• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.166-172
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• 2006

Metallo-${\beta}$-lactamase (MBL) can hydrolyze all ${\beta}$-lactams except monobactams and frequently coexists with various antibiotic resistance genes such as aminoglycoside resistance, sulfonamide resistance gene, etc. Therefore, the effective antibiotics against infections by these bacteria are markedly limited or can't even be found. We tried to search in-vitro antimicrobial combinations with synergistic effects for a VIM-2 type MBL producing Pseudomonas aeruginosa, isolated from clinical specimen. On the selection of antibiotic combinations with synergistic effects, we performed a one disk synergy test, modified Pestel's method, in agar without aztreonam (AZT). The bacteriostatic synergistic effects of this tests were scored as $S_1$ (by susceptibility pattern in agar without antibiotics), $S_2$ (by the change of susceptibility in agar with or without antibiotics) and $S_3$ ($S_1$ + $S_2$) and was classified into weak (1 point), moderate (2 points) and strong (3 points) by $S_3$ score. Subsequently, we carried out the time-killing curve for the antibiotic combinations with the strong synergistic bacteriostatic effect. One VIM-2 type MBL producing P. aeruginosa confirmed by the PCR showed all resistance against all ${\beta}$-lactams except AZT, aminoglycoside and ciprofloxacin. In the one disk synergy test, this isolate showed a strong bacteriostatic synergistic effect for the antibiotic combination of AZT and piperacillin-tazobactam (PIP-TZP) or AZT and amikacin (AN). On the time-killing curve after six hours of incubation, the colony forming units (CFUs/mL) of this bacteria in the medium broth with both combination antibiotics were decreased to 1/18.7, 1/17.1 of the least CFUs of each single antibiotics. The triple antibiotic combination therapy including AZT, PIP-TZP and AN was shown to be significantly synergistic after 8 hrs of exposure. In a VIM-2 MBL producing P. aeruginosa with susceptibility for AZT, the triple antibiotic combination therapy including AZT, PIP-TZP and AN may be considered as an alternative antibiotics modality against the infection by some MBL type. But the antimicrobial combination therapy for many more MBL producing isolates is essential to know as soon as possible for the selection of effective treatment against the infection by this bacteria.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.26-34
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• 1992

The effect of induction temperature on fermentation parameters has been investigated extensively using Escherichia coli M5248[pNKM21], a producer of recombinant human interleukin-2 (rhIL-2). In this recombinant microorganism, the gene expression of rhIL-2 is regulated by the cI857 repressor and $P_L$ promoter system. The recombinant fermentation parameters studied in this work include the cell growth, protein synthesis, cell viability, plasmid stability, $\beta$-lactamase activity, and rhIL-2 productivity. Interrelationships of such fermentation parameters have been analyzed through a quantitative assessment of the experimental data set obtained at eight different culture conditions. While the expression of rhIL-2 gene was repressed at culture temperatures below $34^\circ{C}$ with little effect on other fermentation parameters, under the conditions of rhIL-2 production $>(36~44^\circ{C})$ the cell growth, plasmid stability, and $\beta$-lactamase activity were, as induction temperature was increased, more profoundly reduced. Although the rhIL-2 content in the insoluble protein fraction was maximum at $40^\circ{C}$, total rhIL-2 production in the culture volume was found to be highest at the induction temperature of $36^\circ{C}$. This was in contrast to the previously known optimum induction temperature of the P$_{L}$ promoter system $>(40~42^\circ{C})$.Explanations for such a discrepancy have been proposed based on a product formation kinetics, and their implications have been discussed in detail.l.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.71-80
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• 2010

Pseudomonas aeruginosa are important nosocomial pathogens. Their resistance to carbapenem is increasing and causing concerns in Korea. An increasing prevalence of carbapenem resistance mediated by acquired carbapenemase is being reported. Over a 10 month-period from July 2007 to April 2008, 32 strains of imipenem-nonsusceptible P. auruginosa were isolated from Kangwon National University Hospital. To determine the prevalence and genotypes of the carbapenemase-producing clinical isolates, the antibiotic susceptibility was determined by Microscan Walkaway 96 SI System and the carbapenem activity was detected by the modified Hodge test and the imipenem-EDTA-SMA double-disk synergy test. The metallo-${\beta}$-lactamase gene and OXA-type ${\beta}$-lactamase gene reported in Korea were detected by PCR. As for the result of PCR, 30 isolates of P. aeruginosa were found to have $bla_{IMP-1}$-like and 1 isolate was found to have $bla_{IMP-1}$-like and $bla_{IMP-2}$. No clinical isolates were found to have $bla_{SIM-1}$, $bla_{OXA-23}$-like and $bla_{OXA-24}$-like. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)-PCR and dendrogram for genetical similarity to band patterns of each clinical isolates were examined. P. aeruginosa were grouped into 7 clusters of up to 50% of similarity index. In the P. aeruginosa group, PS3 was resistant to the most antibiotics, PS1 was susceptible to the most antibiotics. PS7 was resistant to aztreonam unlike other groups. This is the first report of prevalence of carbapenemase in Chuncheon.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.275-279
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• 2013

Etiological agents of extended spectrum ${\beta}$-lactamase (ESBL) producing uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) have become a major problem in urinary tract infections. The purpose of this study was to compare the molecular characteristics of ESBL producing UPEC strains isolated from 1989 and 2010. A total of 301 strains of UPEC clinical isolates was collected from Korean healthcare facility in 1989 (126 strains) and in 2010 (175 strains). UPEC clinical isolates were analyzed by multiplex polymerase chain reaction method (ESBL related bla genes and phylogenetic groups) and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP). Among 301 isolates, ESBL producing UPEC were 8 strains (6.3%) in 1989 isolates and 35 strains (20%) in 2010 isolates. The rate of bla genes in ESBL producing UPEC from 1989 isolates and 2010 isolates were $bla_{TEM}$ (75% and 85.7%), $bla_{CTX-M}$ (0% and 91.4%), $bla_{OXA}$ (25% and 20%), $bla_{PER}$ (0% and 2.9%). The distribution of phylogenetic groups in 1989 isolates and 2010 isolates were A (37.5% and 11.4%), B2 (12.5% and 51.4%), and D (50% and 37.1%). The most prevalent ESBL related bla gene and phylogenetic group were $bla_{CTX-M}$ (91.4%) and B2 (51.4%) in 2010 isolates, while $bla_{CTX-M}$ was not detected in 1989 isolates. Among 43 ESBL producing UPEC were grouped into 12 clusters up to 76% of genetic similarities by AFLP analysis. During past twenty one years, the rate of the ESBL producing UPEC strains in 2010 isolates was increased than that of in 1989 isolates. Also, the most prevalent ESBL related bla gene has been changed from $bla_{TEM}$ to $bla_{CTX-M}$.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.299-306
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• 2012

Recently, the prevalence of 16S rRNA methylase conferring high-level resistance to aminoglycosides has been increasing in Gram-negative bacilli globally. We determined the prevalence and genotype of these methylase-producing bacteria, and characterized the co-resistance to ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotics and quinolone in Gram-negative clinical isolates collected in 2010 at a hospital in Korea. Among 65 amikacin-resistant isolates screened from 864 Gram-negative bacilli (GNB), 16S rRNA methylase genes were detected from 49 isolates, including Acinetobacter baumannii (43), Klebsiella pneumoniae (2), Proteus mirabilis (2) and Serratia marcescens (1), Empedobacter brevis (1). All of the 16S rRNA methylase genotype was armA and no variant sequences of amplified PCR products for armA were noted. The 16S rRNA methylase producing bacteria showed much higher resistance to aminoglycoside for Enterobacteriaceae and glucose non-fermenting (NF)-GNB and to imipenem for glucose NF-GNB, than the non-producing isolates. All of the 16S rRNA methylase producing Enterobacteriaceae had the extended-spectrum-${\beta}$-lactamase. In addition, two K. pneumoniae concurrently produced both plasmid-mediated AmpC ${\beta}$-lactamase and qnrB gene. All of the amikacin-resistant A. baumannii (43) co-harbored armA 16S rRNA methylase and $bla_{OXA-23}$ carbapenemase. In conclusion, 16S rRNA methylase producing bacteria were very prevalent among GNB in South Korea, and were commonly associated with co-resistance, including carbapenem and quinolone.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.505-510
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• 2007

This study was conducted to detect ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotic-resistant genes in the 400 E coli isolates from porcine fecal samples in Korea by a DNA chip. The DNA chip contains the specific probe DNAs of the ${\beta}$-lactam antibiotic-resistant genes that had been labeled with a mixture of primer set designed to amplify specific genes (PSE, OXA, FOX, MEN, CMY, TEM, SHV, OXY and AmpC) using a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Of 400 isolates 339 contained at least one ${\beta}$-lactamases gene. Resistance to ${\beta}$-lactamases was mediated mainly by AmpC (n = 339, 100%), and followed by TEM (n = 200, 59.0%), CMY (n = 101, 29.8%), PSE (n = 30, 8.9%) and both OXA and SHV genes (n = 20, 5.9%), while the FOX, MEN and OXY genes were not detected. The other sixty-one did not contain any ${\beta}$-lactamase genes even though they were resistant to antimicrobial drugs. In conclusion, the DNA chip system can be used as a rapid and reliable method for detecting of ${\beta}$-lactamases genes, which will help veterinarians select the antibiotics for monitoring and treating of animal diseases.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.126-128
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• 2006

This study confirms that Taq DNA polymerase could be contaminated with the $blaTEM-1_a$ gene. It also proposes two different methods that could be used to overcome DNA contamination: (i) DNase I treatment prior to PCR amplification; and (ii) the use of a highly purified Taq DNA polymerase which was devoid of detectable contamination.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.455-460
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• 1995

Specific growth rate was controlled for the repression of acetic acid formation in the fed-batch fermentation of recombinant Escherichia coli. With controlled specific growth rate, we studied the effect of the specific growth rate on cell growth, glucose consumption, acetic acid formation, and the expression of recombinant protein (${\beta}$-lactamase). High specific growth rate caused the accumulation of glucose and acetic acid, and lowered the production of recombinant protein. However, the addition of methionine recovered the gene expression by alleviating the negative effect of acetic acid at high specific growth rate.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.214-216
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• 2023

Meropenem-resistant Pseudomonas peli CJ30 was isolated from the Han River, South Korea. The genome of strain CJ30 comprising 4,919,106 bp with a G + C content of 60.0% was assembled to nine contigs. The draft genome sequence contained 5,411 protein-coding genes, 18 rRNA genes, and 70 tRNA genes. Strain CJ30 contained bla_SFC-3 and ampC β-lactamase gene.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.103-116
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• 1984

The structural gene of rabbit hemoglobin was cloned into Pst I site of pBR322 in E. coli. The complementary DNA (cDNA) was synthesized from rabbit globin mRNA with avian myeloblastosis viral reverse transcriptase, and then RNA was destroyed at pH 11. The double stranded cDNA was synthesized with both Klenow fragment of E. coli DNA polymerase I and reverse transcriptase and then the hairpin loop was opened with Sl nuclease. Double stranded cDNA was subsequently tailed with dCTP and annealed to dGMP-tailed vector DNA. After transformation and initial screening of appropriate clones by plasmid size, the cloned colonies were identified by in situ colony hybridization using by plasmid size, the cloned colonies were identified by in situ colony hybridization using $[^32P]$-labeled cDNA probes and characterized the inserts with restriction endonucleases. The expression of cloned globin gene was investigated by standard radioimmunoassay using rat anti-rabbit Hb serum as primary antibody and goat antirat IgG serum as secondary antibody. The result suggested that the chimeric proteins (the part of $\\beta$-lactamase from the vector pBR322 and globin from rabbit) were supposedly produced in E. coli and the product had the antigenic determinant of rabbit hemoglobin.