• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.704-711
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• 2016

Tomatoes are considered as one of the main components of daily meals in most households. Thus, it is important to invest in studies enhancing their yield and nutritional value. The study evaluated the effect of wood vinegar (WV) on tomato under greenhouse conditions. Data on fruit number, fruit weight, and plant height were recorded. Total phenolic content (TPC) and antioxidant activity of tomato were determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu reagent and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging assay, respectively. FRR-CF+500x-WV significantly increased the fruit number (86.11%) and fruit weight (81.78%) over the control. Results were comparable to HRR-CF+250x-WV, indicating that conventional fertilizer and WV may have synergistic effect on each other. TPC and scavenging effect on DPPH radical was improved by 250x-WV application. The increase in the phenolic compounds can be attributed to WV as a direct source or as a factor triggering the plants to produce more secondary metabolites with the purpose of increasing natural defenses. The significant effect obtained by applying the full recommended rate of conventional fertilizer on the carotenoid content was due to the availability of the major nutrients needed by the plant. Correlation analysis showed that carotenoids have negative correlation with TPC and DPPH. However, TPC and DPPH showed that these are positively correlated with each other. Tomatoes are excellent source of antioxidants associated with the reduction of some human diseases and improved health. The results provided evidence that WV alone and/or its combination with conventional fertilizers has favorable effects on the quality of tomato.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.107-122
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• 2012

In plants, color is a powerful tool to attract insects and herbivores which act as pollinators and vehicles of seed dispersion. In particular, flower color has held key post for human with aesthetic value. Horticultural industry has developed methods to produce new and attractive color varieties in flowering plants. Carotenoids are one of the main pigments being responsible for red, orange, and yellow colors. Their biosynthetic pathway has been considered as a major target of metabolic engineering for color modification of flowers and fruits. Here, we review the diverse efforts to modify pigment phenotype by the control of carotenogenic gene expression and enzyme levels. Recent reports about regulating degradation and storage of carotenoids will be also summarized to help the creation of engineered flower with novel color phenotype which is not existed in nature.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2010

Naturally present antioxidants, tocopherols, carotenoids, and phospholipids in the bran and germ oils from Keumkang (K-WBG oil) and Dark Northern Spring wheats (DNS-WBG oil) were determined during storage under 1700 lux light at $5^{\circ}C$ by HPLC. Oil oxidation was monitored by peroxide values (POV) and conjugated dienoic acid content. The results showed that antioxidants were degraded during storage of the WBG oils under light, with higher degradation rates for carotenoids and phospholipids in the K-WBG oil compared to the DNS-WBG oil. Light increased oil oxidation and the rate of oxidation was higher in K-WBG oil than in the DNS-WBG oil. There was a high correlation between POV and residual amounts of antioxidants during photo-oxidation, with phospholipids showing the greatest effects on POV. This study suggests that a higher amount and lower degradation rate of phospholipids in the DNS-WBG oil contributed to its higher photo-oxidative stability compared to the K-WBG oil.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.520-524
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• 1999

The rose bitterling (Rhodeus uyekii), aboriginal fish of Korea, have beautiful nuptial colors on the body and fins in their spawning season. So, this species has high possibility to become a new ornamental Bish. However, nothing is known about the color composition of body colors of this species. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the color component of the skin and fins of the bitterling collected from natural environment. The major component of the nuptial colors was carotenoids according to the present study. Amount of total carotenoids on the skin and fins, had a tendency to be higher during the spawning season than the non-spawning season; it was $44.9mg\%$ during spawning season and $41.8mg\%$ during non-spawning season. The composition of carotenoid during spawning season was $36.7\%$ of zeaxanthin $30.1\%$ of $\beta$-carotene, and $16.4\%$ of diatoxanthin. The composition of carotenoid during non-spawning season was $41.2\%$ of $\beta$-carotene, $18.1\%$ of diatoxanthin, and $14.0\%$ of isocryptoxanthin. The major component of the carotenoid during spawning season turned out to be zeaxanthin while the major component of the carotenoid during non-spawning season was $\beta$-carotene.

• ALGAE
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.317-329
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• 2022

Carotenoids are effective antioxidants that are found in various photosynthetic organisms. Marine microalgae are an advantageous bioresource for carotenoid production because they do not compete with other crops for freshwater and arable land. This study reports a newly isolated Dunaliella strain from the Geumhong Saltpan on Yeongjong Island, West Sea, Korea. The new strain was isolated and classified as Dunaliella salina through phylogenetic analysis and was named the OH214 strain (Deposit ID: KCTC14434BP). The newly isolated strain can survive in a wide range of NaCl concentrations (0.3-5.0 M NaCl), but grows well in 0.6 to 1.5 M NaCl culture medium. Under high-light conditions (500 ± 10 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1), the cells accumulated three times more β-carotene than under low-light conditions (50 ± 5 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1). The cells accumulated 2.5-fold more β-carotene under nitrogen-deficient (1 mM KNO₃) conditions (3.24 ± 0.36 ㎍ 10⁶ cells^-1) than in nitrogen-sufficient conditions (>5 mM KNO₃). The lutein content under nitrogen-deficient conditions (1.73 ± 0.09 ㎍ 10⁶ cells^-1) was more than 24% higher than that under nitrogen-sufficient conditions. Under the optimized culture condition for carotenoid induction using natural seawater, D. salina OH214 strain produced 7.97 ± 0.09 mg g DCW^-1 of β-carotene and 4.65 ± 0.18 mg g DCW^-1 of lutein, respectively. We propose that this new microalga is a promising strain for the simultaneous production of β-carotene and lutein.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.821-831
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• 2006

Unicellular green algae of the genus Haematococcus have been studied extensively as model organisms for secondary carotenoid accumulation. Upon environmental stress, such as strong irradiance or nitrogen deficiency, unicellular green algae of the genus Haematococcus accumulate secondary carotenoids in vesicles in the cytosol. Because secondary carotenoid accumulation occurs only upon specific environmental stimuli, there is speculation about the regulation of the biosynthetic pathway specific for secondary carotenogenesis. Because the carotenoid biosynthesis pathway is located both in the chloroplast and the cytosol, communication between both cellular compartments must be considered. Recently, the induction and regulation of astaxanthin biosynthesis in microalgae received considerable attention because of the increasing use of this secondary carotenoid as a source of pigmentation for fish aquaculture, as a component in cancer prevention, and as a free-radical quencher. This review summarizes the biosynthesis and regulation of the pathway, as well as the biotechnology of astaxanthin production in Haematococcus.

• ALGAE
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.403-414
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• 2016

The use of ionizing radiation and radioactive elements is becoming increasingly popular with the rapid developments in nuclear technology, radiotherapy, and radio diagnostic methods. However, ionizing radiation can directly or indirectly cause life-threatening complications such as cancer, radiation burns, and impaired immunity. Environmental contamination with radioactive elements and the depletion of ozone layer also contribute to the increased levels of radiation exposure. Radioprotective natural products have particularly received attention for their potential usefulness in counteracting radiation-induced damage because of their reduced toxicity compared with most drugs currently in use. Moreover, radioprotective substances are used as ingredients in cosmetic formulations in order to provide protection against ultraviolet radiation. Over the past few decades, the exploration of marine algae has revealed the presence of radioprotective phytochemicals, such as phlorotannins, polysaccharides, carotenoids and other compounds. With their promising radioprotective effects, marine algae could be a future source for discovering potential radioprotective substances for development as useful in therapeutics.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.467-475
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• 2014

Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) is a well-known and rich source of biologically active compounds, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, steroids, vitamins, tannins, and oleic acid. The effects of sea buckthorn fruit extract (SBFE) on ultraviolet (UV)-induced cell death was investigated in SK-MEL-2 cells cotreated with UV and a low concentration (LoC), medium concentration (MeC), or high concentration (HiC) of SBFE. Cell viability gradually decreased in accordance with an increase in the UV dose. The cell viability of the UV+SBFE cotreated cells increased significantly compared to that of UV+vehicle-treated cells during the application of an appropriate UV radiation dose (400 mJ). In addition, the number of 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI), propidium iodine (PI)-, and annexin V-stained apoptotic cells was higher in the UV+vehicle-treated cells than in the UV untreated cells. The decrease of apoptotic cell numbers varied in each treated group, but it was most significant in the SBFE-treated group. The number of PI-stained cells dramatically decreased in accordance with the concentration of SBFE, and the maximum decrease was detected in the UV+HiC-treated group. In addition, Bax expression increased and Bcl-2 expression decreased in the SBFE-treated group compared with the UV-only treated group. The level of caspase-3 remained constant in all the groups. These results suggest that SBFE may contribute to a recovery from UV-induced cell death through the regulation of apoptotic protein expression and that it may have potential therapeutic utility in ameliorating UV-induced skin ageing.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.339-345
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• 2017

Carotenoids are natural lipid-soluble pigments, which are produced primarily by bacteria, algae, and plants. Many studies have focused on the identification, production, and utilization of natural sources of astaxanthin from algae, yeast, and crustacean byproducts as an alternative to the synthetic pigment, which is mostly used today. The aim of the present study was to identify a mutant of Paracoccus haeundaensis by exposure to UV and ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS). The mutant was then exposed to nutrient stress conditions to isolate an astaxanthin-hyperproducing strain, followed by characterization of the mutant. The survival rate decreased in accordance with an increase in the UV exposure time and an increase in the EMS concentration. A mutant of the original P. haeundaensis strain was identified that showed hyperproduction of astaxanthin following exposure to UV irradiation (20 min) and EMS treatment (0.4 M concentration). The optimal culture conditions for the PUE mutant were $25^{\circ}C$, pH 7-8, and 3% NaCl. The effects of various carbon and nitrogen sources on the growth and astaxanthin production of PUE were examined. The addition of 1% raffinose and 3% potassium nitrate influenced cell growth and astaxanthin production. The selected mutant exhibited an increase of 1.58 folds in astaxanthin content compared to initial wild type strain. A genetically stable mutant strain obtained using mutagen (UV irradiation and EMS treatment) may be a suitable candidate for further industrial scale production of astaxanthin.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.592-595
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• 2019

Paprika (Capsicum annuum L.) contains various phytochemicals, including carotenoids, ascorbic acid, tocopherol, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds, as well as natural food colorants. Very little information is available regarding wine produced from different colored paprikas. The objectives of this study were to prepare wines from red, orange, and yellow paprika and evaluate their physicochemical characteristics. The alcohol concentration, pH, titratable acidity, and reducing sugar content were not significantly affected by the type of paprika. Hunter's color values varied with the color of paprika. The total mineral content and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging potential of red paprika wine were significantly higher; however, the total polyphenol content of yellow paprika wine was significantly higher than that of the other wine samples. This study suggested that paprika could be used to prepare wine and red paprika might be appropriate for producing good-quality wine.