• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2023

Pathogenic Escherichia coli is the cause of a wide range of diseases in pigs, including diarrhea, edema disease, and septicemia. Diarrhea caused E. coli may result in significant economic losses, making pathogenic E. coli an important pathogen for the swine industry. This study investigated the prevalence of virulence factor genes, antimicrobial resistance phenotypes, and resistance genes in E. coli isolated from feces of piglets in Korea between 2017 and 2020. As a result, 119 pathogenic E. coli isolates were obtained from 601 fecal samples. The F4 adhesin gene and the STb enterotoxin gene were commonly present in E. coli isolated from diarrhea samples. The dominant virulotypes of isolates from diarrhea samples were STb, Stx2e, and F4:LT:STb. More than 80% of the screened isolates were resistant to ampicillin, sulfisoxazole, chloramphenicol, or tetracycline. To confirm the resistance mechanisms for β-lactam or quinolone, we investigated the genotypic factors of resistance. Each of the ceftiofur-resistant E. coli produced an extended-spectrum β-lactamase encoded by bla_CTX-M-14, bla_CTX-M-27, and bla_CTX-M-55. And all ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli harbored mutations in quinoloneresistance-determining-regions. In addition, some of the ciprofloxacin-resistant E. coli contained the plasmid-mediated-quinolone-resistance genes such as qepA, qnrB1, or qnrD. This study has confirmed that the F4 fimbria and the STb enterotoxin are the most predominant in pathogenic E. coli isolated from piglets with diarrhea in Korea and there is a great need for responsible and prudent use of antimicrobials to treat colibacillosis.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.134-141
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• 2005

To characterize genotypic and phenotypic traits of Staphylococcus aureus isolates (n = 86) from lettuces and raw milk, major virulence-associated genes and antibiotic susceptibility were detected using PCR-based methods and disk diffusion method, respectively. All isolates possessed coagulase gene and showed five polymorphism types [500 bp (2.4%), 580 bp (17.4%), 660 bp (61.6%), 740 bp (17.4%), and 820 bp (1.2%)] due to variable numbers of tandem repeats present within the gene. Two or three different loci of hemolysin gene family were dominant in isolates, 47 of which (55%) possessed combination of hla/hld/hlg-2 genes as the most prevalent types. Among enterotoxin-encoding genes, sea was detected from 32 isolates (37%), sed from 1 isolate (1%), and sea and sed genes were co-detected from 4 isolates (5%), whereas seb, sec, and tsst-1 genes were not detected. All isolates were susceptible to ciprofloxacin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, oxacillin, and vancomycin, 85 isolates (99%) to penicillin G, 54 isolates (63%) to chloramphenicol, 51 isolates (59%) to erythromycin, and 7 isolates (8%) to clindamycin. Among resistant isolates, seven displayed multiantibiotic-resistance against two different antibiotics.

• The Journal of Korean Society of Virology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2000

The nonstructural protein NSP4, encoded by gene 10 of rotavirus, has been shown to playa role in viral assembly and known to be an enterotoxin, causing diarrhea in mouse pups. NSP4 gene was cloned from CBNU-2 (virulent bovine rotavirus/diarrheic fecal sample) and CBNU-1 (cell-culture adapted bovine rotavirus/isolated from CBNU-2 and 75 times passaged on MA104 cells), respectively, by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and sequenced and compared. The sequence data indicated that the NSP4 genes of bovine rotavirus (BRV) were 751 bases in length and encoded one open reading frame of 175 amino acids beginning at base 42 and terminating at base 569. Differences in nucleotide sequence between CBNU-2 and CBNU-1 were observed at 6 positions (base 274, 296, 391, 394, 396 and 579). NSP4 gene of BRV exhibited a high degree of nucleotide (90% and 94%) and amino acid sequence (91% and 97%) homology with those of SA11 and UK but a low degree of nucleotide (77% and 79%) and amino acids sequence (81% and 85%) homology with those of Wa and OSU.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.117-124
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• 2019

Vibrio cholerae is a very important pathogenic bacterium that has to be monitored in seafood and ships' ballast water. Various methods have been developed to identify this bacterium, yet these methods are time-consuming and have limitations for their sensitivity to detect contamination. The purpose of the present study was to develop a robust and reliable method for identifying V. cholerae. Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes were developed to use for PNA-based asymmetrical real-time PCR techniques. The toxigenic Cholera enterotoxin subunit B (ctxB) gene was selected as a target for detecting V. cholerae and the gene was synthesized as a positive template for conventional and real-time PCR. Real-time PCR primers and PNA probes were designed and standard curves were produced for the quantitative analysis. The selected PNA probes reacted specifically to V. cholerae without any ambiguity, even among closely related species, and the detection limit was 0.1 cfu/100 mL. Taken together, the PNA probes and asymmetrical qPCR methods developed in this present study could contribute to the rapid, accurate monitoring of V. cholerae in marine environments, and as well as in seafood and ships' ballast waters.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.576-582
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• 2019

Staphylococcus pseudintermedius is an opportunistic pathogen in dogs and is recognized as a zoonotic pathogen causing public health concern. Although canine-associated S. pseudintermedius has mainly been recognized for its antimicrobial resistance and ability to cause skin infections in dogs, information on antimicrobial resistance profiles and enterotoxigenicity of S. pseudintermedius in livestock is very limited. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of 18 different staphylococcal enterotoxin (SE) genes and toxic shock syndrome toxin gene (tst-1) in S. pseudintermedius strains isolated from dogs, pigs, and beef cattle. Moreover, antimicrobial resistance profiles of the strains were determined along with the presence of mecA and SCCmec types. Except for one bovine isolate, all S. pseudintermedius isolates from dogs and pigs were resistant to multiple drugs (≥ 4 different drugs). Four out of six canine isolates were methicillin resistant and carried SCCmec type V. In addition, 11 different SE genes (seb, sec, see, seg, sei, sej, sel, seo, sep, seq, and seu) and tst-1 were identified in S. pseudintermedius isolates from dogs, pigs, and beef cattle. Most S. pseudintermedius isolates (83%) harbored multiple SE genes, and sel (42%) and sep (42%) were most frequently detected in the isolates. Our results suggested that S. pseudintermedius isolates from livestock and companion animals may serve as a reservoir for SE genes and antimicrobial resistance.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.50-56
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the microbiological contamination of water and drinking cups in springs and to estimate the toxin gene, enterotoxin production ability and antibiotic susceptibility of foodborne pathogens. Ten spring water and 34 drinking cups were tested. The average number of total aerobic bacteria and coliform bacteria in spring water were 1.8 log CFU/mL and 1.2 log CFU/mL, and in drinking cups were $4.7log\;CFU/100cm^2$ and $1.7log\;CFU/100cm^2$. Salmonella spp., Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli O157:H7, Listeria monocytogenes, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Yersinia enterocolitica were not isolated from all of samples but Bacillus cereus was detected in 5 (14.7%) of 34 drinking cups. The nheA and entFM genes were major enterotoxin genes in B. cereus isolated from drinking cups. All of B. cereus tested in this study produce non-heamolytic enterotoxin but only 2 isolates possessed heamolysin BL enterotoxin producing ability. B. cereus was resistant to ${\beta}-lactam$ antibiotics. These results revealed that the sanitary conditions of drinking cups in spring should be improved promptly. The substitution carrying a personal drinking cup for the public drinking cups equipped in springs is suggested to prevent food-borne illness.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.648-654
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• 2011

Staphylococcus aureus, a major human pathogen, produces a wide array of toxins, which causes various types of disease symptoms. Prevalence of S. aureus in various foods collected during 2006-2008 in Korea was investigated. S. aureus was isolated from 275 of 5,186 (5.3%) food samples collected from hyper-markets in Korea. Seasonal temperature affected the prevalence of S. aureus in various foods with high isolation rate during the summer. Most of the enterotoxigenic strains produced enterotoxin A only or enterotoxin A in combination with another toxin. A total of 54.5% of the tested strains contained either one or more enterotoxin genes and 3.6% possessed a tst gene. This study offers basic information for securing the stability of food during storage and circulation, and provides an epidemiological tool to study the cause, origin and temporal spread of S. aureus food poisoning.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.75-82
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• 2010

The molecular epidemiological characteristics of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) isolates have demonstrated their genetic diversity and evolution. A total of 137 strains of MRSA clinical isolates was collected from Korean healthcare facility in 2007. The MRSA clinical isolates were analyzed by molecular typings (SCCmec element and agr locus typing), virule nce factor gene detections {(Panton-Valentine leukocidin (PVL), enterotoxin, exfoliative toxin and toxic shock syndrome toxin-1), and amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP)}. The MRSA clinical isolates were classified as SCCmec type II-agr type 1 (2 strains), type II-agr type 2 (79 strains), type III-agr type 1 (24 strains), type III-agr type 2 (2 strains), type IV-agr type 1 (27 strains), type IV-agr type 2 (2 strains), and non-typable (1 strain, agr type 3). Based on SCCmec types, SCCmec type II (95.1%) and III (88.5%) indicated higher multidrug resistance rate than SCCmec type IV (10.3%) (P<0.001). The most common enterotoxin genes were seg (83.8%), sei (83.1%), and sec (80.2%). The tst gene was present in 86 out of 137 (62.8%) MRSA isolates. All MRSA isolates were negative for PVL and exfoliative toxin genes. The combinations of toxin genes were observed in particular SCCmec types; 97.6% of SCCmec type II strains carried sec, seg, sei and tst genes, 73.0% of SCCmec type III strains carried sea gene, and 89.7% of SCCmec type IV strains carried sec, seg and sei genes. Each of the SCCmec types of MRSA isolates had distinct AFLP profile. In conclusion, SCCmec type II, agr type 1 and 2 have demonstrated to be the most common types in Korea, and the results indicated that the virulence factors are closely associated with their molecular types (SCCmec and agr types).

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2005

The generation of secretory IgA antibodies (Abs) for specific immune protection of mucosal surfaces depends on stimulation of the mucosal immune system, but this is not effectively achieved by parenteral or even oral administration of most soluble antigens. Thus, to produce a possible vaccine antigen against urinary tract infections, the uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) adhesin was genetically coupled to the heat-labile Escherichia coli enterotoxin A2B (ltxa2b) gene and cloned into a pMAL-p2E expression vector. The chimeric construction of pMALfimH/ltxa2b was then transformed into E. coli K-12 TB1 and its nucleotide sequence was verified. The chimeric protein was then purified by applying the affinity chromatography. The purified chimeric protein was confirmed by SDS-PAGE and westem blotting using antibodies to the maltose binding protein (MBP) or the heat labile E. coli subunit B (LTXB), plus the N-terminal amino acid sequence was analyzedd. The orderly-assembled chimeric protein was confirmed by a modified $G_{M1}$-ganglioside ELISA using antibodies to adhesin. The results indicate that the purified chimeric protein was an Adhesin/LTXA2B protein containing UPEC adhesin and the $G_{M1}$-ganglioside binding activity of LTXB. thisstudy also demonstrate that peroral administration of this chimeric immunogen in mice elicited high level of secretory IgA (sIgA) and serum IgG Abs to the UPEC adhesin. The results suggest that the genetically linked LTXA2B acts as a useful mucosal adjuvant, and that adhesin/LTXA2A chimeric protein might be a potential antigen for oral immunization against UPEC.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.550-557
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• 2010

Escherichia coli (E. coli) heat-labile enterotoxin B subunit (LTB) was regarded as one of the most powerful mucosal immunoadjuvants eliciting strong immunoresponse to coadministered antigens. In the research, the high-level secretory expression of functional LTB was achieved in P. pastoris through high-density fermentation in a 5-1 fermentor. Meanwhile, the protein was expressed in E. coli by the way of inclusion body, although the gene was cloned from E. coli. Some positive yeast and E. coli transformants were obtained respectively by a series of screenings and identifications. Fusion proteins LTB-6$\times$His could be secreted into the supernatant of the medium after the recombinant P. pastoris was induced by 0.5% (v/v) methanol at $30^{\circ}C$, whereas E. coli transformants expressed target protein in inclusion body after being induced by 1 mM IPTG at $37^{\circ}C$. The expression level increased dramatically to 250-300 mg/l supernatant of fermentation in the former and 80-100 mg/l in the latter. The LTB-6$\times$His were purified to 95% purity by affinity chromatography and characterized by SDS-PAGE and Western blot. Adjuvant activity of target protein was analyzed by binding ability with GMI gangliosides. The MW of LTB-6$\times$His expressed in P. pastoris was greater than that in E. coli, which was equal to the expected 11 kDa, possibly resulted from glycosylation by P. pastoris that would enhance the immunogenicity of co-administered antigens. These data demonstrated that P. pastoris producing heterologous LTB has significant advantages in higher expression level and in adjuvant activity compared with the homologous E. coli system.