• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.435-441
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• 2009

In the present study, we analyzed the defensin protein deduced from Korean radish (Raphanus sativus L.) seeds.To express the genes in E. coli, we constructed a recombinant expression vector with a defensin gene, named rKRs-AFP gene isolated from Korean radish seeds. Over expressed rKRs-AFP proteins was separated by SDS-PAGE to determine the purity, and protein concentration was determined by the Bradford method. Antifungal activity was assessed by disk assay method against the tested fungi. As a result, when 500 mL of cell culture were disrupted by sonicator, 32.5 mg total proteins were obtained. The purified protein showed a single band on SDS-PAGE with estimated molecular weight about 6 KDa, consistent with the molecular mass calculated from the deduced amino acid sequence. The purified rKRs-AFP protein showed remarkable antifungal activities against several fungi including Aspergillus niger, Botrytis cinerea causing the gray mold disease, and Candida albicans. In field tests using the purified rKRs-AFP protein, the protein showed the reducing activity of disease spot and the mitigating effect of spreading of disease like agrichemicals. The immuno-assay of rKRs-AFP protein showed that the purified protein entirely accumulated at B. cinerea cytoplasm through the hyphal septa shown by fluorescence imaging. There was no fluorescence inside the cell, when the hypha was incubated without the protein. These all results indicate that the recombinant rKRs-AFP proteins can be utilized as a potential antifungal drug to control harmful plant fungal pathogens.

• Proceedings of the SCSK Conference
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• 2003.09a
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• pp.35-49
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• 2003

In this study, in an attempt to search for functional cosmetic ingredients from higher fungal, we have produced exopolysaccharides (GF-l, approximately carbohydrate 75％, protein 25％) and polysaccharide (GF-2) of mycelium extract, by submerged culture of Grifolafrondosa. For applications in anti-aging cosmetic field, we investigated the diverse biological activities. Antioxidant activity and inhibition of Matrixmetalloproteinases (MMPs) were investigated enzymatic assays by measuring the superoxide scavenging activity using xanthine-xanthine oxidase system and the proteolytic activity of MMPs using EnzChek Collagenase/Gelatinase kits, respectively. GF-l polysacchairde showed inhibition of superoxide radical by 90％ at a concentration of 0.2％ (w/v) and inhibition of collagenase by 45％ at 0.2％ (w/v). GF-2 polysaccharide of mycelium extract also exhibited good antioxidant activity. However, MMPs inhibition activity was relatively lower level compared to GF-l polysaccharides. The treatment of human dermal fibroblast (HDF) with GF-l and GF-2 polysaccharides increased the proliferation of fibroblast by approximately 23-25％ at a concentration of 0.5％ (w/v), also showed collagen synthesis increase in HDF by about 50％ at 0.5％ (w/v) compared to that of untreated control. We also report the moisturizing effects of polysaccharides in cosmetic products (O/W emulation) and its own ingredient, in vitro and in vivo. The GF-1 polysaccharide showed higher moisturizing ability than sodium hyaluronate, which is the most commonly used moisturizers ingredient. These results suggest the GF-l polysaccharide, protein-bound polysaccharide, may be used as an ingredient for new moisturizing and anti-aging cosmeceuticals.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.58 no.5
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• pp.343-348
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• 2014

In the present studies, we examined effect of chamomile flowers extract (CH-Ex), which has traditionally been used as antiphlogistics in Europe for many centuries, against Candida albicans-caused septic arthritis. Candida albicans is a major etiological agent among fungal septic arthritis. This effect was investigated in a murine model of the septic arthritis. That is, mice that were given an emulsion form of C. albicans cell wall (CACW) via footpad route were treated intraperitoneally with the CH-Ex for 3 times every 3 days. Degrees of the footpad-swellings were measured with dial gauger. Data showed that the CH-Ex resulted in the reduction of swelling. For instance, at Day 9 when swelling reached the highest peak, there was up to app. 60% reduction of edema in mice injected with the CH-Ex, compared to that of the control mice that received no treatment (P<0.05). This therapeutic anti-arthritic activity appeared to be mediated by inhibitions of NO (nitric oxide) production from activated RAW264.7 macrophages and proliferation of Con A-treated T lymphocytes. Analysis by HPLC revealed that the CH-Ex contained eight polyphenolic compounds including chlorogenic acid (CRA) and rutin. We have reported the CRA and rutin respectively have the anti-arthritic activity. This correlation implicates that CRA and rutin in the CH-Ex may be responsible for the activity. Combined all together, the CH-Ex has anti-arthritic activity against C. albicans-caused septic arthritis, possibly by inhibiting NO production and proliferation of T cells. This activity seems to be contributed by, at least, CRA and rutin among the compounds in the CH-Ex.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.50-57
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• 2004

This study attempted to evaluate the water repellency and drying effectiveness of linseed oil treated-solid wood at high temperature by immersion. The moisture content of green wood (Pinus densiflora) sample (above 90%) was reduced about 10% after 6 hours treatment at 150℃. When the treated samples were cut into cross section along the length, it was observed that the linseed oil penetrated into up to 20% of the sample cross section area in all locations. However, a strength loss of the specimen was not detected. The pre-drilling before linseed oil treatment was effective in reducing the defects such as checks and splits, and improved the linseed oil penetration into all samples from the surfaces. The result of water absorption test of treated-wood showed that the water repellent efficacy of treated-wood was greater than that of the control. The anti-fungal activity of treated samples using five sap stains and thee decay fungi was not detected in broad-spectrum toxic mechanism. However, decay test using white rot fungi (Tyromyces palustris) and brown rot fungi (Trametes versicolor) showed that the treated sample has a decay resistance to these two fungi.

• 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.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.75-78
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• 2003

A lichen-forming fungus was successfully isolated by discharged spore method from Korean lichen (Hetero-dermia sp.) and cultivated in pure culture. The isolate JR0012 inhibited mycelial growth of several plant-pathogenic fungi. Mycelial growth of the four Pythium spp. tested was completely inhibited. Potato dextrose broth was found to be the medium favorable for large-scale production of antibiotics from the isolate. Anti-fungal substances produced in axenic culture were partially purified. This is the first report in Korea of lichen-forming fungus successfully isolated and which exhibited strong antifungal activity against plant-pathogenic fungi, especially the four Pythium spp..

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.578-583
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• 2010

It has been reported that extracts of globe thistle (Echinops spp.) and thistle (Circium spp., Carduus spp. and Onopordum spp.) have anti-bacterial and anti-fungal activities. Methanol extracts of Echinops setifer and Carduus spp. were used to test and see if the extracts of these plants could suppress growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium fortuitum. Although extract of Echinops setifer showed no anti-mycobacterial activities, extract of Carduus spp. showed inhibition zones when tested with filter discs. Genomic DNA was isolated from Carduus spp. and PCR was performed to clone a DNA fragment containing ITS1, 5.8S rRNA gene and ITS2. A 733-bp PCR product was obtained and its DNA sequence was reported to the GenBank (accession number GU188570). BLAST search of the obtained DNA sequence did not show a match with any DNA sequences in the Genbank. Carduus crispus and Carduus defloratus had the closest phylogenetic relationships to this plant.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.234-239
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• 2011

Glycycoumarin, a 3-arylcoumarine isolated from Glycyrrhizae radix (a family of Leguminosae), is reported to have anti-bacterial activity. However, its antifungal activity is still unknown. In this present study, the antifungal activity of glycycoumarin (GLM) against Candida albicans, a polymorphic fungus was investigated. Possible mechanism such as blocking of the hyphal induction was also analyzed. By the in-vitro susceptibility analysis, GLM showed anticandidal activity, resulting in an almost complete inhibition of the fungal growth at a concentration of 320 ${\mu}g/ml$, which was equivalent to the efficacy of fluconazole at the same dose. In the murine model of disseminated candidiasis GLM enhanced resistance of mice against the disseminated disease (P<0.05), resulting in 60% protection of GLM-treated mice group during a period of 21-day observation. As for its mechanism of the antifungal activity, GLM blocked hyphal production, one of the important of virulence factors by the fungus, from the yeast form of C. albicans (P<0.01). These data indicate that GLM may contribute to the perspectives that focus on the development of a novel agent with antifungal activity specific for C. albicans infection.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.127-140
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• 2017

Metal nanoparticles have been intensively studied within the past decade. Nano-sized materials have been an important subject in basic and applied sciences. Zinc oxide nanoparticles have received considerable attention due to their unique antibacterial, antifungal, and UV filtering properties, high catalytic and photochemical activity. In this study, microbiological aspects of scale formation in PVC pipelines bacteria and fungi were isolated. In the emerging issue of increased multi-resistant properties in water borne pathogens, zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticle are being used increasingly as antimicrobial agents. Thus, the minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) and minimum fungal concentration of ZnO nanoparticles towards pathogens microbe were examined in this study. The results obtained suggested that ZnO nanoparticles exhibit a good anti fungal activity than bactericidal effect towards all pathogens tested in in-vitro disc diffusion method (170 ppm, 100 ppm and 30 ppm). ZnO nanoparticles can be a potential antimicrobial agent due to its low cost of production and high effectiveness in antimicrobial properties, which may find wide applications in various industries to address safety issues. Stable ZnO nanoparticles were prepared and their shape and size distribution characterized by Dynamic light scattering (35.7 nm) and transmission electron microscopic TEM study for morphology identification (20 nm), UV-visible spectroscopy (230 nm), X-ray diffraction (FWHM of more intense peak corresponding to 101 planes located at $36.33^{\circ}$ using Scherrer's formula), FT-IR (Amines, Alcohols, Carbonyl and Nitrate ions), Zeta potential (-28.8). The antimicrobial activity of ZnO nanoparticles was investigated against Bacteria and Fungi present in drinking water PVC pipelines biofilm. In these tests, Muller Hinton agar plates were used and ZnO nanoparticles of various concentrations were supplemented in solid medium.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.2 s.69
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• pp.287-292
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• 2005

The crude galactomannans (GMs) were obtained from the culture of a newly isolated fungus Trichoderma erinaceum DG-312 and their anti-inflammatory activity was investigated in mice. The maximum concentrations of mycelial biomass and GMs reached 9.44 g/l, 2.72 g/l at day 3 in a 5-l stirred-tank bioreactor, respectively. The results of Sepharose CL-6B gel chromatography and compositional analysis revealed that the crude GMs contain heterogeneous polysaccharides consisting of $74.9\%$ mannose and $24.1\%$ galactose. The GMs was shown to possess a significant anti-inflammatory activity against acetic acid-induced inflammatory mouse model in a dose-dependent manner, when mice were treated with 100 and 200 mg GMs/kg body weight. The inhibition in vascular permeability $(60.6\%)$ and in writhing response $(62.5\%)$ evidenced an anti-inflammatory activity of the GMs. The marked anti-inflammatory and writhing-lowering properties of the GMs suggest its potential therapeutic use.