• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제19권8호
• /
• pp.765-773
• /
• 2009

Edwardsiella tarda is a pathogen with a broad host range that includes human and animals. The E. tarda hemolysin (Eth) system, which comprises EthA and EthB, is a noted virulence element that is widely distributed in pathogenic isolates of E. tarda. Previous study has shown that the expression of ethB is regulated by iron, which suggests the possibility that the ferric uptake regulator (Fur) is involved in the regulation of ethB. The work presented in this report supports the previous findings and demonstrates that ethB expression was decreased under conditions when the E. tarda Fur ($Fur_{Et}$) was overproduced, and enhanced when $Fur_{Et}$ was inactivated. We also identified a second ethB regulator, EthR, which is a transcription regulator of the GntR family. EthR represses ethB expression by direct interaction with the ethB promoter region. In addition to ethB, EthR also modulates, but positively, luxS expression and AI-2 production by binding to the luxS promoter region. The expression of ethR itself is subject to negative autoregulation; interference with this regulation by overexpressing ethR during the process of infection caused (i) drastic changes in ethB and luxS expressions, (ii) vitiation in the tissue dissemination and survival ability of the bacterium, and (iii) significant attenuation of the overall bacterial virulence. These results not only provide new insights into the regulation mechanisms of the Eth hemolysin and LuxS/AI-2 quorum sensing systems but also highlight the importance of these systems in bacterial virulence.

• 환경생물
• /
• 제24권4호
• /
• pp.408-415
• /
• 2006

Serpentines soil have high values of magnesium and low values of calcium, and are usually deficient in N and P, but rich in iron, Ni, silicates. We investigated serpentine soil properties and measured the content of nutrient elements and heavy metals in shoots and root of plant species which were in common at serpentine and non-serpentine areas in Andong, Korea. The soils showed higher pH value above 6.9. The contents of Ni, Cr, Fe and Mg of serpentine soils exhibited 77, 27, 5.5 and 12.5 times more than in non-serpentine soils, respectively. The content of Na was almost same but K was two times higher in non-serpentine soil, compared with serpentine soil. The contents of nutrient element such as K, Ca, Na and P in serpentine plants did not show conspicuous differences with non-serpentine plants. On the other hand, the concentrations of Ni, Cr, Fe, Mg and Mg/Ca were very high in plant on serpentine area. The all plant species collected at the serpentine site were bodenvag plants, which are not restricted to a specific type of substrate. By the plant species and parts of plant tissues, the absorption levels and patterns showed high variation and were species-specific. Carex lanceolata, Lysimachia clethroides and Cynanchum paniculatum contained much chromium and Eupatorium chinense and C. paniculatum exhibited high contents of Ni. In leaf tissue, C. lanceolata, Rubus parvifolius, Festuca ovina, Quercus serrata, and L. clethroides took comparatively large amount of Cr in serpentine area. E. chinense contained large amount of Ni, Cr and Fe in a leaf tissue. The stem of Galium verum, Juniperus rigida included high amount of Cr, Ni and Fe. And C. paniculatum absorbed large amount of Ni and Cr in the stem.

• BMB Reports
• /
• 제36권4호
• /
• pp.337-343
• /
• 2003

Rhus verniciflua Stokes (RVS) has been used as a traditional herbal medicine. Several earlier studies indicated that an ethanol extract of RVS has both anti-oxidant and anti-tumor properties, although the mechanism for the activity remains to be elucidated. In this report, we prepared a highly purified ethanol extract from RVS, named REEE-1 ($\underline{R}$hus $\underline{e}$thanol $\underline{e}$luted $\underline{e}$xtract-1), and investigated the mechanism involved in its growth-inhibitory effect on the human B and T lymphoma cell lines, BJAB and Jurkat, respectively. Results from tritium uptake proliferation assays showed that the proliferative capacities of both BJAB and Jurkat cells were strongly suppressed in the presence of REEE-1. This was further confirmed through trypan blue exclusion experiments that revealed a dose-dependent decrease in viable cell numbers after REEE-1 treatment. REEE-1-mediated suppression of cell growth was verified to be apoptotic, based on the increase in DNA fragmentation, low fluorescence intensity in nuclei after propidium iodide staining, and the appearance of DNA laddering. In particular, REEE-1 exerted its anti-oxidant activity through the inhibition of hydroxyl radical-mediated degradation by iron ion chelation rather than direct scavenging of hydroxyl radicals. Furthermore, REEE-1 was revealed to be a potential scavenger of superoxide anions. Collectively, our findings suggest that REEE-1 is a natural anti-oxidant that could be used as a cancer chemo-preventive and therapeutic agent.

• 한국염색가공학회지
• /
• 제18권1호
• /
• pp.10-19
• /
• 2006

Despite several recent attempts to measure the concentration of individual catechins by HPLC, it has not been so easy to separate catechins accurately. The aim of the present work is to provide a proper condition for separating each component of catechins by HPLC analysis, and also to evaluate the experimental variables including color differences, and metal ion contents after dyeing and mordanting. Four kinds of Catechins, (-)-epicatechin(EC), (-)-epicatechin gallate(ECG), (-)-epigallocatechin(EgC), (-)-epigallocatechin gllate(EgCG) were isolated from the residues after dyeing. Catechins in Korean green tea leaves are richer when e tea leaves are younger. Higher concentration of catechins owes it to e way it is processed. The contents of catechins adsorbed in silk fabrics after dyeing were in order of EGCG>ECG>EGC>EC. We have found $68\%$ uptake of EGCG, and 116.8mg of EGCG in the silk fabrics after it was dyed with $1\%$ Korean green tea extracts. The absorbance intensity and K/S values of dyed silk fabrics were increased with dyeing temperature and time. Only the surface color of the silk fabric dyed with green tea extracts was yellowish red, but it changed from yellowish red to red with an increase in the mordant concentration. Post-mordanted silk fabrics with ferrous sulfate changed from yellowish red to red and purple color shade. In a practical evaluation, there is no significant change in color after twenty times of the continuous dry cleaning process. However, post-mordanted fabrics with ferrous sulfate faded the brightness of color after dry cleaning. Dyeing silk fabrics with a Korean tea extract reduced the metal ion contents in the silk fabrics when compared to the untreated silk fabrics. Metal contents in silk fabrics dyed and post-mordanted with $1\%$ each metal solution were 0.194 ppm for Aluminum, 1.601ppm for Copper, and 0.334 ppm for Iron. After the post-mordanting process, the heavy metal ion absorption increased, which was mainly attributed to the catechins and polyphenols in dyed silk fabrics.

• Advances in environmental research
• /
• 제3권2호
• /
• pp.163-172
• /
• 2014

Magnetite was chosen as a typical adsorbent to study its phosphate adsorption capacity in water body with low concentration of phosphorus (below $2mg\;PL^{-1}$). Magnetite was collected from Luoyang City, Henan Province, China. In this research, three factors have been studied to describe the adsorption of phosphate on magnetite, which was solution concentration (concentration ranging from 0.1 to $2.5mg\;PL^{-1}$), suspension pH (1 to 13) and temperature (ranging from $10^{\circ}C$ to $40^{\circ}C$). In addition, the modified samples had been characterized with XRD and FE-SEM image. The results show that iron ions contains in magnetite were the main factors of phosphorus removal. The behavior of phosphorus adsorption to substrates could be fitted to both Langmuir and Freundlich isothermal adsorption equations in the low concentration phosphorus water. The theoretical saturated adsorption quantity of magnetite is 0.158 mg/g. pH has great influence on the phosphorus removal of magnetite ore by adsorption. And pH of 3 can receive the best results. While temperature has little effect on it. Magnetite was greatly effective for phosphorus removal in the column experiments, which is a more practical reflection of phosphorous removal combing the adsorption isotherm model and the breakthrough curves. According to the analysis of heavy metals release, the release of heavy metals was very low, they didn't produce the secondary pollution. The mechanism of uptake phosphate is in virtue of chemisorption between phosphate and ferric ion released by magnetite oxidation. The combined investigation of the magnetite showed that it was better substrate for water body with low concentration of phosphorus.

• 한국축산식품학회지
• /
• 제38권6호
• /
• pp.1226-1236
• /
• 2018

Ovotransferrin (OTF) is a well-known protein of the transferrin family with strong iron chelating activity, resulting in its antimicrobial activity. Furthermore, OTF is known to have antioxidant, anticancer, and antihypertensive activities. However, there have been few studies about the immune-enhancing activity of OTF. In current study, we investigated the immune-enhancing activity of OTF using the murine macrophage cells in vitro. The effect of OTF on production of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines were determined using Griess assay and quantitative real-time PCR. Using Neutral Red uptake assay, we confirmed the effect of OTF on phagocytic activity of macrophages. Ovotransferrin significantly increased the production of nitric oxide (NO) and secretion of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) mRNA with no cytotoxic activity. Ovotransferrin (2 mg/mL) stimulated NO production up to $31.9{\pm}3.5{\mu}M$. Ovotransferrin significantly increased the mRNA expression levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines which are tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$), Interleukin-$1{\beta}$ (IL-$1{\beta}$), and IL-6: OTF (2 mg/mL) treatment increased the secretion of mRNA for TNF-${\alpha}$, IL-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6 by 22.20-, 37.91-, and 6.17-fold of the negative control, respectively. The phagocytic activity of macrophages was also increased by OTF treatment significantly compared with negative control. Also, OTF treatment increased phosphorylation level of MAPK signaling pathways. These results indicated that OTF has immune-enhancing activity by activating RAW 264.7 macrophages via MAPK pathways.

• 공업화학
• /
• 제34권2호
• /
• pp.121-125
• /
• 2023

카세인(casein)은 포유류의 우유에서 발견되는 단백질로 우유에서는 80% 이상 함유되어 있다. 사람의 모유에는 약 20~45%가 포함되어 있으며 생체 적합성이 높아 의료 및 산업 소재로 사용되고 있다. 카세인은 양친매성 구조로 내부는 소수성이기 때문에 수용액에서 마이셀로 자가 조립이 가능하여 난용성 약물을 봉입할 수 있다. 또한, 단백질 고분자 소재로 생분해성을 갖고 있어 약물의 전달체로서 적합한 특징을 가진다. 본 연구에서는 칼슘 이온 외에 마그네슘, 아연, 철 등 생체 내 존재하는 다양한 금속 이온들을 사용하여 각각 효과적인 카세인 나노입자 형성 조건을 규명하였다. 동적 광산란 측정기와 제타 전위 측정을 통해 150 nm 이하의 균일한 사이즈를 유지하고 음전하를 띠는 나노입자가 형성됨을 확인하였다. 또한, 각각의 카세인 나노입자가 HeLa 세포주에서 80% 이상의 생존율을 나타내 낮은 세포 독성을 확인하였고, 카세인 나노입자 내부에 시험 약물로서 나일 레드를 봉입하여 세포 내부로 효과적으로 유입됨을 공초점 현미경으로 입증하였다. 본 실험들을 통해 제조된 카세인 나노입자의 약물 전달체로서의 가능성을 확인하였다.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
• /
• 제25권4호
• /
• pp.42.1-42.12
• /
• 2024

Importance: Bovine mastitis, predominantly associated with gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, poses a significant threat to dairy cows, leading to a decline in milk quality and volume with substantial economic implications. Objective: This study investigated the incidence, virulence, and antibiotic resistance of S. aureus associated with mastitis in dairy cows. Methods: Fifty milk-productive cows underwent a subclinical mastitis diagnosis, and the S. aureus strains were isolated. Genomic DNA extraction, sequencing, and bioinformatic analysis were performed, supplemented by including 124 S. aureus genomes from cows with subclinical mastitis to enhance the overall analysis. Results: The results revealed a 42% prevalence of subclinical mastitis among the cows tested. Genomic analysis identified 26 sequence types (STs) for all isolates, with Mexican STs belonging primarily to CC1 and CC97. The analyzed genomes exhibited multidrug resistance to phenicol, fluoroquinolone, tetracycline, and cephalosporine, which are commonly used as the first line of treatment. Furthermore, a similar genomic virulence repertoire was observed across the genomes, encompassing the genes related to invasion, survival, pathogenesis, and iron uptake. In particular, the toxic shock syndrome toxin (tss-1) was found predominantly in the genomes isolated in this study, posing potential health risks, particularly in children. Conclusion and Relevance: These findings underscore the broad capacity for antibiotic resistance and pathogenicity by S. aureus, compromising the integrity of milk and dairy products. The study emphasizes the need to evaluate the effectiveness of antibiotics in combating S. aureus infections.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• 제29권4호
• /
• pp.285-296
• /
• 2014

Although the problems of the algal blooms have been world-widely observed in freshwater, estuary, and marine throughout the year, it is not yet certain what are the basic causes of such blooms. Consequently, it is very difficult to predict when and where algal blooms occur. The constituents of the Asian dust are in a good agreement with the elements required for the algal growth, which suggests some possible relationship between the algal blooms and the Asian dust. There have been frequently algal blooms in drinking water from rivers or lakes. However, there is no any algal blooms in upwelling waters where the Asian dust cannot penetrate into the soil due to its relatively weak settling velocity (size of particles, $4.5{\pm}1.5{\mu}m$), which implies the possible close relationship of the Asian dust with algal blooms. The present initiative study is thus intended firstly in Korea to illustrate such a relationship by reviewing typical previous studies along with 12 years of weekly iron profiles (2001~2012) and two slant culture experiments with the dissolved Asian dust. The result showed bacterial suspected colonies in the slant culture experiment that are qualitatively in a good agreement with the recent Japanese studies. Since the diatoms require cheap energy (8%) compared to other phytoplankton (100%) to synthesize their cell walls by silicate, the present results can be used to predict algal blooms by diatoms if the concentrations of iron and silicate are available during spring and fall. It can be postulated that the algal blooms occur only if the environmental factors such as light, nutrients, calm water surface layer, temperature, and pH are simultaneously satisfied with the requirements of the micronutrients of mineral ions supplied by the Asian dust as enzymatic cofactors for the rapid bio-synthesis of the macromolecules during algal blooms. Simple eco-friendly methods to regulate the algal blooms are suggested for the initial stage of blooming with limited area: 1) to cover up the water surface with black curtain and inhibit photosynthesis during the day time, 2) to blow air (20.9%) or pure oxygen into the bottom of the water and inhibit rubisco for carbon uptake and nitrate reductase for nitrogen uptake activities in algal growth during the night, 3) to eliminate the resting spores or cysts by suction of bottom sediments as deep as 5 cm to prevent the next year germinations.

• 한국토양비료학회지
• /
• 제17권3호
• /
• pp.224-231
• /
• 1984

누수(漏水)와 양분용탈(養分溶脫)이 심한 사질답(砂質畓)(강서통(江西統))에 산적토(山赤土), 점질(粘質) 및 미사질해이토(微砂質海泥土)와 영일만(迎日灣)의 제삼기층토양(第三紀層土壤)을 객토처리(客土處理)하여 토양개량효과(土壤改良效果) 및 벼 생육(生育)에 미치는 영향(影響)을 2개년간(個年間) ('80~'81)에 걸쳐 비교(比較)하여 본 결과(結果)는 다음과 같다. (1) 수량(收量)은 1, 2년차(年次) 공히 비슷한 경향(傾向)이었으며 점질해이토구(粘質海泥土區)와 제삼기층토(第三紀層土) 처리(處理區)에서 가장 높았다. (2) 2년차(年次)에서 전생육기간(全生育其間)동안 객토(客土)의 잔효(殘效)에 의하여 건물중(乾物重) 및 무기성분(無機成分) 흡수량(吸收量)은 증가(增加)하는 경향(傾向)이며 특히 점질해이토구(粘質海泥土區)와 제삼기층토구(第三紀層土區)가 현저(顯著)하였다. (3) 시험(試驗) 후(後) 토양(土壤)의 양(陽)이온치환용량(置換容量), 유효규산(有效珪酸), 치환성양(置換性陽)이온 및 황성철함량(活性鐵含量)이 증가(增加)되었으며 제삼기층토구(第三紀層土區)에서 양(陽)이온 치환용량(置換容量)이 가장 높았다. 또 입단함량(粒團含量)과 소성지수(塑性指數)는 증대(增大)되었으며 제삼기층토구(第三紀層土區)와 점질해이토구(粘質海泥土區)에서 투수계수(透水係數)가 현저(顯著)히 적어졌다.