• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.95-100
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• 2007

The cellulase gene of Bacillus licheniformis K11 which has plant growth-promoting activity by auxin and antagonistic ability by siderophore was cloned in pUC18 using PCR employing heterologous primers. The 1.6kb PCR fragment contained the full sequence of the cellulase gene, denoted celW which has been reported to encode a 499 amino acid protein. Similarity search in protein data base revealed that the cellulase from B. licheniformis K11 was more than 97% identical in amino acid sequence to those of various Bacillus spp. The cellulase protein from B. licheniformis K11, overproduced in E. coli DH5${\alpha}$ by the lac promoter on the vector, had apparent molecular weight of 55 kDa upon CMC-SDS-PAGE analysis. The protein not only had enzymatic activity toward carboxymethyl-cellulose (CMC), but also was able to degrade insoluble cellulose, such as Avicel and filter paper (Whatman$^{\circledR}$ No. 1). In addition, the cellulase could degrade a fungal cell wall of Phytophthora capsici. Consequently B. licheniformis K11 was able to suppress the peperblight causing P. capsici by its cellulase. Biochemical analysis showed that the enzyme had a maximum activity at 60$^{\circ}C$ and pH 6.0. Also, the enzyme activity was activated by Co$^{2+}$ of Mn$^{2+}$ but inhibited by Fe$^{3+}$ or Hg$^{2+}$. Moreover, enzyme activity was not inhibited by SDS or sodium azide.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.305-311
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• 2016

This study investigated the effects of a mixture of fenugreek seeds and Lespedeza cuneata extracts on testosterone synthesis in TM3 cells that were oxidatively stressed with $H_2O_2$. In order to oxidatively stress TM3 cells, the cells were treated with $50{\mu}M$ hydrogen peroxide for 4 hr in serum-free media. Yagwanmun-horopa mixture (YHM) showed neither cytotoxicity nor increment of cell proliferation in the oxidatively stressed TM3 cells in any concentration. When the cells were treated with hydrogen peroxide, testosterone levels decreased, but the testosterone level was returned to that of the control level in the presence of YHM. In order to find out the reasons for the increase of testosterone, the expression of the genes involved in the synthesis or disintegration of testosterone. On the other hand, the levels of $3{\beta}$-HSD4 and 17, 20-desmorase, which are involved in testosterone synthesis, were decreased through the use of hydrogen peroxide and were recovered through YHM treatment. Aromatase and $5{\alpha}$-reductase2, which convert testosterone to estradiol and dihydrotestosterone, respectively, were increased through the use of hydrogen peroxide, and were returned to control level through YHM treatment. These results suggest that YHM does not affect TM3 cell proliferation. However, YHM increases the expression of testosterone-synthesizing enzyme, which was decreased through oxidative stress, and decreases the expression of testosterone- converting enzyme, which was increased through oxidative stress. Therefore, it is reasonable that YHM has strong recovery activity on testosterone to normal level, even in the oxidatively stressed TM3 cells which mimics the andropause state.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.273-280
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• 2016

We investigated the contents of total phenols, anthocyanins, carotenoids and the antioxidant capacity of black carrot, black currant, acaiberry, black raspberry, and blueberry. We also examined the physical and organoleptic characteristics of pudding with added black carrot extract following 7 days of storage. Black carrot and black raspberry had the highest total phenols. Blueberry contained the highest anthocyanins and black currant equaled black carrot in carotenoids. Anti-oxidant capacity measured by 1,1-diphenyl-1,2-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2-azino-bis-3-ethyl-benthiazolin-6-sulfonic acid was highest in black raspberry and black currant followed closely by black carrot. In pudding, redness was increased and blueness decreased by adding black carrot extract, but the trend was partially reversed during 7-day storage due to oxidation of the anthocyanins, which are stable in acid situation. As black carrot extract contents were increased, pH value decreased. The pudding's hardness, adhesiveness, springiness, cohesiveness, gumminess and chewiness were optimal with 7.5 % black carrot extract. In conclusion, black carrot is moderately rich in anthocyanins and phenolic compounds. In pudding adding 7.5 % black carrot extract was optimal for organoleptic qualities. However, additional studies are needed to develop methods for protecting anthocyanins from breaking-down during storage of back carrot pudding.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.297-304
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• 2018

Coptis chinensis is used in oriental medicine for soothing, anti-inflammation, antimicrobial and antipyretic properties, and its main ingredient berberine is known to have strong antibacterial activity. In this study, we investigated the anti-microbial effect of hot water extract of Coptis chinensis (CW) on skin related microorganism and the airborne microbe, the antifungal effects of fungi, which are frequently detected in residential environments. CW showed antibacterial effect against Propionibacterium acnes, Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis, against the airborne microbe, which was collected in four different places. At the concentration of 100 mg/mL, the antimicrobial activity continued for 42 days, showed heat stability without change in the antimicrobial activity even after heat treatment. The MIC and MBC of CW against S. aureus was 0.03, 0.05 mg/mL, against S. epidermidis was 0.50, 0.75 mg/mL and against P. acne was 0.10, 0.15 mg/mL. As a result of measuring the MIC of four kinds of fungi with high detection frequency in the surrounding environment, Gliocladium virens was 65 mg/mL by determined as MIC which can inhibit one hundred percent of mycelial growth. The concentration 90 mg/mL was determined as MIC against Aureobasidium pullulans and 100 mg/mL against Penicilium pinophilum and Chaetomium globosum. CW was considered a safe extract that showed no irritation even in the ocular mucous membrane irritation evaluation test, a patch test. Therefore, these results suggest that Coptis chinensis has antimicrobial, antifungal and safety on human body and can be applied to the development of materials for cosmetic and residential environment industries.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.245-255
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• 2018

The research was aimed to analyze the functional constituents (GABA and isoflavone), radical (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), and hydroxyl) scavenging activities and enzyme (${\alpha}-glucosidase$ and lipase) inhibitory effects of soypowder milk (SPM) and fermented soy-powder milk (FSPM) with varied Lactobacillus brevis. Ten ${\gamma}-aminobutyric$ acid (GABA) producing lactic acid bacteria that showed 96-99% similarity with L. brevis, according to 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, were isolated from fermented kimchi. The conversion rates of GABA were obtained 66.96-93.51, 63.76-84.58, and 57.05-69.75% in monosodium glutamate, gluten and soy protein, respectively. The levels of pH and glutamic acid of FSPM were found lower than those of SPM, but the acidity and GABA contents were higher. The GABA conversion rate of FSPM with BMK484 strain was attained the highest 69.97%. The contents of isoflavone glycoside ($1290.93{\mu}g/g$) was higher in SPM, but the content of isoflavone aglycone ($287.27-501.9{\mu}g/g$) was higher in FSPM. The levels of isoflavone aglycone such as daidzein, glycitein and genistein, were found as the highest 240.2, 61.24 and $200.45{\mu}g/g$, respectively, when FSPM was made with BMK484 strain. The DPPH, ABTS and hydroxyl radical scavenging and ${\alpha}-glucosidase$ and pancreatic lipase inhibitory activities of FSPM made with BMK484 strain were the relatively higher 60.31, 88.10, 61.25, 52.71, and 39.37%, respectively. Therefore, the L. brevis can be used as a material capable of simultaneously enhanced GABA and isoflavone aglycone in FSPM.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.3
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• pp.267-273
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• 2018

Matricaria chamomilla L. has been used as a bath agent in Europe because of its sterilization effect on the skin. Flowers contain terpenes, flavonoids are effective in relieving inflammation. Matricaria chamomilla L. has been reported to have various drug efficacies such as sedation, anti-diabetic effect and anti-arthritic effect, but there is little research on the scientific efficacy of whitening effect. The purpose of this study was to examine the whitening effect of Matricaria chamomilla L. extract and to investigate the mechanism of inhibition of melanogenesis. The extracts were used to determine tyrosinase inhibitory activity. The tyrosinase inhibitory activity of extracts was ineffective for water extract but in 60% ethanol extract was shown in a concentration-dependent manner. B16F10 melanoma cell was measured using a powder obtained by lyophilization of 60% ethanol extract. The toxicity was observed at a concentration of $75{\mu}g/mL$. And concentration range was selected to be at most $50{\mu}g/mL$. The effect of tyrosinase, MITF, TRP-1 and TRP-2 on the expression of melanin protein was investigated in melanoma cells of B16F10 melanoma cells. As a result, it was confirmed that as the concentration of the extract increased, the melanogenesis level decreased and the protein expression level also decreased in a concentration dependent manner. Therefore, it was concluded that Matricaria chamomilla L. extract inhibited melanogenesis in cells. Based on the above results, it is expected that it will be used as a useful basic data for industrialization of whitening functional food of Matricaria chamomilla L.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.211-219
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• 2020

Quercetin is a polyphenol compound with excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. However, little has been reported about the efficacy of quercetin to control psoriasis. Thus, we aimed to investigate the effect of quercetin to regulate psoriatic dermatitis with HaCaT cell lines activated by TNF-α and IL-17A, which are in vitro psoriasis skin models. When quercetin was treated with TNF-α-activated HaCaT cell line, inflammatory cytokine expressions such as IL-1α, IL-1β and IL-6 were reduced by 49.1±7.14, 42.8±8.16, and 34.5±2.52%, respectively. In addition, mRNA expression levels of IL-8 and CCL20 the chemokines that attract immune cells such as Th17 cells and dendritic cells to the inflammatory reaction site, were also reduced by 38.4±5.83 and 52.9±4.59% compared to the TNF-α treatment group. The expression of proteins KRT6A and KRT16, which was nonspecifically increased in psoriatic skin was also significantly suppressed. Moreover, phosphorylation of IκBα and STAT3 proteins activated by TNF-α was also significantly inhibited. After stimulating the HaCaT with IL-17A, known as another psoriasis-inducing cytokine, it was observed that IκBα mRNA expression decreased by 55.8±5.28%, and STAT3 phosphorylation was downregulated by 36.3±6.81%. Finally, after co-activation by TNF-α/IL-17A, quercetin inhibited all of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and CCL20 gene expression. The above results strongly suggest that quercetin is a material that has not only anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, but also has an activity in improving psoriasis.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.231-237
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• 2004

Monitoring for the sensitivity of Colletotrichum spp. causing red-pepper anthracnose to chlorothalonil was conducted by the agar dilution method, which were isolated from infected pepper fruits in 1999 and 2002. Among the isolates in 1999 or 2002, their sensitivity to fungicide was fluctuated. Investigating the inhibitory effect of $500{\mu}g/m\ell$ of chlorothalonil on the mycelial growth of Colletotrichum isolates isolated from the infected red-pepper fruits in 1999, the frequency of isolates was 23.4%, which showed 100% of inhibitory effect on mycelial growth, and 29.7% showing below 60%. Isolates in 2002, however, showed 34.6% and 14.8% of inhibitory effect on PDAs including the same concentration of fungicide, respectively, These results showed that the sensitivity of Colletotrichum isolates in 1999 was inferior to that in 2002. According to the sampling region, isolation frequency among isolates in 2002 showing less MIC rather than 1999 was increased in Kyunggi, Kangwon, Kyungbuk and Kyungnam while the frequency of resistant isolates was done in Chungnam, Chungbuk, Cheonnam and Cheonbuk Fungicide monitoring results in this report will be of use on controlling the anthracnose in each region cultivating red-pepper.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.151-161
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• 2004

Three dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationships (3D-QSAR) studies for the protox inhibition activities against root and shoot of rice plant (Orysa sativa L.) and barnyardgrass (Echinochloa crus-galli) by a series of new A=3,4,5,6-tetrahydrophthalimino, B=3-chloro-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-2H-indazolyl and C=3,4-dimethylmaleimino group, and R-group substituted on the phenyl ring in 1-(5-methyl-3-phenylisoxazolin-5-yl)methoxy-2chloro-4-fluorobenzene derivatives were performed using comparative molecular field analyses (CoMFA) methodology with Gasteiger-Huckel charge. Four CoMFA models for the protox inhibition activities against root and shoot of the two plants were generated using 46 molecules as training set and the predictive ability of the each models was evaluated against a test set of 8 molecules. And the statistical results of these models with combination (SIH) of standard field, indicator field and H-bond field showed the best predictability of the protox inhibition activities based on the cross-validated value $r^2_{cv.}$ $(q^2=0.635\sim0.924)$, conventional coefficient $(r^2_{ncv.}=0.928\sim0.977)$ and PRESS value $(0.091\sim0.156)$, respectively. The activities exhibited a strong correlation with steric $(74.3\sim87.4%)$, electrostatic $(10.10\sim18.5%)$ and hydrophobic $(1.10\sim8.30%)$ factors of the molecules. The steric feature of molecule may be an important factor for the activities. We founded that an novel selective and higher protox inhibitors between the two plants may be designed by modification of X-subsitutents for barnyardgrass based upon the results obtained from CoMFA analyses.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.139-148
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to investigate damages of garlics occurred under cold storage and farmhouse storage condition, influence of cultural and environmental factors on storage spoilage of garlics, and to establish control strategies to reduce damages occurred under storage of garlics. Decays of garlics were highly related with cultural condition (paddy field or upland soil), ventilation, storage temperature and relative humidity, continuous cropping years, and harvesting stage. Early-harvested garlics were more decayed than late-harvested garlics. Garlics cultivated on paddy field were less decayed than ones cultivated on upland soil under farmhouse storage condition. The densities of Penicillium spp. and Fusarium spp. were higher on plot with long term continuous cropping cultivation history than on plot with short term continuous cropping cultivation history. However there is no relation between continuous cropping years and percent of decay of garlics. As a result of investigating influence of environmental factors on decay of garlics, P. hirsutum caused severe spoilage under high relative humidity condition, while F. oxysporum and Stemphyllium botryosum were not related with relative humidity. The three postharvest pathogens grew well above woe. In addition when P. hirsutum and S. botryosum were cultured for two months, they grew even at $-1^{\circ}C$. Except for environmental factors, wounds occurred through farming works. had an effect on storage spoilage of garlics. Garlics only hurt with a toothpick without inoculation of pathogens were decayed more severe than those inoculated with pathogens without wounds. Seven agro-chemicals showed highly suppressive effect were selected by measuring mycelial growth of three major pathogens of garlics on potato dextrose agar amended with 0.1% (v/v) of each fungicide. When they were foliar-sprayed on garlics 30 days before harvesting, it was confirmed that they suppressed storage spoilage of garlics. Also when garlics were sprayed with and drenched into the suspension of Benoram WP very after harvesting garlics, garlic damages by postharvest pathogens were reduced remarkably.