• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.77-85
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• 2011

The antibacterial activities of silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) were studied with respect to Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli by observing the bacterial cells treated or not with Ag-NPs by FE-SEM as well as measuring the growth curves, formation of bactericidal ROS, protein leakage, and lactate dehydrogenase activity involved in the respiratory chain. Bacterial cells were treated with Ag-NPs powder, and the growth rates were investigated under varying concentrations of Ag-NPs, incubation times, incubation temperatures, and pHs. As a result, S. aureus and E. coli were shown to be substantially inhibited by Ag-NPs, and the antibacterial activity of Ag-NPs did not fluctuate with temperature or pH. These results suggest that Ag-NPs could be used as an effective antibacterial material.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.143-153
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• 1992

Nectar secretion from extrafloral nectary cells of Prunus yedoensis was examined by light and electron microscopy. Nectaries were composed of two or three layers of secretory cells and one layer of subsectretory cells. Vascular bundles in the petioles were connected to those of the subsectretory cell layer. Secretory cells had a number of mitochondria with poorly developed cristae. Plastids had little thylakoids and small vesicles, about 0.2 to 0.3 mm in diameter; however, no plastids had starch grains. Calcium oxalate crystals and plasmodesmata were frequently observed in the subsectretory and secretory cells, respectively. And nectar substances were observed in phloem of petiole, subsectretory, and secretory cells of the secretory gland. These results suggested that the nectar moved by symplastic transport through the plasmodesmata. On the other hand, the nectar droplets were observed in the secretory cell walls. in the cuticular layer just beyond of the former, and on the outer surface of the cuticular layer: such observations indicated that a apoplastic movement was involved in the final step of the nectar secretion. Cellular components related to the nectar transport, such as plasma membrane, cell wall and cuticle were not destroyed but intact: it was interpreted as a eccrine secretion.retion.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.225-232
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• 2010

The effect of Protox expression site on herbicidal resistance was investigated in wild-type and transgenic rice plants imposed by peroxidizing herbicide oxyfluorfen. The transgenic rice systems involved the plastidal expression of Arabidopsis protoporphyrinogen oxidase (Protox; AP line) and the dual expression of Myxococcus xanthus Protox in chloroplasts and mitochondria (TTS line). The oxyfluorfen-treated TTS4 line showed the lower levels of cellular leakage and malonyldialdehyde and the sustained capacity of 5-aminolevulinic acid synthesis, compared to the oxyfluorfen-treated AP and wild-type lines. During oxyfluorfen action, the TTS4 line had greater herbicide resistance than the AP1 line, indicating that the dual expression of M. xanthus Protox in chloroplasts and mitochondria prevented the accumulation of photodynamic protoporphyrin IX more effectively than the expression of Arabidopsis Protox only in chloroplasts. These results suggest that the ectopic expression of Protox in mitochondria greatly contributes to the herbicidal resistance in rice plants.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.75-79
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• 2022

Fresh, washed ginseng can be contaminated with microorganism loads as high as 6.5 log CFU/g for total bacteria and 4.3 log CFU/g for mold. The goal of this study was to test eight antibacterial agents on ginseng. Immersing fresh ginseng washed in 1% (w/w) sodium citrate, sodium diacetate, sodium acetate, citric acid, and sodium lactate solution for 1 h resulted in a bactericidal effect of 31.0-97.5% for total bacteria. Among the organic acids, sodium citrate had the best antibacterial effect, with total bacteria reduced from 6.5 log to 4.9 log CFU/g. A 1% (w/w) vitamin B₁ lauryl sulfate solution with surfactant function by hydrophilic and hydrophobic sites can reduce 2.7 log CFU/g (99.8% inactivation) on total bacteria. In the 1% (w/w) calcium oxide solution, total bacteria were reduced by 3 log, showing an excellent inactivation effect of 99.9%. Calcium oxide is a highly useful material for inactivation of microorganisms in fresh ginseng.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2006

Plants of Vitex negundo are known to develop numerous trichomes throughout their body, where certain trichome types have been believed to be one of the plausible structures for the unique scents. In the current study. structural aspects of the trichomes have been examined in leaves and stems of Vitex negundo using TEM and SEM. Trichome types as well as structural changes that occurred in certain trichomes during secretion have been mainly focused. Three type of glandular trichomes and two types of non-glandular trichomes were developed in the epidermis of young and mature Vitex negundo plants. The glandular trichomes included the peltate type (Type 1), the capitate type (Type 2), and degraded capitate type (Type 3), whereas the non-glandular warty trichomes contained the multicellular (Types 4) and unicellular type (Type 5). Type 1 and 2 consisted of head and stalk cells, but their number and size were different. One secretory cavity was formed from the four head cells in the former, but only two head cells were involved in the latter. The cytoplasmic density in the head cell was quite high and in particular, sER and Golgi bodies were well developed. At initiation of their development, the cuticle layer of the head cells separated from the outer tangential wall to form a secretory cavity. Subsequently the cavity expanded acropetally and a large number of secretory vesicles continuously produced from the head cells until they filled the entire cavity. The cavity contained materials that would be soon discharged into intercellular spaces and/or into the air. The cavity began to decrease the volume by contracting at initial secretion but degrade rapidly within short time. It has been suggested that the mode of secretion in V. negundo is probably the eccrine secretion, since no break or rupture of the cavity has been observed during examination. Contrastingly Type 3 exhibited deterioration of the head cell at early stage. Type 4 was about $110{\sim}190{\mu}m$ long, consisting of $2{\sim}3$ cells, and distributed more in the adaxial epidermis compared to the abaxial surface. However, $20{\sim}30{\mu}m$ long Type 5 was extremely dense in both epidermis. Among several trichome types, Type 1 and 2 probably play an important role in discharging unique aromatic scents in plants of V. negundo.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.308-314
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• 2015

This study was conducted to establish a fluorescence assay system for high efficient mass screening of the herbicides causing rapid membrane peroxidation, based on the fact that peroxide in cellular leakage could be fluorometrically determined through the fuorescent compounds formed after reacting with homovanillic acid (HVA) and peroxidase (HRP). The assay procesure established in this study was as follows. Only single disc (4 mm diameter) excised from cucumber cotyledon is placed on the well containing test solution ($200{\mu}L$) with 96-well microplate. The plate is shaking-incubated for 8 h under light condition. Then after removing the cucumber disc, HVA and HRP are supplied in the medium buffer and incubated for 5 min at room temperature. Fluorescence values are determined at Ex 320 nm/Ex 425 nm. The higher fluorescence values are obtained in the treatment of chemical having higher herbicidal activity. Using this assay with 96-well microplates, a large number of herbicides inducing rapid membrane peroxidation seemed to be screened more efficiently than spectrophotometric microtiter assay reported previously.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1354-1360
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• 2018

The aim of this study was to develop a simple, environmentally friendly synthesis of silver nanoparticles (SNPs) without the use of chemical reducing agents by exploiting the extracellular synthesis of SNPs in a culture supernatant of Bacillus thuringiensis CH3. Addition of 5 mM $AgNO_3$ to the culture supernatant at a ratio of 1:1 caused a change in the maximum absorbance at 418 nm corresponding to the surface plasmon resonance of the SNPs. Synthesis of SNPs occurred within 8 hr and reached a maximum at 40-48 hr. The structural characteristics of the synthesized SNPs were investigated by various instrumental analysis. FESEM observations showed the formation of well-dispersed spherical SNPs, and the presence of silver was confirmed by EDS analysis. The X-ray diffraction spectrum indicated that the SNPs had a face-centered cubic crystal lattice. The average SNP size, calculated using DLS, was about 51.3 nm and ranged from 19 to 110 nm. The synthesized SNPs exhibited a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against a variety of pathogenic Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and yeasts. The highest antimicrobial activity was observed against C. albicans, a human pathogenic yeast. The FESEM observations determined that the antimicrobial activity of the SNPs was due to destruction of the cell surface, cytoplasmic leakage, and finally cell lysis. This study suggests that B. thuringiensis CH3 is a potential candidate for efficient synthesis of SNPs, and that these SNPs have potential uses in a variety of pharmaceutical applications.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.77 no.2
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• pp.223-228
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• 1988

To select $SO_2$-resistant tree species, leaf disks of 6mm in diameter, cut from the leaves of 6 species (Wistaria floribunda, Magnolia obovata, Rosa multiflora, Liriodendron tulipifera, Robinia pseudo-acacia and Acer palmatum) were floated on 25ml of testing medium and placed on laboratory under fluorescent lamp (1,500 Lux) for 20 hours. Chlorophyll content and acidity of the testing medium were measured. Testing medium was prepared by diluting $H_2SO_4$, $H_2SO_3$ and $Na_2SO_4$ with distilled water for various stoichiometric $SO_2$ concentrations, 0, 25, 50, 100 and 250 ppm. Total chlorophyll content was more decreased after treatment than before treatment, and was decreased more severely in $H_2SO_3$ sources, followed by $H_2SO_4$ and $Na_2SO_4$, sources. Decreasing rate of total chlorophyll content was generally large in Acer palmatum. Magnolia obovata and Wistaria floribunda, and was relatively small in Rosa multiflora, Liriodendron tulipifera and Robinia pseudo-acacia. Decreasing rate of chlorophyll content may be useful index for judging susceptifility of the leaf to $SO_2$. The acidity of the testing medium was generally decreased after treatment, and it means that cell leakage was occurred during treatment. The differences in medium acidity between before and after treatment may be poot index for susceptibility of the leaf to $SO_2$ owing to the difference among tree species in development of leaf mesophyll, acidity maintaining mechanism and butter capacity of the leaf tissue.