• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.139-144
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• 2003

Since water borne infection causes acute diseases and results in spread of diseases by secondary infection, the prevention is very important. Therefore, it is necessary to have a method that is rapid and effective to monitor pathogenic bacteria in drinking water. In this study, we employed a systematic method, Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) analysis, to develop an effective monitoring system for possible bacterial contaminants in drinking water. For this purpose, PCR primers were derived from 992 bp region of the 16s rRNA gene that is highly conserved through the different species of prokaryotes. To test whether the PCR primers designed are indeed useful for detecting all the possible microbial contaminants in the water, the primers were used to amplify 16s rRNA regions of different microbial water-borne pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella, Yersinia, Listeria, and Staphylococcus. As expected, all of tested microorganisms amplified expected size of PCR products indicating designed PCR primers for 16s rRNA indeed can be useful to amplify all different microbial water-borne pathogens in the water. Furthermore, to test whether these 16s rRNA based PCR primers can detect bacterial populations present in the water, water samples taken from diverse sources, such as river, tap, and sewage, were used for amplification. PCR products were for then subjected for cloning into a T-vector to generate a library containing 16s rRNA sequences from various bacteria. With cloned PCR products, RFLP analysis was done using PCR products digested with restriction enzyme such as Hae III to obtain species-specific RFLP profiles. After PCR-RFLP, the bacterial clones which showed the same RFLP profiles were regarded as the same ones, and the clones which showed distinctive RFLP profiles were subsequently subjected for sequence analysis for species identification. By this PCR-RFLP analysis, we were able to reveal diverse populations of bacteria living in water. In brief, in unsterilized natural river water, over 60 different species of bacteria were found. On the other hand, no PCR products were detected in drinking tap-water. The results from this study clearly indicate that the PCR-RFLP-sequence analysis can be a useful method for monitoring diverse, perhaps pathogenic bacteria contaminated in water in a rapid fashion.

• Journal of Korean Society on Water Environment
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2019

This study analyzed the occurrence pattern of Dolichospermum (= Anabaena) in the Bukhan river from March 2012 to December 2014 in order to identify the genotypes of Dolichospermum. Furthermore, 16S rRNA were analyzed to identify the genotypes of Dolichospermum that occurred in 2015 which were then compared to the reference sequence deposited at NCBI. During this period, the occurrence of Dolichospermum was highly correlated to water temperature. In the year 2012 and 2013, Dolichospermum appeared in Lake Cheongpyeong (CP), Sambong (SB), and Lake Paldang (P2) between July and August. However, in 2014, it appeared in SB and P2, but not in CP. This reduction in appearance was attributed to the decreased inflow to Lake Uiam as a result of low rainfall in 2014 as compared to 2012. In July 2015, the Dolichospermum 16S rRNA genotype was confirmed in five locations; Lake Cheongpyeong (CP), Seojong (SJ), Songchon Sewage Treatment Plant (SC), Joan (P4), and Lake Paldang (PD). Anabaena crassa of spiral clone, A. planctonica of linear clone, and A. circinalis of spiral clone exhibited high genetic similarity with the reference sequence. The 16r RNA genotype showed approximately 3 % sequence variation between the locations and were more similar to each other in locations that were closer.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.191-196
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• 2019

In 2015 and 2017, the National Institute of Biological Resources has isolated four unrecorded prokaryotic species designated as R-1-5, R-2-13, R-2-1, and R-1-8 from the peatland soil of Yongneup. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity determined the four strains (R-1-5, R-2-13, R-2-1, R-1-8) were most closely related to Curvibacter lanceolatus (99.93%), Massilia brevitalea (98.7%), Pseudomonas lini (99.54%), and Pseudomonas vancouverensis (99.93%), respectively. The four unrecorded strains belong to the phylum Proteobacteria, in which the genera Curvibacter and Massilia are assigned to the class Betaproteobacteria, and the genus Pseudomonas to the class Gammaproteobacteria. Since there are no publications or official reports on these four strains, these four species are new records to Korea. The strains were further characterized by Gram reaction, colony and cell morphology, basic biochemical properties, and phylogenetic position. Descriptive information of the four unrecorded species is provided.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.229-239
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• 2023

We isolated and identified 25 unrecorded bacterial species belonging to the phylum Actinomycetota found in the Republic of Korea. Sequence comparison of 16S rRNA was performed using the NCBI BLAST and EzBioCloud database to identify 25 species, which had a 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity of >98.8% and were allocated as unrecorded species in the Republic of Korea. Among the 25 unrecorded bacterial strains, Streptomyces was the most common with nine species, followed by Leifsonia with two species. Isoptericola, Nocardioides, Dermacoccus, Sinomonas, Patulibacter, Marmoricola, Allobranchiibius, Aldersonia, Actinokineospora, Agromyces, Aeromicrobium, Cellulomonas, and Gordonia with one species each were also found. Twenty-five unrecorded species were excavated in various environments, such as tidal flats, ferns, soil, pine cones, moss, mud, wetlands, and plants. These isolates were characterized on the basis of their phylogenetic, biochemical properties, and morphological data, and species descriptions were provided.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.37-53
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• 2001

Two regions of mtDNA genome, cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) and 165 ribosomal RNA (165 rRNA) genes, were sequenced for 15 species of the long-horned beetle belonging to four subfamilies and geographic samples of mulberry longicorn beetle, Apriona germari, from two localities in Korea. Ten samples of A. germari collected from Suwon and Busan revealed three COI haplotypes ranging in nucleotide divergence of 0.3% to 0.5%, and the two populations shared one common COI haplotype (80%). The sequence divergence among 15 species of the long-horned beetle was much higher in COI gene (12.3%∼39.4%) than 16S rRNA gene (7.2% to 23.1), and the maximum value in the COI gene is exceptional compared with other relevant studies, including that of Coleoptera. The greatly increased divergence in the COI gene, in facto was stemmed from a peculiar sequence of Prionus insularis belonging to Prioninne, divergence of which ranges from 31.2% to 39.3% from other species. We discussed possible reason of the divergence in this species. Due to the abnormality of COI gene divergence, decrease in phylogenetic signal was severe in COI nucleotide and, subsequently, the converted amino acid sequences, rendering us to put more confidence on the 16S5 rRNA gene data. Although the molecular phylogeny confidently supports the monophyletic origin of Lepturinae, the presence of discrepancy between molecular data and traditional taxonomic views also is a testable hyothesis. One such discrepancy includes taxonomic position of Sophronica obrioides and Theophilea cylindricollis belonging to Lamiinae.

• Korean Journal of Ichthyology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.78-86
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• 2006

We examined the genetic diversity in intra-populations of Korean shiner, Coreoleuciscus splendidus, in six major rivers (Bukhan, Namhan, Geum, Osipcheon, Nakdong and Seomjin river) of Korea based on two different mitochondrial genes, the mitochondrial cytochrome b and the 16S rRNA. Analysis of sequence variation in a 657-bp segment of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene revealed deep divergence among populations (98.2~99.9%) and high genetic diversity from geographically isolated populations. Intra-specific variation in this 697-bp segment of the 16S rRNA gene sequences was very low and nearly identical. Six isolate populations of C. splendidus showed a high similarity (97.7%~99.7%). This result may be indicative of a complex history of connection and isolation of the rivers in the Korea peninsula.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.94-99
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• 2023

Blueberry red ringspot virus (BRRSV) and blueberry scorch virus (BlScV) are included in the quarantine virus list managed by the Korean Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency. A multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay with an internal control was developed for the simultaneous detection of both viruses. The specific primers used here were designed based on the highly conserved regions of the genomic sequences of each virus, obtained from the National Center for Biotechnology Information nucleotide databases. The primers were designed to amplify a partial sequence within coat protein (CP) for detecting BRRSV and a partial sequence within the CP-16 kDa for detecting BlScV. 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) was used as internal control, and the primer set used in a previous study was modified in this study for detecting 18S rRNA. Each conventional PCR using the BRRSV, BlScV, and 18S rRNA primers exhibited a sensitivity of approximately 1 fg plasmid DNA. The multiplex PCR assay using the BRRSV, BlScV, and 18S rRNA primers was effective in simultaneously detecting the two viruses and 18S rRNA with a sensitivity of 1 fg plasmid DNA, similar to that of conventional PCR assays. The multiplex PCR assay developed in this study was performed using 14 blueberry cultivars grown in South Korea. BRRSV and BlScV were not detected, but 18S rRNA was all detected in all the plants tested. Therefore, our optimized multiplex PCR assay could simultaneously detect the two viruses and 18S rRNA in field samples collected from South Korea in a time-efficient manner. This approach could be valuable in crop protection and plant quarantine management.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2000

This study has demonstrated the molecular variation of 5S rRNA genes in 15 Allium subgenus Rhizirideum and 1 Allium subg. Allium. For cloning of the 5S rRNA genes, PCR products were obtained from amplification with oligonucleotide primers which were derived from the conserved coding region of 5S rRNA genes. These amplified PCR products were cloned and identified by FISH and sequence analysis. The 5S rRNA loci were primarily located on chromosomes 5 and/or 7 in diploid species and various chromosomes in alloploid species. The size of the coding region of 5S rRNA genes was 120 bp in all the species and the sequences were highly conserved within Allium species. The sizes of nontranscribed spacer (NTS) region were varied from 194 bp (A. dektiude-fustykisum, 2n=16) to 483 bp (A. sativum). Two kinds of NTS regions were observed in A. victorialis var. platyphyllum a diploid, A. wakegi an amphihaploid, A. sacculiferum, A. grayi, A. deltoide-fistulosum and A. wenescens all allotetraploids, while most diploid species showed only one NTS region. The species containing two components of NTS region were grouped with different diploid species in a phylogenetic tree analysis using the sequences of 5S rRNA genes and adjacent non-coding regions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.504-507
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• 2001

The partial 16S gene sequences of six filamentous cyanobacterial strains, Oscillatoria lmosa KCTC AG10168, Oscillatoria princeps KCTC AG10153, Oscillatoria sp. KCTC AG 10184, Phormidium tenue KCTC AG10158, Phormidium parchydematicum KCTC AG10164, and Lyngbya hieronymusii KCTC AG10199, which were isolated in the late summer at Daecheong Reservoirs, were determined and assigned their phylogenetic and taxonomic position among taxa of order Ocillatoriales whose partial 16S rRNA gene sequences aligned in this suty, were very heterogeneously clustered with other taxa. The two strains, Oscillatoria limosa KCTC AG10168 and O. princeps KCTC AG10153, formed a cluster with O. sancta PCC7515, which supported 64% of the bootstrap trees with high similarity (19-96.15%). Strain Oscillatoria sp. KCTC AG10184, that was known to produce a nasty substance, was closely related to the toxic Oscillatoria group. The study on morphological variation in various environments and toxin production will confirm the taxonomic status of these species. Phormidium tenus KCTC AG10158 and Phormidium parchydematicum KCTC AG10164 made a cluster with other oscillatorian species of Phormidium, Oscillatoria, and Leptolynbya, which supproted 100% of the bootstrap trees with a very high sequence smilarity (96.8-99.8%) in thsi study. The sequence analysis in this study also supported that taxa of oscillatoriales are not monophyletic. Some of the fractures, such as the presence or absence of sheath and cell shape, which were used to define them, would be inadequate and should be reconfirmed. We suggest that sequences of partial 16S rRNA gene fragments aligned in this study should be more useful than morphological features in the identification and reconfirmation of the taxonomic status of these oscillactorian cyanobacteria.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.81-83
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• 2018

We sequenced the genome of the Neisseria sp. KEM232 isolated from the smooth surface caries of human cavity of a 7-year old male in Republic of Korea by using the standard dilution plating technique. The genome comprises a single circular 2,371,912 bp chromosome with a G + C content of 58.5%, 2,210 protein-coding genes, 108 pseudo genes, 51 RNA genes, and one CRISPR array. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and average nucleotide identity, the strain KEM232 is most closely related to Neisseria baciliformis.