• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.399-405
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• 1999

Characteristics of the food isolates and the clinical specimens isolates of E. coli harboring virulence factor and their correlations were analyzed. The predominant serogroup were 08 and 027 in the food isolates and 06 and 018 in the clinical isolates, respectively, showing the different patterns in serogrouping between them. In the test of antibiotic susceptibility, the food isolates were resistant to cephalothin, streptomycin, tetracycline and minocycline, and the clinical isolates were resistant to ampicillin, carbenicillin, streptomycin, cephalothin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, tetracyclino and minocycline, respectively. It shows that E.coli isolated from food sources and clinical specimens might be correlated. Plasmid profile in the food and clinical isolates showed wide diversity. Especially, large sized plasmid DNA such as 60 MDa, 90 MDa and 120 MDa were observed. The plasmid DNA (60 MDa) containing a gene encoding hemolysin was found in 43% of the food isolates and 35% of the clinical isolates. To study chromosomal homology, PFGE analysis was performed, showing different restriction patterns by Xbal. This result indicates that there were no genetic correlations between the foods and the clinical isolates.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.249-253
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• 1999

To study races of Heterodera glycines in Korea, 21 soil samples were collected from eight provinces in 1995. Four races were found; race 3(48%) was a dominant race flowed by race 5(24%), race 1(19%), and race 6(9%). About 30~40% of H. glycines populations reproduced on Pickett and PI88788, while non reproduced on Peking or PI90763. Development of resistant soybean cultivar targeting to race 5 and 6 of H. glycines using PI90763 and PI88788 as a parent is recommended.

• BMB Reports
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2011

Inter-cellular communication via diffusible small molecules is a defining character not only of multicellular forms of life but also of single-celled organisms. A large number of bacterial genes are regulated by the change of chemical milieu mediated by the local population density of its own species or others. The cell density-dependent "autoinducer" molecules regulate the expression of those genes involved in genetic competence, biofilm formation and persistence, virulence, sporulation, bioluminescence, antibiotic production, and many others. Recent innovations in recombinant DNA technology and micro-/nano-fluidics systems render the genetic circuitry responsible for cell-to-cell communication feasible to and malleable via synthetic biological approaches. Here we review the current understanding of the molecular biology of bacterial intercellular communication and the novel experimental protocols and platforms used to investigate this phenomenon. A particular emphasis is given to the genetic regulatory circuits that provide the standard building blocks which constitute the syntax of the biochemical communication network. Thus, this review gives focus to the engineering principles necessary for rewiring bacterial chemo-communication for various applications, ranging from population-level gene expression control to the study of host-pathogen interactions.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.95-99
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• 1997

To obtain a basic information of breeding for resistance to clubroot in Chinese cabbage, disease incidence, pathogenicity, and varietal response to the pathogen were studied. Incidence of clubroot was observed at 3 districts in Gyeonggi-Do, 2 districts in Kangwon-Do, and 1 district each in Gyeongnam, Geongbuk and Jeonbuk, respectively. Disease infection rate and diseased ara were most severe in northern part of Gyeonggi-Do. The isolates of clubroot collected from 8 different districts were not different in their virulence one another in view of their infection rate and disease severity in Chinese cabbage. The clubroot fungus had a wide host range for the cruciferous vegetables. Disease severity was high in rape, turnip and mustard, moderate in Chinese cabbage and broccoli, and low in kale and cauliflower. All of Korean hybrids of Chinese cabbage tested were highly susceptible to clubroot, but Japanese varieties were resistant to the highly pathogenic isolate (EJ-93) which was isolated from the Chinese cabbage in Korea. The hybrid(F1) between clubroot resistant line(930WG) and the susceptible line(332MS) showed completely resistant reaction, which indicated that clubroot resistance was governed by a dominant gene.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2008

Mass mortality occurred in mud loaches, Misgurnus mizolepis, cultured in ponds located in Kunsan. External signs of affected fish showed hemorrhage of skin and fins, Internally, pale liver with congestion, enlarged kidney, and spleen and enteritis exhibited. Causative bacteria isolated from liver, spleen, and kidney of the disease fish. In biochemical tests, the isolates were similar with those of the reference strains, A. sobria. The aerolysine gene from the present isolate was amplified PCR with the primer SOBF and SOBB for A. sobria. The isolate was identified as A. sobria on the basis of those tests. In virulence test, the present isolate resulted in the development of clinical signs identical to those in naturally infected fish. The present results conclude that the present isolate is A. sobria and can be a pathogen which causes motile aeromonad septicemia to mud loach.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.11-24
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• 2017

The current investigation dealing with the causative agent of mass mortalities in cultured Oreochromis niloticus. The diseased fish showed external hemorrhage, unilateral and bilateral eye opacity, ended by blindness and fish death. The postmortem lesions revealed congested friable kidney and spleen, and liver has yellow nodules. Obtained isolates were identified as Aeromonas hydrophila (the causative agent of Motile Aeromonas Septicemia) and found to be highly pathogenic as they contained hemolysin virulence gene causing mortality reached to 100 and 70% in intraperitoneal and intramuscular infection. The prevalence of MAS was 80% among the surveyed O. niloticus. Blood and serum were collected from naturally diseased, intraperitoneal and intramuscular injected O. niloticus for hematological and biochemical examination. Similarly, gills, musculature, kidney, liver and spleen were collected for histopathological evaluation, and micropathomorphological analysis of spleen was done. Macrocytic hypochromic anemia was recorded in the intraperitoneal infection. Serum protein, albumin and globulin were decrease only in naturally diseased fish. Leucocytosis with heterophilia and lymphocytosis were observed in naturally diseased and intraperitoneal infected fish. There were severe degenerative changes and hemorrhagic necrosis in the examined tissues which were more obvious in intraperitoneal than intramuscular infection. Activation and proliferation of melanocytes macrophages centers with severe hemosiderosis were recorded in spleen of naturally diseased and experimentally infected fish.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.395-402
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• 2013

Sodium chloride is used to improve various properties of processed meat products, e.g., taste, preservation, water binding capacity, texture, meat batter viscosity, safety, and flavor; however, many studies have shown that sodium chloride increases the resistance of many foodborne pathogens to heat and acid. Listeria monocytogenes has been isolated from various readyto- eat (RTE) meat and dairy products formulated with sodium chloride; therefore, the objective of this paper was to review the effects of sodium chloride on the physiological characteristics of L. monocytogenes. The exposure of L. monocytogenes to sodium chloride may increase biofilm formation on foods or food contact surfaces, virulence gene transcription, invasion of Caco-2 cells, and bacteriocin production, depending on L. monocytogenes strain and serotype as well as sodium chloride concentration. When L. monocytogenes cells were exposed to sodium chloride, their resistance to UV-C irradiation and freezing temperatures increased, but sodium chloride had no effect on their resistance to gamma irradiation. The morphological properties of L. monocytogenes, especially cell elongation and filament formation, also change in response to sodium chloride. These findings indicate that sodium chloride affects various physiological responses of L. monocytogenes and thus, the effect of sodium chloride on L. monocytogenes in RTE meat and dairy products needs to be considered with respect to food safety. Moreover, further studies of microbial risk assessment should be conducted to suggest an appropriate sodium chloride concentration in animal origin foods.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.46 no.4
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• pp.136-139
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• 2014

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the severe nosocomial infectious agents. The traditional diagnostic methods including biochemical test, antibiotic susceptibility test and PCR amplification are time consuming and require much work. The Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) biosensor is a rapid and powerful tool for analyzing the chemical composition within a single living cell. To identify the biochemical and genetic characterization of clinical MRSA, all isolates from patients were performed with VITEK2 gram positive (GP) bacterial identification and Antibiotic Susceptibility Testing (AST). Virulence genes of MRSA also were identified by DNA based PCR using specific primers. All isolates, which were placed on a gold coated nanochip, were analyzed by a confocal Raman microscopy system. All isolates were identified as S. aureus by biochemical tests. MRSA, which exhibited antibiotic resistance, demonstrated to be positive gene expression of both femA and mecA. Furthermore, Raman shift of S. aureus and MRSA (n=20) was perfectly distinguished by a confocal Raman microscopy system. This novel technique explained that a SERS based confocal Raman microscopy system can selectively isolate MRSA from non-MRSA. The study recommends the SERS technique as a rapid and sensitive method to detect antibiotic resistant S. aureus in a single cell level.

• Mycobiology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.38-47
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• 2016

The ascomycete fungus Mycosphaerella graminicola (synonym Zymoseptoria tritici) is an important pathogen of wheat causing economically significant losses. The primary nutritional mode of this fungus is thought to be hemibiotrophic. This pathogenic lifestyle is associated with an early biotrophic stage of nutrient uptake followed by a necrotrophic stage aided possibly by production of a toxin or reactive oxygen species (ROS). In many other fungi, the genes CREA and AREA are important during the biotrophic stage of infection, while the NOXa gene product is important during necrotrophic growth. To test the hypothesis that these genes are important for pathogenicity of M. graminicola, we employed an over-expression strategy for the selected target genes CREA, AREA, and NOXa, which might function as regulators of nutrient acquisition or ROS generation. Increased expressions of CREA, AREA, and NOXa in M. graminicola were confirmed via quantitative real-time PCR and strains were subsequently assayed for pathogenicity. Among them, the NOXa over-expression strain, NO2, resulted in significantly increased virulence. Moreover, instead of the usual filamentous growth, we observed a predominance of yeast-like growth of NO2 which was correlated with ROS production. Our data indicate that ROS generation via NOXa is important to pathogenicity as well as development in M. graminicola.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.145-154
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• 2006

Heterotrimeric G proteins (G proteins) are conserved in all eukaryotes and are crucial components sensing and relaying external cues into the cells to elicit appropriate physiological and biochemical responses. Basic units of the heterotrimeric G protein signaling system include a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), a G protein composed of ${\alpha},\;{\beta},\;and\;{\gamma}$ subunits, and variety of effectors. Sequential sensitization and activation of these G protein elements translates external signals into gene expression changes, resulting in appropriate cellular behaviors. Regulators of G protein signaling (RGSs) constitute a crucial element of appropriate control of the intensity and duration of G protein signaling. For the past decade, G protein signaling and its regulation have been intensively studied in a number of model and/or pathogenic fungi and outcomes of the studies provided better understanding on the upstream regulation of vegetative growth, mating, development, virulence/pathogenicity establishment, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in fungi. This review focuses on the characteristics of the basic upstream G protein components and RGS proteins, and their roles controlling various aspects of biological processes in the model filamentous ascomycete fungus Aspergillus nidulans. In particular, their functions in controlling hyphal proliferation, asexual spore formation, sexual fruiting, and the mycotoxin sterigmatocystin production are discussed.