Methods of lichen-derived culture were spore- and thallus-derived cultures. Spore-derived culture was modified and thallus-derived culture was established for our two decades. We maintained about 500 lichen-derived cultures by using both methods. In recent several years, we have investigated to screen various pharmacological activities in lichen-derived cultures for the first time and found some activities in our cultures.

Author have studies lichen flora of the most important ice-free areas of Continental Antarctic: Bunger Hills, and the vicinity of Prudz Bay (Larsemann Hills, and Radok Lake in Prince Charles Mountains). Totally 44 lichen species from 22 genera were reported for Bunger Hills and 50 lichen species from 22 genera and 10 families: Acarosporaceae, Lecanoraceae, Lecideaceae, Parmeliaceae, Pertusariaceae, Physciaceae, Rhizocarpaceae, Stereocaulaceae, Theloschistaceae, and Umbilicariaceaewere reported for the Prudz Bay Region. 20 lichen species were found in the region for the first time. Phytogeographic analysis indicated a relatively high proportion of species with bipolar distribution - about 50% of recorded lichen species. About 30% of lichens normally don't extend into maritime zone occurring in continental Antarctic only. The most common lichen families in the region are Buelliaceae, Lecanoraceae and Teloschistaceae. The water supply and not a temperature is the critical factor for lichens in the Continental Antarctic. Moisture appears to be supplied for lichens not only from snow-melt water but mainly from air. In Maritime Antarctic, due to high air humidity macrolichens form communities everywhere (Himantormia, Usnea and Umbilicaria). In oases of Continental Antarctic extensive sites are lacking in lichen cover, even if the ground is normally snow free. Lichens occur at humid sites with moisture which were brought by winds over the ice cap and poorly developed or absent in dry areas. Of particular significance for lichens are substrate characteristics, animals influence and salinity brought by wind in coastal areas. Most rich lichen vegetation developed in oases around nests of snow petrels, where the melt water is enriched by nutrients. In contrast, the most pure vegetation is on mobile sand and gravel and in salted coastal habitats.

To investigate non-aflatoxin-production of A. oryzae at the molecular level, an aflatoxin biosynthesis gene homolog cluster of RIB 40 was analyzed. Although most genes in the corresponding cluster exhibited from 97 to 99 % similarity to those of Aspergillus flavus, three genes shared 93 % similarity or less. In addition, although slight expression of aflR, positive transcriptional regulator gene, was detected in some A. oryzae strains having seven aflatoxin biosynthesis homologous genes, other genes related to aflatoxin production were not detected. RIB strains were mainly divided into group 1, having seven aflatoxin biosynthesis homologous genes (aflT, nor-i, aflR, norA, avnA, verB, and vbs), and group 2, having three homologous (avnA, verB, and vbs). Partial aflatoxin homologous gene cluster of RIB62 from group 2 was sequenced and compared with that of RIB40 from group 1. RIB62 showed a large deletion upstream of ver-1 with more than half of the aflatoxin homologous gene cluster missing including aflR, a positive transcriptional regulatory gene. Adjacent to the deletion of the aflatoxin homologous gene cluster, RIB62 has a unique sequence of about 8kb and a telomere. Southern analysis of A. oryzae RIB strains with four kinds of probe derived from the unique sequence of RIB62 showed that all group 2 strains have identical hybridizing signals. Polymerase chain reaction with specific primer set designed to amplify the junction between ver-1 and the unique sequence of RIB62 resulted in the same size of DNA fragment only from group 2 strains. Based on these results, we developed a useful genetic tool that distinguishes A. oryzae group 2 strains from the other groups' strains and propose that it might have differentiated from the ancestral strains due to chromosomal breakage.