• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.528-533
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• 2008

Staphylococcus aureus is a pathogene of major concern in livestock products. This study was conducted to test imported and domestic meat sold by retail stores for the presence S. aureus. In addition, the antibiotic susceptibility of any S. aureus found was also evaluated. The overall isolation rate of S. aureus was 20.2% (13.9% in pork and 33.8% in beef) in retail meats. The percentage of imported meats found to contain S. aureus (33.3% in pork and 40.4% in beef) was higher than that of domestic meat (13.0% in pork and 14.7% in beef). In addition, the detection rate of S. aureus was higher in raw material meat than in ready to cook packaged meat. When the antibiotic susceptibility of S. aureus isolated from the meat products was evaluated, ampicillin was found to be the highest (76.5%), followed by penicillin (75.3%), tetracycline (27.1%) and erythromycin (21.2%). Penicillin and tetracycline resistant were detected in 55.6% and 13.3% of the beef isolates, respectively, and 97.5% and 42.5% of the pork isolates, respectively. The tetracycline and erythromycin resistant plasmids of the isolated strain were transferred into S. aureus DPRMM2429 by the filter mating method and the frequencies of transfer was found to be $1.1{\times}10^{-5}{\sim}1.9{\times}10^{-9}$ and $1.2{\times}10^{-5}{\sim}4.0{\times}10^{-8}$ respectively.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.12
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• pp.313-318
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• 2015

We investigated the prevalence of extended spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamase (ESBL) genes and 16S rRNA methyltransferase genes to study antimicrobial resistance mechanisms of Enterobacter cloacae strains isolated from a university hospital in the Chungcheong province of Korea. Eight of the bacteria strains involved in this study contained CTX-M-15 type ESBL. Among 8 strains harboring the ESBL gene, 3 strains also harbored armA gene. The three isolates showed resistance to antimicrobial agents belonged to third cephalosporin, aminoglycoside, and fluoroquinolones. Furthermore, interspecies plasmid transfer of the antimicrobial resistant genes may induced horizontal spreading of the genes and emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria. Therefore, surveillance for existence of antimicrobial resistance determinants is important to prevent distribution of antimicrobial resistant strains.

• BMB Reports
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.363-369
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• 1999

The orf8(chlD) gene cloned from Streptomyces antibioticus T$\"{u}$99 was overexpressed using an E. coli system to confirm its biological function. Induction of the E. coli strain transformed with recombinant plasmid pRFJ 1031 containing orf8 resulted in the production of a 43,000 dalton protein. Glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase activity of the cell extract obtained from the transformed strain was 4-5 times higher than that of the control strain. The expressed protein was purified 18-fold from E. coli cell lysate using three chromatographic steps with a 17% overall recovery to near homogeneity. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the purified protein agrees with the nucleotide sequence predicted from the orf8 gene. The SDS-PAGE estimated subunit mass of 43,000 dalton agrees well with that calculated from the amino acid composition deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the orf8 gene (43,000 Da). Also, the native enzyme has a monomeric structure with a molecular mass of 43,000 dalton. The purified protein showed glucose-1-phosphate thymidylyltransferase activity catalyzing a reversible bimolecular group transfer reaction, and was highly specific for dTTP and ${\alpha}$-D-glucose 1-phosphate as substrates in the forward reaction, and for dTDP-D-glucose and pyrophosphate in the reverse reaction.

• Current Research on Agriculture and Life Sciences
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• v.17
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• pp.39-43
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• 1999

To investigate the function of chloroplast-localized small HSP in rice, the cDNA, Oshsp21, was introduced into rice plants via Agrobacterium-mediated gene transfer system. Calli induced from rice immature embryos were co-cultivated with a A. tumafaciens EHA101 that contained a plasmid, pIHSP21. The efficiency of plant regeneration from the calli co-cultivated with the Agrobacterium was about 30%. PCR and Southern blot analyses using genomic DNA revealed that gene for the chloroplast small HSP was introduced into the genome of rice. Expression of transgene was investigated by northern blot analysis. Results indicate that the transgene, Oshsp21, was constitutively expressed at normal growth temperature.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7523-7527
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• 2013

Thymidylate synthase (TS) catalyzes the transfer of a methyl group from methylenetetrahydrofolate to dUMP to form dTMP. It is a primary target in the chemotherapy of colorectal cancers and some other neoplasms. In order to obtain pure protein for analysis of structure and biological function, an expression vector TS-pET28b (+) was constructed by inserting wild-type human thymidylate synthase (hTS) cDNA into pET28b (+). Then an expression strain was selected after transformation of the recombined plasmid into Rosetta (DE3). Fusion protein with His-tag was efficiently expressed in the form of inclusion bodies after IPTG induction and the content was approximately 40.0% of total bacteria proteins after optimizing expression conditions. When inclusion bodies were washed, dissolved and purified by Ni-NTA under denatured conditions, the purity was up to 90%. On SDS-PAGE and West-blotting, the protein band was found to match well with the predicted relative molecular mass-36kDa. Bioactivity was 0.1 U/mg. The results indicated that high-level expression of wild-type hTS cDNA can be achieved in prokaryotes with our novel method, facilitating research into related chemotherapy.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.11
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• pp.1868-1874
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• 2007

We have developed a robotic system for an automated parallel cell cultivation process that enables screening of induction parameters for the soluble expression of recombinant protein. The system is designed for parallelized and simultaneous cultivation of up to 24 different types of cells or a single type of cell at 24 different conditions. Twenty-four culture vessels of about 200 ml are arranged in four columns${\times}$six rows. The system is equipped with four independent thermostated waterbaths, each of which accommodates six culture vessels. A two-channel liquid handler is attached in order to distribute medium from the reservoir to the culture vessels, to transfer seed or other reagents, and to take an aliquot from the growing cells. Cells in each vessel are agitated and aerated by sparging filtered air. We tested the system by growing Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) cells harboring a plasmid for a model protein, and used it in optimizing protein expression conditions by varying the induction temperature and the inducer concentration. The results revealed the usefulness of our custom-made cell cultivation robot in screening optimal conditions for the expression of soluble proteins.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.7 no.6
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• pp.371-374
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• 2002

Production of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)［P(3HB/V)］, by fed-batch culture of recombinant Escherichia coli harboring a plasmid containing the Alcaligenes latus polyhy-droxyalkanoate (PHA) biosynthesis genes, was examined in two pilot-scale fermentors with air supply only, In a 30 L fermentor having a XLa value of 0.11 S­$^1$, the final P(3HB/V) concentration and the P(3HB/V) content obtained were 29.6 g/L and 70.1 wt%, respectively giving a productivity of 1.37 g P(3HB/V)/L-h. In a 300 L fermentor having a XLa of 0.03 S­$^1$, the P(3HB/V) concentration and the P(3HB/V) content were 20.4 g/L and 69 wt%, respectively giving a productivity of 1.06g P(3HB/V)/L-h. These results suggest that economical production of P(3HB/V) is possible by fed-batch culture of recombinant E. coli in a large-scale fermentor having low KLa value.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.129-138
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• 1998

Bovine growth hormone (bGH) gene was expressed in an insect Spodoptera frugiperda cell line using a Baculovirus, Hyphantria cunea nuclear polyhedrosis virus (HcNPV). The bGH gene in pbGH plasmid was sequenced and amplified by PCR technique with two primers containing NcoI sites. The bGH gene consisted of 654 bp (217 amino acid residues), the 5'-untranslated region of the cloned bGH cDNA contains 56 bp, and the 3'-untranslated region contains 145 bp and two pallindromic regions. The amplified bGH gene DNA fragment (654 bp) was inserted into the NcoI site of the pHcEVII vector, which was named pHcbGH. The pHcbGH transfer vector DNA and the wild type HcNPV DNA were cotransfected into S. frugiperda cells to construct a recombinant virus. Eight recombinant viruses were selected and named HcbGH. One clone, HcbGH-4-1 showed largest plaque size, therefore the recombinant virus was further studied. The multiplication pattern of the recombinant HcbGH-4-1 was similar to that of the wild type HcNPV. The bGH gene DNA in the HcbGH-4-1 recombinant was confirmed by Southern blot hybridization. The amount of the bGH (217 amino acid residues, 21 kDa) produced in S. frugiperda cells infected with the HcbGH-4-1 recombinant was approximately 5.5 ng per ml ($10^6$ cells) by radioimmunoassay.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.240-247
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• 2016

In this study, routinely used transformation method, which includes transferring explants onto co-cultivation medium after inoculating them with bacterial solution for a while, was compared with 3 different inoculation methods. In every 3 methods, hypocotyl explants excised from 7-day-old sterile flax seedlings having cotyledon leaves and no root system dried under air flow in sterile cabin for 35 min were inoculated with different volumes of bacterial solution at different inoculation periods. GV2260 line of Agrobacterium tumefaciens having 'pBIN 19' plasmid containing npt II (neomycin phosphotransferase II) gene and GUS reporter gene was used in transformation studies. After inoculation, hypocotyl segments of seedlings (0.5 cm in length) - were excised and left to co-cultivation for 2 days. Then, explants were transferred to regeneration medium supplemented with different antibiotics. The presence of npt-II and GUS genes in transformants was confirmed by PCR and GUS analysis. The highest results in all characters examined in all cultivars were obtained from the 2 inoculation method in which hypocotyls excised from seedlings inoculated with $500{\mu}l$ of bacterial solution after drying in sterile cabin for 35 min were used.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.25-33
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• 2012

The association of verotoxic E. coli and Acinetobacter spp. with various antibiotic-resistant, diarrhogenic, and nosocomial infections has been a cause for concern worldwide. E. coli and A. haemolyticus isolated on a number of selective media were screened for virulence factors, antibiotic resistance, and transformation of resistance genes. Out of 69 E. coli isolates obtained, 25 (35.23%), 14 (20.30%), and 28 (40.58%) were positive for Vtx1&2, Vtx1, and Vtx2, respectively, 49 (71.015%) for extendedspectrum beta-lactamases (ESBLs), 34 (49.28%) for serum resistance, 57 (82.61%) for cell surface hydrophobicity, 48 (69.57%) for gelatinase production, and 37 (53.62%) for hemolysin production. For the 14 A. haemolyticus isolates, only 2 (14.29%) in each case from all the samples investigated were positive for Vtx1, Vtx2 and Vtx1&2 respectively, 8 (57.14%) for ESBLs, 7 (50.00%) for serum resistance, 11 (78.57%) for cell surface hydrophobicity, 4 (28.57%) for gelatinase production, and 8 (57.14%) for hemolysin production. Although transformation occurred among the E. coli and Acinetobacter isolates (transformation frequency: $13.3{\times}10^{-7}-53.4^{-7}$), there was poor curing of the plasmid genes, a confirmation of the presence of stable antibiotic-resistant genes (DNA concentration between 42.7 and 123.8 ${\mu}g$) and intragenetic transfer of multidrug-resistant genes among the isolates. The isolates were potentially virulent and contained potentially transferable antibiotic resistance genes. Detection of virulence factors, antibiotic resistance genes, and transformation among these isolates is a very significant outcome that will influence approaches to proactive preventive and control measures and future investigations. However, continued surveillance for drug resistance among these bacteria and further investigation of the mechanism of action of their virulence factors are a necessity.