• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제43권2호
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• pp.196-203
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• 2005

Here, we attempted to evaluate the activity of artificially transconjugated multiple plasmids in 'designer biocatalysts' for the bioremediation of cocontaminated sites under nonselective conditions. We observed profound losses in the percent survivals of artificially transconjugated plasmid activity ($66 - 78\%$ loss immediately after freeze-drying, $99.45 - 99.88\%$ loss by the end of 6 months storage) in reconstituted Pseudomonas sp. KM12TC. Such unpredictable high losses of this particular plasmid appeared to clearly be a deleterious effect. However, even after 6 months of storage, the cells remained able to degrade $95\%$ of phenol within 9 days, and the full effiux of$^%${73} As, as compared to that of the non-freeze-dried cells, was successfully achieved 4 to 9 days later. These results indicate that 'stable designer biocatalysts' can remain viable, even after freeze-drying and 6 months of storage.

• 한국군사과학기술학회지
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.305-312
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• 2011

Bacillus anthracis(Ba) is a Gram-positive spore-forming bacterium that causes the disease anthrax. The feature of Ba is the presence of two large virulence plasmids, pXO1 and pXO2. Molecular genotyping of Ba has been difficult to the lack of polymorphic DNA marker. Ba isolated from Korea has been genotyped using various nucleotide analysis methods, such as 16s rDNA sequencing and multiple-locus variable-number tandem repeat (MLVA) analysis. We identified genotypes that represent a genetic lineage in the B1 cluster. This study emphasized the need to perform molecular genotyping when attempting to verify a strain-specific Ba.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제18권9호
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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.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.270-276
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• 2016

Extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs), particularly those of the CTX-M types, are the predominant resistance determinants of Escherichia coli that are rapidly spreading worldwide. To determine CTX-M types, E. coli isolates were collected from retail chickens (n = 390) and environmental samples from chicken farms (n = 32) and slaughterhouses (n = 67) in Korea. Fifteen strains harboring bla_CTX-M genes were isolated from 358 E. coli isolates. The most common CTX-M type was eight of CTX-M-15, followed by six of CTX-M-1 and one of CTX-M-14. The bla_CTX-M genes were identified in the isolates from retail chickens (n = 9), followed by feces, water pipes, floors, and walls. Conjugations confirmed the transferability of the plasmids carrying bla_CTX-M genes to the recipient E. coli J53 strain. Furthermore, eight addiction systems carried by the replicons in CTX-M types were confirmed. The dominant system was identified as ccdAB, vagCD, and pndAC in donor strains and transconjugants. The clonal relationship between the two strains carrying bla_CTX-M genes indicates that E. coli may transmit from the farm to retail chickens, suggesting a possible public health risk. Our findings demonstrate that the detection of CTX-M types in E. coli isolates is important for tracking ESBL production in animals, and suggest linkage of multiple addiction systems in plasmids bearing bla_CTX-M genes.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.330-337
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• 2018

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), including naphthalene, are widely distributed in nature. Naphthalene has been regarded as a model PAH compound for investigating the mechanisms of bacterial PAH biodegradation. Pseudomonas sp. AS1 isolated from an arseniccontaminated site is capable of growing on various aromatic compounds such as naphthalene, salicylate, and catechol, but not on gentisate. The genome of strain AS1 consists of a 6,126,864 bp circular chromosome and the 81,841 bp circular plasmid pAS1. Pseudomonas sp. AS1 has multiple dioxygenases and related enzymes involved in the degradation of aromatic compounds, which might contribute to the metabolic versatility of this isolate. The pAS1 plasmid exhibits extremely high similarity in size and sequences to the well-known naphthalene-degrading plasmid pDTG1 in Pseudomonas putida strain NCIB 9816-4. Two gene clusters involved in the naphthalene degradation pathway were identified on pAS1. The expression of several nah genes on the plasmid was upregulated by more than 2-fold when naphthalene was used as a sole carbon source. Strains have been isolated at different times and places with different characteristics, but similar genes involved in the degradation of aromatic compounds have been identified on their plasmids, which suggests that the transmissibility of the plasmids might play an important role in the adaptation of the microorganisms to mineralize the compounds.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제30권6호
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• pp.856-867
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• 2020

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is a major gastroenteritis-causing pathogen in many Asian countries. Antimicrobial resistance in V. parahaemolyticus has been recognized as a critical threat to food safety. In this study, we determined the prevalence and incidence of antimicrobial resistance in V. parahaemolyticus in the southern Fujian coast, China. A total of 62 isolates were confirmed in retail aquatic products from June to October of 2018. The serotype O3:K6 strains, the virulence genes tdh and trh, antibiotic susceptibility and molecular typing were investigated. Then plasmid profiling analysis and curing experiment were performed for multidrug-resistant strains. The results showed that the total occurrence of V. parahaemolyticus was 31% out of 200 samples. Five strains (8.1%) out of 62 isolates were identified as the V. parahaemolyticus O3:K6 pandemic clone. A large majority of isolates exhibited higher resistance to penicillin (77.4%), oxacillin (71%), ampicillin (66.1%) and vancomycin (59.7%). Seventy-one percent (44/62) of the isolates exhibited multiple antimicrobial resistance. All 62 isolates were grouped into 7 clusters by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA, and most of the isolates (80.6%) were distributed within cluster A. Plasmids were detected in approximately 75% of the isolates, and seven different profiles were observed. Seventy-six percent (25/33) of the isolates carrying the plasmids were eliminated by 0.006% SDS incubated at 42℃, a sublethal condition. The occurrence of multidrug-resistant strains could be an indication of the excessive use of antibiotics in aquaculture farming. The rational use of antimicrobial agents and the surveillance of antibiotic administration may reduce the acquisition of resistance by microorganisms in aquatic ecosystems.

• 미생물학회지
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• 제25권3호
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• pp.165-172
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• 1987

An expression vector in a mammalian cell was constructed using the origin of replication (OR) and the promoters of SV40. The plasmid pSVOE was constructed by inserting SV40 DNA fragment (1, 118bp) containing SV40 OR and promoters into pBR322-1, and then a multiple cloning sequence was inserted at the immediate downstream of the late promoter of SV40 in the pSVOE vector. The plasmid was named pSVML. As a selection marker, thymidine kinase gene of herpes simplex virus with its promoter was inserted into EcoRI site of pSVML and the recombinant was named pSVML-TKp. To test the expression capacity of foreigen gene inserted at the multiple cloning site of pSVML, the thymidine kinase gene without its own promoter was inserted at the BamHI site of pSVML. The recombinant was named pSVML-TK. These plasmids, pSVML-TKp and pSVML-TK, were transfected into COS cells with calcium phosphate precipitation method. The thymidine kinase activity was significantly increased in both transfected cells.

• 대한미생물학회지
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.49-61
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• 1979

Two hundred and ninety-five strains of Peudomonas aeruginosa isolated from clinical sources were tested for drug resistance and demonstration of R plasmids by intraspecies conjugation system. Sixty strains were found highly resistant to two or more of drugs. The rate of resistant strains were 38.9% to kanamycin(km), 33.2% to streptomydn(sm), 22.7% to sulfisomidine(Sa), 14.2% to chloramphenicol(Cp), 13.8% to tetracycline(Tc), 3.0% to carbenicillin(Cb), and to gentamicin(Gm), respectively. But no strains was resistant to nalidixic acid and colistine. They were resistant to per milliliter to more than $400{\mu}g$ per ml. of Tc, $800{\mu}g$ per ml of Cp and of Sm, $6,400{\mu}g$ per ml. of Sa, $200{\mu}g$ per ml. of Cb, $100{\mu}g$ per ml. of Gm, and $25{\mu}g$ per ml. of colistine. Forty-three strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa could be transferred their resistance to Pseudomonas aeruginosa 2-70, 1005 rifampin resistant FP-auxotrophic mutant. Of sixty multiple resistant strains, forty-three(71.6%) demonstrated R plasmids; nineteen carried resistance to(Tc Cp Sm Sa), six to(Tc Cp Sm), three to(Tc Cp Sa), and Cp, five to(Tc Sm Sa), two to(Tc Sa), (Cp Sm) and Tc, and one to(Cp Sm Sa). Degree of resistance of recipients recieving R plasmids from donors were almost the same level of resistance as the donor in regardless of mating temperature at $25^{\circ}C$ and $37^{\circ}C$. Resistance to Tc, Sm, and Sa were transferred to a very few of recipient cells at five minutes after mating with donor and recipient cells but resistance to Cp were transferred to the majority of recipient cells. The transfer frequency of Tc, Cp, Sm, and Sa resistance from donors to recipients were from $1.0^{-1.4}\;to\;1.0^{-3.5}$ at $25^{\circ}C$ for 18 hours of incubation and were from $1.0^{-1.5}\;to\;1.0^{-3.5}$ at $37^{\circ}C$ for 18 hours of incubation.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제16권1호
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• pp.61-68
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• 2003

MICs of 8 chemotherapeutic agents against forty streptococcal isolates were determined. These strains were isolated from diseased olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus, and showed 2-5 multiple drug resistance against different antibacterial agents including ampicillin, doxycycline (DOXY), erythromycin, florfenicol, flumequine, norfloxacin, oxolinic acid, and oxytetracycline (OTC). In conjugation experiment, we found transferable R plasmids carrying OTC and DOXY resistance determinant in 3 drug resistance strains analyzed. Six out of 40 isolates showed positive signal in colony hybridization with the R plasmid DNA (pST9) as a probe. It suggests that other types R plasmid different from pST9 is also involving in multiple drug resistance of streptococci isolated from olive flounder.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제14권5호
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• pp.1057-1062
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• 2004

The entomopathogenic bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis is the most widely used biopesticide. Insecticidal proteins, coded by genes located in plasmids, form typical parasporal, crystalline inclusions during sporulation. We isolated a Bacillus thuringiensis strain having insecticidal activity against larvae of the house fly (M. domestica) from the soils at a pig farm in Korea, and named it Bacillus thuringiensis SM. The culture filtrate from Bacillus thuringiensis SM showed strong lethality (83.3%) against M. domestica larvae. The parasporal crystal is enclosed within the spores' outermost envelope, as determined by transmission electron microscopy, and exhibited a bipyramidal form. The crystal proteins of strain SM consisted of five proteins with molecular weights of approximately ~130, ~80, ~68, ~42, and ~27 kDa on a 10% SDS-PAGE (major band, a size characteristic of Cry protein). Examination of antibiotic resistance revealed that the strain SM showed multiple resistant. The strain SM had at least three different plasmids with sizes of 6.6, 9.3, and 54 kb. Polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) revealed the presence of cry1, cry4A2, and cry11A1 genes in the strain SM. The cry1 gene profile of the strain SM appeared in the three respective products of 487 bp [cry1A(c)], 414 bp [cry1D], and 238 bp [cry1A(b)]. However, the strain SM has not shown the cry4A2 md cry11A1 genes. In in vivo toxicity assays, the strain SM showed high toxicity on fly larvae (M. domestic) [with $LC_{50}$ of 4.2 mg/ml, $LC_{90}$ of 8.2 mg/ml].