• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제84권3호
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• pp.237-244
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• 2021

Background: The emergence of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), is a major menace to cast off TB worldwide. Line probe assay (LPA; GenoType MTBDRplus ver. 2) and Xpert MTB/RIF assays are two rapid molecular TB detection/diagnostic tests. To compare the performance of LPA and Xpert MTB/RIF assay for early diagnosis of rifampicin-resistant (RR) TB in acid-fast bacillus (AFB) smear-positive and negative sputum samples. Methods: A total 576 presumptive AFB patients were selected and subjected to AFB microscopy, Xpert MTB/RIF assay and recent version of LPA (GenoType MTBDRplus assay version 2) tests directly on sputum samples. Results were compared with phenotypic culture and drug susceptibility testing (DST). DNA sequencing was performed with rpoB gene for samples with discordant rifampicin susceptibility results. Results: Among culture-positive samples, Xpert MTB/RIF assay detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in 97.3% (364/374) of AFB smear-positive samples and 76.5% (13/17) among smear-negative samples, and the corresponding values for LPA test (valid results with Mtb control band) were 97.9% (366/374) and 58.8% (10/17), respectively. For detection of RR among Mtb positive molecular results, the sensitivity of Xpert MTB/RIF assay and LPA (after resolving discordant phenotypic DST results with DNA sequencing) were found to be 96% and 99%, respectively. Whereas, specificity of both test for detecting RR were found to be 99%. Conclusion: We conclude that although Xpert MTB/RIF assay is comparatively superior to LPA in detecting Mtb among AFB smear-negative pulmonary TB. However, both tests are equally efficient in early diagnosis of AFB smear-positive presumptive RR-TB patients.

• ALGAE
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.93-110
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• 2023

Progress in phylogenomic analysis has led to a considerable re-evaluation of former cyanobacterial system, with many new taxa being established at different nomenclatural levels. The family Geminocystaceae is among cyanobacterial taxa recently described on the basis of polyphasic approach. Within this family, there are six genera: Geminocystis, Cyanobacterium, Geminobacterium, Annamia, Picocyanobacterium, and Microcrocis. The genus Geminocystis previously encompassed two species: G. herdmanii and G. papuanica. Herein, a new species G. urbisnovae was proposed under the provision of the International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (ICN). Polyphasic analysis was performed for five strains from the CALU culture collection (St. Petersburg State University, Russian Federation), and they were assigned to the genus Geminocystis in accordance with high 16S rRNA gene similarity to existing species, as well as because of proximity to these species on the phylogenetic trees reconstructed with RaxML and Bayes methods. Plausibility of their assignment to a separate species of the genus Geminocystis was substantiated with smaller cell size; stenohaline freshwater ecotype; capability to complementary chromatic adaptation of second type (CA2); distinct 16S rRNA gene clustering; sequences and folding of D1-D1' and B box domains of the 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer region. The second objective pursued by this communication was to provide a survey of the family Geminocystaceae. The overall assessment was that, despite attention of many researchers, this cyanobacterial family has been understudied and, especially in the case of the crucially important genus Cyanobacterium, taxonomically problematic.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제39권4호
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• pp.409-416
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• 2023

Bacterial leaf blight of carrots caused by Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae (Xhc) is an important worldwide seed-borne disease. In 2012 and 2013, symptoms similar to bacterial leaf blight were found in carrot farms in Jeju Island, Korea. The phenotypic characteristics of the Korean isolation strains were similar to the type strain of Xhc. Pathogenicity showed symptoms on the 14th day after inoculation on carrot plants. Identification by genetic method was multi-position sequencing of the isolated strain JJ2001 was performed using four genes (danK, gyrB, fyuA, and rpoD). The isolated strain was confirmed to be most similar to Xhc M081. Furthermore, in order to analyze the genetic characteristics of the isolated strain, whole genome analysis was performed through the next-generation sequencing method. The draft genome size of JJ2001 is 5,443,372 bp, which contains 63.57% of G + C and has 4,547 open reading frames. Specifically, the classification of pathovar can be confirmed to be similar to that of the host lineage. Plant pathogenic factors and determinants of the majority of the secretion system are conserved in strain JJ2001. This genetic information enables detailed comparative analysis in the pathovar stage of pathogenic bacteria. Furthermore, these findings provide basic data for the distribution and diagnosis of Xanthomonas hortorum pv. carotae, a major plant pathogen that infects carrots in Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.460-470
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• 2017

Mussels are major fouling organisms causing serious technical and economic problems. In this study, antifouling activity towards mussel was found in three compounds isolated from a marine bacterium associated with the sea anemone Haliplanella sp. This bacterial strain, called PE2, was identified as Vibrio alginolyticus using morphology, biochemical tests, and phylogenetic analysis based on sequences of 16S rRNA and four housekeeping genes (rpoD, gyrB, rctB, and toxR). Three small-molecule compounds (indole, 3-formylindole, and cyclo (Pro-Leu)) were purified from the ethyl acetate extract of V. alginolyticus PE2 using column chromatography techniques. They all significantly inhibited byssal thread production of the green mussel Perna viridis, with $EC_{50}$ values of $24.45{\mu}g/ml$ for indole, $50.07{\mu}g/ml$ for 3-formylindole, and $49.24{\mu}g/ml$ for cyclo (Pro-Leu). Previous research on the antifouling activity of metabolites from marine bacteria towards mussels is scarce. Indole, 3-formylindole and cyclo (Pro-Leu) also exhibited antifouling activity against settlement of the barnacle Balanus albicostatus ($EC_{50}$ values of 8.84, 0.43, and $11.35{\mu}g/ml$, respectively) and the marine bacterium Pseudomonas sp. ($EC_{50}$ values of 42.68, 69.68, and $39.05{\mu}g/ml$, respectively). These results suggested that the three compounds are potentially useful for environmentally friendly mussel control and/or the development of new antifouling additives that are effective against several biofoulers.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• 제3권3호
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• pp.235-241
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• 2003

Background: The protective immunity against tuberculosis (TB) involves both CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells. In our previous study, we defined four Mycobacterium tuberculosis derived peptide epitopes specific for HLA-$A^*0201$ restricted CD8+ T cells ($ThyA_{30-38}$, $RpoB_{127-135}$, $85B_{15-23}$, $PstA1_{75-83}$). In this study, we investigated the immune responses induced by these peptide specific CD8+ T cells in latently and chronically infected people with TB. Methods: We characterized these peptide specific CD8+ T cell population present in PBMC of both TB patients and PPD+healthy people using IFN-${\gamma}$elispot assay, intracellular staining and HLA-A2 dimer staining. Results: The frequency of peptide specific CD8+ T cell was in the range of 1 to 25 in $1.7{\times}10^5$ PBMC based on ex vivo IFN-${\gamma}$ elispot assay, demonstrating that these peptide specific CD8+ T cell responses are induced in both TB patients and PPD+ people. Short term cell lines (STCL) specific for these peptides proliferated in vitro and secreted IFN-${\gamma}$ upon antigenic stimulation in PPD+ donors. Lastly, HLA-$A^*0201$ dimer assays indicated that $PstA1_{75-83}$ specific CD8+ T cell population in PPD+ healthy donors is heterogeneous since approximately 25~33% of $PstA1_{75-83}$ specific CD8+ T cell population in PPD+ healthy donors produced IFN-${\gamma}$ upon peptide stimulation. Conclusion: Our results suggest that MHC class I restricted CD8+ T cell mediated immune responses to M. tuberculosis infection are induced in both TB patients and PPD + people; however, the CD8+ T cell population is functionally heterogeneous.

• 한국어병학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.277-286
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• 2023

Korean rockfish, Sebastes schlegelii, is a representative bony fish that belongs to the family Scorpaenidae and the order Scorpaeniformes. It has high ecological and economic value and is widely cultivated in many East Asian countries, including South Korea, Japan and China. One of streptococci, Streptococcus iniae, is Gram-positive cocci with a negative reaction for catalase and oxidase. The Korean rockfish shows clinical signs when infected with S. iniae, such as body darkening, bleeding, enlarged kidneys, blurred eyes, abdominal distension, etc., ultimately leading to death. The Korean rockfish causes significant economic losses every year in South Korea due to streptococcosis. In this study, we identified bacteria from the fish using polymerase chain reaction and conducted analyses of hemolytic activity and biochemical tests using API 20 STREP and API ZYM systems. Results of confirming the hemolytic activity (n=4) observed in alpha-type hemolysis (25%), beta-type hemol- ysis (50%), and gamma-type hemolysis (25%) of isolates. The biochemical test results exhibited sig- nificant variation among S. iniae. Additionally, we performed intraperitoneal injection with S. iniae in the fish and analyzed the phylogenetic tree using housekeeping genes of S. iniae, including cpsD, arcC, glnA, groEL, gyrB, mutS, pheT, prkC, rpoB, and tkt, via multilocus sequence typing (MLST). The lethal dose (LD₅₀) showed strong pathogenicity, such as 3.34 × 10 colony-forming unit (CFU)/ml for 23FBStr0601 strain and 7.16 × 10 CFU/ml for 23FBStr0602 strain. 23FBStr0603 strain showed relatively low pathogenicity at 1.73 × 10⁵ CFU/ml. The strains 23FBStr0601 and 23FBStr0602, which showed strong pathogenicity, clustered into one monophyletic group. The 23FBStr0603 strain showed weak pathogenicity and formed a monophyletic group with KCTC 3657.

• 대한임상검사과학회지
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.83-89
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• 2015

결핵(Mycobacterium tuberculosis, MTB) 감염은 아직까지 전 세계에서 높은 유병률과 사망의 주요 원인이 되고 있으며 비정형 결핵(nontuberculous mycobacteria, NTM)은 최근 후천성 면역결핍증(AIDS)이나, 종양, 이식 등으로 면역력이 저하된 환자들의 임상 검체에서 분리빈도가 증가함에 따라 분리 균주의 임상적 의의가 중요시 되고 있다. 이에 항산균 염색을 이용한 객담 도말검사는 결핵균과 비정형 결핵균을 구별할 수 없다는 제한점이 있고, 균 분리배양검사는 시간이 오래 걸린다는 단점이 있어, 본 연구에서는 이러한 제한점을 가진 기존의 검사법을 대신하여 분자생물학적 방법인 중합효소 연쇄반응(polymerase chain reaction, PCR)을 이용하여 균 분리배양 검사와 비교하여 보았다. Mycobacteria를 동정하는데 항산균 염색과 3% ogawa 배지를 이용하였고, 균 분리배양 후 M. tuberculosis를 확인하기 위해서 niacin test를 실시한 결과 집락의 DNA를 추출하여 PCR후 동정된 M. tuberculosis와 niacin 양성이 일치함을 확인할 수 있었다. 또, 이 실험에서 항산성균 염색이 2+ 이상인 객담검체와 집락검체 각각에서 DNA를 추출하여 결핵균을 동정하는 방법으로 M. tuberculosis complex에 특징적으로 존재하는 insertion sequence (IS) 6110의 특정부위인 547 bp와 285 bp 부분을 증폭한 two-tube nested polymerase chain reaction을 시행하였고, 비정형 결핵균 동정법으로는 mycobacteria에 공통적으로 존재하는 rpoB 유전자 중 일부인 360 bp 부분을 증폭한 후, 제한효소 Msp I을 첨가 PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP)을 시행하였으며, 결핵균과 비정형 결핵균 모두 동정율에 거의 차이가 없었다. 1+인 경우는 객담검체에서 PCR한 결과가 31.2%에서 집락검체의 PCR한 결과 93.7%까지 결핵균과 비정형결핵균의 동정율이 높아졌고, trace인 경우 객담검체에서 PCR 결과가 2%에서 집락검체에서 PCR한 결과가 97.9%까지 결핵균과 비정형 결핵균의 동정율을 높일 수 있었다. 이 실험에서 항산성균 염색 1+이하 일때 객담검체와 집락검체로 PCR을 실시하면 결핵균과 비정형 결핵균의 동정율에 차이가 있고, 배양만으로는 결핵균의 동정은 가능하지만 비정형 결핵균의 동정이 가능하지 않으므로 배양검사와 PCR 검사 모두를 병행하므로써 보다 신속하고 정확한 검사결과를 내는데 도움 될 것이다.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제74권4호
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• pp.191-194
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• 2013

Mycobacterium chelonae lung disease is very rare. We report a case of lung disease caused by M. chelonae in a previously healthy woman. A 69-year-old woman was referred to our hospital because of hemoptysis. A computed tomography (CT) scan of the chest revealed bronchiolitis associated with bronchiectasis in the lingular division of the left upper lobe. Nontuberculous mycobacteria were isolated three times from sputum specimens. All isolates were identified as M. chelonae by various molecular methods that characterized rpoB and hsp65 gene sequences. Although some new lesions including bronchiolitis in the superior segment of the left lower lobe developed on the chest CT scan 35 months after diagnosis, she has been followed up without antibiotic therapy because of her mild symptoms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of M. chelonae lung disease in Korea in which the etiologic organisms were confirmed using molecular techniques.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제59권6호
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• pp.606-612
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• 2005

배 경: 최근 국내의 연구에 의하면 객담 항산균 도말검사에 양성을 보인 환자들 중 NTM 분리비율이 약 10%정도로 NTM 폐질환의 중요성이 증가하고 있다. 국립 마산 결핵 병원의 경우 타 병원에 비해 초치료 환자 보다 재치료 및 다제 내성 결핵 환자의 비율이 높고 이런 환자들에 있어서 NTM 폐질환의 여부 및 원인균에 대한 연구가 필요할 것으로 생각된다. 대상 및 방법 : 2002년 8월부터 2003년 7월까지 본원에서 객담 및 기관지 세척액 등 호흡기 검체를 통해 항상균 도말 및 배양검사가 의뢰된 검체에서 NTM이 분리된 환자들을 대상으로 하였다. NTM 폐질환의 진단은 미국흉부학회 진단 기준을 이용하였으며 환자들의 원인균, 임상적 및 방사선적 특징과 NTM 폐질환 발생과 치료성공에 연관된 인자에 대하여 후향적으로 조사하였다. 결 과 : 57명의 환자로부터 의뢰된 100개의 호흡기 검체에서 NTM균이 분리되었다. 미국 흉부학회의 NTM 폐질환 진단 기준에 따라 57명의 환자 중 26명(45.6%)가 NTM 폐질환을 가지고 있었으며 원인균은 M. intracellulare 19명(73.1%), M. abscessus 5명(19.2%), M. fortuitum 1명(3.8%), M. chelonae 1명(3.8%)의 순이었다. 균종에 따른 발병력은 M. intracellulare 67.9%(19/28명), M. abscessus 41.7%(5/12명)로 높았으며 M. fortuitum 14.3%(1/7명), M. chelonae 25%(1/4명)였다. NTM 폐질환 발생과 연관된 인자는 객담 도말양성(odds ratio=6.3, p=0.02), 분리된 균이 MAC 또는 M. abscessus인 경우(odds ratio=6.9, p=0.007)와 관련되어 있었다. NTM 폐질환 환자의 치료성공률은 57.7%(15/26명)이었으며 치료성공과 관련된 인자는 관찰할 수 없었다. 결 론 : 본원의 NTM이 분리된 환자 중 NTM 폐질환 비율은 높았으며 원인균에 있어서 MAC, M. abscessuss순이었다. 그리고 NTM 폐질환 발생과 연관된 인자는 객담 도말양성, 분리된 균이 MAC 또는 M. abscessus인 경우와 관련되어 있었다.