• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.119-124
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• 2013

The aim of this present study was to investigate the antifungal effect of tanshinones isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza against Candida ablicans, a polymorphic fungus. For the work, tanshinone IIA (TSN), cryptotanshinone (CTS), and dihydrotanshinone I (DTS) were chosen. Initially, their antifungal effect was analyzed by in-vitro susceptibility test. Data from the susceptibility test showed that while all of these three compounds had antifungal activity, DTS was the most potent. At $100{\mu}g$ DTS/ml, there was about 80% CFU (colony forming unit) reduction as compared to DTS-untreated C. albicans yeast cells (P<0.05). Thus, DTS was selected to determine its antifungal activity in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis due to C. albicans. Results showed that DTS enhanced resistance of mice against disseminated candidiasis. During the entire period of 30-day observation, 60% of DTS-given mice groups survived whereas control animals all died within 14 days (P<0.05). Moreover, DTS inhibited the hyphal production, one of the virulence factors of this fungus, from the blastoconidial form of the fungus. Therefore, the tanshinone appears to have antifungal activity specific for C. albicans infection, which could possibly be mediated by the blockage of hyphal production.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.57 no.6
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• pp.383-387
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• 2013

In the present study, we determined the antifungal effect of obacunone isolated from Phellodendri Cortex against Candida ablicans, a pathogenic fungus. The antifungal effect was analyzed by an in-vitro susceptibility test and in a murine model of disseminated candidiasis. Possible mechanism of the antifungal activity was also examined. Analyses of data resulting from the susceptibility test revealed that the compound inhibited C. albicans growth. At 25 ${\mu}g$ obacunone/ml, there was app. 45% reduction of CFUs (colony forming units) as compared to obacunone-untreated C. albicans yeast cells (P<0.01). In the murine model of disseminated candidiasis due to C. albicans, obacunone enhanced resistance of mice against disseminated candidiasis. During an entire period of 30-day observation, control animals all died within 14 days, whereas 60% of obacunone-treated mice survived (P<0.05). In addition, obacunone inhibited the hyphal production, a major virulence factor of C. albicans, from the blastoconidial form. Thus, obacunone appears to have antifungal activity for C. albicans infection. This may possibly be mediated by the blockage of hyphal production.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.97-104
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• 2019

Streptococcus iniae is a typical fish pathogen causing streptococcosis and it can also cause zoonotic infectious diseases. We studied S. iniae FP5228 isolated from infected olive flounder in Wando, Korea. In a study to find virulence factors in FP5228, we found that the number of live bacteria decreased dramatically in culture medium containing S. iniae FP5228 for more than 24 hr. This phenomenon was hypothesized to be related to Toxin ${\zeta}$ and Antitoxin ${\varepsilon}$ genes, components of the Toxin/ Antitoxin (TA) system on the 14 kb plasmid of FP5228. We used a protein overexpression system to identify it. The pBP1140 vector system was constructed to regulate the expression of Toxin ${\zeta}$ and Antitoxin ${\varepsilon}$ by IPTG and Arabinose. E. coli/pBP1140 strain grew slowly in early growth under toxin expression condition, and it was confirmed by microscopic observation that the strain became longer. S. iniae CK287, lacking a 14 kb plasmid of S. iniae FP5228 strain, was constructed. CK287 bacterial cells did not show rapid killing during culture, and the ability to produce biofilm was also decreased, and toxicity was weakened in cytotoxicity test and fish test. These results suggest that the TA system is involved in physiological regulation and expression of virulence factors in S. iniae FP5228.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.245-251
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• 1995

Nine hundred and ninety-two isolates of Botrytis cinerea were obtained from infected strawberries, tomatoes and cucumbers in Taejon, Gongju, Puyo, Nonsan and Kimhae in Korea. Six hundred forty-two (64.7%) isolates were benomyl resistant (BR), 245 (24.7%) were procymidone resistant (PR), and 105 (10.6%) were dichlofluanid resistant (DR). In the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test, DR isolates showed mycelial growth on the PDA incorporated with 100 or 500 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of dichlofluanid, while dichlofluanid sensitive (DS) isolates did not grow on the PDA incorporated even with 10 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml of dichlofluanid. Chemical concentrations for inhibition of spore germination were much lower than those for inhibition of mycelial growth. IC50 values, the effective concentrations for 50% inhibition of spore germination, for DR were 0.11~0.29 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml, whereas they were 0.04~0.09 $\mu\textrm{g}$/ml for DS isolates. In comparison of fitness-related characteristics such as virulence, sclerotial formation, and sporulation, DR isolates were inferior to DS isolates. However, mycelial growth was little different between DR isolates and DS isolates.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2006

Enterococcus faecalis was isolated from the body fluid of dead Galleria mellonella larvae. Upon injection of E. faecalis into the hemocoel of G. mellonella, the bacteria destroyed parts of humoral defense systems in the hemolymph. In a test for the proteolytic activity of E. faecalis CS, it was confirmed that the enzyme degraded three well-known a-helical antimicrobial peptides, cecropin A, melittin and halocidin, and abolished their activities. We also determined putative cleavage sites on the primary sequences of three peptides through purification and mass analysis of peptide fragments digested by E. faecalis CS. Furthermore it was found that apolipophorin-III, recently known as a critical recognition protein for invading microbes in the hemolymph of G. mellonella, was also degraded by E. faecalis CS. Taken together, the present work shows that the protease in secretions from E. faecalis destroyed two critical humoral immune factors in the hemolymph of G. mellonella larvae. In addition, this paper demonstrates that the relationship between the host insect and the pathogenic bacteria might provide a valuable model system to study the enterococcal virulence mechanism, which may be relevant to mammalian pathogenesis.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.235-241
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• 2003

The polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based activated carbon fibers (ACFs) containing copper metal were electrolytically prepared in introducing the antibacterial activity into ACFs. The antibacterial activity was investigated by dilution test against Staphylococous aureus (S. aureus; gram positive and virulence) and Klebsiella pnemoniae (K. pnumoniae: gram negative and avirulence). The micropore and textural properties of the ACFs containing copper metal were characterized by BET, t-plot, and H-K methods. The ACFs showed slight decreases in BET's specific surface area, micropore volume, and total pore volume as copper metal increased. However, the antibacterial activities of the ACFs were strongly increased against S. aureus as well as K. pnumoniae, which could be attributed to the presence of copper metal in CU/ACFs systems.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.399-405
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• 1999

Characteristics of the food isolates and the clinical specimens isolates of E. coli harboring virulence factor and their correlations were analyzed. The predominant serogroup were 08 and 027 in the food isolates and 06 and 018 in the clinical isolates, respectively, showing the different patterns in serogrouping between them. In the test of antibiotic susceptibility, the food isolates were resistant to cephalothin, streptomycin, tetracycline and minocycline, and the clinical isolates were resistant to ampicillin, carbenicillin, streptomycin, cephalothin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, tetracyclino and minocycline, respectively. It shows that E.coli isolated from food sources and clinical specimens might be correlated. Plasmid profile in the food and clinical isolates showed wide diversity. Especially, large sized plasmid DNA such as 60 MDa, 90 MDa and 120 MDa were observed. The plasmid DNA (60 MDa) containing a gene encoding hemolysin was found in 43% of the food isolates and 35% of the clinical isolates. To study chromosomal homology, PFGE analysis was performed, showing different restriction patterns by Xbal. This result indicates that there were no genetic correlations between the foods and the clinical isolates.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.221-228
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• 2005

A total of 179 isolates of Trichoderma spp. were collected from oyster mushroom substrates in Korea. On the basis of morphological and cultural characteristics, Trichoderma isolates were divided into seven groups, namely T. atroviride, T. citrinoviride, T. harzianum, T. longibrachiatum, T. virens, and two unidentified species, referred to as Trichoderma sp. 1 and 2. The predominant species was Trichoderma sp. 2 (n=86) followed by Trichoderma sp. 1 (n=52). Trichoderma sp. 1 and 2 were morphologically distinct not only from the other species of Trichoderma reported but also from each other in the characteristics such as mycelial growth rate, colony appearance, shape of conidia and conidiophores and branching pattern of phialides, although branching pattern of phialides of Trichoderma sp. 1 was similar to that of T. harzianum. In virulence test, the degree for compost colonization of Trichoderma sp. 2 was significantly greater than that of the other Trichoderma species. Trichoderma sp. 2 was found to be the main cause of green mold disease in oyster mushroom production. More work including molecular characterization is needed to confirm the species of Trichoderma sp. 1 and 2.

• Journal of fish pathology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.21-27
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• 2008

Mass mortality occurred in mud loaches, Misgurnus mizolepis, cultured in ponds located in Kunsan. External signs of affected fish showed hemorrhage of skin and fins, Internally, pale liver with congestion, enlarged kidney, and spleen and enteritis exhibited. Causative bacteria isolated from liver, spleen, and kidney of the disease fish. In biochemical tests, the isolates were similar with those of the reference strains, A. sobria. The aerolysine gene from the present isolate was amplified PCR with the primer SOBF and SOBB for A. sobria. The isolate was identified as A. sobria on the basis of those tests. In virulence test, the present isolate resulted in the development of clinical signs identical to those in naturally infected fish. The present results conclude that the present isolate is A. sobria and can be a pathogen which causes motile aeromonad septicemia to mud loach.

• Korean Journal Plant Pathology
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.654-660
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• 1998

Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Glomerella cingulata are the most important pathogens causing anthracnose which may reduce the stand rate and yield on wide kinds of plants including strawberry. Average occurrence rate of anthracnose is 36.9% on major strawberry cropping areas in Korea. We newly found that C. gloeosporioides which does not forming a sexual stage, infects strawberry and differs in some characteristics concerning virulence, cultural and morphological properties to G. cingulata which has a sexual stage. C. gloeosporioides was mainly isolated from the crown with 35.2% rate, while G. cingulata was largely isolated from petiole, runner with 40.9% rate in infected strawberry plants. These two pathogens showed significant differences in cultural characteristics such as perfect stage formation, temperature response as well as benomyl resistance. It was demonstrated that C. gloeosporioides has significantly stronger pathogenicity than G. cingulata in pathogenicity test carried on strawberry plants to various strawberry cultivars. Akihime, Akaneko and Nyoho forcing cultured strawberry cultivars, considered to be susceptible, while semiforcing cultured cultivars, such as Suhong and Holowase, were shown resistant to both pathogens. In non-wound inoculation, C. gloeosporioides was shown pathogenicity on the apple fruit, but G. cingulata could not infect it.