• Mycobiology
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• 제33권4호
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• pp.223-229
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• 2005

A novel fungal strain Aspergillus sp. L117 that produced acid-stable and thermostable phytase was isolated on basis of the clearing zone on PSM plate and the ability of Na-phytate hydrolysis. The phytase of isolate showed a 3-fold higher activity than that of A. ficuun NRRL3135. The Aspergillus sp. L117 produced maximal level of phytase at initial pH of 5.0 and $30^{\circ}C$. The optimal pH and temperature for phytase activity were 5.5 and $50^{\circ}C$, respectively. The phytase showed totally stable activity after 20 min of exposure between 30 and $90^{\circ}C$, and even at $100^{\circ}C$. The highest level of residual phytase activity was obtained at pH 5.5, and still retained the stability at the broadest pH ranges (2.0 to 7.0) of all the aforementioned phytases. Storage stability of phytase was preserved over 96% of initial activities for 60 days at 4, -20, and $-70^{\circ}C$ and to retain even 70% of the initial activity at room temperature.

• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.59-67
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• 2009

Objectives : This research aimed to evaluate the effects of Rubus coreanus $M_{IQ}$. Methods: These extracts from fresh R. coreanus $M_{IQ}$. were investigated with radical scavenging activity, the content of total phenolics, ferric thiocyanate method and flavonoid contents Results: These results revealed that the ethyl acetate extract from fresh R. coreanus $M_{IQ}$. possesses remarkable radical scavenging activity. The content of total phenolics of the ethanol extract from dried R. coreanus $M_{IQ}$. ($IC_{50}$=155.87${\pm}$8.8${\mu}$g/mL) is the highest among all of the samples. The stronger radical-scavenging activity ($IC_{50}$=77.72${\pm}$2.1${\mu}$g/mL) of ethyl acetate extract from dried R. coreanus $M_{IQ}$. should be related to its phenolic content as measured by gallic acid test. Conclusion: These results suggest that dried R. coreanus $M_{IQ}$. may act as a potential antioxidant agent.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.97-101
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• 2011

Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense is known to have a variety of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, analgesic activity and antipyretic activity. In this study we investigated the role of polyacetylene compound, 1-Heptadecene-11, 13-diyne-8, 9, 10-triol (PA) from the root of Cirsium japonicum var. ussuriense as an immune-modulator. PA was evaluated as inhibitors of some macrophage functions involved in the inflammatory process. We tested the effect of PA on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, interleukin-1beta (IL-$1{\beta}$) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-$\alpha$), and nitric oxide (NO) in murine macrophage cell line, RAW264.7. There was no effect on cytokine production of macrophages by PA itself. However, PA inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced IL-$1{\beta}$ and TNF-$\alpha$ production by macrophages at a dose dependent manner. PA also suppressed the NO production of macrophages by LPS. LPS-induced NF-${\kappa}B$ activity was decreased by treatment of PA. Therefore, these results suggest that PA has anti-inflammatory effect by inhibiting the NF-${\kappa}B$ activation.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.113-116
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• 2011

Arginase competitively inhibits nitric oxide synthase (NOS) via use of the common substrate L-arginine. Arginase II has recently reported as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases such as atherosclerosis. In our experiment, the EtOH extracts of four-hundreds extracts drugs were investigated for the arginase inhibitory activity. Among them, four extracts exhibited over 50% inhibition of arginase II activity compared to control at a concentration of 150${\mu}g/ml$. In particular, the seed of Arctium lappa, gum-resin of Boswellia carterii, aerial part of Artemisia apiacea and rhizome of Cyperus rotundus inhibited arginase II activity, with $IC_{50}$ values of 118.4, 135.4, 123.9 and 86.7${\mu}g/ml$, respectively. In addition, four plant extracts showed less than 20% inhibition of arginase I activity at 150${\mu}g/ml$. These plants might be the potential candidate materials in the development of the novel atherosclerosis drug.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제15권3호
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• pp.678-682
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• 2005

The promoter region of a carbon starvation gene isolated from Pseudomonas putida was cloned and analyzed for its potential use for in situ bioremediation and bioprocessing. We constructed a recombinant plasmid pMKD101 by cloning the 0.65 kb promoter region of the gene into the promoter proving vector, pMK301, which contains the lacZ for ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity as a reporter gene. pMKD101 was transformed into the wild-type P. putida MK1, resulting in P. putida RPD101, and analyzed for ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity under different culture conditions. When RPD101 was grown on the minimal medium plus $0.1\%$ glucose as a sole carbon source in batch cultures, ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity was found to be 3.2-fold higher during the stationary phase than during the exponential phase. In chemostat cultures, ${\beta}$-galactosidase activity was found to be 3.1-fold higher at the minimal growth rate (dilution rate=$0.05\;h^{-1}$) than at the maximal growth rate (dilution rate=$0.173;h^{-1}$). The results suggest that a carbon starvation promoter can be utilized to maximize the expression of a desired gene under nutrient limitation.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제21권3호
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• pp.255-262
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of different growing regions on quality characteristics, total bioactive compound contents, and in vitro antioxidant activity in aronia. Aronia grown in 3 different regions (Sangjoo, Ulju, and Youngcheon) in Korea was obtained and used fresh or as a freeze-dried powder. No statistically significant differences were observed for moisture, ash, crude lipid, and crude protein contents in aronia sampled from the 3 different regions. Aronia grown in Sangjoo had the highest total acid content and the lowest sugar content and pH value. Conversely, aronia grown in Youngcheon possessed the lowest total acid content and the highest sugar content and pH value. Aronia grown in Sangjoo possessed relatively high levels of polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, as well as high antioxidant activity in comparison with aronia produced in other regions. Aronia grown in Youngcheon scored the highest for taste and overall acceptability in sensory evaluations, which may be related to the high sugar content and pH, and the low total acidity of the fruits. It is possible that higher sugar contents and pH, and lower total acidity in the aronia grown in Youngcheon result in more preferable sensory characteristics. However, they also contain relatively low levels of total polyphenols, flavonoids, and anthocyanins, and have low antioxidant activity as measured by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging assays.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제28권8호
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• pp.1299-1309
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• 2018

We previously reported on lactophoricin (LPcin), a cationic ${\alpha}-helical$ antimicrobial peptide derived from bovine milk, which has antimicrobial effects on Candida albicans as well as Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. In this study, we designed the LPcin-YK3 peptide, a shorter analog of LPcin, and investigated its antimicrobial activity. This peptide, consisting of 15 amino acids with + 3 net charges, was an effective antimicrobial agent against the on the Gram-positive strain, Staphylococcus aureus (MIC: $0.62{\mu}g/ml$). In addition, the hemolytic activity assay revealed that the peptide was not toxic to mouse and human erythrocytes up to $40{\mu}g/ml$. We also used circular dichroism spectroscopy to confirm that peptide in the presence of lipid has ${\alpha}-helical$ structures and later provide an overview of the relationship between each structure and antimicrobial activity. This peptide is a member of a new class of antimicrobial agents that could potentially overcome the problem of bacterial resistance caused by overuse of conventional antibiotics. Therefore, it could be used as a therapeutic or natural additive, particularly in the cosmetics industry.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제12권4호
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• pp.234-241
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• 2007

A physicochemical assessment of Doenjang (traditional fermented soyfood) prepared with Korean black soybeans (Glycine max) was carried out. The T-N rate increased slowly during storage up to 120 days and the A-N rate increased up to 80 days of ripening and then decreased slightly. The caseinolytic activity increased slowly during storage up to 80 days and then decreased after 80 days. In addition, the fibrinolytic and ${\beta}-glucosidase$ activities increased up to 80 and 30 days and then decreased. Genistin and daidzin concentrations gradually decreased with increased fermentation time. However, genistein and daidzein slowly increased with fermentation time. Genistein and daidzein reached maximum concentrations (316.8 and $305.2{\mu}g/g$, respectively) and plateaued thereafter. The anthocyanins increased greatly during fermentation up to 50 days and then remained constant between 50 and 90 days. Polyphenol contents showed a slight increase up to 80 days and then slowly decreased. The DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities increased linearly during storage up to 50 days, reached about 28.9% and 2.17 mg/g, respectively, and then slowly decreased. At 20 days of fermentation, macrophage-stimulating activity of the extract showed a maximum activity.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• 제8권2호
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• pp.162-165
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• 2003

The enzyme activity and the micronutrient content of powdered raw meal (PRM) and powdered processed meal (PPM) were compared. PRM was made of freeze-dried cereals, fruits, and vegetables. PPM was made of the same materials as PRM, but with heat processing such as steaming, roasting and hot air drying. The activity of $\alpha$-amylase of PRM was higher than that of PPM. However there were no differences of the concentration of proximate components between PRM and PPM. The concentrations of vitamin A, C, folic acid, biotin, calcium, potassium, sodium and iron in PRM were higher than in PPM, but there were no differences in vitamins E, B$_1$, B$_2$, phosphorus and zinc. This research demonstrated that PRM retains greater nutritional value because there is higher enzyme activity and less loss of micronutrients during processing in PRM than in PPM.

• Animal cells and systems
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• 제14권2호
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• pp.91-98
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• 2010

Male rats were given a single injection of iron, and temporal changes in iron content and iron-induced effects were examined in heart cellular fractions. Over a period of 72 h, the contents of total and labile iron, reactive oxygen species, and NO in tissue homogenate, nuclear debris, and postmitochondrial fractions were mostly constant, but in mitochondria they continuously increased. An abrupt decrease in membrane potential and NAD(P)H at 12 h was also found in mitochondria. The respiratory control ratio was reduced slowly with a slight recovery at 72 h, suggesting uncoupling by iron.While the ATP content of tissue homogenate decreased steadily until 72 h, it showed a prominent increase in mitochondria at 12 h. Total iron and calcium concentration also progressively increased in mitochondria over 72 h. Enzyme activity of the oxidative phosphorylation system was significantly altered by iron injection: activities of complexes I, III, and IV were reduced considerably, but complex II activity and the ATPase activity of complex V were enhanced. A reversal of activity in complexes I and II at 12 h suggested reverse electron transfer due to iron overload. These results support the argument that mitochondrial activities including oxidative phosphorylation are modulated by excessive iron.