• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.281-288
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• 2011

To screen downstream genes of Aspergillus nidulans MsnA showing amino acid sequence similarity to the zinc finger region of Msn2/4 stress response transcription factors in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, differentially expressed genes (DEG) in MsnA overexpressed or msnA null mutant strains compared to wild type have been isolated. The cognate gene IDs were identified by DNA sequencing of the selected DEGs. Among those, DEG6 was known as mstB encoding a putative monosaccharide transporter. Expression level of mstB mRNA was increased in MsnA overproducing strains and MsnA bound directly to the promoter region of mstB in vitro. MstB containing twelve transmembrane domains exhibited 80% of amino acid sequence identities to A. niger MstA a high-affinity monosaccharide transporter. A null mutant of mstB was phenotypically undistinguishable to wild type. On the other hand, forced overexpression of MstB caused the increased formation of sexual structure cleistothecia in 0.1% glucose condition where wild type showed almost no cleistothecia. This result implies that mstB is involved in transport of monosaccharide required for sexual differentiation.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1082-1091
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• 2003

To elucidate the neuroprotective effect of Kamijihwang-hwan(KSH) on nerve cells damaged by hypoxia, the cytotoxic effects of exposure to hypoxia were determined by XTT, NR, MTT and SRB asssay. The activity of catalase and SOD was measured by spectrophometry, and TNF-α and PKC activity was measured after exposure to hypoxia and treatment of Kamijihwang-hwan(KSH) water extract(KJHWE). Also the neuroprotective effect of KJHWE was researched for the elucidation of neuroprotective mechanism. The results were as follows ; Hypoxia decreased cell viability measured by XTT, NR assay when cultured cerebral neurons were exposed to 95% N2/5% CO₂ for 2～26 minutes in these cultures and KJHWE inhibited the decrease of cell viability. H₂O₂ treatment decreased cell viability measured by MTT, and SRB assay when cultured cerebral neurons were exposed to 1-80 uM for 6 hours, but KJHWE inhibited the decrease of cell viability. Hypoxia decreased catalase and SOD activity, and also TNF-α and PKC activity in these cultured cerebral neurons, but KJHWE inhibited the decrease of the catalase and SOD activity in these cultures. Hypoxia triggered the apoptosis via caspase activation and internucleosomal DNA fragmentation. Also hypoxia stimulate the release of cytochrome c form mitochondria. KJHWE inhibited the apoptosis via caspase activation induced by hypoxia. From these results, it can be suggested that brain ischemia model induced hypoxia showed neurotoxity on cultured mouse cerebral neurons, and the KJHWE has the neuroprotective effect in blocking the neurotoxity induced by hypoxia in cultured mouse cerebral neurons.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.7
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• pp.847-854
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• 2016

Cordycepin, a derivative of the nucleoside adenosine, is one of the active components extracted from fungi of genus Cordyceps, and has been shown to have many pharmacological activities. In this study, we investigated the effects of cordycepin on proliferation and apoptosis of human gastric cancer AGS cells, and its possible mechanism of action. Treatment of cordycepin resulted in significant decrease in cell viability of AGS cells in a concentration-dependent manner. A concentration-dependent apoptotic cell death was also measured by agarose gel electrophoresis and flow cytometery analysis. Molecular mechanistic studies of apoptosis unraveled cordycepin treatment resulted in an enhanced expression of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand, death receptor 5 and Fas ligand. Furthermore, up-regulation of pro-apoptotic Bax, and down-regulation of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL expression were also observed in cordycepin-treated AGS cells. These were followed by activation of caspases (caspase-9, -8 and -3), subsequently leading to poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. Taken together, these findings indicate that cordycepin induces apoptosis in AGS cells through regulation of multiple apoptotic pathways, including death receptor and mitochondria. Although further mechanical studies are needed, our results revealed that cordycepin can be regarded as a new effective and chemopreventive compound for human gastric cancer treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.171-179
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• 2013

Arginine kinase (ArK) is known to play an important role in most invertebrates the level of ATP by phosphorylation of phosphagens in cell and immuninty in living organisms. ArK has been identified in many kinds of organisms ranging from invertebrate to vertebrate. However, no ArK gene has been cloned and investigated from N. samarangae. This leads us to identify ArK cDNA (NsArK) from the expressed sequence tag (EST) sequencing of N. samarangae. Sequence analysis indicated that the coding region of 1,065 bp contains 355 amino acid residues. Molecular phylogenetic analysis shows that NsArK had very high similarities with mollusca and arthropoda. In an attempt to investigate a potential role of NsArK in the digestive gland of N. samarangae, expression patterns were analyzed. RT-PCR analsysis shows that NsArK mRNA is induced in the rane of 1.2 fold at 6 hr by laminarin when compared with the control. The immunnologial and physiological role of NsArK remains to be further investigated in N. samarangae.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.409-414
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• 2006

Sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were enumerated and isolated from a steady-state anaerobic master culture reactor (MCR) operated for over six months under a semi-continuous mode and nitrate-limiting conditions using thiosulfate as an electron donor. Most are Gram-negative bacteria, which have sizes up to 12 m. Strains AD1 and AD2 were isolated from the plate count agar (PCA), and strains BD1 and BD2 from the solid thiosulfate/nitrate medium. Based on the morphological, physiological, FAME and 16S rDNA sequence analyses, the two dominant strains, AD1 and AD2, were identified as Paracoccus denitrificans and Paracoccus versutus (formerly Thiobacillus versutus), respectively. From the physiological results, glucose was assimilated by both strains AD1 and AD2. Heterotrophic growth of strains AD1 and AD2 could be a more efficient way of obtaining a greater amount of biomass for use as an inoculum. Even though facultative autotrophic bacteria grow under heterotrophic conditions, autotrophic denitrification would not be reduced.

• Genes and Genomics
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• v.40 no.11
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• pp.1181-1197
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• 2018

Tropical plant rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is the sole source of commercial natural rubber and low-temperature stress is the most important limiting factor for its cultivation. To characterize the gene expression profiles of H. brasiliensis under the cold stress and discover the key cold stress-induced genes. Three cDNA libraries, CT (control), LT2 (cold treatment at $4^{\circ}C$ for 2 h) and LT24 (cold treatment at $4^{\circ}C$ for 24 h) were constructed for RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and gene expression profiling. Quantitative real time PCR (qRT-PCR) was conducted to validate the RNA-Seq and gene differentially expression results. A total of 1457 and 2328 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in LT2 and LT24 compared with CT were respectively detected. Most significantly enriched KEGG pathways included flavonoid biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant hormone signal transduction, cutin, suberine and wax biosynthesis, Pentose and glucuronate interconversions, phenylalanine metabolism and starch and sucrose metabolism. A total of 239 transcription factors (TFs) were differentially expressed following 2 h or/and 24 h of cold treatment. Cold-response transcription factor families included ARR-B, B3, BES1, bHLH, C2H, CO-like, Dof, ERF, FAR1, G2-like, GRAS, GRF, HD-ZIP, HSF, LBD, MIKC-MADS, M-type MADS, MYB, MYB-related, NAC, RAV, SRS, TALE, TCP, Trihelix, WOX, WRKY, YABBY and ZF-HD. The genome-wide transcriptional response of rubber tree to the cold treatments were determined and a large number of DEGs were characterized including 239 transcription factors, providing important clues for further elucidation of the mechanisms of cold stress responses in rubber tree.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.580-588
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• 2019

Background: Ginsenoside Rg1 has been shown to clear senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-${\beta}$-gal) in cultured cells. It remains unknown whether Rg1 can influence SA-${\beta}$-gal in exercising human skeletal muscle. Methods: To examine SA-${\beta}$-gal change, 12 young men (age $21{\pm}0.2years$) were enrolled in a randomized double-blind placebo controlled crossover study, under two occasions: placebo (PLA) and Rg1 (5 mg) supplementations 1 h prior to a high-intensity cycling (70% $VO_{2max}$). Muscle samples were collected by multiple biopsies before and after cycling exercise (0 h and 3 h). To avoid potential effect of muscle biopsy on performance assessment, cycling time to exhaustion test (80% $VO_{2max}$) was conducted on another 12 participants (age $23{\pm}0.5years$) with the same experimental design. Results: No changes of SA-${\beta}$-gal were observed after cycling in the PLA trial. On the contrary, nine of the 12 participants showed complete elimination of SA-${\beta}$-gal in exercised muscle after cycling in the Rg1 trial (p < 0.05). Increases in apoptotic DNA fragmentation (PLA: +87% vs. Rg1: +133%, p < 0.05) and $CD68^+$ (PLA:+78% vs. Rg1:+121%, p = 0.17) occurred immediately after cycling in both trials. During the 3-h recovery, reverses in apoptotic nuclei content (PLA:+5% vs. Rg1 -32%, p < 0.01) and increases in inducible nitrate oxide synthase and interleukin 6 mRNA levels of exercised muscle were observed only in the Rg1 trial (p < 0.01). Conclusion: Rg1 supplementation effectively eliminates senescent cells in exercising human skeletal muscle and improves high-intensity endurance performance.

• Journal of Korean Medicine for Obesity Research
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2018

Objectives: We investigated about the microbial properties and changes in the efficacy of the Codonopsis lanceolata (CL) by natural fermentation. Methods: CL was fermented for four weeks in a well-ventilated place with 2.5% salt. pH, total sugar, total polyphenol, and total flavonoid were measured to determine fermentation characteristics according to fermentation period and salt treatment. Polymerase chain reaction denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and random amplification of polymorphic DNA-polymerase chain reaction were carried out for microbial analysis during fermentation. In addition, HepG2 cell was cultured to check the lipid accumulation through oil red O staining and the glucose uptake was analyzed by measuring the 2-NBDG at C2C12 cell. Results: The pH level and the total sugar decreased with the CL fermentation. Total polyphenol and flavonoid increased after CL fermentation. It was confirmed that Leuconostoc mesenteroides were maintained continuously during fermentation. In the salt treatment CL, there was a sharp increase in Rahnella aquatilis. Lactobacillus plantarum matrix was observed in fermented CL. In addition, Lactococcus lactis, Weissella koreensis, R. aquatilis, L. plantarum, Leu. mesenteroides have been added to the salt treatment. Glucose uptake were significantly increased after fermentation with salt for four weeks. Lipid accumulation in the HepG2 cells was observed that there was difference (P<0.01) between free fatty acid group (100%) and decreased 4 weeks after fermentation (90.38%) at $800{\mu}g/mL$. Conclusions: Total polyphenol and flavonoid were increased after CL fermentation. Especially, percentage of the glucose uptake and lipid accumulation inhibition increased in CL fermentation with salt. It is expected that fermentation of salt treated CL will be more effective in diabetes and fatty liver.

• Journal of odor and indoor environment
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2018

Mold grows more easily when humidity is higher in indoor spaces, and as such is found more often on wetted areas in housing such as walls, toilets, kitchens, and poorly managed spaces. However, there have been few studies that have specifically assessed the level of mold in the indoor spaces of water-damaged housing in the Republic of Korea. We investigated the levels of airborne mold according to the characteristics of water damage types and explored the correlation between the distribution of mold genera and the characteristics of households. Samplings were performed from January 2016 to June 2018 in 97 housing units with water leakage or condensation, or a history of flooding, and in 61 general housing units in the metropolitan and Busan area, respectively. Airborne mold was collected on MEA (Malt extract agar) at flow rate of 100 L/min for 1 min. After collection, the samples were incubated at $25^{\circ}C$ for 120 hours. The cultured samples were counted and corrected using a positive hole conversion table. The samples were then analyzed by single colony culture, DNA extraction, gene amplification, and sequencing. By type of housing, concentrations of airborne mold were highest in flooded housing, followed by water-leaked or highly condensed housings, and then general housing. In more than 50% of water-damaged housing, the level of airborne mold exceeded the guideline of Korea's Ministry of Environment ($500CFU/m^3$). Of particular concern was the fact that the I/O ratio of water-damaged housing was greater than 1, which could indicate that mold damage may occur indoors. The distribution patterns of the fungal species were as follows: Penicillium spp., Cladosporium spp. (14%), Aspergillus spp. (13%) and Alternaria spp. (3%), but significant differences of their levels in indoor spaces were not found. Our findings indicate that high levels of mold damage were found in housing with water damage, and Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium brevicompactum were more dominant in housing with high water activity. Comprehensive management of flooded or water-damaged housing is necessary to reduce fungal exposure.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.283-288
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• 2020

In September 2017, vein clearing and yellowing symptoms resembling those caused by viruses were observed on leaves of Malva verticillata in Chungnam, Korea. Nucleic acids were extracted from leaves of five symptomatic plants and tested by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction using four virus specific primer pairs including malva vein clearing virus (MVCV). Amplicons of the expected size (600 bp) were obtained from total RNA of all samples using the MVCV-specific primers. To confirm the presence of MVCV in symptomatic plants, the DNA fragments from three samples were purified, and directly sequenced. BLAST analysis revealed that it shared the highest nucleotide identity (99%) with a MVCV isolate from tomato (Mexico). The virus isolates obtained from the third re-inoculated Chenopodium was designated as Cm1-5. Tissue from Cm1, Cm3, and Cm5 isolates was mechanically sap inoculated into 23 indicator plants. Cm3 isolate induced chlorotic local and mosaic symptoms in Althaea rosea. Phylogenetic analysis based on coat protein gene of 19 MVCV isolates from 6 different countries and plant species, did not correlated with either the geographical origin of the isolates, or pathogenicity. To our knowledge, this study first reports the natural occurrence of MVCV on M. verticillata in Korea and characterization of three Korean isolates of MVCV.