• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• 제47권4호
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• pp.295-301
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• 2011

Aquaporin is a water channel protein, which is classified as Major Intrinsic Protein (MIP), found in almost all organisms from bacteria to human. To date, more than 200 members of this family were identified. There are two major categories of MIP channels, orthodox aquaporins and aquaglyceroporins, which facilitate the diffusion across biological membranes of water or glycerol and other uncharged compounds, respectively. The full genome sequencing of various fungal species revealed 3 to 5 aquaporins in their genome. Although some functions of aquaporins found in yeast were characterized, however, no functional characteristics were studied so far in filamentous fungi, including Aspergillus sp. In this study, one orthodox aquaporin homolog gene, aqpA, and four aquaglyceroporin homologs, aqpB-E, in a model filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans were identified and the function of the aqpA gene was characterized. Knock-out of the aqpA gene didn't show any obvious phenotypic change under the osmotic stress, indicating that the function of the gene does not involved in the osmotic stress response or the function could be redundant. However, the mutant showed antifungal susceptibility resistance phenotype, suggesting that the function of the aqpA gene could be involved in sensing the antifungal substances rather than the osmotic stress response.

• Journal of Life Science
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• 제25권8호
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• pp.910-916
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• 2015

Scientists have recently shown an interest in the characteristics of Bacillus mojavensis strains because of their increasing use in plants as a defense against diseases and mycotoxins. We have shown here that B. mojavensis KJS-3 possesses the typical characteristics of B. mojavensis strains including a strong resistance to high temperatures (≤50℃), tolerance to high salt concentrations (7% NaCl), ethanol tolerance (40% ethanol), and pH range for growth (pH 5-9). B. mojavensis KJS-3 has been used for the production of cyclic lipopeptides including important antifungal substances such as surfactin, iturin, and fengycin. Polymerase chain reaction analysis in this study showed that B. mojavensis KJS-3 can be used for the production of fengycin and the findings of LC-MS/MS analyses suggest that B. mojavensis KJS-3 can be used to produce iturin and surfactin. Antifungal activity analys is confirmed that B. mojavensis KJS-3 has antifungal effects on Botrytis cinerea, Rhizoctonia solani AG-4, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Colletotricum goeosporioides. A microscopy assessment of the roots of wild ginseng plants planted together with B. mojavensis KJS-3 revealed that the roots contained B. mojavensis KJS-3, confirming the bacteria to be a plant growth promoting endophyte (PGPE) which acts against plant diseases and mycotoxins. Our findings lead us to conclude that B. mojavensis KJS-3 can be produced at an industrial level as a microbial pesticide or microbial fertilizer.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• 제42권3호
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• pp.223-229
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• 2006

To develop multifunctional microbial inoculant, an insluble phosphate-solubilizing bacterium with antifungal activity was isolated from plant rhizospheric soil. On the basis of its morphological, cultural and physiological characteristics and Biolog analysis, this bacterium was identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens RAF15. P. fluorescens RAF15 showed antifungal activities against phytopathogenic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Rhizoctonia solani. The optimal medium composition and cultural conditions for the solubilization of insoluble phosphate by P. fluorescens RAF15 were 1.5% of glucose, 0.005% of urea, 0.3% $MgCl_2{\cdot}6H_2\;0.01%\;of\;MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O\;0.01%,\;of\;CaCl_2{\cdot}2H_2O$, and 0.05% of NaCl along with initial pH 7.0 at $30^{\circ}C$. The soluble phosphate production under optimum condition was 863 mg/L after 5 days of cultivation. The solubilization of insoluble phosphates was associated with a drop in the pH of the culture medium. P. fluorescens RAF15 showed resistance against different environmental stresses like $10-35^{\circ}C$ temperature, 1-4% salt concentration and pH 2-11 range. The strain produced soluble phosphate to the culture broth with the concentrations of 971-1121 mg/L against $CaHPO_4$, 791-908 mg/L against $Ca_3(PO_4){_2}$, and 844 mg/L against hydroxyapatite, respectively. However, the strain produced soluble phosphate to the culture broth with the concentrations of 15 mg/L against $FePO_4$, and 5 mg/L against $AlPO_4$, respectively.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 한국균학회 2015년도 춘계학술대회 및 임시총회
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• pp.20-20
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• 2015

Endophytic fungi are microorganisms inhabiting living plant tissues without causing apparent harm to the host. They are drawing increasing attention due to their ability to produce various bioactive compounds as well as their effects on host growth and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. As a first step to assess biodiversity of plant associated fungi in Korea and the following evaluation on diverse biological activities, we are collecting endophytic fungi from plant in wild followed by systematic long-term storage in liquid nitrogen. Molecular identification using ITS sequences was also incorporated for pure culture by hyphal tip isolation. As of April 2015, about 1,400 fungal strains had been isolated from about 170 plant taxa. Fungal isolates belonging to Pleosporales, Diaporthales, Glomerellales, Hypocreales, and Xylariales were the most abundant. These collections are being used for several complementary researches, including screening of isolates with novel bioactive compounds or conferring drought stress resistance, phylogenetic and genomic study. Genome sequencing was performed for 3 isolates, one Xylaria sp. strain JS573 producing griseofulvin, an antifungal compound, and two Fusarium spp. strains JS626 and JS1030, which are assumed to be new species found in Korea. More detailed analysis on these genomes will be presented. These collections and genome informations will serve as invaluable resources for identifying novel bioactive materials in addition to expand our knowledge on fungal biodiversity.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.68-74
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• 2012

Biocontrol microbes have mainly been screened among large collections of microorganisms $via.$ nutrient-rich $in$ $vitro$ assays to identify novel and effective isolates. However, thus far, isolates from only a few genera, mainly spore-forming bacilli, have been commercially developed. In order to isolate field-effective biocontrol microbes, we screened for more than 200 oligotrophic bacterial strains, isolated from rhizospheres of various soil samples in Korea, which induced systemic resistance against the soft-rot disease caused by $Pectobacterium$ $carotovorum$ SCC1; we subsequently conducted in $planta$ bioassay screening. Two oligotrophic bacterial strains were selected for induced systemic disease resistance against the $Tobacco$ $Mosaic$ $Virus$ and the gray mold disease caused by $Botrytis$ $cinerea$. The oligotrophic bacterial strains were identified as $Pseudomonas$ $manteilii$ B001 and $Bacillus$ $cereus$ C003 by biochemical analysis and the phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequence. These bacterial strains did not exhibit any antifungal activities against plant pathogenic fungi but evidenced several other beneficial biocontrol traits, including phosphate solubilization and gelatin utilization. Collectively, our results indicate that the isolated oligotrophic bacterial strains possessing induced systemic disease resistance could provide useful tools as effective biopesticides and might be successfully used as cost-effective and preventive biocontrol agents in the field.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.133-147
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• 2020

Hexanal, a C-6 aldehyde has been implicated to have antimicrobial properties. Hence, this study was conducted to determine the antifungal activities of hexanal vapor against major postharvest pathogens of banana viz., Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Lasiodiplodia theobromae. The pathogens were cultured in vitro and exposed to hexanal vapor at 600, 800, 1,000 and 1,200 ppm. Mycelial growth of both fungal pathogens were inhibited completely at 800 ppm and the incidence of anthracnose and stem-end rot diseases reduced by 75.2% and 80.2%, respectively. The activities of peroxidase, polyphenol oxidase, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and glucanase had transiently increased in hexanal vapor treated banana by 5 to 7 days and declined thereafter. Postharvest treatment of banana with hexanal vapor resulted in phospholipase D inhibition and also resulted in cell wall thickening of the treated fruit, which impeded the penetration of the pathogenic spores. This was further confirmed by scanning electron micrographs. The defense-related protein intermediaries had increased in hexanal vapor treated banana fruit, which suggests induced resistance against C. gloeosporioides and L. theobromae, via., the phenylpropanoid pathway which plays a significant role in hindering the pathogen quiescence. Delayed ripening due to inhibition of phospholipase D enzyme, inhibition of mycelial growth and induced systemic resistance by defense enzymes collectively contributed to the postharvest disease reduction and extended shelf life of fruit.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제54권5호
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• pp.634-643
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• 2021

Han In-jin (Artemisia iwayomogi Kitamura) and Cham Dang-gwi (Angelica gigas Nakai) exhibit antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal, and antiviral properties in vitro. In this study, mixture of the extracts of these two medicinal plants was absorbed on pellets. Thereafter, these pellets were fed to olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus for 12 weeks at laboratory (1^st experiment) and 24 weeks at field test (2^nd experiment), and the immune activity and disease resistance properties of the extracts were examined. It was observed that lysozyme activities of plasma, spleen, and kidney improved after 12 weeks. Furthermore, when the olive flounders were artificially infected with bacterial pathogens, their cumulative mortality decreased in the group that was fed the extracts for 12 weeks compared to that in control group, and the relative percent survival also improved. This study concluded that mixture of Han In-jin and Cham Dang-gwi extracts provides disease resistance in vivo.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• 제31권2호
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• pp.133-141
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• 2013

This study was performed to identify the cheese starter potential of antifungal lactic acid bacteria isolated from Kimchi. Eight fungi were isolated from cheese or the cheese ripening room, and identified as Penicillium and Cladosporium by ITS-5.8S rDNA analysis. Twenty-two lactic acid bacteria species with antifungal activity were isolated from Kimchi, and identified as Lactobacillus and Pediococcus by 16S rRNA sequence analysis. Six lactic acid bacteria species were selected (L. sakei subsp. ALJ011, L. sakei subsp. ALI033, L. sakei subsp. ALGy039, P. pentosaceus ALJ015, P. pentosaceus ALJ024, and P. pentosaceus ALJ026) based on higher antifungal activity from the initial 22 species. Out of the six identified species, L. sakei subsp. ALI033 had the highest antifungal activity. For growth of the six lactic acid bacteria, optimal temperature and pH were $30{\sim}37^{\circ}C$ and 7.0, respectively. Proteolytic activities of the six lactic acid bacteria were almost as strong as the commercial strain Str. thermophilus Body-1. Coagulative activities of L. sakei subsp. ALI033, P. pentosaceus ALJ015, and P. pentosaceus ALJ024 were higher than those of L. sakei subsp. ALJ011, L. sakei subsp. ALGy039, and P. pentosaceus ALJ026. The acid resistance of L. sakei subsp. was higher than that of P. pentosaceus. The major organic acid component of the lactic acid bacteria culture medium was lactic acid.

• Mycobiology
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.44-50
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• 2020

Calonectria pseudonaviculata and C. henricotiae are two closely related fungal species responsible for boxwood blight disease of ornamental shrubs (Buxus spp.) in the U.S. and Europe. A previous study has shown isolates of the latter species, which is restricted to Europe, to be less sensitive to tetraconazole, an azole fungicide. In this study, we have analyzed the CYP51 paralogs for polymorphism in 26 genomes, representing geographically disparate populations of C. pseudonaviculata (n = 19) and C. henricotiae (n = 7), from the U.S., Europe, Asia, and New Zealand. The presence of a CYP51A pseudogene and lack of a functional CYP51A paralog in all C. pseudonaviculata genomes examined is a novel discovery for fungi and could have implications for the evolution of resistance to antifungal chemicals.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제27권3호
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• pp.429-438
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• 2017

For centuries, plants have been used for a wide variety of purposes, from treating infectious diseases to food preservation and perfume production. Presently, the increasing resistance of microorganisms to currently used antimicrobials in combination with the appearance of emerging diseases requires the urgent development of new, more effective drugs. Plants, due to the large biological and structural diversity of their components, constitute a unique and renewable source for the discovery of new antibacterial, antifungal, and antiparasitic compounds. In the present paper, the history, composition, and antimicrobial activities of the basil, oregano, and thyme essential oils are reviewed.