• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.654-661
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• 2021

In this study, in order to isolate excellent whitening agents from fungal cultural broth, various fungi were collected from wild areas in South Korea and then screened for tyrosinase inhibition activity, as tyrosinase is a precursor for the biosynthesis of melanin in regulating skin color. A fungus strain that inhibits tyrosinase activity has been identified and confirmed as Trichoderma viridescens (later renamed T. viridescens SW-1) via ITS sequencing. In T. viridescens SW-1, tyrosinase inhibitory activity was strongest on day three of culture. A 5% culture broth showed a tyrosinase inhibitory activity greater than 90% and exhibited high thermostability on day three. At 10% culture broth, the accumulations of intra- and extracellular melanin were inhibited above 27.1% and 7.5%, respectively. In summary, the physical and functional properties of the tyrosinase inhibitory substances of T. viridescens SW-1 included high levels of inhibition of melanin synthesis and antioxidative activity as well as thermostability. Therefore, we suggest that the whitening substance identified from the cultural broth of T. viridescens SW-1 has potential for application as a functional cosmetic ingredient.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.588-591
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• 2000

Serine palmitoyl transferase(SPT) and ceramidase are the key enzymes in sphingolipid biosynthesis. To study sphingolipid metabolism, we have got the 5'-upstream regions of human serine palmitoyl transferase subunit II and acid ceramidase gene by using GenomeWalker kits(Clontech Co.). Human genomic DNA was purified from HT29, human colon canser cell line by using DNAzol. We got several bands after secondary PCR and subcloned them to T7bule vector. Human SPTII promoter which we got was 2690bp but we cut it with Bgl II and vector with Bgl II and BamH I, and subcloned 1782bp to pGL2-enhancer vector and pGL2-basic vector with luciferase reporter gene. Human acid ceramidase promoter which we got were 2028bp and 1034bp and subcloned to pGL2-enhancer vector and pGL2-basic vector. We transfected these promoters to HT29 cell and assayed luciferase activity. For measuring transfection efficiency, pRL-TK vector with seapancy luciferase reproter gene was cotransfected with these promoters.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.153-156
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• 2000

Xylan, the major hemicellulose component of many plants, occurs naturally in a partially acetylated form and lignin, the most resistant component in plant cell wall degradation, is also attached to ${\beta}-1,4-linked-D-xylose$ backbone through the ester linkage. Esterases are required to release the esterified substituent and acetyl esterases are important in the complete degradation of acetylated polysaccharides, like pectins and xylans. The gene(Axe) encoding acetyl xylan estarase(AXE) was isolated from genomic ${\lambda}$ library from Aspergillus ficuum. Nucleotide sequencing of the Axe gene indicated that the gene was separated with two intervening sequences and the amino acid sequence comparison revealed that it was closely related to that from A. awamori with the 92 % indentity. Heterologous expression of AXE was conducted by using YEp352 and Saccharomyces cerevisae 2805 as a vector and host expression system, respectively. The Axe gene was placed between GAL1 promoter and GAL7 terminator and then this recombinant vector was used to transform S. cerevisiae 2805 strain. Culture filtrate of the transformed yeast was assayed for the presence of AXE activity by spectrophotometry and, comparing with the host strain, four to five times of enzyme activity was detected in culture filtrate of transformed yeast.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.38 no.5
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• pp.878-888
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• 2018

In the current study, the probiotic potential of approximately 250 strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from piglet fecal samples were investigated; among them Lactobacillus plantarum strain JDFM LP11, which possesses significant probiotic potential, with enhanced acid/bile tolerance, attachment to porcine intestinal epithelial cells (IPEC-J2), and antimicrobial activity. The genetic characteristics of strain JDFM LP11 were explored by performing whole genome sequencing (WGS) using a PacBio system. The circular draft genome have a total length of 3,206,883 bp and a total of 3,021 coding sequences were identified. Phylogenetically, three genes, possibly related to survival and metabolic activity in the porcine host, were identified. These genes encode p60, lichenan permease IIC component, and protein TsgA, which are a putative endopeptidase, a component of the phosphotransferase system (PTS), and a major facilitator in the gut environment, respectively. Our findings suggest that understanding the functional and genetic characteristics of L. plantarum strain JDFM LP11, with its candidate genes for gut health, could provide new opportunities and insights into applications in the animal food and feed additive industries.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.427-437
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• 2018

In this study, microorganism community characteristics of organic managed soil which applied rye (Secale cereal L.) as green manure for 25 years, were determined. The chemical properties of organic soil showed high level of organic matter and available $P_2O_5$, while the level of exchangeable cation was low. The analysis of dehydrogenase activity and carbon source utilization indicated that the values in on organic soil were significantly higher than those of the control. It suggested that the microorganism community of organic soil had high microorganism activity, compared to the control. In addition, when the 16S rRNA gene-targeted NGS (Next generation sequencing) analysis was conducted to estimate the class of bacterial community, the class level of bacterial taxon composition on organic soil showed higher portion of Sphingobacteriia, Acidobacteriia, Gammaproteobacteria, Solibacteres and Planctomycetia. By base on the results of various reports in which organic managed soil had high portion of Acidobacteriia and Planctomycetia, the characteristic of taxon composition in organic soil, which showed the high percentages of Ktedonobacteria, Sphingobacteriia, Acidobacteriia and Gammaproteobacteria, was resulted from the application of rye as a green manure for the long term. However, further researches were needed because the crop effect was not considered in this study.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.333-341
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• 2011

Two antifungal bacteria were selected from forest soils during the screening of microorganisms antagonistic to Cylindrocarpon destructans, a cause of ginseng root rot. The antifungal bacteria were identified as Bacillus subtilis (I4) and B. amyloliquefaciens (yD16) based on physiological and cultural characteristics, the Biolog program, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses. Antagonistic activity of both bacterial isolates to C. destructans increased with increasing temperature. More rapid starch hydrolytic activity of the bacteria was seen on starch agar at higher temperatures than at lower temperatures, and in the higher density inoculum treatment than in the lower density inoculum treatment. The bacterial isolates failed to colonize ginseng root the root tissues inoculated with the bacteria alone at an inoculum density of $1{\times}10^6$ cfu/ml, but succeeded in colonizing the root tissues co-inoculated with the bacteria and C. destructans. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the pathogen was damaged by the low-density inoculum treatment with the bacterial isolates as much as by the high-density inoculum treatment. Both bacterial isolates were more effective in reducing root rot when they were treated at a concentration of $1{\times}10^6$ cfu/ml than at $1{\times}10^8$ cfu/ml. Also, only the former treatment induced prominent wound periderm formation, related to structural defense against pathogen infection. The results suggest that the bacterial antagonists may have high potential as biocontrol agents against ginseng root rot at relatively low-inoculum concentrations.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.17
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• pp.109-115
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• 2001

Abrus agglutinin was purified from the kernels of Abrus precatorius by Sepharose 4B affinity column chromatography followed by Sephadex G-100 gel filtration column chromatography. About 1.25 g of abrus agglutinin was obtained from 1 kg of the kernels. The LD$_{50}$ of abrus agglutinin is 5 mg/kg of body weight, which is less toxic than that of abrin, 20$\mu\textrm{g}$/kg body weight. The amino acid sequence of abrus agglutinin was determined by protein sequencing techniques and deduced from the nucleotide sequence of a cDNA clone encoding full length of abrus agglutinin. There are 258 residues, 2 residues and 267 residues in the A-chain, the linker peptide and the B-chain of abrus agglutinin, respectively. Abrus agglutinin had high homology to abrin-a (77.8%). The 13 amino acid residues involved in catalytic function, which are highly conserved among abrin and ricin, were also conserved within abrus agglutinin. The protein synthesis inhibitory activity of abrus agglutinin ($IC_{50}$/ = 3.5 nM) was weaker than that of abrin-a (0.05 nM). By molecular modeling followed by site-directed mutagenesis showed that Pro199 of abrus agglutinin A-chain located in amphipathic helix H and corresponding to Asn200 of abrin A-chain, can induce bending of helix H. This bending would presumably affect the binding of abrus agglutinin A-chain to its target sequence GpApGpAp, in the tetraloop structure of 285 r-RNA subunit and this could be one of major factors contributing to the relatively weak protein synthesis inhibitory activity and toxicity of abrus agglutinin.n.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.800-808
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• 2005

Leuconostoc mesenteroides SY1, an isolate from kimchi, was able to ferment $\alpha$-galactosides, such as melibiose and raffinose. $\alpha$-Galactosidase ($\alpha$-Gal) activity was higher in cells grown on melibiose and raffinose than cells grown on galactose, sucrose, and fructose. $\alpha$-Gal activity was not detected in cells grown on glucose, indicating the operation of carbon catabolite repression (CCR). A 6 kb DNA fragment was PCR amplified using a primer set based on the nucleotide sequence of a putative $\alpha$-galactosidase gene (aga) from L. mesenteroides ATCC 8293. Nucleotide sequencing of the 6 kb fragment confirmed the presence of aga and other genes involved in the galactosides utilization, and the gene order was galR (transcriptional regulator)-aga-gaIK (galactokinase)-gaIT (galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase). Northern blotting experiment showed that aga, gaIK, and gaIT constituted the same operon, that the transcription was induced by galactosides, such as melibiose and raffinose, whereas gaIR was independently transcribed as a monocistronic gene, and that the level of transcription was fairly constant. The aga was overexpressed in E. coli BL21 (DE3) using pET26b(+) vector, and $\alpha$-Gal was accumulated in E. coli as an inclusion body.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.498-508
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• 2019

Bacillus species were isolated from iru, a traditional fermented condiment in Nigeria. Polyphasic approach was used to evaluate the phylogenetic relationship and strain sub-type of the isolated species. Additionally, the phylogenetic profiles of the species isolated from iru were compared with those of bacilli isolated from different continents. The phylogenetic diversity analysis was performed using the combination of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, ITS-PCR, ITS-PCR-RFLP, and M13 RAPD-PCR. The analysis revealed that Bacillus subtilis U170B and B. subtilis U146A isolated from iru were the closest relatives of strains belonging to the phylogeny of B. subtilis sensu stricto and were related to other bacilli isolated from different continents that had functional benefits. The two isolated species exhibited resistance to acidic pH (pH 2.0). The survival rates of B. subtilis U170B, B. subtilis U146A, and B. clausii UBBC-07 (commercial probiotic strain) cultured at pH 2.0 for 3 h were 33.45, 12.44, and 9.53%, respectively. The strains were highly tolerant to bile salts [0.3% (w/v)]. B. subtilis U170B exhibited the highest cell viability (43.45%) when cultured for 3 h in the presence of bile salts, followed by B. subtilis U146A (25%) and B. clausii UBBC-07 (18.94%). B. subtilis U170B and B. subtilis U146A did not exhibit haemolytic activity and were susceptible to different antibiotics. Additionally, these two strains exhibited weak antagonistic activity against B. cereus. The diverse wild strains of B. subtilis can be used as a safe multifunctional starter culture for the industrial production of condiments with health benefits.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.843-847
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• 2007

Strain NK34 was characterized for probiotic use. Strain NK34 was named Lactococcus lactis NK34 based on API 50 CHL kit results and 16S rDNA sequencing. L. lactis NK34 was highly resistant to artificial gastric juice (pH 2.5) and artificial bile acid. Based on results from the API ZYM kit, 4 enzymes were produced. L. lactis NK34 was resistant to all antibiotics tested except for $10\;{\mu}g/mL$ roxithromycin and $10\;{\mu}g/mL$ erythromycin. The cholesterol-lowering effect of L. lactis NK34 was about 46.9%. Concentrations of interleukin $(IL)-1{\alpha}$ in the $20{\times}$ concentrated supernatant of L. lactis NK34 was about 361 pg/mL. L. lactis NK34 was also found to inhibit the growth of colon cancer cells due to MNNG-induced DNA damage. These results demonstrate the potential of L. lactis NK34 as a health-promoting probiotic.