• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.579-586
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• 2010

A genomic DNA fragment encoding a putative maltooligosyltrehalose synthase (NfMTS) for trehalose biosynthesis was cloned by the degenerate primer-PCR from cyanobacterium Nostoc flagelliforme. The ORF of NfMTS was 2,799 bp in length and encoded 933 amino acid residues constituting a 106.6 kDa protein. The deduced amino acid sequence of NfMTS contained 4 regions highly conserved for MTSs. By expression of NfMTS in E. coli, it was demonstrated that the recombinant protein catalyzed the conversion of maltohexaose to maltooligosyl trehalose. The $K_m$ of the recombinant enzyme for maltohexaose was 1.87 mM and the optimal temperature and pH of the recombinant enzyme was at $50^{\circ}C$ and 7.0, respectively. The expression of MTS of N. flagelliforme was upregulated, and both trehalose and sucrose contents increased significantly in N. flagelliforme during drought stress. However, trehalose accumulated in small quantities (about 0.36 mg/g DW), whereas sucrose accumulated in high quantities (about 0.90 mg/g DW), indicating both trehalose and sucrose were involved in dehydration stress response in N. flagelliforme and sucrose might act as a chemical chaperone rather than trehalose did during dehydration stress.

• Mycobiology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.138-142
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• 2006

Soil cyanobacteria isolated from the rice paddy fields of 10 different locations across Korea were evaluated by agar plate diffusion test for antifungal activity. Aqueous, petroleum ether, and methanol extracts from one hundred and forty two cyanobacterial strains belonging to the 14 genera were examined for antifungal properties against seven phytopathogenic fungi causing diseases in hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L). Of total cyanobacteria, nine cyanobacteria (6.34%) exhibited antifungal effects. The nine cyanobacteria selected with positive antifungal activities were two species of Oscillatoria, two of Anabaena, three of Nostoc, one of Nodularia, and one of Calothrix. Alternaria alternata and Botrytis cinerea were inhibited by nine and eight species of cyanobacteria, respectively. Rhizopus stolonifer was suppressed by only methanol extract of Nostoc commune FK-103. In particular, Nostoc commune FK-103 and Oscillatoria tenuis FK-109 showed strong antifungal activities against Phytophthora capsici. Their antifungal activity at the late exponential growth phase is related to the growth temperature and not associated with the growth parameters such as cell biomass and $chlorophyll-{\alpha}$ concentration. The high inhibition levels of antibiotics were 22.5 and 31.8 mm for N. commune FK-103 and O. tenuis FK-109, respectively. The optimal temperature for antibiotic productivity was $35^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.257-266
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• 1987

Investigation on the ability of nitrogen usage by N2-fixing Nostoc muscorum and cultured tobacco cells when they were associately cultured on nitrogen-free media was carried out. Also, effect of polyamines on the associated cultured condition was carried out. In addition, morphological changes of N. muscorum and cultured tobacco cells in associate culture were observed to detect the possibility of induction of nitrogen fixing ability on cultued plant cells. The activity of nitrogenase increased markedly when N. muscorum was grown exclusively on nitrogen-free media. When N. muscorum was cultured associately with cultured tobacco cells on nitrogen-free media containing polyamines, high activity was detected in 10-4 M spermine treated group. Investigation on the change of polyamine amounts showed two times increase in spermidine and eight times increase in spermine on a associate culture. These effects of associated culture were shown through morphological change such as dense loclization of N. muscorum around the cultured tobacco cells as well as inside the cells. These results indicate the viability of N. muscorum in cultured tobacco cells and possible induction of nitrogen fixation ability by symbiosis.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.113-120
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• 2022

We examined the anti-inflammatory properties of Nostoc commune HCW0811 in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophage cells. The anti-inflammatory activity of HCW0811 on viability of treated cells was assessed by measuring the level of expression of NO, prostaglandin E₂ and pro-inflammatory cytokines, namely interleukin-1β, interleukin-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α in HCW0811 treated RAW 264.7 macrophages. HCW0811 was non-toxic to cells and inhibited the production of cytokines in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition its treatment suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in a dose-dependent manner, and concomitantly decreased the protein expressions of inducible NO synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. Moreover, the levels of the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinase family proteins such as extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, p38, and nuclear factor kappa B were reduced by HCW0811. These findings suggest that the HCW0811 collected from Daejeon National Cemetery have anti-inflammatory effects, and demonstrated its efficacy in cell-based in vitro assays.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.144-145
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• 2003

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.327-339
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• 2014

This research includes the identification and cultivation of aerial algae from 33 sites located in Mt. Gwanggyo of Gyeonggi-do, Korea, from March 2011 to August 2012. The ecological factors of aerial algae were analyzed and a total of 29 taxa were identified in 4 phyla, 5 classes, 11 orders, 15 families, 19 genera, 28 species and 1 variety; 12 taxa of cyanophytes, 8 taxa of chrysophytes, and 9 taxa of chlorophytes were found. As for newly recorded cyanophytes of Korea, Komvophoron jovis, Microcoleus steenstrupii, and Nostoc edaphicum appeared. Komvophoron jovis, previously known to grow on rocks and boulders, appeared in soil. Microcoleus steenstrupii, reported to appear in desert soils, appeared on the wet surface of the soil after rain. Nostoc edaphicum, in symbiosis with fungi, appeared on tree bark as the lichen. Thus, there are a total of 99 reported taxa of Korean aerial algae, including 3 species that were discovered in this study.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 1991

Induction of symbiosis between N. muscorum and cultured tobacco cells associately cultured on nitrogen-free medium and effects of polyamines on culture condition were carried out. Analysis of amino acid composition in associate cultures showed increase in total amino acid amounts than single culture of cultured tobacco cells and methionine was markly increased in associative culture on N-free medium treated with 1 mM spermine. These results indicated that the composition of amino acids increased effectively in associative cultures by nitrogen fixation of N. muscorum.scorum.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.51-58
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• 1973

Three kinds of organic matter such as glucose, oxalic acid, and ethanol were added to the media(N-free or $NO_{3}$-riched) and their effects on the nitrogen fixation of Nostoc pruniforme were measured by manometric technique through the experiments in vivo. 1) The organic matters used in this experiments showed effective results as a role of substrate for the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen. 2) In the nitrogen-free medium treated with the both of flucose nad ethanol, the highest nitrogen uptakes were detected in the treated of low concentrations (glucose ; 0.1%, 0.5%, ethanol : 0.1%, 0.5%). On the contrary, the highest nitrogen uptakes in $NO_{3}$-riched medium were measured at the treated of high concentrations (glucose ; 2%, 1%, ethanol ; 1.5%, 1.0%). 3) The highest nitrogen uptakes in N-free medium treated with oxalic acid were measured at the concentration of 2% and 1%, respectively. In the medium of $NO_{3}$-riched, the nitrogen uptakes were in the opposite directions.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.67-75
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• 1986

An experimental system for the possibility of association between cultured plant cells and a cyanobacterium (N. muscorum) was investigated. The association was established in nitrogen-free medium, and nitrogen source was provided by N. muscorum through its own nitrogen fixation. N. muscorum was distributed on the outer part and intercellular spaces of the cultured plant cells. Polyamines were treated to the nitrogen-free medium to improve the association. Polyamines increased nitrogenase activity and protein amount in the association between N. muscorum and the cultured plant cells, as compared to the association without polyamines. Especially, spermine showed an increasing effect on the nitrogenase activity and the protein content in the association of tobacco and N. muscorum, while spermidine showed similar effect in case of soybean and N. muscorum.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.23 no.2 s.58
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• pp.135-140
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• 2005

In order to construct an artificial cultivation of Nostoc flagelliforme on solid medium, we attempted to assess the viability of approaches, which utilized either BG-11 agar or sand medium using both sterile and non-sterile algal segments. In the trial in which the BG -11 agar medium was inoculated with the non-sterile algal segments, the algae exhibited the rapid growth in the initial 4 days of cultivation. However, after 4 days of cultivation, the growth rate of the algae slowed, and the algal growth was completely stopped by 7 days of cultivation. When the BG -11 medium was inoculated with the sterile algal segments, the algae exhibited the rapid growth for a longer period of 8 days, reaching a length of 24.9 mm. The growth rate during this period was measured to be $24.5\%$. After the 8 days of cultivation, the algal growth rate began to slow and had almost stopped by the 13 days of cultivation. On the other hand, when the sterile algal segments were inoculated onto a sand plate, the algal segments decomposed, reaching total decomposition after 11 days of cultivation. By way of contrast, the desiccation treatment samples continued to grow for 14 days of cultivation. After 14 days of cultivation, the algae achieved a length of 26.1 mm, with a growth rate of $30.6\%$. Our results indicate that periodic desiccation may constitute an effective strategy for the prevention of algal decomposition.