Sar1p is a ras-related GTP-binding protein that functions in intracellular protein transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi complex. The effector domain of Ras family proteins is highly conserved and this domain is functionally interchangeable in plant, yeast and mammalian Sar1. Using a recombinant Brassica sar1 protein (Bsar1p) harboring point mutations in its effector domain, we here investigated the ability of Sar1p to bind and hydrolyze GTP and to interact with the two sar1-specific regulators, GTPase activating protein (GAP) and guanine exchange factor (GEF). The T51A and T55A mutations impaired Bsar1p intrinsic GTP-binding and GDP-dissociation activity. In contrast, mutations in the switch domain of Bsar1 did not affect its intrinsic GTPase activity. Moreover, the P50A, P54A, and S56A mutations affected the interaction between Bsar1p and GAP. P54A mutant protein did not interact with two regulating proteins, GEF and GAP, even though the mutation didn't affect the intrinsic GTP-binding, nucleotide exchange or GTPase activity of Bsar1p.

To discover the sources with antioxidant and tyrosinase inhibitory activities in Korean traditional medicines, 10 extract of medicinal plants were screened for their potential to scavenge stable 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical, inhibit hydroxyl radical (${\cdot}OH$), total phenolic content, and inhibition of tyrosinase. The potency of DPPH radical scavenging activity was shown in the extract of Ulmus davidiana var. japonica Nakai that has a greater effect with $IC_{50}$ values of $6.49{\pm}5.43{\mu}g/mL$, than BHA ($IC_{50}=20.99{\pm}0.74{\mu}g/mL$), L-ascorbic acid $(IC_{50}=20.59{\pm}1.06{\mu}g/mL),\;and\;{\alpha}-tocopherol\;(IC_{50}=25.55{\pm}0.26{\mu}g/mL)$ as a positive control. The ${\cdot}OH$ scavenging activities were observed in the plants tested. Acanthopanax senticosus, Cirsium setiders, U. davidiana exhibited scavenging activity of more than 60% at $500{\mu}g/mL$. The scavenging activity(%) of BHA and a-tocopherol were 64.32 and 55.87% at $500{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The total phenolic content was determined, in order to assess its effect on the extract's antioxidant activity. The total phenoic content of $33.37{\pm}0.52mg/g$ was conformed by methanolic extract of U. davidiana. The U. davidiana and Morus bombycis exhibited tyrosinase inhibitory activity with a $34.28{\pm}1.32\;and\;75.57{\pm}1.10%$, respectively. In particular, M. bombycis has stronger tyrosinase inhibitory activity than albutin with $36.48{\pm}3.56%$ as a positive control. This work showed that the inhibitory abilities of Korean medicinal plants, such as U. davidiana and M. bombycis, on DPPH free radical, inhibit hydroxyl radical (${\cdot}OH$), and inhibition of tyrosinase and total phenolic content, can be useful in the prevention and treatment of free radical-relate disease. Investigations into further isolation of inhibitory principles of U. davidiana and M. bombycis are now in progress.

Volatile components in red bean (Vigna angularis) were investigated. Extracts prepared by simultaneous steam distillation and solvent extraction were analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. One hundred and forty-two components including alkanes/alkenes (17), aromatics (5), furans (15), miscellaneous compounds (2), other nitrogen-containing compounds (11), aldehydes (11), naphthalenes (11), alcohols (34), ketones (23), sulfur-containing compounds (5) and esters (8) were identified. Some of these components, e.g. hexanal, were known to contribute to the "beany" odor in other beans. Due to the presence of such odor, red beans may not be acceptable to some consumers.

The properties of two cultivars of japonica rice, Odae (early ripening variety) and Ilpum (late ripening variety), were compared. They grew on MS (Murashige and Skoog) medium but the growth of both cultivars was strongly retarded by 50 mM or more salt. There was no clear difference between the growths of seedlings of the two cultivars for the first 24 h after germination. The amylopectin chain-length profiles of the two cultivars did not differ significantly, and amylopectin content was estimated at $16.0{\pm}0.4%$ in cv. Odae and $16.4{\pm}0.4%$ in cv. Ilpum. A total of 114 RAPD (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA) fragments ranging from 0.4 to 2.5 kb were isolated from the two cultivars, 61 from cv. Odae and 53 from cv. Ilpum, indicating that there is little genetic variation between them.

An efficient production method of chlorella extract was developed by enzymatic treatment using cell lytic and proteolytic enzymes. The suitable dosage of Tunicase, a cell lytic enzyme, was found to be 1.0% (w/w). Proteolytic enzymes were screened to obtain high chlorella growth factor (CGF) index, which indicates crude CGF content and solid recovery. Among the seven tested proteases, Esperase, whose optimal dosage was 1.0% (w/w), was selected. By co-treatment using optimal dosages of Tunicase and Esperase, the highest CGF index and solid recovery were obtained. The CGF index and solid recovery of co-treatment were remarkably enhanced by 250 ($4.36{\rightarrow}15.21$) and 220% ($12.65%{\rightarrow}40.15%$), respectively, than those of the non-treated extracts.

Despite the increased interests in biological control of soilborne diesease for environmental protection, biological control of bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum have not provided consistent or satisfying results. To enhance the control efficacy and reducing the inconsistency and variability, combinations of specific strains of microorganisms, each having a specific mechanism of control, were applied in this study. More than 30 microorganisms able to reduce the activity of pathogen by specific mechanism of action were identified and tested for their disease suppressive effects. After in vitro compatibility examinations, 21 individual strains and 15 combinations were tested in the greenhouse. Results indicated three-way combinations of different mode of control, TS3-7+A253-16+SKU78 and TS1-5+A100-1+SKU78, enhanced disease suppression by 70%, as compared to 30-50% reduction for their individual treatments. This work suggests that combining multiple traits antagonizing the pathogen improve efficacy of the biocontrol agents against Ralstonia solanacearum.

Dried, unripe fruits of Cornus kousa Burg. were extracted with 80% aqueous MeOH and the concentrated extracts were partitioned between EtOAc and $H_2O$. From the EtOAc fraction, four flavonoids were isolated through repeated silica gel, ODS and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies followed by a preparative HPLC. Based on the spectroscopic data including NMR, MS and IR, the chemical structures of the compounds were determined as kaempferol (1), astragalin (2), hyperin (3) and isoquercitrin (4). These compounds were isolated for the first time from the fruits of this plant.

Volatile components of the essential oils of Satsuma mandarin (C. unshiu), Dangyuza (C. grandis), Yuza (C. junos), Byungkyul (C. playtymamma), Jinkyul (C. sunki), and Hakyul (C. natsudaidai) grown in Jeju Island were isolated from the fruit peels by hydro distillation and determined by GC-MS. GC-MS analysis identified 58 compounds, with main components being d-limonene $(64.01{\sim}79.34%),\;{\beta}-myrcene\;(3.01{\sim}26.53%),\;{\gamma}-terpinene\;(0.11{\sim}12.88%),\;{\beta}-pinene\;(0.78{\sim}4.74%),\;and\;{\alpha}-pinene\;(1.01{\sim}2.55%)$. Differences in compositions and contents of the essential oils were observed among citrus varieties. Effects of citrus oils on growth inhibitions of Escherchia coli, Staphyllococcus epidermidis, and Candida albicans were investigated using disc diffusion assay and minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) assay. The essential oils inhibited growths of the test organisms, exhibiting higher levels of activity against Gram-positive S. epidermidis (MIC values $0.04{\sim}0.17mg/mL$), whereas Gram-negative E. coli was moderately resistant (MIC values $1.66{\sim}20.30mg/mL$). MIC of citrus essential oils ranged from $0.82{\sim}23.69mg/mL$ against C. albicans. The essential oils obtained from C. sunki, C. grandis, and C. playtymamma showed the highest antimicrobial activities against S. epidermidis and C. albicans, indicating their potential as natural antimicrobial agents.

The water extracts of root, stem, and leaf from Korean indigenous Acanthopanax divaritacus were examined for their suppressive effects against allergic inflammations such as lipoxygenase activity, ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$ release, inflammatory cytokine production, and serum IgE level. The root extract inhibited the release of ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$, a degranulation marker, from rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3) much more potently than the stem and leaf extracts. The root extract also significantly reduced the expression of $TNF-{\alpha}\;and\;IL-1{\beta}$ in the RBL-2H3 cells challenged with antigen. Moreover, there was a significant fall in the serum IgE level by the treatment of the root extract. Taken together, the root extract could be the most potent inhibitor of allergic inflammation, suppressing ${\beta}-hexosaminidase$ release and inflammatory cytokine expression, as well as reducing the rise of serum IgE level.

Two flavonoids (1 and 2) and one phenolic acid (3) obtained from Erigeron annuus have recently been shown to have potent antioxidant activities. Aim of this study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of these components on $interferon-{\gamma}$ and lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide productions in the mouse pheritoneal macrophage. Compounds 2 and 3 showed marked inhibitory activities against inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) on the lipopolysaccharide and $interferon-{\gamma}-stimulated$ mouse pheritoneal macrophages without cytotoxicity. Therefore, these results suggest that the compounds could be effective anti-inflammatory agents as nitric oxide inhibitors in vivo.

Three coniferous essential oils were extracted from Abies koreana, Cryptomeria japonica, and Torreya nucifera by hydrodistillation. The chemical composition of each oil was analyzed by GCMS, and their antimicrobial activities were tested against two bacteria and one yeast strains. Fortyseven compounds were identified from A. koreana oil, 39 from C. japonica, and 59 from T. nucifera. Main components of the essential oils were limonene (23.5%), bornyl acetate (17.9%), ${\alpha}-pinene$ (11.1%), and camphene (10.2%) in A. koreana, kaurene (26.3%), ${\gamma}-eudesmol$ (19.0%), elemol (6.9%), and sabinene (5.1%) in C. japonica, limonene (13.5%), ${\delta}-cadinene$ (10.5%), ${\alpha}-bisabolol$ (10.2%), and ${\alpha}-copaene$ (7.7%) in T. nucifera. Among the three coniferous trees tested, the essential oils of A. koreana exhibited higher and broader antimicrobial activity against the tested organisms than those of C. japonica and T. nucifera.