• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.52-58
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• 2007

ALA (5-aminolevulinic acid) has been proposed as a tetrapyrrole-dependent photodynamic herbicide and insecticide by the action of the protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (Protox IX). The present study was conducted to determine growth responses of plant and insects to ALA, biodegradable biopesticidal substance. In the paddy condition experiment, plant height and shoot fresh weight of barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) was more reduced by ALA than rice plants, even though both plant species show great phytotoxicity. Hairy crabgrass (Digitaria sanguinalis), a monocot weed, was more sensitive to ALA at 5mM under upland condition when ALA applied on the foliage, compared with soybean (Glycine max) as a dicot crop. ALA solutions were tested for their insecticidal and larvicidal activities against Spodaptera exigua (Hubner) and Tetranychus urticae Koch. by foliar application and leaf-dipping method. The result showed higher insecticidal activity of ALA at 10mM and its mixture with insecticide luferon against S. exigua. Strongest insecticidal activity against T. urticae was observed from the ALA solution at 10mM 72 days after application. This results show that ALA solution had potent herbicidal and insecticidal activities against agricultural pests even though their activities were lower than those of synthetic pesticides.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.40 no.6
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• pp.561-566
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• 1997

Screening, Identification and some cultural characteristics of ALA$({\delta}-aminolevulinic\;acid)$-producing photosynthetic bacteria were carried out for the optimal production of ALA, one of the bioherbicides. Among photosynthetic bacteria isolated from soil, marsh, pond, etc., KK-10 was the best producer of ALA and identified to be Rhodobacter capsulatus belonging to a typical group of nonsulfur purple bacteria. By addition of 15 mM LA (levulinic acid), an inhibitor of ALA dehydrase in cyclic tetrapyrrole biosynthesis, into culture broth at middle log phase of cell growths, ALA production was considerably increased to about 20-fold (28 mg/l). The combined supplementation of glycine and succinate, each with a concentration of 30 mM also enhanced production of ALA and activity of ALA synthase to about 50-fold (73 mg/l) and 2-fold, respectively. The isolated strain was able to produce upto 80 mg/l under the cultural condition optimized by addition 15 mM LA into the synthetic medium at four different points starting middle log phase.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.336-339
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• 1995

Ephedra distachya cultures have been known to accumulate two major $\rho-coumaroylamino$ acids (p-coumaroylgicine and $\rho-coumaroylamino$ -D-alanine) by D-Ala treament. When D-Ala was added together with serial concentrations of yeast-derived elicitor, the accumulation of $\rho-coumaroylamino$ -D-Ala $(\rho-CDA)$ was geatly increased in an additive manner. In feeding experiments, $[1-^14C]$-D-Ala was incorporated into $\rho-CDA$at a rate of 2.2% or 2.3% of added radioactivity, indicating that exogenous D-Ala served as a precursor of the conjugate. $[1-^14C]$-L-Ala wasalso incorporated into p-CDA (0.23%) in the elicitor treated cultures. This fact suggested that at least a part of $(\rho-CDA)$ was produced from active conversion of L-Ala by the elecitation. In order to investigate a possible role of D-Ala as an elicitor of $\rpo-coumaroylamino$ acids $(\rpo-CAA)$, cold D-Ala was added together with labeled L-Ala. Although L-Ala seemed to be incorporated into $\rho-CDA$ by this treatment, the incorporation ratio was too small (0.054%) to draw a clear conclusion. However, the amount of $\rpo-coumaroylglycine$, which did not use D-Ala as a substrate, was also sightly increased by D-Ala treatment irrespective of the presence of elicitor, suggesting that exogenous D-Ala might act as an elicitor of$\rpo-CAA$ as well as a precusor substrate of $\rho-CDA$.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.17-24
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• 1994

The urinary excretion of ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid has been widely used as a measure of the biological effect of lead in lead exposed workers. It is usually measured by colorimetric method based on the color reaction of ALA-pyrrole with Ehrlich's reagent. But the results of ${\delta}$-ALA in urine by this method are somewhat artificially higher than expected due to the urinary ALA-like compound such as aminoacetone. On the other hand, the recently developed fluorometric HPLC method is very sensitive and specific for the measuring urinary ALA. In order to compare the data obtained by two methods and to investigate the interrelation between two methods, 117 lead workers with different lead exposure were checked urinary ${\delta}$-ALA, blood lead and other lead exposure related indices. The results obtained are as follows; 1. Urinary excretion of ${\delta}$-ALA by colorimetric method is 2.15 times higher than HPLC method in overall, revealing 2.47 times in workers of blood lead less than $20{\mu}g/dl$, 2.53 times in workers of blood lead $21-40{\mu}g/dl$ and 1.86 times in workers of blood lead over $41{\mu}g/dl$, respectively. 2. While the correlation coefficients of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by colorimetric method with blood lead and blood ZPP was 0.571 and 0.629, those of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by HPLC with blood lead and blood ZPP were 0.6l0 and 0.637. All the correlation coefficients were statistically significant, but there was no statistical difference of correlation coefficients between two methods. 3. The correlation coefficient of urinary excretion of ${\delta}$-ALA between two method was 0.838 without any correction, but it was 0.852 with the correction of specific gravity 1.024. 4. Simple linear regression of ${\delta}$-ALA measured by HPLC method on ${\delta}$-ALA measured by colorimetric method was (ALA-UPH)=-0.245+0.536 (ALA-UCO) without any correction and it was (SP ALA)=-0.525+0.598 (SP ALA-UCO) with the correction of specific gravity 1.024. With above results, it is recommended that the diagnostic criteria of ${\delta}$-ALA for lead poisoning needed to be revised if ${\delta}$-ALA is measured by HPLC rather than colorimetric method.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.268-275
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• 2006

ALA (5-aminolevulinic acid) has been proposed as a tetrapyrrole-dependent photodynamic herbicide by the action of the protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (Protox IX). A study was conducted to determine photodynamic herbicidal effect of ALA on seedling growth of rice (Oryza sativa L.) and barnyard grass (Echinochloa crus-galli Beauv. var. oryzicola Ohwi) under dry and wet conditions. ALA effect on early plant growth of rice and barnyardgrass was greatly concentration dependant, suggesting that it promotes plant growth at very low concentration and inhibits at high concentration. No significant difference in herbicidal activity of biologically and synthetically produced ALAs on plant lengths of test plants was observed ALA exhibited significant photodynamic activity regardless of PSDIP and its duration. Significant shoot growth inhibition by ALA soaking treatment exhibited apparently, indicating that ALA absorbed through root system was translocated into shoot part of plants. ALA reduced plant heights of rice and barnyardgrass seedlings by 6% and 27%, respectively, showing more tolerant to ALA in rice under wet condition. Leaf thickness was reduced markedly by ALA with increasing of ALA concentration, due to mainly membrane destruction and severe loss of turgidity in mesophyll cells, although the epidermal was little affected. It was observed that photodynamic herbicidal activity of ALA applied by pre-and post-emergence application exhibited differently on plant species, and that the activity of ALA against susceptible plants was highly correlated with growing condition.

• Korean Journal of Head & Neck Oncology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.21-24
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• 2003

Objectives: In this report, we confirmed the distributed pattern of ALA and ALA-methylester in normal and tumor-bearing region. Materials and Methods: ALA and ALA-methylester were administered to nude mouse by intratumoral, subcutaneous and intravenous injection. After injection, the fluorescence in normal and tumor region was measured by LESA (laser electronic spectrum analyzer). Results: The tumor-specificity of ALA and ALA-methylester was shown in the case of intratumoral injection. In all case, the fluorescence caused by ALA and ALA-methylester was maximally increased in 2 hours after injection. Then while the fluorescence level was rapidly decreased to control level in normal region, it was still remained in tumor region. Conclusion: According to this result, The intratumoral injection was more efficient administration method for PDT/PDD than subcutaneous and intravenous injection.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.427-432
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• 1994

The effectiveness of the resting cells of a photosynthetic bacterium, Rhodocyclus gelatinosus KUP-74, was investigated on the production of extracellular ${\delta}-aminolevulinate$ (ALA). The ALA generating system with 1.05 mg cells per milliliter required 6 hr-incubation to obtain maximal yield of extracellular ALA. Under this condition ALA inducers, i.e., levulinate or L-glutamate showed relatively low effects to increase extracellular ALA production. Instead, the volume of the system and proper cell density appeared to be important factors for effective production of the ALA. The life-span of the resting cells was remarkably extended to maintain stable production of the ALA by immobilization of cells.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1355-1360
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• 2008

Effects of dietary ${\delta}$-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) supplementation on serum iron status, blood characteristics, egg production and quality were examined in laying hens in an 8-week feeding trail. Two hundred and forty (Hy-line brown, 40-week-old) layers were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments with ten replications (six layers in adjacent three cages). Dietary treatments included: 1) CON (basal diet), 2) ALA1 (CON+ALA 5 ppm), 3) ALA2 (CON+ALA 10 ppm) and 4) ALA3 (CON+ALA 15 ppm). All nutrient levels of diets were formulated to meet or exceed NRC (1994) recommendations for laying hens. During the entire experimental period, differences of serum iron concentration and total iron binding capacity (TIBC) were significantly increased in ALA1 supplemented treatment (quadratic effect, p<0.05). The difference of total protein between 8 and 0 weeks was significantly higher in ALA2 treatment than CON treatment (quadratic effect, p<0.05). No significant effects were observed on hemoglobin, WBC, RBC, lymphocyte and albumin concentrations. Egg production and egg weight were not influenced by the ALA supplementation. Egg yolk index was also significantly higher in ALA3 treatment than CON treatment at the end of 4 and 8 weeks (linear effect, p<0.05). Haugh unit was increased in ALA3 treatment compared to CON and ALA1 treatments at the end of 8 weeks (linear effect, p<0.05). However, egg shell thickness, breaking strength and yolk color unit were not affected by the ALA supplementation. In conclusion, dietary ALA supplementation at a level of 5 ppm can affect iron concentration in serum while higher levels (10 or 15 ppm) have some beneficial influences on blood profiles and egg quality.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.10
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• pp.1606-1610
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• 2004

This study was. conducted to investigate the effects of $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid supplementation on growth. performance, nutrient digestibility and hematological changes in weaned pigs. Seventy five Duroc${\times}$Yorkshire${\times}$ Landrace pigs (7.21$\pm$0.02 kg average BW) were used in a 20 d growth assay. Dietary treatments included 1) NC (negative control; basal diet), 2) PC (positive control; NC diet + 0.1% Apramycin + 0.1% Oxytetracycline), 3) ALA0.l (NC diet+0.l% $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid), 4) ALA0.2 (NC diet+0.2% $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid) and 5) ALA + AB (PC diet+0.2% $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid). In entire experimental period, ADG (Average Daily Gain) was greater in pigs fed ALA + AB diet than in pigs fed NC diet (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in ADG for pigs fed PC, ALA0.l or ALA0.2 diets. Also, ADFI (Average Daily Feed Intake) and G/F (Gain/Feed) were not affected by treatments. For 20 d, fecal digestibilities of DM (Dry Matter) and N (Nitrogen) were higher (p<0.05) for pigs fed ALA + AB diet than for pigs fed NC and ALA0.l diets. Total protein concentration of serum was increased in ALA + AB treatment compared to NC and PC treatments (p<0.05). In iron concentration of serum, pigs fed $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid supplementation diets were greater than for pigs fed NC and PC diets (p<0.05). TIBC (Total Iron Binding Capacity) concentration of serum was increased in ALA + AB treatment compared to NC, PC and ALA0.l treatments (p<0.05). Pigs fed ALA + AB and ALA0.2 diets were higher hemoglobin (Hb) and hematocrit (HCT) concentration of blood than pigs fed NC and PC diets (p<0.05). RBC and WEC concentrations of blood were significantly higher (p<0.05) for the pigs fed ALA0.2 and ALA + AB diets than for pigs fed NC diet. Lymphocyte concentration of blood was increased in $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid supplementation treatment compared to NC treatment (p<0.05). In conclusion, $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid supplementation for weanling pigs had improved growth performance and nutrient digestibilities and had increased total protein, iron, hemoglobin and lymphocyte concentration of blood. Also, feeding for dietary $\delta$-aminolevulinic acid and antibiotic mixture supplementation may have more higher effective growth performance in weanling pigs.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2003

The purpose of this study is to investigate the positive or negative effects of 5-aminolevulinic acid(ALA) on the growth of several crops and weeds, by applying a seed soaking treatment, foliar treatment, and application timing, while comparing biological activity between ALA produced by chemical synthesis (Synthetic-ALA) and extracellularly-accumulated ALA by overexpressing the hemeA gene isolated from Bradyrhizobium japonicum(Bio-ALA). Seed soaking treatment of ALA in barley (five cultivars) and wheat (five cultivars) had not shown positive effects at lower concentrations, 0.05 to 0.5 mM as well as negative effects at higher concentrations, 1 to 30 mM. In rice, there also was no positive effect by seed soaking treatment of ALA at lower concentrations, although the rice became damaged by an application of 5 and 10 mM ALA. Growth in barley cultivars, Ganghossalbori, Naehanssalbori, Songhakbori, Saessalbori, and Daehossalbori were increased up to 14%, 19-51 %, 17-64%, 18-23%, and 22-38% by ALA foliar application at lower concentrations, 0.05 to 0.5 mM, respectively. On the other hand, the growth in barley cultivars was inhibited by ALA foliar application at higher concentrations. Barley responded more positively to ALA foliar application than wheat and rice. The growth stimulation caused by ALA seed soaking treatment was less than by ALA foliar treatment. ALA treatment at the 1.5-leaf stage increased growth of barley by 19-58%, while pretreatment to seeds, post-emergence treatment at 3 days after seeding, 3-leaf stages, and 5-leaf stages had not shown positive effects. Thus, the positive effects of ALA on barley were dependent greatly upon the timing of application and its concentration. Monocots weeds were more sensitive to ALA foliar treatment than dicotyledonous weeds. A monocot weed, Setaria viridis L. was the most susceptible plant to ALA while a dicotyledonous weed, Plantago asiatica L. was the most tolerant. No significant difference in biological activity between bio-ALA and synthetic ALA on barley, wheat, rice, and weed, Ixeris dentate tested was observed. Thus, ALA produced by microorganisms would be a potent substance to be used effectively in agricultural production.