• Mycobiology
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.1-5
• /
• 2014

The typical life cycle of filamentous fungi commonly involves asexual sporulation after vegetative growth in response to environmental factors. The production of asexual spores is critical in the life cycle of most filamentous fungi. Normally, conidia are produced from vegetative hyphae (termed mycelia). However, fungal species subjected to stress conditions exhibit an extremely simplified asexual life cycle, in which the conidia that germinate directly generate further conidia, without forming mycelia. This phenomenon has been termed as microcycle conidiation, and to date has been reported in more than 100 fungal species. In this review, first, we present the morphological properties of fungi during microcycle conidiation, and divide microcycle conidiation into four simple categories, even though fungal species exhibit a wide variety of morphological differences during microcycle conidiogenesis. Second, we describe the factors that influence microcycle conidiation in various fungal species, and present recent genetic studies that have identified the genes responsible for this process. Finally, we discuss the biological meaning and application of microcycle conidiation.

• ETRI Journal
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.39-49
• /
• 2011

A new structure learning approach for Bayesian networks based on asexual reproduction optimization (ARO) is proposed in this paper. ARO can be considered an evolutionary-based algorithm that mathematically models the budding mechanism of asexual reproduction. In ARO, a parent produces a bud through a reproduction operator; thereafter, the parent and its bud compete to survive according to a performance index obtained from the underlying objective function of the optimization problem: This leads to the fitter individual. The convergence measure of ARO is analyzed. The proposed method is applied to real-world and benchmark applications, while its effectiveness is demonstrated through computer simulations. Results of simulations show that ARO outperforms genetic algorithm (GA) because ARO results in a good structure and fast convergence rate in comparison with GA.

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

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.46 no.2
• /
• pp.65-70
• /
• 2008

Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is currently promoted as a strategy for treating both uncomplicated and severe falciparum malaria, targeting asexual blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum parasites. However, the effect of ACT on sexual-stage parasites remains controversial. To determine the clearance of sexual-stage P. falciparum parasites from 342 uncomplicated, and 217 severe, adult malaria cases, we reviewed and followed peripheral blood sexualstage parasites for 4 wk after starting ACT. All patients presented with both asexual and sexual stage parasites on admission, and were treated with artesunate-mefloquine as the standard regimen. The results showed that all patients were asymptomatic and negative for asexual forms before discharge from hospital. The percentages of uncomplicated malaria patients positive for gametocytes on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 were 41.5, 13.1, 3.8, 2.0, and 2.0%, while the percentages of gametocyte positive severe malaria patients on days 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 were 33.6, 8.2, 2.7, 0.9, and 0.9%, respectively. Although all patients were negative for asexual parasites by day 7 after completion of the artesunate-mefloquine course, gametocytemia persisted in some patients. Thus, a gametocytocidal drug, e.g., primaquine, may be useful in combination with an artesunate-mefloquine regimen to clear gametocytes, so blocking transmission more effectively than artesunate alone, in malaria transmission areas.

• KSBB Journal
• /
• v.29 no.5
• /
• pp.336-342
• /
• 2014

Asexual benthic polyp reproduction plays a major role in the jellyfish bloom. Recent studies found that temperature is the most important factor to regulate the budding rate of the polyps. We established a simple dynamic model to count the number of polyps depending on the variation of temperature with two data sets from different places. The population of polyps was counted through the budding rate and the number of budding times by Fibonacci sequence. It is assumed that the budding rate depends on the temperature only. The budding rate of the asexual reproduction shows very sensitive to the distribution of the seawater temperature. The model was tested to the temperature data of Ansan located in the west sea of Korea. The results indicate that this model can be useful to predict the blooms of Aurelia aurita polyps, which may have considerable influence on the bloom of medusa. The shape of temperature curve plays a key role in the predicting the bloom of Aurelia aurita polyps.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Costume
• /
• v.58 no.4
• /
• pp.86-98
• /
• 2008

This study is purposed to determine the correlation between contemporary fashion and game characters' clothes and to analyze the formative property of the game characters' clothes expressed in the contemporary fashion. The temporal scope of this study is from 2004 to 2007 based on general online game ranks, while the game type is limited to 3D-online role playing game. The most popular clothes of game characters are analyzed and found to have imaginary, sensualistic, and cross-sexual features. These are also expressed as Cyber resistance image, Femme fatal image and Asexual image in the contemporary fashion. Firstly, the Cyber resistance image in the recent fashion is shown as belligerent, destructive and surrealistic image in contemporary fashion. Secondly, the Femme fatal image represents bewitching, brutal and narcissistic image with sleek materials and glowing colors in contemporary fashion. Thirdly, the Asexual image means the concept of sex as the neuter gender. Especially, this image has been introduced by simple and straight silhouette, black, silver, khaki colors in fashion. Accordingly, the clothes of game characters with the popularity and formative property have close correlation with contemporary fashion even if they do not pursue for practical creativity. In this respect, they can consolidate the position as a new fashion trend if they are developed with various design ideas.

• Journal of Korean Society of Water and Wastewater
• /
• v.31 no.5
• /
• pp.441-445
• /
• 2017

This study aimed to investigate growth rate and nutrient consumption of Chlorella vulgaris according to different light irradiation interval. Applied light irradiation intervals were 12 hr, 4 hr, 1 hr, and 1 min. The light source was flexible LED(Blue:Red=1:1), light intensity was 200 PPFD and Light/Dark cycle was 1:1. As a result, growth rate and nutrient removal efficiencies showed no significant differences depending on the light irradiation interval. Considering the reproduction characteristics of applied microalgae cultures of this study, this is thought to be one of the possible reasons of above results. Because Chlorella vulgaris performs an asexual reproduction and it is known that there is no significant relationship between light irradiation interval and growth rate, including nutrient consumption in case of asexual reproduction.

• Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.37 no.1
• /
• pp.27-34
• /
• 1999

Two fractions with unusual antifungal activity that suppress asexual sporulation of several fungi were obtained from culture filtrate of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and were partially purified through the repeated silicagel flash column chromatographies. The sporulation-suppressive actions of these fractions in Aspergillus nidulans, Rhizopus stolonifer, and Coprinus cinereus, were analyzed by light and electron microscopes. The germination ability of the spores produced in the presence of these fractions were also checked to determine the persistent effects of these antifungal substances on the next generation. Light microscopic observation of developing sporangia of R. stolonifer grown in the presence of both fractions revealed that the significant number of sporangia failed to reach maturity, and frequently, uncontrolled growths of hyphae and rhizoids from the sporangiophores were found. In A. nidulans addition of these fractions appeared to cause different classes of morphological abnormality in conidia development, which included aborted formation of conidiogenous cells from the apex of conidiophores and enhanced hyphal growths either at the tip or middle of the conidiophores. Germination abilities of spores obtained from the cultures grown in the presence of antifungal fractions were 40∼60% in Aspergillus, 50∼80% in Coprinus (thallic spores), and 30∼40% in Rhizopus compared to those of normal spores.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.13 no.1
• /
• pp.146-148
• /
• 2003

Effects of propylamine on conidial head formation and growth of Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae were analyzed. Propylamine inhibited conidial head formation in these two fungi, and the inhibitory effect of propylamine was not suppressed by the addition of potassium chloride at high concentration, which promotes conidial head formation in A. nidulans and A. oryzae. Propylamine also inhibited the growth of A. niger and A. oryzae by $41\%\;and\;32\%$, respectively, when the concentration of propylamine was $2\%$.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.32 no.4
• /
• pp.164-169
• /
• 2004

Development of oidia, a type of thallic spores from monokaryotic mycelium of Coprinus cinereus was examined with electron microscope and light microscopes. Oidia formation in this fungus is unique in its mode of formation compared with other types of asexual sporogenesis. Oidiogenesis in C. cinereus is carried out in three steps: 1) Formation of oidiophore from the parent mycelium, 2) Formation of initials of oidial cells from swollen oidiophore, 3) Segmentation and detachment of mature oidial cell. Oidiophores appear to spring out singly as a swollen hyphal branches from the normal foot hyphae or sometimes coiled hypha. From the oidiophore, oidial branches sprout out forming a group of $2{\sim}6$, most often 4 oidial cells and each oidial cell undergoes a single mitosis resulting in 2 oidia. One of the sibling oidial cells in a group is frequently transformed into a new oidiophore, thus oidiogenic structures are tandemly produced at the several different levels.