• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
• /
• 제32권1호
• /
• pp.146-153
• /
• 2024

The LEPR (leptin receptor) genotype is associated with obesity. Gut microbiome composition differs between obese and non-obese adults. However, the impact of LEPR genotype on gut microbiome composition in humans has not yet been studied. In this study, the association between LEPR single nucleotide polymorphism (rs1173100, rs1137101, and rs790419) and the gut microbiome composition in 65 non-obese Korean adults was investigated. Leptin, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were also measured in all participants. Mean ± SD (standard deviation) of age, body mass index, and leptin hormone levels of participants was 35.2 ± 8.1 years, 21.4 ± 1.8 kg/m², and 7989.1 ± 6687.4 pg/mL, respectively. Gut microbiome analysis was performed at the phylum level by 16S rRNA sequencing. Among the 11 phyla detected, only one showed significantly different relative abundances between LEPR genotypes. The relative abundance of Candidatus Saccharibacteria was higher in the G/A genotype group than in the G/G genotype group for the rs1137101 single nucleotide polymorphism (p=0.0322). Participant characteristics, including body mass index, leptin levels, and other lipid levels, were similar between the rs1137101 G/G and G/A genotypes. In addition, the relative abundances of Fusobacteria and Tenericutes showed significant positive relationship with plasma leptin concentrations (p=0.0036 and p=0.0000, respectively). In conclusion, LEPR genotype and gut microbiome may be associated even in normal-weight Korean adults. However, further studies with a greater number of obese adults are needed to confirm whether LEPR genotype is related to gut microbiome composition.

• 한국해양바이오학회지
• /
• 제16권1호
• /
• pp.1-18
• /
• 2024

Coastal dunes must be conserved. Their native halophytes support coastal geography while their symbiotic microorganisms help vegetation thrive. The Goraebul coast has the largest, well-conserved dune system on the East Sea of the Korean Peninsula due to a climax mixed halophyte (C. soldanella, C. kobomugi, and E. mollis) vegetation support. This study identified rhizobacteria and their diversity in mixed halophyte communities unique to Goraebul. Five phyla, 12 genera, and 21 species were identified based on 16S rDNA sequences from 65 isolates. The phylum Bacillota, class Bacillota, order Bacillales, and family Bacillaceae were identified, with Bacillus as the dominant genus (46.15%). The richness and Shannon's diversity were higher at the species than at the genus level due to the dominance of Bacillus; however, various Bacillus species (7) were identified. Therefore, the climax mixed vegetation adapted to the Goraebul coast may exert natural selection pressure in favor of the common characteristics of Bacillus. However, despite this advantage, the Shannon equitability (0.86), Simpson (0.08), and Shannon diversity (2.79) indexes indicate a stable rhizosphere cluster and the climax mixed vegetation is affected by symbiotic relationships between healthy rhizosphere microbiota.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• 제62권1호
• /
• pp.117-130
• /
• 2024

Ticks host different pathogens as endosymbiont and nonpathogenic microorganisms and play an important role in reproductive fitness and nutrient provision. However, the bacterial microbiomes of white-tailed deer ticks have received minimal attention. This study aimed to examine the bacterial microbiome of ticks collected from Odocoileus virginianus on the Mexico-United States border to assess differences in microbiome diversity in ticks of different species, sexes, and localities. Five different tick species were collected: Rhipicephalus microplus, Dermacentor nitens, Otobius megnini, Amblyomma cajennense, and A. maculatum. The tick microbiomes were analyzed using next-generation sequencing. Among all tick species, the most predominant phylum was Proteobacteria, followed by Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. The ticks from Tamaulipas and Nuevo León presented the highest bacterial species diversity. Acinetobacter johnsonii and A. lwoffii were the common bacterial species in the microbiome of all ticks, Coxiella were present in R. microplus, and Dermacentor nitens also exhibited a Francisella-like endosymbiont. The microbiome of most females in D. nitens was less diverse than that of males, whereas R. microplus occurs in females, suggesting that microbiome diversity is influenced by sex. In the bacterial communities of A. maculatum and O. megnini, Candidatus Midichloria massiliensis, and Candidatus Endoecteinascidia fumentensis were the most predominant endosymbionts. These results constitute the initial report on these bacteria, and this is also the first study to characterize the microbiome of O. megnini.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제66권2호
• /
• pp.340-352
• /
• 2024

This study measured the potential changes of the microbiota in the gastrointestinal tract and energy and nutrient digestibility by supplemental bacteriophages in pigs. Twelve castrated male pigs (initial mean body weight = 29.5 ± 2.3 kg) were surgically cannulated using T-cannula. The animals were housed individually in pens equipped with a feeder and a nipple waterer. The pigs were allotted to 1 of 3 experimental diets in a quadruplicated 3 × 2 Latin square design with 3 experimental diets, 2 periods, and 12 pigs resulting in 8 replicates per diet. The 3 diets were a control mainly based on corn and soybean meal with no antibiotics or bacteriophages, a diet containing 0.1% antibiotics, and a diet containing 0.2% bacteriophages. On day 5 of the experimental period, feces were collected and on days 6 and 7, ileal digesta were collected. Genomic DNA for bacteria were extracted from the ileal digesta and feces and the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was amplified. The ileal and fecal digestibility of energy, dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, and fiber was unaffected by dietary antibiotics or bacteriophages. At the phylum level, the supplemental antibiotic or bacteriophage tended to result in a higher proportion of Firmicutes (p = 0.059) and a lower proportion of Bacteroidetes (p = 0.099) in the ileal digesta samples compared with the control group with no difference between the antibiotic and bacteriophage groups. At the genus level, the supplemental antibiotic or bacteriophage tended to result in a higher proportion of Lactobacillus (p = 0.062) and a lower proportion of Bacteroides (p = 0.074) and Streptococcus (p = 0.088) in the ileal digesta compared with the control group with no difference between the antibiotic and bacteriophage groups. In the feces, supplemental antibiotics or bacteriophages reduced the proportion of Bifidobacterium compared with the control group (p = 0.029) with no difference between the antibiotic and bacteriophage groups. Overall, supplemental antibiotics and bacteriophages showed positive effect on the microbiota of in the ileal digesta without largely affecting energy or nutrient digestibility, with no differences between the antibiotic and bacteriophage groups in growing pigs.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• 제48권2호
• /
• pp.120-127
• /
• 2024

Bats serve as vectors and natural reservoir hosts for various infectious viruses, bacteria, and fungi. These pathogens have also been detected in bat feces and can cause severe illnesses in hosts, other animals, and humans. Because pathogens can easily spread into the environment through bat feces, determining the bacterial communities in bat guano is crucial to mitigate potential disease transmission and outbreaks. This study primarily aimed to examine bacterial communities in the feces of insectivorous bats living in South Korea. Fecal samples were collected after capturing 84 individuals of four different bat species in two regions of South Korea, and the bacterial microbiota was assessed through next generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. The results revealed that, with respect to the relative abundance at the phylum level, Myotis bombinus was dominated by Firmicutes (47.24%) and Proteobacteria (42.66%) whereas Miniopterus fuliginosus (82.78%), Rhinolophus ferrumequinum (63.46%), and Myotis macrodactylus (78.04%) were dominated by Proteobacteria. Alpha diversity analysis showed no difference in abundance between species and a significant difference (p < 0.05) between M. bombinus and M. fuliginosus. Beta-diversity analysis revealed that Clostridium, Asaia, and Enterobacteriaceae_g were clustered as major factors at the genus level using principal component analysis. Additionally, linear discriminant analysis effect size was conducted based on relative expression information to select bacterial markers for each bat species. Clostridium was relatively abundant in M. bombinus, whereas Mycoplasma_g10 was relatively abundant in R. ferrumequinum. Our results provide an overview of bat guano microbiota diversity and the significance of pathogenic taxa for humans and the environment, highlighting a better understanding of preventing emerging diseases. We anticipate that this research will yield bioinformatic data to advance our knowledge of overall microbial genetic diversity and clustering characteristics in insectivorous bat feces in South Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• 제34권6호
• /
• pp.1299-1306
• /
• 2024

Antibiotics are used to control infectious diseases. However, adverse effects of antibiotics, such as devastation of the gut microbiota and enhancement of the inflammatory response, have been reported. Health benefits of fermented milk are established and can be enhanced by the addition of probiotic strains. In this study, we evaluated effects of fermented milk containing Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) SNUG50430 in a mouse model with antibiotic treatment. Fermented milk containing 2 × 10⁵ colony-forming units of L. rhamnosus SNUG50430 was administered to six week-old female BALB/c mice for 1 week. Interleukin (IL)-10 levels in colon samples were significantly increased (P < 0.05) compared to water-treated mice, whereas interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were decreased, of mice treated with fermented milk containing L. rhamnosus SNUG50430-antibiotics-treated (FM+LR+Abx-treated) mice. Phylum Firmicutes composition in the gut was restored and the relative abundances of several bacteria, including the genera Coprococcus and Lactobacillus, were increased in FM+LR+Abx-treated mice compared to PBS+Abx-treated mice. Interestingly, abundances of genus Coprococcus and Lactobacillus were positively correlated with IL-5 and IL-10 levels (P < 0.05) in colon samples and negative correlated with IFN-γ and TNF-α levels in serum samples (P < 0.001). Acetate and butyrate were increased in mice with fermented milk and fecal microbiota of FM+LR+Abx-treated mice were highly enriched with butyrate metabolism pathway compared to water-treated mice (P < 0.05). Thus, fermented milk containing L. rhamnosus SNUG50430 was shown to ameliorate adverse health effects caused by antibiotics through modulating immune responses and the gut microbiota.

• 대한환경공학회지
• /
• 제28권2호
• /
• pp.128-136
• /
• 2006

본 연구에서는 분자생물학적인 방법을 이용하여 침출수 내의 미생물 군집 분석을 통한 매립지의 안정화 정도를 평가하는 기술을 개발하고자 하였다. 국내 사용종료매립지 중 정밀조사대상매립지 244개소를 대상으로 기초자료 조사 및 현장답사를 통해 천안 J 매립지와 원주 T 매립지를 연구대상 매립지로 선정하였다. 각 매립지의 침출수 시료에서 genomic DNA를 추출한 후 PCR을 이용한 16S rDNA 클로닝 과정을 거쳐 매립지 침출수 내에 분포하는 미생물 군집의 유전적 다양성을 확인하였다. 또한 탈질화 및 메탄생성 유전자를 대상으로 competitive PCR과 Real-Time PCR을 이용한 미생물 정량을 실시하여 오염인자와의 상관관계를 확인하였다. 분석된 DNA sequence를 BLAST search한 결과 97% 이상 유사성을 보이는 근연종은 J 매립지, T 매립지 각각 47.6%, 32.1%로 나타났으며 이 중 Proteobacteria phylum이 가장 많이 분포하는 것으로 나타났다. 탈질화 유전자 정량 결과 매립종료 후 경과기간이 13년인 T 매립지에 비해 7년인 J 매립지메서 nirS gene, cnorB gene이 각각 약 7배, 4배 정도 많이 분포하고 있는 것으로 확인되었다. 또한 메탄생성 유전자 정량 결과 J 매립지 내부 침출수(J1)에서 가장 많이 분포하고 있는 것으로 나타났으며, 매립지에서 지하수 흐름 방향으로 멀어질수록 미생물 개체수가 급격히 감소함을 확인하였다. nirS gene, cnorB gene 및 MCR gene의 개체수와 TOC, $NH_3-N,\;NO_3-N,\;NO_2-N,\;Cl^-$, alkalinity에 대한 비교 분석결과 $NO_3-N$을 제외하고 최대 99% 이상의 높은 상관관계를 보였다. 불량매립지로부터 침출수의 유출에 의한 경계 영역 주변에 대한 분자생태학적 영향평가 결과 종래 대표적인 수질평가 분석 항목과의 상관관계가 매우 높게 관측되어 분자생물학적 기술을 영향역 설정 및 안정화 지표로서 충분히 활용할 수 있음을 확인하였다.

• 생명과학회지
• /
• 제27권12호
• /
• pp.1421-1429
• /
• 2017

본 연구에서는 유산균과 다시마가 항비만과 장내 미생물에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위하여 8주령의 수컷 흰쥐를 1 cage 당 3 마리씩 4반복하여 처리군 당 12마리를 사용하였으며, 대조구 기초사료에 고지방사료 처리구는 10% lard를 첨가하고, 여기에 5% 유산균($5{\times}10^8cfu$, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Bifidobacterium longum, Bifidobacterium lactis) 첨가구, 5% 유산균과 10% 다시마를 혼합 첨가한 처리구로 구분하였다. 고지방사료 처리군에 비해 유산균 처리군과 다시마와 유산균 혼합 처리군은 체중과 일당 증체량의 감소를 나타내었다. 장내미생물을 pyrosequncing 방법으로 확인한 결과, 고지방사료 처리군에 비해 유산균 처리군과 다시마와 유산균 혼합 처리군은 Firmicutes 비율이 감소하고, Bacteroidetes의 비율이 증가하였으며, Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B) 비율은 감소하였다. 또한 이 두 처리군은 Firmicutes 문에 속하는 비만 관련 미생물 Roseburia, Mollicute, Erysipelotrichi, Oscillibacter가 감소하였고, 반면에 Bacteroidetes 문에 속하는 항비만 관련 미생물 Prevotella, Alistipes, Bacteroides는 증가하였다. 분변 내 단쇄지방산(short chain fatty acid; SCFA) 은 다시마와 유산균을 섭취한 처리군에서 butyric acid 함량이 높게 나타났다. 결론적으로, 다시마와 유산균의 혼합 처리는 항비만 효과를 나타내며 장내 미생물 변화를 유도하고 장내 대사 물질인 butyric acid의 함량을 높이는 것을 시사한다.

• 한국산림과학회지
• /
• 제100권1호
• /
• pp.112-117
• /
• 2011

본 연구는 산불이 저서성대형무척추동물의 섭식기능군과 군집안정성에 미치는 영향을 파악하기 위해 실시 되었다. 산불이 발생한 울진군의 2개 수계를 실험수계 그리고 산불비발생지의 2개 수계를 대조수계로 설정하여 산불이 발생한 2007년부터 2009년까지 조사하였다. 조사결과, 대조수계에서 4문 6강 16목 47과 89종, 실험수계에서 4문 6강 16목 43과 84종이 출현하였다. 각 연도별 실험수계에서 조사된 청정수계지표종인 E.P.T 분류군의 종수 및 개체수의 경우, 2007년에는 하루살이목이 21종, $2,434.6inds./m^2$, 강도래목이 3종, $199.8inds./m^2$, 날도래목이 14종, $540.2inds./m^2$로 나타났으며, 2009년에는 하루살이목 9종, $296inds./m^2$, 날도래목 4종 $44.4inds./m^2$, 강도래목은 나타나지 않았다. 전체적으로 매년 E.P.T 분류군에 속하는 종수 및 개체수가 급감하는 것으로 나타났다. 또한 매년 대조수계에 비해 실험수계에서 다양도와 풍부도가 감소하는 경향을 보였다. 섭식기능군은 GC type은 종수 및 개체수가 매년 감소하는 경향을 나타내었으나 기타 type에는 큰 변화가 없었다. 군집안정성은 실험수계에서 I III구역에 해당하는 종이 가장 많이 출현하였으나, 산불 후 매년 I III구역의 종수가 대체적으로 감소하는 경향을 나타내었다.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• 제45권2호
• /
• pp.113-121
• /
• 2007

The bacterial diversity inherent to the biofilm community structure of a modified rotating biological contactor wastewater treatment process, referred to as the Rotating Activated Bacillus Contactor (RABC) process, was characterized in this study, via both culture-dependent and culture-independent methods. On the basis of culture-dependent methods, Bacillus sp. were found to exist in large numbers on the biofilm (6.5% of the heterotrophic bacteria) and the microbial composition of the biofilms was quite simple. Only three phyla were identified-namely, the Proteobacteria, the Actinobacteria (High G+C Gram-positive bacteria), and the Firmicutes (Low G+C Gram-positive bacteria). The culture-independent partial 16S rDNA sequence analysis revealed a considerably more diverse microbial composition within the biofilms. A total of eight phyla were recovered in this case, three of which were major groups: the Firmicutes (43.9%), the Proteobacteria (28.6%), and the Bacteroidetes (17.6%). The remaining five phyla were minor groups: the Planctomycetes (4.4%), the Chlorobi (2.2%), the Actinobacteria (1.1%), the Nitrospirae (1.1%), and the Verrucomicrobia (1.1%). The two most abundant genera detected were the endospore-forming bacteria (31.8%), Clostridium and Bacillus, both of which are members of the Firmicutes phylum. This finding indicates that these endospore-forming bacteria successfully colonized and dominated the RABC process biofilms. Many of the colonies or clones recovered from the biofilms evidenced significantly high homology in the 16S rDNA sequences of bacteria stored in databases associated with advanced wastewater treatment capabilities, including nitrification and denitrification, phosphorus accumulation, the removal of volatile odors, and the removal of chlorohydrocarbons or heavy metals. The microbial community structures observed in the biofilms were found to correlate nicely with the enhanced performance of advanced wastewater treatment protocols.