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Antifungal Activity of Lactic Acid Bacteria Strains Isolated from Natural Honey against Pathogenic Candida Species

  • Bulgasem, Bulgasem Y.;Lani, Mohd Nizam;Hassan, Zaiton;Yusoff, Wan Mohtar Wan;Fnaish, Sumaya G.
    • Mycobiology
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    • v.44 no.4
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    • pp.302-309
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    • 2016
  • The role of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in honey as antifungal activity has received little attention and their mechanism of inhibitory of fungi is not fully understood. In this study, LAB were isolated from honey samples from Malaysia, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Yemen. Twenty-five isolates were confirmed LAB by catalase test and Gram staining, and were screened for antifungal activity. Four LAB showed inhibitory activity against Candida spp. using the dual agar overlay method. And they were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum HS isolated from Al-Seder honey, Lactobacillus curvatus HH isolated from Al-Hanon honey, Pediococcus acidilactici HC isolated from Tualang honey and Pediococcus pentosaceus HM isolated from Al-Maray honey by the 16S rDNA sequence. The growth of Candida glabrata ATCC 2001 was strongly inhibited (>15.0 mm) and (10~15 mm) by the isolates of L. curvatus HH and P. pentosaceus HM, respectively. The antifungal activity of the crude supernatant (cell free supernatant, CFS) was evaluated using well diffusion method. The CFS showed high antifungal activity against Candida spp. especially The CFS of L. curvatus HH was significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited growth of C. glabrata ATCC 2001, C. parapsilosis ATCC 2201, and C. tropicalis ATCC 750 with inhibitory zone 22.0, 15.6, and 14.7 mm, respectively. While CFS of P. pentosaceus HM was significantly (p < 0.05) effective against C. krusei, C. glabrata, and C. albicans with inhibition zone 17.2, 16.0, and 13.3 mm, respectively. The results indicated that LAB isolated from honey produced compounds which can be used to inhibit the growth of the pathogenic Candida species.

Diversity of Wood-Inhabiting Polyporoid and Corticioid Fungi in Odaesan National Park, Korea

  • Jang, Yeongseon;Jang, Seokyoon;Lee, Jaejung;Lee, Hanbyul;Lim, Young Woon;Kim, Changmu;Kim, Jae-Jin
    • Mycobiology
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    • v.44 no.4
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    • pp.217-236
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    • 2016
  • Polyporoid and corticioid fungi are among the most important wood-decay fungi. Not only do they contribute to nutrient cycling by decomposing wood debris, but they are also valuable sources for natural products. Polyporoid and corticioid wood-inhabiting fungi were investigated in Odaesan National Park. Fruit bodies were collected and identified based on morphological and molecular analyses using 28S and internal transcribed spacer regions of DNA sequences. As a result, a total of 149 species, 69 genera, 22 families, and 11 orders were recognized. Half (74 species) of the species were polypores, and the other half (75 species) were corticioid fungi. Most of the species belonged to Polyporales (92 species) followed by Hymenochaetales (33 species) and Russulales (11 species). At the genus level, a high number of species was observed from Steccherinum, Hyphodontia, Phanerochaete, Postia, and Trametes. Concerning distribution, almost all the species could be found below 1,000 m, and only 20% of the species were observed from above 1,000 m. Stereum subtomentosum, Trametes versicolor, T. hirsuta, T. pubescens, Bjerkandera adusta, and Ganoderma applanatum had wide distribution areas. Deciduous wood was the preferred substrate for the collected species. Sixty-three species were new to this region, and 21 species were new to Korea, of which 17 species were described and illustrated.

Antibacterial Activity of Peptides Synthesized Based on the Bombus ignitus abaecin, A Novel Proline-Rich Antimicrobial Peptide

  • Kim, Seong-Ryul;Lee, Eun-Mi;Yoon, Hyung-Joo;Choi, Yong-Soo;Yun, Eun-Young;Hwang, Jae-Sam;Jin, Byung-Rae;Lee, In-Hee;Kim, Ik-Soo
    • International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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    • v.14 no.2
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    • pp.147-150
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    • 2007
  • Abaecin is a largest member of the proline-rich anti-microbial peptide family found only in the hymenopterans. A cDNA of abaecin was previously isolated and cloned from Bombus ignitus: the mature peptide of Bombus ignitus abaecin was composed of 39 amino acid residues. In the present study, we determined the antibacterial effect of B. ignitus abaecin synthesized at several lengths against several bacteria by radial diffusion assay. The 37-mer peptide (Ab37) inhibited the growth of Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli ML-35, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Salmonela typhimurium, but showed limited inhibitory activity toward Gram-positive bacteria, except for Micrococcus luteus. The truncated 26-mer peptide (Ab26), which was synthesized after truncating some amino acid residues at both N-terminus and C-terminus from the Ab37 peptide, still showed equivalent antibacterial activity to the Ab37. On the other hand, several further truncated peptides exhibited lower activity then did Ab37 peptide.

Expression and Characterization of Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1 Oligomerized gp140 Protein in Mammalian Cells (포유동물 세포에서 Human Immunodeficiency Virus-1의 Oligomeric gp140 단백의 발현 및 특성)

  • Kim, Eun-Ok;Kim, Eun;Kim, Hyun-Soo;Shin, Kwang-Soon;Kim, Chul-Joong
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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    • v.42 no.1
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    • pp.55-64
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    • 2002
  • The envelope glycoprotein of HIV-1 forms an oligomeric complex resulting in playing a role to induce neutralizing antibody and cell-mediate immune responses. The oligomer exists as a trimer of gp120-gp41 heterodimer which mediates HIV-1 attachment and fusion. We made a cDNA clone of gp140 consisting of gp120 and ectodomain of gp41 from the primary African isolate. To express the oligomeric gp140 in mammalian cells, we adopted the Semliki Forest virus (SFV) based expression system. The oligomeric gp140 in the secretory form was expressed and purified from the cell culture supernatant and characterized. The antibody inducing activity of the purified gp140 was also examined in mice inoculation.

PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY OF PSORALENS

  • Shim, Sang-Chul;Jeon, Young Hee;Kim, DongWon;Han, GyuSeok;Yoo, Dong Jin
    • Journal of Photoscience
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    • v.2 no.1
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    • pp.37-45
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    • 1995
  • INTRODUCTION : Psoralens are planar tricyclic furocoumarins present in numerous plants and fungi found throughout the world.' Naturally occurring and synthesized psoralen derivatives(see Figure 1) are photosensitizers of UVA especially from 320 nm to 400 nm, a range at which cellular nucleic acids and proteins are weakly absorbing if any at all. Because of their skinphotosensitizing properties, these compounds have been used in the photochemotherapy of psoriasis and vitiligo. However, undesirable side effects such as carcinoma development in hairless mice as well as possible liver damage from the use of 8-methoxypsoralen(8-MOP) have been reported. The other photobiological effects include inactivation of DNA viruses, killing and mutagenesis of bacteria, inhibition of tumor transmitting capacity of various cells, and hyperpigmentation on human and guinea pig skin. PUVA(psoralen+UVA) photochemotherapy is in fact thousands of years old, having been used in Egypt and India since B.C. 1200-2000. Photochemotherapy for a common disfiguring disease, vitiligo, was practiced in the ancient world by physicians and herbalists who used boiled extracts of the fruits of certain umbelliferous plants, e.g. Ammi majus Linnaeus in Egypt or the leguminous plants, Psoralea corylifolia L. in India. It was first described by Kuske in 19388 that photosensitization of skin by plants was related to the presence of psoralen. He identified natural psoralens in plants as photosensitizers and isolated bergapten(5methoxypsoralen) from the oil of bergamot. The scientific interest in photosensitizing psoralens, however, has grown considerably after the introduction into clinics of the psoralen photochemotherapy for the treatment of psoriasis and of other skin (abbreviation)

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Sensory Characteristics of Citrus Vinegar fermented by Gluconacetobacter hansenii CV1 (제주 감귤식초 발효균주 선발)

  • Kim Mi-Lim;Choi Kyung-Ho
    • Korean journal of food and cookery science
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    • v.21 no.2 s.86
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    • pp.243-249
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    • 2005
  • Citrus juice, a concentrate manufactured by the Jeju Provincial Corporation, was converted into vinegar orderly by alcohol and acetate fermentation. The juice with a 6-fold dilution by distilled water was used as the sole nutrient source throughout the experiments. The diluted juice contained 12.96Brix of total sugar, $0.632\%$ of total acid and $20.23{\mu}g/ml$ of hesperidin. Naringin was not detected from the juice. Citrus wine having $5.6\~6.3\%$ alcohol was produced from the diluted juice after 3 days of fermentation at $28^{\circ}C$. A kind of citrus-malomelo-yeast CMY-28 was used for the wine fermentation. The wine was successfully fermented for 8 days at $30^{\circ}C$ after inoculation of seed vinegar which contained active cells of acid producing bacteria CV1. The inoculum size of the seed vinegar was controlled to $10\%$(v/v) of the citrus wine. The wine was converted into vinegar by the fermentation process. Citrus vinegar, the final fermentation product, was colored with very thin, radish-yellow and was transparent. It's acidity ranged between $5.8\~6.2\%$ of that of acetic acid. The vinegar attained the best score by sensory test among several natural fruit vinegars. It was clear from the results that high quality citrus vinegar could be produced from concentrated citrus juice. However, the fermentation conditions should be improved to reduce the amount of reducing alcohol.

Diapause hormone of the silkworm, Bombyx mori : Structure and function

  • Okitsugu Yamashita
    • Proceedings of the Korean Society of Sericultural Science Conference
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    • 1997.06a
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    • pp.51-72
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    • 1997
  • Diapause hormone (DH) is a neuropeptide hormone which is secreted from the suboesophageal ganglion (SG) and is responsible for induction of embryonic diapause of the silkworm, Bombyx mori. DH is isolated from SGs and determined to be a 24 amino acid peptide amide. The cDNA encodes the polyprotein precursor from which DH, pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) and three other neuropeptides are released and become matured. The C-terminal FXPRL-NH2 sequence of DH is essential but not sufficient for expression of full activity. Recently, we have isolated a unique hydrohobic peptide (VAP peptide) with a slight diapause egg induceing activity from organic solvent extracts of the male adult heads of the silkworm. The VAP peptide itself has no diapause inducing activity, but enhances DH activity through reducing ED50 value and the threshold concentration of DH. The DH-PBAN gene is composed of 6 exons interrupted by 5 introns and is expressed in 12 neurosecretory cells of the SG. The incubation of eggs at 25$^{\circ}C$, which induces embryonic diapause in the progeny, caused DH-PBAN mRNA content to increase at 5 different stages in the life cycle. By contrast, a 15$^{\circ}C$ incubation only induced expression of the gene at the late phrase adult stage. The temperature-controlled expression of DH-PBAN gene is closely correlated to the incidence of diapause, indicating that DH-PBAN gene expression is the initial event leading to diapause induction. DH acts to stimulate trehalase activity in developing ovary to bring about hyprglycogenism in mature eggs, a prerequisite metabolism for diapause initiation. Using in vivo and in vitro systems, DH is clearly shown to induce trehalase gene expression in developing ovaries. New protein synthesis is not needed for this process, but a Ca2+-dependent proteinkinase seems to be involved. Quite recently, we have sucessfully applied a new and potent trehalase inhibitor (Trehazoline) to reudce glycogen content in developing ovaries. The eggs deficient in glycogen were also able to enter diapause as the natural eggs do, so that we could provide the new egg system to reconsider the diapause associated metabolism other than the glycogen-sorbitol metabolic system.

Selection of Antifungal Bacteria Burkholderia lata CAB13001 for Control on Red Pepper Anthracnose and Its Control Efficacy in Field (고추 탄저병 방제제 Burkholderia lata CAB13001 선발 및 포장방제 효과)

  • Hahm, Soo-Sang;Kim, Byung-Ryun;Kwon, Mi-Kyung;Han, Kwang-Seop;Park, In-Hee;Seo, Kyung-Won
    • Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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    • v.26 no.4
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    • pp.649-660
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    • 2018
  • To control the pepper anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum acutatum, antifungal bacterium strains which was selected among bacterium from natural soil, was tested the antimicrobial activity against various pathogens and its control efficacy on anthracnose disease in the fields. We confirmed that antagonistic activity of CAB13001 strain to pathogens such as Sclerotinia cepivorum, Sclerotinia sclerotium and Botrytis cinerea including Colletotrichum acutatum was remarkable superior with the dual culture method in the artificial medium. In vitro bioassay using the green pepper fruit, CAB13001 strain suppressed the lesion development of Anthracnose disease, and its control value compared to the untreated one was 82.4% on pepper fruit in field test. These results suggested that CAB13001 strain could be a very useful biological control agents to anthracnose disease caused by air born plant pathogens of pepper. By the way, analysis of nucleotide sequence of the gene 16S rDNA, antagonistic bacterium CAB13001 strain used in this study was identified as Burkholderia lata.

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of Toxocara tanuki (Nematoda: Ascaridae) from Korean Raccoon Dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis

  • Alexander, Umanets;Lim, Chae-Wong;Kim, Bumseok;Hong, Eui-Ju;Kim, Hyeon-Cheol;Park, Bae-Keun
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.56 no.6
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    • pp.567-575
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    • 2018
  • Present study was performed to describe the morphological and molecular characterization of Toxocara tanuki (Nematoda: Ascaridae) from Korean raccoon dog, Nyctereutes procyonoides koreensis, naturally infected in the Republic of Korea (Korea). Juvenile and adult worms of T. tanuki were recovered in 5 out of 10 raccoon dogs examined and the larval worms were detected in 15 out of 20 muscle samples (75%). Small lateral alae were observed on the cranial end of the body in male and female adults and 2 long spicules (3.0-3.5 mm) were characteristically observed in the posterior end of males. In SEM observation, 18 pairs of proximal precloacal, a precloacal median, a postcloacal median and 5 pairs of postcloacal papillae were uniquely revealed in the posterior portion of males, but the proximal papillae were not shown in the lateral ends of females. Molecular analysis on the 18S rRNA partial DNA sequences was revealed the same finding in both samples, adult worms and muscle larvae, which are closely related to T. tanuki. In conclusion, it was confirmed for the first time that T. tanuki is indigenously distributed, the Korean raccoon dog is acted as the natural definitive host of this nematode in Korea and the morphological characteristics of T. tanuki were shown in specific structure for single postcloacal median papilla in male.

Neuroprotective Effect of β-Lapachone in MPTP-Induced Parkinson's Disease Mouse Model: Involvement of Astroglial p-AMPK/Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathways

  • Park, Jin-Sun;Leem, Yea-Hyun;Park, Jung-Eun;Kim, Do-Yeon;Kim, Hee-Sun
    • Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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    • v.27 no.2
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    • pp.178-184
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    • 2019
  • Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by the progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons within the substantia nigra pars compacta. In the present study, we investigated whether ${\beta}-Lapachone$ (${\beta}-LAP$), a natural naphthoquinone compound isolated from the lapacho tree (Tabebuia avellanedae), elicits neuroprotective effects in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced Parkinson's disease mouse model. ${\beta}-LAP$ reduced the tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive fiber loss induced by MPTP in the dorsolateral striatum, and alleviated motor dysfunction as determined by the rotarod test. In addition, ${\beta}-LAP$ protected against MPTP-induced loss of TH positive neurons, and upregulated B-cell lymphoma 2 protein (Bcl-2) expression in the substantia nigra. Based on previous reports on the neuroprotective role of nuclear factor-E2-related factor-2 (Nrf2) in neurodegenerative diseases, we investigated whether ${\beta}-LAP$ induces upregulation of the Nrf2-hemeoxygenae-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway molecules in MPTP-injected mouse brains. Western blot and immunohistochemical analyses indicated that ${\beta}-LAP$ increased HO-1 expression in glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive astrocytes. Moreover, ${\beta}-LAP$ increased the nuclear translocation and DNA binding activity of Nrf2, and the phosphorylation of upstream adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). ${\beta}-LAP$ also increased the localization of p-AMPK and Nrf2 in astrocytes. Collectively, our data suggest that ${\beta}-LAP$ exerts neuroprotective effect in MPTP-injected mice by upregulating the p-AMPK/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways in astrocytes.