• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.60 no.7
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• pp.221-226
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• 2017

Purpose: Escherichia coli sequence type (ST) 131, a multidrug-resistant clone causing extraintestinal infections, has rapidly become prevalent worldwide. However, the epidemiological and clinical features of pediatric infections are poorly understood. We aimed to explore the characteristics of ST131 Escherichia coli isolated from Korean children with urinary tract infections. Methods: We examined 114 uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) isolates from children hospitalized at Chung-Ang University Hospital between 2011 and 2014. Bacterial strains were classified into STs by partial sequencing of seven housekeeping genes (adk, fumC, gyrB, icd, mdh, purA, and recA). Clinical characteristics and antimicrobial susceptibility were compared between ST131 and non-ST131 UPEC isolates. Results: Sixteen UPEC isolates (14.0%) were extended-spectrum ${\beta}-lactamase$ (ESBL)-producers; 50.0% of ESBL-producers were ST131 isolates. Of all the isolates tested, 13.2% (15 of 114) were classified as ST131. There were no statistically significant associations between ST131 and age, sex, or clinical characteristics, including fever, white blood cell counts in urine and serum, C-reactive protein, radiologic abnormalities, and clinical outcome. However, ST131 isolates showed significantly lower rates of susceptibility to cefazolin (26.7%), cefotaxime (40.0%), cefepime (40.0%), and ciprofloxacin (53.3%) than non-ST131 isolates (65.7%, 91.9%, 92.9%, and 87.9%, respectively; P<0.001 for all). ESBL was more frequently produced in ST131 (53.3%) than in non-ST131 (8.1%) isolates (P<0.01). Conclusion: ST131 E. coli isolates were prevalent uropathogens in children at a single medical center in Korea between 2011 and 2014. Although ST131 isolates showed higher rates of antimicrobial resistance, clinical presentation and outcomes of patients were similar to those of patients infected with non-ST131 isolates.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.209-212
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• 1986

$\alpha$-Amylase gene of Bacillus amyloliquetaciens was cloned on plasmid YEp13, S. cerevisiae-E. coli shuttle vector. Hybrid plasmid pTG17, carrying $\alpha$-amylase gene of B. amyloliquefaciens, was transformed to E. coli and the expression of it in yeast was investigated. This plasmid was unstable in E. coli and produced two minor plasmids, pTG17-1 and PTG17-2, which resulted from the segregation of it. Transformant of S. cerevisiae MC16 with pTG17-1 plasmid was not appeared on SD medium because of the Leu2 gene defection. S. cerevisiae could be transformed by the hybrid plasmid, and $\alpha$-amylase activity of the yeast transformant was detected by somogyi-Nelson method and agar diffusion method.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.46-51
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• 2000

Salmonella typhi is one of important causes of human enteric infections. S. typhi KNIH100 was isolated from a patient of typhoid fever in Korea. We cloned a 5.0 kb SalⅠ fragment containing the aroA gene encoding a 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthetase from chromosomal DNA of this strain. This recombinant plasmid was named pSAL80. E. coli CGSC2829, an aroA- mutant, was not grown on the M9 minimal medium but E. coli CGSC2829 (pSAL80) was grown on the M9 minimal medium. The aroA gene was composed of 1,284 base pairs with ATG initiation codon and TAA termination codon. Sequence comparison of the aroA gene exhibited 99%, 98%, and 77% identity with those of S. typhi Ty2, S. typhimurium, and E. coli respectively. As in the cases of Shigella sonnei and E. coli, the serC and aroA genes lie in a single operonic structure.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 1987

Mutants of E. coli which showed increased sensitivity to MMS(methylmethane sulfonate)were isolated by MNNG mutagenesis and characterized by enzymatic assay, survival of simple alkylating agents and host-cell reactivation. E.coli mutant, 5-62, which showed absolute deficiency in 3-methyladenine DNA glycosylase II activity and had low capability of reactivating MMS-treated phage charon 35 was very sensitive to MMS and MNNG. NNS gene which confered resistance to the lethal effects of MMS was cloned in 5-62 strain. 5-62 mutants carrying recombinant plasmid, pMRG 1, which acquired resistance to the lethal effects of MMS had normal sensitivity to MNNG. Resistance to MMS was somewhat increased after they were treated with 0.5.$\mu$g MNNG/ml for 2 hours at $37^{\circ}C$. Although recombinant plasmid, pMRG 1, did not complement alk A mutation in 5-62 and ada mutation in 1-27 mutnat, mutnats transformed with this plasmid showed more capability of reactivating MMS treated phage than mutants.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.135-139
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• 2006

Most bacteria form biofilm as self-defence system, making efficient food sanitization, preservation, and instrument washing more difficult. Biofilm formation of Salmonella, E. coli, B. cereus, and S. aureus was observed during 24 hr food preservations by performing microtiter plate and glass wool assays. Most cells formed biofilm and attached onto glass wool. When biofilm formation and injury were analyzed on the microtiter plate, 10 and 20% acid-injured E. coli and S. aureus, respectively, 30-50% cold temperature $(4^{\circ}C)-injured$ B. cereus and E. coli, and 30-55% 6% sodium chloride solution-injured Salmonella showed significant biofilm formation. Results indicate biofilm formation level differed within species depending on type of stress.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetic Resonance Society
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.110-121
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• 2005

E.coli methionyl tRNA synthetase consist of 676 amino acids and plays a key role in initiation of protein synthesis. The native form of this enzyme is a homodimer, but the monomeric enzyme truncated approximately C-terminal 120 amino acids retains the full enzymatic activities. X-ray crystal structure of the active monomeric enzyme shows that it has two domains. The N-terminal domain is thought to be a binding site for acceptor stem of tRNA, ATP, and methionine. The C-terminal domain is mainly a-helical and makes an interaction with the anticodon of $tRNA^{Met}$. Especially it is suggested that the region of helix-loop-helix including the tryptophan residue at the position 461 may be the essential for the interaction with anticodon of $tRNA^{Met}$. In this work the structure and function of E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase was studied by spectroscopic method (NMR, CD, Fluorescence). The importance of tryptophan residue at the position 461 was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy. Tryptophan 461 is expected to be an essential site for the interaction between E. coli methionyl-tRNA synthetase and E. coli $tRNA^{Met}$. Proton and heteonuclear 2-dimensional NMR spectroscopy were also used to elucidate the protein-tRNA interaction.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.679-682
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• 2008

A lactic acid bacterium producing an antimicrobial substance against Escherichia coli O157:H7 was isolated from raw milk and identified as Lactobacillus amylovorus ME-1. In addition to E. coli O157 :H7, the antimicrobial substance also inhibited the growth of Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Streptococcus pyrogenes, and Yersinia enterocolitica. The antimicrobial substance was stable at pH 2-12 and $121^{\circ}C$ for 15 min and insensitive to proteinase K, protease, amylase, and catalase. Purification of the antimicrobial substance was conducted through methanol and acetonitrile/ethylacetate extraction, ultrafiltration with a 500 Da cutoff, thin layer chromatography (TLC) with silicagel 60, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a $C_{18}$ reverse phase column. The ${\lambda}_{max}$ of the purified antimicrobial substance was determined as 192 nm by ultra violet (UV) scanning, while the molecular weight was estimated as 453 Da based on the mass spectrum. Accordingly, the current results suggest that the antimicrobial substance from the L. amylovorus ME-1 was not a bacteriocin, but rather a new non-proteinaceous substance distinct from acidophilin, acidolin, diacetyl, and reuterin.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.187-192
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• 2008

Lysozyme-producing microorganisms were isolated to obtain bacteria which can efficiently solubilize microbial cells. Cells of normal and chloroform-treated Escherichia coli and Micrococcus Iysodeikticus were used as model substrates to isolate lysozyme-producing microorganisms and investigate the efficiency of cell lysis. The culture supernatant of the isolate New1 (98% similarity of 16S rDNA sequence with Thermomonas haemolytica) showed different lytic characteristics for different substrates. Thermal treatment (autoclave) of substrate cells showed a significant effect on cell solubilization by culture supernatant of the New1. For autoclaved substrate cells, E. coli, M. Iysodeikticus and chloroform-treated E. coli were solubilized by 58.7%, 49.4% and 79.1%, respectively, in the culture supernatant of New1. The lytic activity of New1 was mainly caused by lysozyme produced by the isolate. It was also showed that New1 exhibited high protease activity and a little cellulase activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.92-96
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• 2001

Effect of environmental factors on the expression of soluble forms of Bacillus macerans cyclodextrin glycosyltransferase in recombinant Escherichia coli BL21(DE3)pLysE:pTCGT1 were investigated. The amount of soluble CGTase produced in the cell was measured by determining its enzymatic activity. The soluble fractionof the enzyme was increased by lowering the culture temperature to $30{\circ}C$ and medium pH to 5.8 compared to the enzyme production in LB medium at $37^{\circ}C$ and pH7.0. Addition of 0.2 M NaCl enhanced enzyme expression levels at the expense of cell growth. Glycine betaine that was added after 3 h of induction protected not only the cell growth from hig osmotic pressue but also hepld in vivo folding of CGTase in recombinant E. coli. Addition of 1 mM $CaCl_2$ was also effective in the expression of soluble CGTase, resulting in 15 U/ml of the enzyme activity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.353-359
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• 1994

Pseudomonas sp. P20 was a bacterial isolate which has the ability to degrade 4-chlorobi- phenyl(4CB) to 4-chlorobenzoic acid via the process of meta-cleavage. The recombinant plasmid pCK1 was constructed by insetting the 14-kb EcoRI fragment of the chromosomal DNA containing the 4CB-degrading genes into the vector pBluescript SK(+). Subsequently, E. coli XL1-Blue was transformed with the hybrid plasmid producing the recombinant E. coli CK1. The recombinant cells degraded 4CB and 2,3-dihydroxybiphenyl(2,3-DHBP) by the pcbAB and pcbCD gene products, respectively. The pcbC gene was expressed most abundantly at the late exponential phase in E. coli CK1 as well as in Pseudomonas sp. P20, and the level of the pcbC gene product, 2,3-DHBP dioxygenase, expressed in E. coli CK1 was about two-times higher than in Pseudomonas sp. P20. The activities of 2,3-DHBP dioxygenase on catechol and 3-methylcatechol were about 26 to 31% of its activity on 2,3-DHBP, but the enzyme did not reveal any activities on 4-methylcatechol and 4-chlorocatechol.