• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.339-345
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• 1987

A bacterium K-4-3, producing $\beta$-glucan hydrolyzing enzyme, was isolated from soil and identified to be Bacillus subtilis by its morpholohical and physiological characteristics. $\beta$-glucan was coloured using cibacron blue 3G-A and cross linded by the addition of 1, 4-butanedioldiglycidyl ether. This substrate was used for the isolation of $\beta$-glucanase producing microorganism. The $\beta$-glucan hydrolyzing enzyme actibity from isolated K-4-3 strain was also measured using the modified substrate. Bacillus subtilis K-4-3 produced the highest extracellular $\beta$-glucan hydrolyzing activity in the basal medium containing $\beta$-glucan as a carbon source, peptone and tryptone as a nitrogen source, and magnesium sulfate as an inorganic salt. The optimum temperature and initial pH for $\beta$-glucanase production by Bacillus subtilis K-4-3 were $37^{\circ}C$ and pH6. The highest enzyme activity was obtained at the culture age of 54 hrs with rotary shaking at $37^{\circ}C$. The crude enzyme showed the highest activity at pH 7.5-8.0 and $65^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 2009

The exo-polysaccharide producing microorganism, Aureobasidium pullulans IMS-822, was isolated and identified from soil. The viscosity-average molecular weight of exo-polysaccharide was calculated as $8.9{\times}10^5$ by Mark-Houwink equation. The sugar component of exo-polysaccharide was determined as glucose by HPLC analysis. The IR spectra indicated that the exo-polysaccharide has an absorption peak at 890 $cm^{-1}$ for the ${\beta}-configuration$ of D-glucan. The $^{13}C$ NMR signal at ${\delta}$ 86.62 ppm arose from the substituted C-3 of glucose. The signal at ${\delta}$ 72.11 ppm was assigned to C-6 of branched ${\beta}-(1{\to}3)-D-glucosyl$ residues. Viscosity and Congo red reaction indicated that {\beta}-(1{\to}3)(1{\to}6)-glucan$ produced by A. pullulans IMS-822 has a highly ordered hydrogen-bond dependent conformation in aqueous solution, which collapses in strong alkaline solution.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.351-355
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• 2018

Treatment towards wound healing, a complex and dynamic process, has been given a great deal of efforts in the last few decades. Focus has been imposed on developing wound dressings that meet the requirements for proper wound healing. In this study, hydrogel made from blends of poly (vinyl alcohol) and ${\beta}$-1,6-branched-${\beta}$-1,3-glucan (beta-glucan) were synthesized by modified solvent casting method for wound dressing application. Optimization of hydrogel composition and analysis of wound dressing parameters such as stability and fluid uptake capacity (in the presence of water, saline and different pH solutions) has been studied. The result indicated that the PVA/beta-glucan hydrogel hold its structural integrity even at alkaline pH (pH~9) and upholds fluids four times of its original weight. Thus, the developed hydrogel is expected to be a promising candidate as wound dressing.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2004

The effects of dietary $\beta$-1,3/1,6-linked glucan administration on nonspecific immune responses, hematology and disease resistance against Edwardsiella tarda in olive flounder, Paralichthys olivaceus were evaluated. Fish were fed the experimental diets supplemented with 0 %, 0.01 %, 0.05 %, 0.1 %, and 0.5 % of $\beta$-glucan to a commercial diet for 7 weeks. The test was performed in two ways such as fed on each $\beta$-glucan concentrations daily and every other week alternately. The body weight gain from the fish fed on daily the 0.05 % supplemented diet and fed on alternately the 0.1 % supplemented diet of $\beta$-glucan were significantly higher than the control. Both lysozyme activity and intracellular superoxide anion production of kidney phagocytes were higher in the all experimental groups than in the control. But there was no large difference in hematology among each group. The relative percent survival rate (RPS) after an artificial challenge with $4{\times}10^6$ cells of E. tarda per fish was higher than the control, except for that fed on daily the 0.01 % supplemented diet.

• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.75-82
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• 2009

Anti-mutagenic and anti-septic effects of $\beta$-1,3/1,6-glucan from Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001 were evaluated on the on the cyclophosphamide (CPA)-cecal ligation puncture (CLP) and CPA-treated mice. To induce immunosuppression and mutagenicity, 150 and 110 mg/kg of CPA were single intraperitoneally injected at 3 or 1 day before CLP or initial $\beta$-glucan administration. In CLP animals, the cecum was mobilized and ligated below the ileocecal valve, punctured through both surfaces twice with a 22-gauge needle. 125 mg/kg of $\beta$-glucan were dissolved in saline and subcutaneously or orally administered in a volume of 10 ml/kg (of body weight), 4 times, 12 hrs intervals from 6 hrs after CLP or 1 day after second dose of CPA. After treatment of $\beta$-glucan, the mortalities were observed in CPA-CLP model, and the appearance of a micronucleus is used as an index for genotoxic potential in CPA model. As results of CPA-CLP sepsis, all animals (9/9, 100%) in CPA-CLP control were dead within 2 days after CLP. In addition, increase of the number of bone marrow MNPCEs indicated mutagenicity were also observed by treatment of CPA. However, $\beta$-glucan treatment effectively inhibited the mortalities in CPA-CLP, and it also reduced the CPA treatment-related mutagenicity, respectively. These results indicated that $\beta$-glucan has effective anti-septic and anti-mutagenic effects and can be used as an agents for treating sepsis and mutagenicity related to high-dose chemotherapy or radiotherapy. However, further studies should be conducted to observe more detail action mechanisms of it's anti-septic and anti-mutagenic effects.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.345-351
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• 2009

The $\beta$-glucans derived from yeast cell walls have been reported for having many immunomodulatory activities in vivo and in vitro. In this study, Aureobasidium-derived soluble branched (1,3-1,6) $\beta$-glucan (Sophy $\beta$-glucan) was checked for natural killer (NK) activity and for the production of IFN-$\gamma$ and IL-4 in Leishmania amazonensis infection. The main experiment was performed with a group of female C57BL/6 and BALB/c mice, orally supplemented with 5% of Sophy $\beta$-glucan and infected with promastogotes of L. amazonensis ($1\;{\times}\;10^7$) into the footpad. Increase in the footpad thickness with time was observed in BALB/c mice in spite of the oral Sophy $\beta$-glucan supplement, but it was less in C57BL/6 mice. The difference in overall mean footpad thickness between 'infection only' versus 'infection + glucan' groups was statistically significant (P < 0.001). High NK activity in C57BL/6 than BALB/c mice was observed in 'glucan only' group compared to the control group and also in 'infection + glucan' group compared to 'infection only' group. The difference in the NK activity among these groups was significant (P < 0.05). The IFN-$\gamma$ level increased at weeks 7 and 8 post-infection in C57BL/6 mice and was significantly high in 'infection + glucan' group compared to the 'infection only' group (P < 0.05). IL-4 levels did not increase up to detectable levels throughout the study. The results led a conclusion that Sophy $\beta$-glucan enhances NK activity and cellular immunity in L. amazonensis-infected mice.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.1164-1170
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• 1999

The physicochemical characteristics of ${\beta}-glucan$ isolated from waxy and non-waxy barley were investigated. The hull-less waxy and non-waxy barley containing 6.5% and 5.3% of total ${\beta}-glucan$ respectively, were used as a starting material. The yield and ${\beta}-glucan$ content of crude ${\beta}-glucan$ from waxy barley was 5.54% and 62.9%, respectively, and those were higher than 3.34% and 59.2% from non-waxy barley. The crude ${\beta}-glucan$ purified with selective precipitation and enzymatic treatment to obtain the ${\beta}-glucan$ isolate of high purity (>99%). The total yield of purified ${\beta}-glucan$ from waxy and non-waxy barley was 4.46% and 2.59%, respectively. The surface appearance of the purified ${\beta}-glucan$ by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed randomly entangled multi-net structure of ${\beta}-glucan$ microfibrils. The melting temperature of ${\beta}-glucan$ from waxy and non-waxy barley measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was $184.6^{\circ}C$, and $180.3^{\circ}C$, respectively. DSC endotherm of ${\beta}-glucan$ solution showed 2 peaks near $68^{\circ}C$ and $84^{\circ}C$. Enthalpy of phase transition was higher in non-waxy ${\beta}-glucan$ than waxy ${\beta}-glucan$, and the intrinsic viscosity of ${\beta}-glucan$ solution from waxy barley was higher than that of non-waxy ${\beta}-glucan$. The pasting viscosity of barley starch with the purified ${\beta}-glucan$ determined by Rapid Visco-Analyzer was higher than that of barley starch without ${\beta}-glucan$, and the effect of ${\beta}-glucan$ on increasing the paste viscosity was greater in non-waxy barley starch.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.180-182
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• 1992

Three hull-less barleys and three covered barleys grown in Korea were pearled to give 0% and 60% yield, respectively. Whole barleys and pearled barleys were analyzed for total, insoluble, soluble dietary fiber and ${\beta}-glucan$ contents. Whole hull-less barleys contained average 17.1% total dietary fiber, and whole covered barleys contained average 23.9% total dietary fiber. Pearled hull-less barleys contained 9,2% total dietary fiber and 4.8% solule dietary fiber. Pearled covered barleys contained 11.9% total dietary fiber and 6.0% soluble dietary fiber. Whole barleys contained $3.2{\sim}3.9%$ (${\beta}-glucan$, and pearled barleys contained $3.5{\sim}5.4%$ (${\beta}-glucan$. Soluble dietary fiber and (${\beta}-glucan$ contents of barley were not affected by cooking, while insoluble dietary fiber content was increased by cooking.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.266-272
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• 1986

The contents of water soluble ${\beta}-glucan$ were $1.4{\sim}4.0%$ in grains of 4 recommended varieties, and $0.3{\sim}0.6%$ in their malt. The ${\beta}-glucan$ content was subject to environmental factors such as cultivating region and nitrogen fertilizer level. The ${\beta}-glucan$ content of grains was positively correlated with the viscosity, but negatively with the protein and total gum contents. The ${\beta}-glucanase$ activity was $11.0{\sim}20.0$ sec as the reduced flow time in malt of 4 recommended varieties and was also subject to environmental factors. ${\beta}-Glucanase$ activity showed the highest level after the 6th day during malting. The ${\beta}-glucanase$ activity in malt was positively correlated with malt extract, but negatively with the residual ${\beta}-glucan$ content. The protein content in malt was negatively correlated with malt extract, but positively with the diastatic power.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.43-50
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• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The present study investigated the hypothesis that a highly pure linear ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan produced by Agrobacterium sp. R259 enhances human natural killer (NK) cell activity and suppresses pro-inflammatory cytokines. SUBJECTS/METHODS: In an eight-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, 83 healthy adults with white blood cell counts of $4,000-8,000cells/{\mu}L$ were participated and randomly assigned to take two capsules per day containing either 350 mg ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan or placebo. Six participants withdrew their study consent or were excluded due to NK cell activity levels outside the normal range. NK cell activity and serum levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and cytokines, such as interferon (IFN)-${\gamma}$, interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-${\alpha}$ were measured. RESULTS: NK cell activity and the serum levels of IL-10 were significantly higher from baseline to week 8 in the ${\beta}$-glucan group compared with the placebo group (P = 0.048, P = 0.029). Consumption of ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan also significantly increased NK cell activity compared with placebo after adjusting for smoking and stress status (P = 0.009). In particular, the effect of ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan on NK cell activity was greater in participants with severe stress than in those experiencing mild stress. However, the administration ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan did not significantly modulate the levels of IFN-${\gamma}$, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-${\alpha}$ and IgG compared with the placebo. CONCLUSION: The results showed that supplementation with bacterial ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan significantly increased NK cell activity without causing any adverse effects. Additionally, the beneficial effect of ${\beta}$-1,3-glucan on NK cell activity was greater in participants experiencing severe stress.