• Mycobiology
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.205-209
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• 2007

Ergosterol involves in fungal cell growth as a major component in fungal cell membranes. It can be an indicator that shows the fungal activity, and its content depends on the fungal strains, culture, growth conditions and so on. In this study, fungal activities and growth patterns of three white-rot fungi strains isolated in Korea were evaluated by determination of ergosterol contents during the incubation. Wood decay test and chemical analyses of wood were also performed to verify the relationship between fungal activity and wood degrading capacity of white-rot fungi for 60 days. In the results of experiments, it is considered that the test strains selectively degrade large amount of lignin in wood at the early stage of decay. Especially, Phanerochaete chrysosporium showed the best capability on selective degradation of lignin among the test fungi. It is suggested that the determination of ergosterol content in the fungal culture during the incubation is the simple and effective screening method of white-rot fungi for the application to biopulping of wood.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.408-418
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• 2021

The diversity and plant growth-promoting ability of fungal endophytes that are associated with five halophytic plant species (Phragmites australis, Suaeda australis, Limonium tetragonum, Suaeda glauca Bunge, and Suaeda maritima) growing in the Buan salt marsh on the west coast of South Korea have been explored. About 188 fungal strains were isolated from these plant samples' roots and were then studied with the use of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2). The endophytic fungal strains belonged to 33 genera. Alternaria (18%) and Fusarium (12.8%), of the classes Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes, were most rampant in the coastal salt marsh plants. There was a higher diversity in fungal endophytes that are isolated from S. glauca Bunge than in isolates from other coastal salt marsh plants. Plant growth-promoting experiments with the use of Waito-C rice seedlings show that some of the fungal strains could encourage a more efficient growth than others. Furthermore, gibberellins (GAs) GA1, GA3, and GA9 were seen in the Sa-1-4-3 isolate (Acrostalagmus luteoalbus) culture filtrate with a gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.44 no.4
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• pp.565-574
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• 2011

The development of satisfactory alternatives for supplying the nutrients needed by crops could decrease the problems associated with conventional NPK chemical fertilizers. In this study, the effects of bacterial and fungal effective microorganisms (EM) on the growth of Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa) were evaluated. This investigation was carried out parrallel with conventional NPK chemical fertilizer and a commercial sold microbial fertilizer to compare between each of their effect. Sterile water and molasses were served as controls. Azotobacter chroococcum effect also was studied either alone or in combination with the effective microorganisms on the growth parameters. In contrast to the bacterial EM, the fungal EM alone without A. chroococcum had a more stimulating effect than fungal EM combined with A. chroococcum. Results showed that seedling inoculation significantly enhanced B. rapa growth. Shoot dry and fresh weight, and leaf length and width significantly were increased by both bacterial and fungal inoculation. The results indicated that the NPK chemical fertilizer deteriorates the microflora inhabiting the soil, while the effective microorganisms either fungal or bacterial ones increased the microbial density significantly. This study implies that both of fungal and bacterial EM are effective for the improvement of the Chinese cabbage growth and enhance the microorganisms in soil. The results showed antagonism occurred between A. chroococcum and each of Penicillium sp and Trichoderma sp in both agar and plant assays. The data were statistically analyzed by ANOVA and Dunnett test.

• Mycobiology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.210-214
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• 2010

Selection of fungal strains with high virulence against the developmental stages of Bemisia tabaci was performed using internal transcribed spacer regions. The growth rate of hyphae was measured and bioassay of each developmental stage of B. tabaci was conducted for seven days. All of the fungal strains tested were identified as Lecanicillium spp., with strain 4078 showing the fastest mycelium growth rate (colony diameter, 16.3 $\pm$ 0.9 mm) among the strains. Compared to strain 4075, which showed the slowest growth rate, the growth rate of strain 4078 was increased almost 2-fold after seven days. Strains 4078 and Btab01 were most virulent against the egg and larva stages, respectively. The virulence of fungal strains against the adult stage was high, except for strains 41185 and 3387. Based on the growth rate of mycelium and level of virulence, strains 4078 and Btab01 were selected as the best fungal strains for application to B. tabaci, regardless of developmental stage.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.27-32
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• 2010

The indoor environmental condition was assessed in houses with allergy (asthma and atopy) patients by use of a fungal detector. The fungal index was calculated from the growth rate of the sensor fungi in a fungal detector encapsulating the spores, Alternaria alternata S-78, Eurotium herbariorum J-183 and Aspergillus penicillioides K-712. Fungal indices were higher in asthma patient's houses than in control houses and Eurotium herbariorum showed the highest growth response among the sensor fungi. Dust mites allergen, Der f1, was also significantly high in allergy patient's houses where fungal indices above 10 were detected. A correlation was observed between the fungal indices and dust mite allergen proliferations in examined houses. Therefore, the fungal index can be a useful tool as an indirect indication for detecting chronic dampness that brings both contaminations by fungi and dust mite.

• Mycobiology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.457-465
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• 2019

MonA is a subunit of a guanine nucleotide exchange factor that is important for vacuole passing and autophagy processes in eukaryotes. In this study, we characterized the function of MonA, an orthologue of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Mon1, in the model fungus Aspergillus nidulans and a toxigenic fungus A. flavus. In A. nidulans, the absence of AnimonA led to decreased fungal growth, reduced asexual reproduction, and defective cleistothecia production. In addition, AnimonA deletion mutants exhibited decreased spore viability, had reduced trehalose contents in conidia, and were sensitive to thermal stress. In A. flavus, deletion of AflmonA caused decreased fungal growth and defective production of asexual spores and sclerotia structures. Moreover, the absence of monA affected vacuole morphology in both species. Taken together, these results indicate that MonA plays conserved roles in controlling fungal growth, development and vacuole morphology in A. nidulans and A. flavus.

• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.24 no.12
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• pp.852-857
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• 2012

Recently, the indoor air pollution by microbes such as fungi and mites have become a concern as important research topic on indoor air quality. Fungal growth is significantly affected by humidity. In this study, we examined the influence of relative humidity on the surface of building materials and the water content of building materials on the fungal growth rate by measuring the mycelium length of fungi in the fungal detector placed on the surface of building materials. As a result, even if the relative humidity on the surface of building materials is identical, the more water content of building materials is, the more fungi grow faster. It was suggested that fungal growth rate depends on not only the relative humidity on the surface of building materials but also the water content of building materials.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1549-1556
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• 2012

Endophytic fungi were isolated from roots of six halophytes in Suncheon Bay. The endophytic fungi of 35 species isolated from halophytes were identified by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) containing the ITS1, 5.8s, and ITS2 regions. All fungal strains were analyzed to diversity at the genus level. Fungal culture filtrates (FCF) of endophytic fungi were treated to Waito-c rice (WR) seedling for plant growth-promoting verification. It was confirmed that fungal strain Sj-2-2 provided plant growth promotion (PGP) to WR seedling. Then, PGP of Suaeda japonica was confirmed by treating culture filtrate of Sj-2-2. As a result, it was verified that culture filtrate of Sj-2-2 had more advanced PGP than positive control when treated to S. japonica. The secondary metabolites involved in culture filtrate of Sj-2-2 were identified by HPLC and GC-MS SIM analysis. The presence of physiologically bioactive gibberellins (GAs) and other inactive GAs in culture filtrate of Sj-2-2 was detected. The molecular analysis of sequences of Sj-2-2 showed the similarity to Penicillium sp. of 99% homology. The PGP of Sj-2-2 as well as symbiosis between endophytic fungi and halophytes growing naturally in salt marsh was confirmed. Sj-2-2 was identified as a new fungal strain producing GAs by molecular analysis of sequences. Consequently, the Sj-2-2 fungal strain was named as Penicillium sp. Sj-2-2. In this study, the diversity of endophytic fungi isolated from roots of halophytes in salt marsh and the PGP of a new gibberellin-producing fungal strain were confirmed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.11
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• pp.1680-1687
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• 2020

Fungal endophytes are symbiotic microorganisms that are often found in asymptomatic plants. This study describes the genetic diversity of the fungal endophytes isolated from the roots of plants sampled from the west coast of Korea. Five halophytic plant species, Limonium tetragonum, Suaeda australis, Suaeda maritima, Suaeda glauca Bunge, and Phragmites australis, were collected from a salt marsh in Gochang and used to isolate and identify culturable, root-associated endophytic fungi. The fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 was used as the DNA barcode for the classification of these specimens. In total, 156 isolates of the fungal strains were identified and categorized into 23 genera and two phyla (Ascomycota and Basidiomycota), with Dothideomycetes and Sordariomycetes as the predominant classes. The genus Alternaria accounted for the largest number of strains, followed by Cladosporium and Fusarium. The highest diversity index was obtained from the endophytic fungal group associated with the plant P. australis. Waito-C rice seedlings were treated with the fungal culture filtrates to analyze their plant growth-promoting capacity. A bioassay of the Sm-3-7-5 fungal strain isolated from S. maritima confirmed that it had the highest plant growth-promoting capacity. Molecular identification of the Sm-3-7-5 strain revealed that it belongs to Alternaria alternata and is a producer of gibberellins. These findings provided a fundamental basis for understanding the symbiotic interactions between plants and fungi.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.52-57
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• 2008

Twenty isolates of Bacillus spp. obtained from livestock manure composts and cotton-waste composts were tested for in vitro antagonistic effects against soilborne plant pathogenic fungi, Fusarium oxysporum, Phytophthora capsici, Rhizoctonia solani AG-4, and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum. Seven isolates of Bacillus spp. had antagonistic effects on mycelial growth of all the isolates of F. oxysporum tested. The bacterial isolate RM43 was the most effective to inhibit the mycelial growth of the fungal isolates. Twelve isolates of Bacillus spp. had antagonistic effects on mycelial growth of all the isolates of P. capsici tested. The bacterial isolates M34 and M47 were very effective to inhibit the mycelial growth of the fungal isolates. Thirteen isolates of Bacillus spp. had antagonistic effects on mycelial growth of all the isolates of R. solani AG-4 tested. The bacterial isolates M27 and M75 were very effective to inhibit the mycelial growth of the fungal isolates. Fourteen isolates of Bacillus sp. had antagonistic effects on mycelial growth of all the isolates of S. sclerotiorum tested. The bacterial isolates M49 and M75 were very effective to inhibit the mycelial growth of the fungal isolates. The antagonistic effects of most Bacillus spp. isolates against the isolates of the four fungi differed depending on the fungal species and the isolates of each fungus. The bacterial isolates M27 and M75 were the most effective to inhibit the mycelial growth of all four fungi.