacin (MF) - resistant mutants of Mycoplasma hominis (M. hominis) were generated by stepwise selection in increasing concentrations of MF, and six strains of MF resistant M. hominis mutants - M1, M4, M8, M16, M32, and M64 - in which MICs of MF were 0.5, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64 ${\mu}g$/ml, respectively, were generated. Compared to the sequence of M. hominis PG21, all mutants harbored amino acid substitutions of Arg-163 Thr in GyrA, and Pro-445 Gln in ParE. While the concentrations were getting higher, an additional amino acid substitution was found at Ser-153 Lys in GyrA (${\geq}4{\mu}g/ml$), Ser-91 Ile in ParC (${\geq}16{\mu}g/ml$), and Val-450 Phe (${\geq}64{\mu}g/ml$) in GyrB. These substitutions seem to have an impact on resistance to MF, and GyrB change was found only in the highest concentration and seems to be associated with high-level resistance to MF. This, as far as we know, is the first description of a relationship between MF resistance phenotype and genotype.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.74-81
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• 2016

Ureaplasma species can normally colonize in the bodies of healthy individuals. Their colonization is associated with various diseases including non-gonococcal urethritis, chorioamnionitis, neonatal meningitis, and prematurity. In 2012, the sum of the resistant and intermediate resistant rates of Ureaplasma spp. to ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin was 66.08% and 92.69%, respectively. DNA point mutations in the genes encoding DNA gyrase (topoisomerase II) and topoisomerase IV are commonly responsible for fluoroquinolone resistance. Each enzyme is composed of two subunits encoded by gyrA and gyrB genes for DNA gyrase and parC and parE genes for topoisomerase IV. In the current study, these genes were sequenced in order to determine the role of amino acid substitutions in Ureaplasma spp. clinical isolates. From December 2012 to May 2013, we examined mutation patterns of the quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) in Ureaplasma spp. DNA sequences in the QRDR region of Ureaplasma clinical isolates were compared with those of reference strains including U. urealyticum serovar 8 (ATCC 27618) and U. parvum serovar 3 (ATCC 27815). Mutations were detected in all ofloxacin- and ciprofloxacin-resistant isolates, however no mutations were detected in drug-susceptible isolates. Most of the mutations related to fluoroquinolone resistance occurred in the parC gene, causing amino acid substitutions. Newly found amino acid substitutions in this study were Asn481Ser in GyrB; Phe149Leu, Asp150Met, Asp151Ile, and Ser152Val in ParC; and Pro446Ser and Arg448Lys in ParE. Continuous monitoring and accumulation of mutation data in fluoroquinolone-resistant Ureaplasma clinical isolates are essential to determining the tendency and to understanding the mechanisms underlying antimicrobial resistance.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.98-103
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• 2002

Twenty-eight clinical isolates of Escherichia coil, composed of thirteen norfloxacin resistant isolates (MIC of >16${\mu}$g/ml), one intermediately resistant isolate (MIC of 8${\mu}$g/ml), and fourteen susceptible isolates (MIC of <4${\mu}$g/ml), were randomly selected to study the norfloxacin resistance mechanism and phylogeny in clinical isolates in Korea. Eleven nofloxacin resistant isolates and one susceptible isolate were multi-drug resistant (MDR). Every norfloxacin resistant isolate with MIC higher than 32${\mu}$g/ml had the same three mutations: Ser83\longrightarrowLeu and Asp87\longrightarrowAsn or Tyr in GyrA and Ser80\longrightarrowIle in ParC. Whereas a resistant isolate with MIC of 16${\mu}$g/ml had three mutations but Asp87 in GyrA was replaced with Gly instead of Asn. The intermediately resistant isolate had the same two mutations in GyrA but a different mutation in ParC, Glu84\longrightarrowLys. Among the susceptible isolates, two isolates with MIC of 4${\mu}$g/ml had one mutation: Ser83\longrightarrowiLeu in GyrA, and no mutation was found in the susceptible isolates. Resistant isolates showed higher efflux activity than the susceptible ones, with random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD), six susceptible isolates form a separate group from the rest of the isolates.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.185-190
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of quinolone resistant E. coli from raw bulk milk and to characterize the resistance determinants. In this study, the gyrA, gyrB, parC, and parE quinolone resistance determining regions (QRDR) were sequenced from quinolone resistant E. coli isolates. Also, the presence of plasmid-mediated quinolone resistance (PMQR) and the expression of efflux pump genes based on quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) were investigated. Of the 487 coliform bacteria, 9 strains showed nalidixic acid resistance, and 6 of the 9 nalidixic acid resistant isolates were also ciprofloxacin resistant. These 9 strains had a single mutation at codon 83 (S83L) in gyrA, 2 of them had double mutations at codon 83 and 87 (S83L and D87N) in gyrA and 3 of the 9 isolates had single mutations at codon 80 (S80I) in parC. None of the 9 isolates harbored PMQR determinants. Compared with wild-type E. coli ATCC 25922, an over-expression of the acrB gene (2.15-5.74 fold), encoding the pump component of the AcrAB-TolC efflux pump was observed in 4 of 6 ciprofloxacin resistant isolates. This study identified the quinolone resistance mechanism of E. coli isolated from raw milk samples in Gyeonggi-do.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2002

A total of twenty-five norfloxacin resistant Escherichia coli were isolated from Joongrang-chun stream, a branch of the Han River in Seoul, Korea from May to July in 2000 and their norfloxacin resistance mechanism was characterized for target site mutation, permeability, and efflux pump. Fourteen iso- lates contained the same three mutations, Ser83→Leu and Asp87→Asn in GyrA and Ser90→ lle in ParC. Six isolates had Ser83→Leu and Asp87→Tyr in GyrA and Ser87→lle in ParC while one isolate had Ser83→Leu and Va1103→Ala in GyrA and Ser80→lle in ParC. Two isolates had mutation(s) in GyrA without any mutation in ParC. Two isolates had Ser80→Arg in ParC instead of the commonly found Ser80→lle. Every norfloxacin resistant isolate had an efflux system but the correlation between the efflux activity and MIC was not observed. The amount of OmpF for norfloxacin permeability decreased in resistant isolates compared to the susceptible strains. When amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) were performed, these isolates showed no similarity to each other or clinical isolates.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.155-158
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• 2003

In early 2002, over 200 people in the city of Pusan. Korea suffered from paratyphoid fever resulting from Salmonella Paratyphi A Infection. Antimicrobial susceptibility tests and Xbal pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFCE) were conducted to 54 Salmonella Paratyphi A isolated from humans during the period of 1998 to 2002. Most of the isolates ($83\%$) were only nalidixic acid-resistant and $78\%$ were X 1 PFGE patterns. Also, we measured the MIC of ciprofloxacin and screened gyrA mutation(5) using allele- specific PCR and restriction fragment length polymorphism (AS-PCR-RFLP). The representative 5 isolates in 2002 and 1 isolate in 2000 were $1{\mu}g/ml$ of MIC and had mutation at the 83rd codon in gyrA. These data suggest that the outbreak in the early 2002 might have been due to dissemination of the strain present In 2000. Also, decreased susceptibility to ciprofloxacin was partly due to the mutation at the 83rd codon in gyrA.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.40.1-40.1
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• 2019

We utilize times since infall of cluster galaxies obtained from Yonsei Zoom-in Cluster Simulation (YZiCS), the cosmological hydrodynamic N-body simulations, and star formation rates from the SDSS data release 10 to study how quickly late-type galaxies are quenched in the cluster environments. In particular, we confirm that the distributions of both simulated and observed galaxies in phase-space diagrams are comparable and that each location of phase-space can provide the information of times since infall and star formation rates of cluster galaxies. Then, by limiting the location of phase-space of simulated and observed galaxies, we associate their star formation rates at z ~ 0.08 with times since infall using an abundance matching technique that employs the 10 quantiles of each probability distribution. Using a flexible quenching model covering different quenching scenarios, we find the star formation history of satellite galaxies that best reproduces the obtained relationship between time since infall and star formation rate at z ~ 0.08. Based on the derived star formation history, we constrain the quenching timescale (2 - 7 Gyr) with a clear stellar mass trend and confirm that the refined model is consistent with the "delayed-then-rapid" quenching scenario: the constant delayed phase as ~ 2.3 Gyr and the quenching efficiencies (i.e., e-folding timescale) outside and inside clusters as ~ 2 - 4 Gyr (${\propto}M_*^{-1}$) and 0.5 - 1.5 Gyr (${\propto}M_*^{-2}$), Finally, we suggest: (i) ram-pressure is the main driver of quenching of satellite galaxies for the local Universe, (ii) the quenching trend on stellar mass at z > 0.5 indicates other quenching mechanisms as the main driver.