• Mycobiology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.84-89
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• 2005

Five types of agricultural wastes were used for the production of xylanolytic enzyme by Aspergillus flavus K-03. All wastes materials supported high levels of xylanase and ${\beta}-xylosidase$ production. A high level of proteolytic activity was observed in barley and rice bran cultures, while only a weak proteolytic activity was detected in corn cob, barley and rice straw cultures. Maximum production of xylanase was achieved in basal liquid medium containing rice barn as carbon source for 5 days of culture at pH 6.5 and $25^{\circ}C$. The xylanolytic enzyme of A. flavus K-03 showed low thermostability. The times required for 50% reduction of the initial enzyme activity were 90 min at $40^{\circ}C$, 13 min at $50^{\circ}C$, and 3 min at $60^{\circ}C$. Xylanolytic activity showed the highest level at pH $5.5{\sim}10.5$ and more than 70% of the original activity was retained at pH 6.5 and 7.0. The higher stability of xylanolytic enzymes in the broad range of alkaline pH is useful for utilization of the enzymes in industrial process requiring in alkaline conditions. Moreover, the highest production of xylanolytic enzyme was obtained when 0.5% of rice bran was supplied in basal liquid medium. SDS-PAGE analysis revealed a single xylanase band of approximately 28.5 kDa from the culture filtrates.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.269-275
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• 2003

Chitosan-degrading activity induced by chitosan was founf in culture filtrate of Aspergillus flavus IAM2044. Aspergillus flavus IAM2044 had a higher level of chitosanolytic activity when chitosan was used as a carbon source, and yeast extract and peptone were supplemented as nitrogen sources. One of the chitosan-degrading enzymes was purified to homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation followed by cation-exchange and gel filtration chromatographies. The enzyme was monomeric, and its molecular mass was 45 kDa. The optimum pH and temperature of the enzyme were 5.0 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. The activity was stable in the pH range of 3.5 to 7.0 and at a temperature below $50^{\circ}C$. Reaction products analyzed by the viscosimetric assay and thin layer chromatography clearly indicated that the enzyme was an exe-type chitosanase, $exo-{\beta}-D-glucosaminidase$, that released GlcN from the nonreducing ends of the oligosaccharide chains.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.202-210
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• 2022

Aflatoxin contamination in rice has been documented in a number of studies, and has a high incidence in Asian countries, and as such, there has been a growing interest in alternative biocontrol strategies to address this issue. In this study, 147 strains of yeasts and yeast-like fungi were screened for their potential to produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) active against Aspergillus flavus strains that produce aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁). Five strains within four different genera showed greater than 50% growth inhibition of some strains of A. flavus. These were Anthracocystis sp. DMKU-PAL124, Aureobasidium sp. DMKU-PAL120, Aureobasidium sp. DMKU-PAL144, Rhodotorula sp. DMKU-PAL99, and Solicococcus keelungensis DMKU-PAL84. VOCs produced by these microorganisms ranged from 4 to 14 compounds and included alcohols, alkenes, aromatics, esters and furans. The major VOCs produced by the closely related Aureobasidium strains were found to bedistinct. Moreover, 2-phenylethanol was the most abundant compound generated by Aureobasidium sp. DMKU-PAL120, while methyl benzeneacetate was the major compound emitted from Aureobasidium sp. DMKU-PAL144. On the other hand, 2-methyl-1-butanol and 3-methyl-1-butanol were significant compounds produced by the other three genera. These antagonists apparently inhibited A. flavus sporulation and mycelial development. Additionally, the reduction of the AFB1 in the fungal-contaminated rice grains was observed after co-incubation with these VOC-producing strains and ranged from 37.7 ± 8.3% to 60.3 ± 3.4%. Our findings suggest that these same microorganisms are promising biological control agents for use against aflatoxin-producing fungi in rice and other agricultural products.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.149-156
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• 1985

The study was carried out to find effects of the saponins that were extracted from red ginseng on the growth of, aflatoxins production by, and protein patterns of Aspergillus flavus NRRL 3357. A. flavus with $10^6$ conidia as grown at $30^{\circ}C$ for seven days on the enriched medium. Mycelial growth and pH changes of medium which cultured the mold, were similar to those of the control group. However, aflatoxin which produced by the mold was less than that of the control in all concentration of the saponin. To be more specific, 0.3 % of the saponin inhibited production of aflatoxin $B_1$ and $G_1$ to the extent of 31.6 and 21% of the control. The protein peaks of A. flavus at the fourth day of the culture were shown high intensity near the level of 14,300 daltons. However, the mold which cultured in the medium containing the saponin showed low intensity of protein than that of the control group on all molecular weight.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.1452-1463
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• 2024

Fungi generate different metabolites some of which are intrinsically bioactive and could therefore serve as templates for drug development. In the current study, six endophytic fungi namely Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus tubigenesis, Aspergillus oryzae, Penicillium oxalicum, Aspergillus niger, and Aspergillus brasiliensis were isolated and identified from the medicinal plant, Silybum marianum. These endophytic fungi were identified through intra transcribed sequence (ITS) gene sequencing. The bioactive potentials of fungal extracts were investigated using several bioassays such as antibacterial activity by well-diffusion, MIC, MBC, anti-biofilm, antioxidant, and haemolysis. The Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 was used to determine the antibiofilm activity. The ethyl acetate extract of Aspergillus flavus showed strong to moderate efficacy against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, P. aeruginosa, and Bacillus spizizenii. Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus brasiliensis exhibited significant antibiofilm activity with IC₅₀ at 4.02 and 3.63 mg/ml, while A. flavus exhibited maximum antioxidant activity of 50.8%. Based on HPLC, LC-MS, and NMR experiments kojic acid (1) and carbamic acid (methylene-4, 1-phenylene) bis-dimethyl ester (2) were identified from A. flavus. Kojic acid exhibited DPPH free radical scavenging activity with an IC₅₀ value of 99.3 ㎍/ml and moderate activity against ovarian teratocarcinoma (CH1), colon carcinoma (SW480), and non-small cell lung cancer (A549) cell lines. These findings suggest that endophytic fungi are able to produce promising bioactive compounds which deserve further investigation.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.243-247
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• 1985

Experiments were conducted to study effects of steroidal carbamate derivatives upon mycelial growth and aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus ATCC 15517. The basal medium was supplemented with various concentrations of these compounds and inoculated with spores. The developing cultures were incubated for 11 days at $28^{\circ}C$ without agitation. Aflatoxins were extracted with chloroform, separated by thin layer chromatography, and quantitated by ultraviolet spectrophotometry. At a concentration of 50 mg per 30 ml of medium., stigmasteryl-N-(2-chloroethyl) carbamate, cholesteryl- N - (2-chloroethyl) carbamate, $5{\alpha}-cholestan-3-one-oximino-N-(2-chloroethyl)$ carbamate and ${\beta}-sitosteryl-N-(2-chloroethyl)$ carbamate were the most effective in reducing aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus. However, cholest-4-ene-3-one-oximino-N-(2-chloroethyl) carbamate, at a concentration of 100 mg per 30 ml, significantly decreased aflatoxin production. There was no significant inhibition of mycelial growth by the addition of the various concentrations of these compounds.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 1980

Five species of food decay fungl, Aspergillus flavus, Asp. uiger, Penicillum sp., Botrytis cinerea, and Rhizopus stolonifer, were examined for their radio sensitivity in several suspension media. Asp. flavus, Asp. niger and Penicillum sp. have almost the same sensitivity toward gamma rays. with D value in the range of 30 to 35 K rad, whereas Botrytis cinerea has a D value of approximately 55K rad and Rhizopus stolonifer, the most re4sistant fungus studied, has a crease in their radioresistnace when compared with spores irradiated in water. Asp. flavus and penicillium sp. spores irradiated in citrate buffer at pH3-7 showed almost no change in their radisensitiity with pH, but Botryis cinerea spores showed a distinct decrease in their radioresistnace at pH 6 and 7. Penicillum sp. spores irradiated in sucrose solutions showed no sinificant change in their radioresistance. Botrytis cinerea spores displayed a higher radioresistance when they were irradiated in sucrose solution than in water.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.260-264
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• 2006

Talaromyces flavus mediates the transmission of Apple stem grooving virus (ASGV) to several host plants. The ASGV-F carried by T.flavus was partially purified from the fungus. Based on sequence analysis and homology searches, this is closely related to other ASGV strains isolated from host plants. The partially purified viral coat protein (CP) was separated on a 12% SDS-polyacrylamide gel and analyzed by Western blotting with an ASGV anti-serum. A single band at 28 kDa reacted with the ASGV anti-serum. The deduced amino acid sequence of the ORF-l showed conserved domains, including an NTP-binding helicase motif, GFAGSGKT. The amino acid sequences of the helicase and CP showed strong homology to other ASGV strains (98%). All ASGV isolated from plants and fungi had salt bridges composed of the CP and the GFAGSGKT motif of the helicase, which are commonly conserved in plant viruses. These results suggest that ASGV-F is one of ASGV strains isolated from T.flavus based on sequence similarity as well as the serological analysis of CP.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.282-288
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• 2014

In this study, we attempted to isolate fungi from soybean fermented foods produced in Sunchang County and to identify Aspergillus oryzae from fungal isolates. Ten fungal isolates were identified with ${\beta}$-tubulin gene. According to the sequences of ${\beta}$-tubulin gene, ten fungal isolates were identified as A. oryzae/flavus complex. For further identification of the ten of fungal isolates, omtA gene, one gene of the aflatoxin biosynthesis gene cluster, was sequenced and the sequences were compared with those of A. oryzae and A. flavus strains from the GenBank database. In addition, identification of the ten fungal isolates was further confirmed using the PCR amplicon of norB and cypA intergenic region, in which a deletion was recognized relative to A. flavus and A. parasiticus. The amplicon size of the ten fungal isolate strains was smaller than those of A. flavus and A. parasiticus, but the same as that of the reference A. oryzae strain. These results indicated that the ten isolates should be identified as A. oryzae. The protease activity in rice koji made with 6, 13, 17, 27, 37 and 38 of strain, respectively was twice higher than that in control. The kojis made with nine of the A. oryzae isolates, respectively, did not produce aflatoxin, suggesting that the strains could possibly be used as starters for soybean products.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.25 no.1 s.80
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• pp.35-45
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• 1997

The yellow fungal isolates inhabiting at the cereals (Hwang-Kuk, HK-fungi) were widely collected from the mejus and nuluks in Korea; the meju is a raw material for Korean traditional foods for soysauce and soypaste, and the nuluk is a raw material for Korean traditional rice wine. These isolates, well known as an Aspergillus oryzae producing amylase for Korean rice wine or producing protease for soybeans, were compared with Aspergillus species known. All isolates were microscopically observed to be a species of A. oryzae or its related, but to be difficult to be identified. Thus, RAPD-DNA techniques were applied for these isolates and analyzed with nummerical values using NT-system, or Ecological programs or Factorial analyses. Several common bands of RAPD-DNA in the 28 isolates were synthesized with the different OPD primers and speculated to be used for identification of HK fungi. The HK-fungi isolated were revealed to belong to the group of A. flavus previously defined. Particularly, the isolates collected from mejus were analyzed to be more closed to A. flavus, The species of A. flavus, A. oryzae and A. sojae were grouped at the values lower than those indicating the diversity of species. In other words, these three fungal species were not distinguishable and all isolates known as a HK-fungus were very closed to A. flavus, All isolates were not diversified at groupings of RAPD-DNA, and considered to be not the natural flora at the mejus or nuluks. The meju or nuluk having the above fungi as the fungal flora were speculated to be not termed "Korean traditional foodstuffs".The yellow fungal isolates inhabiting at the cereals (Hwang-Kuk, HK-fungi) were widely collected from the mejus and nuluks in Korea; the meju is a raw material for Korean traditional foods for soysauce and soypaste, and the nuluk is a raw material for Korean traditional rice wine. These isolates, well known as an Aspergillus oryzae producing amylase for Korean rice wine or producing protease for soybeans, were compared with Aspergillus species known. All isolates were microscopically observed to be a species of A. oryzae or its related, but to be difficult to be identified. Thus, RAPD-DNA techniques were applied for these isolates and analyzed with nummerical values using NT-system, or Ecological programs or Factorial analyses. Several common bands of RAPD-DNA in the 28 isolates were synthesized with the different OPD primers and speculated to be used for identification of HK fungi. The HK-fungi isolated were revealed to belong to the group of A. flavus previously defined. Particularly, the isolates collected from mejus were analyzed to be more closed to A. flavus, The species of A. flavus, A. oryzae and A. sojae were grouped at the values lower than those indicating the diversity of species. In other words, these three fungal species were not distinguishable and all isolates known as a HK-fungus were very closed to A. flavus. All isolates were not diversified at groupings of RAPD-DNA, and considered to be not the natural flora at the mejus or nuluks. The meju or nuluk having the above fungi as the fungal flora were speculated to be not termed 'Korean traditional foodstuffs'.