• Mass Spectrometry Letters
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.41-51
• /
• 2020

Microbes influence many aspects of human life from the environment to health, yet evaluating their biological processes at the chemical level can be problematic. Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) enables direct evaluation of microbial chemical processes at the atomic to molecular levels without destruction of valuable two-dimensional information. MSI is a label-free method that allows multiplex spatiotemporal visualization of atomic- or molecular-level information of microbial and microberelated samples. As a result, microbial MSI has become an important field for both mass spectrometrists and microbiologists. In this review, basic techniques for microbial MSI, such as ionization methods and analyzers, are explored. In addition, we discuss practical applications of microbial MSI and various data-processing techniques.

• Molecules and Cells
• /
• v.26 no.5
• /
• pp.415-426
• /
• 2008

The interactions between the host and microbial pathogen largely dictate the onset, progression, and outcome of infectious diseases. Pathogens subvert host components to promote their pathogenesis and, among these, cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans are exploited by many pathogens for their initial attachment and subsequent cellular entry. The ability to interact with heparan sulfate proteoglycans is widespread among viruses, bacteria, and parasites. Certain pathogens also use heparan sulfate proteoglycans to evade host defense mechanisms. These findings suggest that heparan sulfate proteoglycans are critical in microbial pathogenesis, and that heparan sulfate proteoglycan-pathogen interactions are potential targets for novel prophylactic and therapeutic approaches.

• The Korea Genome Conference
• /
• 2003.09a
• /
• pp.44.2-44.2
• /
• 2003

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2018.05a
• /
• pp.19-19
• /
• 2018

Fungal pathogens have huge impact on health and economic wellbeing of human by causing life-threatening mycoses in immune-compromised patients or by destroying crop plants. A key determinant of fungal pathogenesis is their ability to undergo developmental change in response to host or environmental factors. Genetic pathways that regulate such morphological transitions and adaptation are therefore extensively studied during the last few decades. Given that epigenetic as well as genetic components play pivotal roles in development of plants and mammals, contribution of microbial epigenetic counterparts to this morphogenetic process is intriguing yet nearly unappreciated question to date. To bridge this gap in our knowledge, we set out to investigate histone modifications among epigenetic mechanisms that possibly regulate fungal adaptation and processes involved in pathogenesis of a model plant pathogenic fungus, Magnaporthe oryzae. For functional and comparative analysis of histone modifications, a web-based database (dbHiMo) was constructed first to archive and analyze histone modifying enzymes from eukaryotic species whose genome sequences are available. Based on the database entries, we carried out functional analysis of genes encoding histone modifying enzymes. Here I provide examples of such analyses that show how histone acetylation and methylation is implicated in regulating important aspects of fungal pathogenesis. Current analysis of histone modifying enzymes is followed by ChIP-seq and RNA-seq experiments to pinpoint the genes that are controlled by particular histone modifications. We anticipate that our work will provide not only the significant advances in our understanding of epigenetic mechanisms operating in microbial eukaryotes but also basis to expand our perspective on regulation of development in fungal pathogens.

• The Journal of the Korean Society for Microbiology
• /
• v.35 no.5_6
• /
• pp.340-342
• /
• 2000

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.16 no.1
• /
• pp.17-21
• /
• 2013

The gut mucosal barrier plays an important role in maintaining a delicate immune homeostasis. The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is considered to involve a defective mucosal immunity along with a genetic predisposition. Recent views have suggested an excessive response to components of the gut microbiota in IBD. A condition of "dysbiosis", with alterations of the gut microbial composition, has been observed in patients with IBD. In this article, the author review recent studies of gut microbiota in IBD, particularly the importance of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of pediatric IBD.

• Infection and chemotherapy
• /
• v.50 no.4
• /
• pp.328-339
• /
• 2018

Background: Pneumococcal disease is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, especially in patients with comorbidities and advanced age. This study evaluated trends in epidemiology of adult pneumococcal disease in Crete, Greece, by identifying serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance of consecutive Streptococcus pneumoniae strains isolated from adults during an 8-year time period (2009-2016) and the indirect effect of the infant pneumococcal higher-valent conjugate vaccines 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) and 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV13). Materials and Methods: Antimicrobial susceptibility was performed by E-test and serotyping by Quellung reaction. Multidrug resistance (MDR) was defined as non-susceptibility to penicillin (PNSP) combined with resistance to ${\geq}2$ non-${\beta}$-lactam antimicrobials. Results: A total of 135 S. pneumoniae strains were isolated from adults during the study period. Twenty-one serotypes were identified with 17F, 15A, 3, 19A, and 11A, being the most common. The coverage rates of PCV10, and PCV13 were 17.8% and 37.8%, respectively. PCV13 serotypes decreased significantly from 68.4% in 2009 to 8.3% in 2016 (P = 0.002). The most important emerging non-PCV13 serotypes were 17F, 15A, and 11A, with 15A being strongly associated with antimicrobial resistance and MDR. Among all study isolates, penicillin-resistant and MDR strains represented 7.4% and 14.1%, respectively. Predominant PNSP serotypes were 19A (21.7%), 11A (17.4%), and 15A (17.4%). Erythromycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, and levofloxacin resistant rates were 30.4%, 15.6%, 16.3%, 16.3%, and 1.5%, respectively. Conclusion: Although pneumococcal disease continues to be a health burden in adults in Crete, our study reveals a herd protection effect of the infant pneumococcal higher-valent conjugate vaccination. Surveillance of changes in serotype distribution and antimicrobial resistance among pneumococcal isolates are necessary to guide optimal prevention and treatment strategies.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.108-111
• /
• 2009

DNA-based studies, including cloning and genotyping, have become routine in fungal research laboratories. However, preparation of high-quality DNA from fungal tissue requires much time and labor and is often a limiting step for high-throughput experiments. We have developed a quick and safe (QS) DNA extraction method for fungi. Time efficiency and safety in the QS method were achieved by using plate-grown mycelia as the starting material, by eliminating phenol-chloroform extraction procedures, and by deploying a simple electric grinder. This QS method is applicable not only to a broad range of microbial eukaryotes, including true fungi and oomycetes, but also to lichens and plants.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.321-327
• /
• 2010

We performed diagnostic PCR assays and a phylogenetic analysis using partial sequences of TEF1 (translation elongation factor-1) to determine the trichothecene chemotypes and genetic diversity of F. graminearum isolates from maize and rice samples collected in 2009 in Korea. PCR using a species-specific primer set revealed a total of 324 isolates belonging to the putative F. graminearum species complex. PCR with trichothecene chemotypespecific primers revealed that the nivalenol (NIV) chemotype was predominant among the fungal isolates from rice (95%) in all provinces examined. In contrast, the predominant chemotype among the corn isolates varied according to region. The deoxynivalenol (DON) chemotype was found more frequently (66%) than the NIV chemotype in Gangwon Province, whereas the NIV chemotype (70%) was predominant in Chungbuk Province. Phylogenetic analysis showed that all DON isolates examined were clustered into lineage 7, while the NIV isolates resided within lineage 6 (F. asiaticum). Compared with previous studies, the lineage 6 isolates in rice have been predominantly maintained in southern provinces, while the dominance of lineage 7 in maize has been evident in Gangwon at a slightly reduced level.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.47-53
• /
• 2004

Pseudomonas fluorescens 1-94 induced systemic resistance in chickpea against Fusarium wilt of chickpea caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. ciceri by the synthesis and accumulation of phenolic compounds, phenylalanine ammonia lyase(PAL) and pathogenesis related(PR) proteins(chitinase, $\beta$-1,3-glucanase and peroxidase). Time-course accumulation of these enzymes in chickpea plants inoculated with P. fluorescens was significantly(LSD, P=0.05) higher than control. Maximum activities of PR-proteins were recorded at 3 days after inoculation in all induced plants; thereafter, the activity decreased progressively. Five PR peroxidases detected in induced chickpea plants. Molecular mass of these purified peroxidases was 20, 29, 43, 66 and 97 kDa. Purified peroxidases showed antifungal activity against plant pathogenic fungi.