• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.92-98
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• 1997

To make good use of chitosan forming complex with heavy metals in wood preservative treatment, woods impregnated with chitosan and copper sulfate were prepared. Amounts of leached copper, decay resistance, anti-mold efficacy, iron corrosion rates, moisture regain rates and degradation pattern in chitosan pre-treated and untreated wood were compared. After leaching test, amounts of leached copper from chitosan pre-treated wood had a much smaller than chitosan untreated wood, and good decay resistance was retained even after leaching test. From these results, it was proved that chitosan-copper complex formed in wood played and important role for decay durability. In chitosan pre-treated wood, damage values by test molds became remarkably smaller, but the growth of test molds was not perfectly inhibited. Distinct differences in iron corrosion rates between chitosan pre-treated and untreated woods was not recognized but chitosan pre-treated wood showed the lower moisture regain rates than chitosan untreated wood because of water insoluble chitosan membrane formed in wood. After leaching test, the tracheid walls in the wood treated with 2.0% copper sulfate only were eroded by the fungal attacks, but those in the wood pre-treated with chitosan remained almost intact.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2022

The ascomycete fungus Cordyceps militaris infects lepidopteran insect pupae, forming characteristic fruiting bodies called "Dong Chung Ha Cho" in Korean. They have been used as medicines owing to their anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and immune-enhancing effects. This fungus can be grown on the geminated soybeans Rhynchosia nulubilis, which also contains several novel isoflavones. We performed a comparative transcriptome analysis to determine core gene sets or pathways contributing to biologically active products such as isoflavone. Initially, we sequenced 2-week-old fungal cultures on different soybean agar media, where different amounts of water agar were implemented to show different surface topology. We selected 830 upregulated and 188 downregulated genes by comparing linear models of the samples (two-fold change threshold). Gene ontology analysis identified that the "IMP biosynthesis" term was significantly found in the upregulated gene sets. The pathway is involved in the synthesis of cordycepin, the reference chemical for C. militaris. This finding in the transcriptome data is consistent with the previous observation: increased cordycepin concentrations in the C. militaris cultured on germinated soybean.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.73-81
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• 2004

To develope of the inexpensive anti-stain chemicals, it was conducted to investigate the inhibitory effectiveness of mycelial growth and anti-mold effectiveness against test fungi causing surface mold of wood, iron corrosivity and hygroscopicity of six fluoride-based chemicals made from industrial by- product.Among the six chemicals. RNF-3 and RNF-4 were the most effective with respect to a mycelial growth control and anti-mold effectiveness. For the wood treatment with these chemicals, the optimum concentration was about 2% and there was no difference in the effectiveness of chemicals between wood species. The wood treated with synthesized chemicals showed a relatively high iron corrosion rate for corrosive F component whereas, in the treatment with RNF-3 and RNF-4, there was no difference from the untreated wood when the concentration was less than 2%. The hygroscopic property of wood was not effected by treatment of these chemicals. To prove the feasibility for practical using of RNF-3 and RNF-4 chemicals, it is necessary to test of anti-mold effectiveness in the sawmill by field test.

• IMMUNE NETWORK
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.201-206
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• 2014

IL-33 is a member of the IL-1 cytokine family and plays a role in the host defense against bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In this study, we investigated the function of IL-33 and its receptor in in vitro macrophage responses to Candida albicans. Our results demonstrate that pre-sensitization of isolated peritoneal macrophages with IL-33 enhanced their pro-inflammatory cytokine production and phagocytic activity in response to C. albicans. These macrophage activities were entirely dependent on the ST2-MyD88 signaling pathway. In addition, pre-sensitization with IL-33 also increased ROS production and the subsequent killing ability of macrophages following C. albicans challenge. These results indicate that IL-33 may increase anti-fungal activity against Candida through macrophage-mediated resistance mechanisms.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.193-197
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• 1976

Pulmonary aspergillosis is a rather uncommon disease as a saprophytic infection, mostly producing significant repeated hemoptysis and frequently combined with chronic debilitating disease or cavitary lung disease such as pulmonary tuberculosis, lung abscess and bronchiectasis. Evaluation of the characteristic symptom, X-ray finding composing intracavitary fungus ball with crescent air patch and immunologic test constitute essential part of diagnosis. Surgical resection is a successful treatment combined with administration of anti-fungal agent to eradicate completely. We present one case of surgically removed pulmonary aspergillosis showing fungus ball, superimposed on underlying pulmonary tuberculosis, with review of the related literatures.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.1120-1123
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• 2001

Screening tests against six plant pathogenic fungi were performed in order to develop biopesticides. Actinomycetes were used to discriminate Bacillus thuringiensis for wide use as a microbial pesticide. From more than 100 actinomycetes tested, twelve strains showed potent antifungal activities. We report in vivo screening results from fermentation broths of these twelve strains and identification of the strain taxa.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.119-121
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• 1999

Tumor cell interaction with the extracellular matrix is defined as the critical event of tumor invasion that signals the initiation of a metastatic cascade. Sesquicillin has been identified as an inhibitor of melanoma cell adhesion to the components of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in cultured broth of fungal strain F60063. Sesquicillin strongly inhibited the adhesion of B16 melanoma cells to laminin, fibronectin, and typeIV collagen. It also inhibited B16 melanoma cell invasion of reconstituted basement membrane Matrigel in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. These results suggest that sesquicillin is a new class of nonpeptidic ECM adhesion inhibitor having anti-invasive activity.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.1017-1021
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• 2002

A novel antibacterial metabolite, ARK42, was elated from a xerophilic fungal strain K42, and Identified as Aspergillus repens based on its morphological characteristics. The metabolite exhibited antibacterial activities towards Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, with MICs of 25, 12.5, and $3.125{\mu}g/ml$, respectively, and killed Pseudomonas aeruginosa with minimal bactericidal concentration (MBC) of $12.5{\mu}g/ml$. Furthermore, anticancer activities were demonstrated against human colon cancer DLD- 1 and lung cancer LXFL529 cells with an $IC_50$ of 10 and $1{\mu}g/ml$, respectively.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.19 no.9
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• pp.922-931
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• 2009

Screening-scale studies were performed with 26 fungal cultures for their ability to transform the anti-inflammatory drug meloxicam. Among the different fungi screened, a filamentous fungus, Cunninghamella blakesleeana NCIM 687, transformed meloxicam to three metabolites in significant quantities. The transformation of meloxicam was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Based on the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) data, two metabolites were predicted to be 5-hydroxymethyl meloxicam and 5-carboxy meloxicam, the major mammalian metabolites reported previously. A new metabolite was produced, which is not detected in mammalian systems. Glucose medium, pH of 6.0, temperature of $27^{\circ}C$, 5-day incubation period, dimethylformamide as solvent, and glucose concentration of 2.0% were found to be suitable for maximum transformation of meloxicam when studied separately. It is concluded that C. blakesleeana can be employed for biotransformation of drugs for production of novel metabolites.

• BMB Reports
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.267-277
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• 2008

Insects mount a robust innate immune response against a wide array of microbial pathogens. The hallmark of the Drosophila humoral immune response is the rapid production of anti-microbial peptides in the fat body and their release into the circulation. Two recognition and signaling cascades regulate expression of these antimicrobial peptide genes. The Toll pathway is activated by fungal and many Gram-positive bacterial infections, whereas the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway responds to Gram-negative bacteria. Recent work has shown that the intensity and duration of the Drosophila immune response is tightly regulated. As in mammals, hyperactivated immune responses are detrimental, and the proper down-modulation of immunity is critical for protective immunity and health. In order to keep the immune response properly modulated, the Toll and IMD pathways are controlled at multiple levels by a series of negative regulators. In this review, we focus on recent advances identifying and characterizing the negative regulators of these pathways.