갯벌 퇴적물에 존재하는 병원성 해양미생물인 Vibrio vulnificus를 신속하고 정확하게 검출하기 위해 PCR, Southern hybridization 방법과 real-time PCR을 수행하여 검출 민감도를 비교하였다. 갯벌 퇴적물로부터 bead beater를 이용한 물리적 방법으로 DNA 조추출액을 얻고 상용화된 키트 (Geneclean turbo Kit)를 이용하여 부식물질(humic substances)을 제거하였다. 병원성에 관련된 3 종의 유전자(hemolysin, vvhA; phosphomannomutase, pmm; metalloprotease, vvpE)를 대상으로 설계한 프라이머 셋을 동시에 사용하는 multiplex PCR 방법과 Southern hybridization과 병행한 방법(PCR/Southern hybridization)을 수행하였다. Real-time PCR은 hemolysin 유전자(vvhA)에 특이한 프라이머와 TaqMan 탐침을 사용하였다. 전처리하지 않은 갯벌 퇴적물의 경우, PCR/Sourthern hybridization과 real-time PCR 방법의 검출 민감도는 퇴적물 1 g 당 약 $10^2$ 개의 세포 수준이었다. 농후처리액(APW; alkaline peptone water)으로 $35^{circ}C$에서 $2{~}3$시간, 8시간 중균 배양할 경우 갯벌 퇴적물 1 g 당 $2{~}10$개 세포가 존재할 때 PCR/Southern hybridization 방법과 real-time PCR 방법으로 각각 검출할 수 있었다. 전처리 과정을 포함하여 real-time PCR은 $6{~}7$시간, PCR/Sourthern hybridization은 약 36시간이 소요되었다.
Vibrio vulnificus, one of the marine bacterial pathogens causing septicemia, was detected using molecular methods, namely, PCR and/or Southern hybridization, and real-time PCR. Extracted and purified total DNAs by using commercial kits were used as templates for PCR. Multiplex-PCR was conducted by employing three sets of primers for the genes, hemolysin (vvhA), phosphomannomutase (pmm), and metalloprotease (vvpE), for V vulnificus virulence. The presence of DMSO ($5\%$) and BSA ($0.1\%$) in PCR reaction mixture improved a detection efficiency by higher PCR band intensities. TaqMan real-time PCR was carried out by using gene segment of vvhA as a target. Detection limit of PCR/Southern hybridization without enrichments was to be around $10^2;cells;g^{-1}$ of sample. However, those three methods using the enrichment at $35^{circ}C$ in APW showed high sensitivity ($2~10;cells;g^{-1}$ of sediments). Highly sensitive detection of V vulnificus by real-time PCR was achieved within $5~6$ hr, whereas the detection by PCR/Southern hybridization required about 36 hr. Thus, it was evident that real-time PCR is the most rapid and efficient method for detecting V vulnificus in tidal flat sediments.
