• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.21-33
• /
• 2017

Citrus blast caused by bacterium Pseudomonas syringae is a very important disease of citrus occuring in many areas of the world, but with few data about genetic structure of the pathogen involved. Considering the above fact, this study reports genetic characterization of 43 P. syringae isolates obtained from plant tissue displaying citrus blast symptoms on mandarin (Citrus reticulata) in Montenegro, using multilocus sequence analysis of gyrB, rpoD, and gap1 gene sequences. Gene sequences from a collection of 54 reference pathotype strains of P. syringae from the Plant Associated and Environmental Microbes Database (PAMDB) was used to establish a genetic relationship with our isolates obtained from mandarin. Phylogenetic analyses of gyrB, rpoD, and gap1 gene sequences showed that P. syringae pv. syringae causes citrus blast in mandarin in Montenegro, and belongs to genomospecies 1. Genetic homogeneity of isolates suggested that the Montenegrian population might be clonal which indicates a possible common source of infection. These findings may assist in further epidemiological studies of this pathogen and for determining mandarin breeding strategies for P. syringae control.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.6 no.6
• /
• pp.451-455
• /
• 1996

Physiological studies on the expression of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. tenebrionis (Btt) gene coding for insecticidal protein in recombinant Escherichia coli 537 were carried out to identify optimal culture condition. It was necessary to shift culture temperature from 30 to $42^{\circ}C$ to express the gene. Expression of the Btt toxin gene by recombinant E. coli 537 began within one hour after induction. Complex nitrogen sources increased production of the insecticidal protein. The total insecticidal protein was 0.5 g/I when using yeast extract as a complex nitrogen source. Soybean hydrolysate showed apparently the highest induction efficiency. After induction, the cellular content of the insecticidal protein was 5.4 times higher than it had been before induction. The optimal cultivation strategy was found to grow cells for 7hours at $30^{\circ}C$ and then 5-8 hours at $42^{\circ}C$. The optimal cultivation pH for the production of insecticidal protein was 6.5. The Btt toxin produced by the recombinant E. coli 537 was found to have the same level of potency against Colorado potato beetle as the original toxin.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
• /
• v.31 no.4
• /
• pp.496-502
• /
• 2013

Grapes (Vitis vinifera) are one of the most important fruits worldwide and are eaten raw or after conversion to jelly, jam, juice and wine. Grape skins are a major source of resveratrol (3,5,4'-trihydroxystilbene), which has the ability to reduce blood sugar as well as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and other beneficial cardiovascular effects. In this study, we investigated the increased accumulation of resveratrol in grape skin and leaves following ultrasonication treatment, which has been shown to induce resveratrol accumulation in several plants. Various ultrasonication treatment times and incubation periods were employed to identify the optimum conditions for the maximum accumulation of resveratrol. Treatment and further incubation led to increased resveratrol in both grape skins and leaves, with the highest increases of 7.7-fold and 1.9-fold occurring in response to 5 min ultrasonication treatment followed by 6 hour incubation and 15 min ultrasonication treatment followed by 3 hour incubation, respectively. The underlying mechanism for the increased amounts of resveratrol were studied by employing a semi-quantitative RT-PCR to monitor the expression levels of the resveratrol synthase (RS) gene in response to ultrasonication treatment. The RS gene increased the expression in response to ultrasonication treatment, suggesting that up-regulation of the RS gene by ultrasonication treatment triggers increased amounts of resveratrol. Taken together, these data indicate that this simple ultrasonication treatment of grapes can be an efficient post-harvest technology for increasing resveratrol in grape skins in addition to cleaning the fruits.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.1-15
• /
• 2009

Neuropathic pain is often refractory to intervention because of the complex etiology and an incomplete understanding of the mechanisms behind this type of pain. Glial cells, specifically microglia and astrocytes, are powerful modulators of pain and new targets of drug development for neuropathic pain. Glial activation could be the driving force behind chronic pain, maintaining the noxious signal transmission even after the original injury has healed. Glia express chemokine, purinergic, toll-like, glutaminergic and other receptors that enable them to respond to neural signals, and they can modulate neuronal synaptic function and neuronal excitability. Nerve injury upregulates multiple receptors in spinal microglia and astrocytes. Microglia influence neuronal communication by producing inflammatory products at the synapse, as do astrocytes because they completely encapsulate synapses and are in close contact with neuronal somas through gap junctions. Glia are the main source of inflammatory mediators in the central nervous system. New therapeutic strategies for neuropathic pain are emerging such as targeting the glial cells, novel pharmacologic approaches and gene therapy. Drugs targeting microglia and astrocytes, cytokine production, and neural structures including dorsal root ganglion are now under study, as is gene therapy. Isoform-specific inhibition will minimize the side effects produced by blocking all glia with a general inhibitor. Enhancing the anti-inflammatory cytokines could prove more beneficial than administering proinflammatory cytokine antagonists that block glial activation systemically. Research on therapeutic gene transfer to the central nervous system is underway, although obstacles prevent immediate clinical application.

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.325-338
• /
• 2020

The animal gut is filled with highly diverse microbes associated with host metabolism, physiology, and pathology. However, numerous animal gut microbes have not been cultured or reported. We isolated various bacterial species using culture-dependent approaches during a comprehensive investigation of endangered endemic vertebrate species in the Republic of Korea. A total of 18 unrecorded bacterial species were isolated from the feces of an Oriental stork (Ciconia boyciana), and from the intestinal tracts of a cobitid fish (Kichulchoia multifasciata) and a Korean splendid dace (Coreoleuciscus splendidus). Based on a phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, we discovered species belonging to the phyla Actinobacteria (eight species), Firmicutes (seven species), Proteobacteria (two species), and Bacteroidetes (one species). Based on their high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities (>98.7%) and formation of monophyletic clades with type species, each species was classified into an independent and predefined bacterial species. Gram-stain reaction, colony and cell morphology, basic biochemical characteristics, isolation source, and NIBR IDs for each species are described in the species description section.

• Journal of Species Research
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.339-345
• /
• 2020

The Earth contains billions of microbial species, although the vast majority cannot be cultured in laboratories and are thus considered unidentified and uncharacterized. Extremophiles are microorganisms that thrive in extreme conditions, including temperature, salinity, and pH. Extremophilic microorganisms have provided important insights for biological, metabolic, and evolutionary studies. Between 2017 and 2019, as part of a comprehensive investigation to identify bacterial species in Korea, eight bacterial strains were isolated from marine and non-marine environments in Jeju Island. These strains were cultured under extreme salinity or pH conditions. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S ribosomal RNA(rRNA) gene sequencing indicated that all eight strains belonged to the phyla Gammaproteobacteria, Bacilli, and Alphaproteobacteria. Based on their high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities(>98.7%) and the formation of strong monophyletic clades with their closest related species, all isolated strains were considered as an unrecorded strain, previously unidentified species. Gram stain reaction, culture conditions, colony and cell morphology, biochemical characteristics, isolation source, and National Institute of Biological Resources(NIBR) IDs are described in this article. The characterization of these unrecorded strains provides information on microorganisms living in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 1993

The gene for mannose enzyme II of phosphoenolpyruvate-dependent phosphotransferase system from Corynebacterium glutamicum KCTC 1445 was cloned into Escherichia coli ZSC113 using plasmid pBR 322. The recombinant plasmid, designated pCTS3, contained 2.2 kb DNA fragment, and the physical map of the cloned DNA fragment was determined. The E. coli ptsM ptsG mutant transformed with pCTS3 restored glucose and mannose fermentation ability, and grew well on these sugars as the sole carbon source in the minimal medium. The transform ant harboring pCTS3 showed a PTS-mediated repression of growth on maltose by mannose analogue, 2-deoxyglucose. The specificity of the response to 2DG therefore indicates that the cloned DNA fragment carries mannose enzyme II gene.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.389-395
• /
• 2021

Soil is the major source of plant-associated microbes. Several fungal and bacterial species live within plant tissues. Actinomycetes are well known for producing a variety of antibiotics, and they contribute to improving plant health. In our previous report, Streptomyces globisporus SP6C4 colonized plant tissues and was able to move to other tissues from the initially colonized ones. This strain has excellent antifungal and antibacterial activities and provides a suppressive effect upon various plant diseases. Here, we report the genome-wide analysis of antibiotic producing genes in S. globisporus SP6C4. A total of 15 secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters were predicted using antiSMASH. We used the CRISPR/Cas9 mutagenesis system, and each biosynthetic gene was predicted via protein basic local alignment search tool (BLAST) and rapid annotation using subsystems technology (RAST) server. Three gene clusters were shown to exhibit antifungal or antibacterial activity, viz. cluster 16 (lasso peptide), cluster 17 (thiopeptide-lantipeptide), and cluster 20 (lantipeptide). The results of the current study showed that SP6C4 has a variety of antimicrobial activities, and this strain is beneficial in agriculture.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2000.04a
• /
• pp.195-198
• /
• 2000

Production of eight avermectin components was improved in Streptomyces avermitilis wild type strain (ATCC31267) and high producing mutant strain (ATCC31780) when transformed with a foreign regulatory gene, afsR2 of Streptomyces lividans. Wild type and the high producing strain of S. avermitilis transformed with multiple copies of afsR2 improved total avermectin productions by 2.3 fold and 1.5 fold, respectively. In both of wild type and the high producing transformants carrying afsR2, glycerol was proved to be the best carbon source for the stimulation of avermectin production.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.247-252
• /
• 2000

The strength and regulatory characteristics of the heat-inducible HSA1, HSA2 and TPS1 promoters were compared with those of the well-established, carbon source-regulated FMD promoter in a Hansenula polymorpha-based host system in vivo. In addition, the Saccharomyces cerevisiae-derived ADH1 promoter was analysed. While ADH1 promoter showed to be of poor activity in the foreign host, the strength of the heat shock TPS1 promoter was found to exceed that of the FMD promoter, which at present is considered to be the strongest promoter for driving heterologous gene expression in H. polymorpha.