Discovery and characterization of a new genotype of serovar Bareilly isolated from diarrhea patients of food-borne outbreaks.

Since the first food-borne outbreak of serovar Bareilly in the UK (2010), it has been recognized as a new type of food-borne pathogen in To detect and characterize this new serovar pathogen in South Korea, a total of 175 strains was isolated and 31 isolates were identified as Bareilly from various food-borne outbreaks between 2014 and 2018. While pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) analysis using I revealed two major groups (A and B) each with two subgroups (A1, A2/B1, B2), average nucleotide identity (ANI), single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), and multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analyses confirmed only two major groups. Interestingly, extended SNP analysis with 67 Bareilly strains from outbreaks in other countries revealed that A group strains between 2014 and 2016 shared a close evolutionary relationship with the strains from outside of South Korea; however, the B group strains in 2018 were located in a separate SNP tree branch.

The Novel Phage vB_EfaS_HEf13 Has Broad Lytic Activity Against Clinical Isolates of .

is a Gram-positive, facultative anaerobic bacterium frequently found in the gastrointestinal tract, oral cavity, and periodontal tissue. Although it is considered a commensal, it can cause bacteremia, endocarditis, endodontic infections, and urinary tract infections. Because antibiotics are cytotoxic not only to pathogens, but also to health-beneficial commensals, phage therapy has emerged as an alternative strategy to specifically control pathogenic bacteria with minimal damage to the normal flora.

LysPBC2, a Novel Endolysin Harboring a Bacillus cereus Spore Binding Domain.

To control the spore-forming human pathogen , we isolated and characterized a novel endolysin, LysPBC2, from a newly isolated phage, PBC2. Compared to the narrow host range of phage PBC2, LysPBC2 showed very broad lytic activity against all , , and species tested. In addition to a catalytic domain and a cell wall binding domain, LysPBC2 has a spore binding domain (SBD) partially overlapping its catalytic domain, which specifically binds to spores but not to vegetative cells of Both immunogold electron microscopy and a binding assay indicated that the SBD binds the external region of the spore cortex layer.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Shiga Toxin-Producing FORC_035 Reveals the Essential Role of Iron Acquisition for Survival in Canola Sprouts and Water Dropwort.

Enterohemorrhagic (EHEC) is a foodborne pathogen that poses a serious threat to humans. Although EHEC is problematic mainly in food products containing meat, recent studies have revealed that many EHEC-associated foodborne outbreaks were attributable to spoiled produce such as sprouts and green leafy vegetables. To understand how EHEC adapts to the environment in fresh produce, we exposed the EHEC isolate FORC_035 to canola spouts () and water dropwort () and profiled the transcriptome of this pathogen at 1 and 3 h after incubation with the plant materials.

Analysis of Microbiota in Bellflower Root, , Obtained from South Korea.

Bellflower root (), which belongs to the family, is a perennial grass that grows naturally in Korea, northeastern China, and Japan. Bellflower is widely consumed as both food and medicine owing to its high nutritional value and potential therapeutic effects. Since foodborne disease outbreaks often come from vegetables, understanding the public health risk of microorganisms on fresh vegetables is pivotal to predict and prevent foodborne disease outbreaks.

Characterization of LysPBC4, a novel Bacillus cereus-specific endolysin of bacteriophage PBC4.

Bacillus cereus is a spore-forming, Gram-positive bacterium and is a major food-borne pathogen. A B. cereus-specific bacteriophage PBC4 was isolated from the soil of a stock farm, and its genome was analyzed.

Complete genome sequence of Staphylococcus equorum KS1039 isolated from Saeu-jeotgal, Korean high-salt-fermented seafood.

Staphylococcus equorum KS1039 was isolated from a form of traditional Korean high-salt-fermented seafood called Saeu-jeotgal, and exhibited growth at a NaCl (w/v) concentration of 25%. Comparative genome analyses with two other strains revealed the presence of two potassium voltage-gated channel genes uniquely in KS1039, which might be involved in salt tolerance. This first complete genome sequence of the species will increase our understanding of the genetic factors allowing it to be safely consumed by humans and to inhabit high-salt environments.