• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.213-223
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• 2013

The objectives of this study are to develop a molecular diagnosis to differentiate serotypes and mating-types of C. neoformans/C. gattii complex isolates from pigeon droppings in Korea and to elucidate molecular epidemiology of the isolates. Phenotypes and genotypes of C. neoformans/C. gattii complex isolates were identified by biochemical properties and PCR using specific CNLAC1 gene, respectively. To classify serotypes and mating-types of C. neoformans/C. gattii complex isolates, the five reference strains and thirty-three isolates in Korea were investigated by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis using CNLAC1 gene for varieties, by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) for serotyping, and by PCR using specific primer sets for mating typing. All isolates in Korea were belonged to C. neoformans var. grubii (serotype A) by RFLP and RAPD patterns which showed high sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, RFLP and RFLP were available to differentiate varieties and serotypes of C. neoformans. Amplification patterns of the five reference strains by specific PCR for mating typing were differentiable, and all isolates were classified into $MAT{\alpha}$. All C. neoformans environmental isolates in Korea were Cr. neoformans serotype A and $MAT{\alpha}$ which is a more virulent pathogen. This study suggests that RFLP and RAPD are rapid and correct molecular diagnosis tools for epidemiology of C. neoformans/C. gattii complex isolates.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.27-36
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• 1996

The aim of the present research program was to identify and develop strains of actinomycetes producing antifungal antibiotics which inhibit cell wall biosynthesis. 860 strains of Actinomycetes were isolated from various soil samples. Three isolates, EMS4, EMP22, and L234 were selected as the strains producing antifungal antibiotics inducing abnormal morphology against Penicillium cyclopium, Cryptococcus laurentii, and Aspergillus flavus, respectively. Taxonomic unit characters of the strains were tested and the data were analyzed numerically using TAXON program. EMS4, EMP22, and L234 were indentified to be a member of Streptomyces lavendulae, Streptomyces willmorei, and Streptomyces aburaviensis, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.58-60
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• 2007

Root of Asarum sieboldii has been used in chinese medicine. It was been known that the extract of A. sieboldii has medicinal effect such as antifebrile, anodyne, and anti-inflammatory. Antifungal activity of the essential oil extracted from A. sieboldii against various epiderman and opportunistic human pathogenic fungi was investigated. Steam-distillated essential oil demonstrated very high antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Candida albicans. MIC (minimum inhibitory concentration) of the essential oil against C. albicans was 5 ul/ml, indicating that the essential oil may be used as natural preserves for cosmetic and nutritional products.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.135-139
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• 2017

BACKGROUND: Identification and characterization of endophytic yeasts inhabiting the roots of Ulmus parvifolia Jacq. and Quercus salicina Blume require biotechnological and culture-based techniques. METHODS AND RESULTS: Homogenized U. parvifolia and Q. salicina root samples were spread onto four types of agar medium containing ancgtibiotics, L-sorbose, and Triton X-100. In total, 25 yeast strains were isolated and subjected to phylogenetic analysis based on their internal transcribed spacer region sequences. The results revealed that the yeast genera Cyberlindnera (12 isolates) and Cryptococcus (1 isolate) were associated with roots of U. parvifolia; and the genera Rhodotorula (8 isolates), Trichosporon (3 isolates), and Kluyveromyces (1 isolate) were associated with roots of Q. salicina. Additionally, a Kluyveromyces isolate produced a detectable level of bioethanol. The yeast strains reported herein may be used in industrial production of biosurfactants and bioethanol. CONCLUSION: Our findings revealed that the endophytic yeast genera Cyberlindnera and Cryptococcus predominated in roots of U. parvifolia; and the genera Rhodotorula (8 isolates), Trichosporon (3 isolates), and Kluyveromyces (1 isolate) predominated in roots of Q. salicina. Additionally, Kluyveromyces isolates produced a detectable level of bioethanol.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2014.10a
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• pp.44-44
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• 2014

Yeasts were isolated from wild flowers of some islands and mountains such as Jeju-do, Ulleungdo, Yokjido, Seonyudo and Gyejoksan, Oseosan, Beakamsan and Deogyusan in Korea and were identified by comparison of nucleotide sequences for PCR-amplified D1/D2 region of 26S rDNA or internal transcribed pacer(ITS) 1 and 2 including 5.8S rDNA using BLAST. Seventy two yeast strains of two hundred eighty nine species were isolated from wild flowers in islands and mountains, Korea. Among them, Cryptococcus species were isolated the most dominantly, and Metschnikowia reukaufii were also isolated thirty species, 10.3% of total strains. Twenty-three species including Cryptococcus aureus were overlapped between yeast strains of the islands and mountains. Some physiological functionality of the culture broth and cell-free extracts from two hundred eighty nine yeast strains were determined. The supernatant of Candida sp. 78-J-2 showed antioxidant activity of 22.5%, and supernatant of Metschnilowia reukaufii SY44-6 showed anti-gout xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of 49.6% and whitening tyrosinase inhibitory activity of 38.4%, respectively.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2016.05a
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• pp.17-17
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• 2016

Calcineurin governs stress survival, sexual differentiation, and virulence of the human fungal pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. Herein, we identified and characterized calcineurin substrates in C. neoformans by employing phosphoproteomic $TiO_2$ enrichment and quantitative mass spectrometry. The identified targets include the zinc finger transcription factor Crz1 and proteins whose functions are linked to P-bodies/stress granules (PBs/SGs) and mRNA translation and decay, such as Pbp1 and Puf4. We show that Crz1 is a bona fide calcineurin substrate, and localization and transcriptional activity of Crz1 are controlled by calcineurin. Several of the calcineurin targets localized to PBs/SGs, including Puf4 and Pbp1, and are required for survival at high temperature and for virulence. Genetic epistasis analysis revealed that Crz1 and the novel targets Lhp1, Puf4, and Pbp1 function in a branched calcineurin pathway that orchestrates stress survival and virulence. These findings propose that calcineurin controls thermal stress and virulence at the transcriptional level via Crz1 and post-transcriptionally by regulating target factors involved in mRNA metabolism.

• Mycobiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.67-72
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• 2013

Pathogenic microbes secrete various enzymes with lipolytic activities to facilitate their survival within the host. Lipolytic enzymes include extracellular lipases and phospholipases, and several lines of evidence have suggested that these enzymes contribute to the virulence of pathogenic fungi. Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans are the most commonly isolated human fungal pathogens, and several biochemical and molecular approaches have identified their extracellular lipolytic enzymes. The role of lipases and phospholipases in the virulence of C. albicans has been extensively studied, and these enzymes have been shown to contribute to C. albicans morphological transition, colonization, cytotoxicity, and penetration to the host. While not much is known about the lipases in C. neoformans, the roles of phospholipases in the dissemination of fungal cells in the host and in signaling pathways have been described. Lipolytic enzymes may also influence the survival of the lipophilic cutaneous pathogenic yeast Malassezia species within the host, and an unusually high number of lipase-coding genes may complement the lipid dependency of this fungus. This review briefly describes the current understanding of the lipolytic enzymes in major human fungal pathogens, namely C. albicans, C. neoformans, and Malassezia spp.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.312-316
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• 2018

BACKGROUND: Yeast biotechnology finds applications in various industries. Hence, we sought to explore the yeasts associated with the flower of Aster spathulifolius Maxim. This study aimed to isolate yeasts from the flower of the plant and screen for biosurfactant-producing yeasts. METHODS AND RESULTS: We collected flowers of Aster spathulifolius Maxim. and performed pure isolation using four types of media. In total, 117 strains belonging to 4 genera, namely, Cryptococcus (75 strains), Aureobasidium pullulans (30 strains), Candida (11 strains), and Rhodotorula (1 strain), were isolated and identified by ITS sequencing. Upon in-depth analysis, Cryptococcus, the most dominant genus (75 strains) was categorized into the 'Unknown group'. Upon in-depth analysis of A. pullulans, we discovered the 'Unknown group I' (27 strains) and the 'Unknown group II' (2 strains), which have not been reported previously. Two A. pullulans isolates with potent surfactant activity were selected via the screening procedure. CONCLUSION: In this study, a total of 117 strains were isolated from the flower of Aster spathulifolius Maxim. In addition, two biosurfactant-producing yeasts were identified from among the isolated yeasts.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.350-355
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• 2021

In 2020, 11 Basidiomycetous yeast strains were isolated from soil samples collected from the forests of Namhansanseong in Korea. Among them, seven species were reported, but four species were unreported in Korea. To identify wild yeasts, pairwise sequence comparisons of D1/D2 domain of the 26S rRNA were performed using Basic Local Alignment Search Tool (BLAST). The cell morphologies and assimilation test are observed by phase contrast microscope and API 20C AUX kit, respectively. The 11 strains were assigned to the genera Rhodotorula (4 strains) of the order Sporidiobolales of the class Microbotryomycetes; and Cryptococcus(2 strains), Goffeauzyma (1 strains), Naganishia (2 strains) of the order Filobasidiales and Saitozyma (2 strains) of the order Tremellales of the class Tremellomycetes in the phylum Basidiomycota. The unreported yeast strains Cryptococcus gastricus 20n5-2, Goffeauzyma gilvescens 20n2-7, Naganishia adeliensis 20n8-1, and Naganishia friedmannii 20n24-1 belong to the family Filobasidiaceae. All strains had oval shaped cells and cream-colored colonies cultured on on YM agar for 3 days. In this study, we focus on the description of four unreported yeast species in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.137-141
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• 2015

This study focused on isolation of wild yeasts from natural flowers and elucidation of yeast diversity. Wild yeasts were isolated from various flowers collected from mountains on the islands including Jejudo, Ulleungdo, Yokjido, and Seonyudo as well as inlands including Gyejoksan, Oseosan, Beakamsan, and Deogyusan in Korea. Isolated yeasts were identified by comparison of nucleotide sequences for polymerrase chain reaction-amplified D1/D2 region of 26S rDNA or internal transcribed spacer 1 and 2 including 5.8S rDNA using BLAST. 289 strains belonging to 134 yeast species were isolated. Cryptococcus genus strains were the most frequently isolated species among the identified yeasts. Metschnikowia reukaufii was also frequently isolated. Twenty three species including Cryptococcus aureus were overlapped between those of mountains on islands and inland. Physiological functionalities such as antioxidant activity, xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity, and tyrosinase inhibitory activity for the 289 identified yeast strains were investigated using their supernatant and cell-free extracts. The supernatants of Candida sp. 78-J-2 and Metschnikowia reukaufii SY44-6 showed antioxidant activity of 22.5%, and anti-gout xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity of 49.6%, respectively.