• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.76-81
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• 2008

Currently, natural food colorants and preservatives are being used for their general health benefits. Monascus koji, the product of certain fungi that grow on rice grains, has been added to many foods for coloring and preservation. In this study, the antimicrobial activities of Monascus koji ethanol extracts were investigated. Six Monascus strains (M. araneosus KFRI 00371, M. kaoliang ATCC 46597, M. pilosus IFO 4520, M. purpureus IFO 4482, M. ruber IFO 32318 and M. sp. ATCC 16437) were selected based on their relative intensity of red pigment. Two Monascus extracts, M. kaoliang ATCC 46597 and M. purpureus IFO 4482, displayed antimicrobial activities against Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium in concentration-dependent manners. The two extracts showed their strongest antimicrobial activity against S. typhimurium, a cause of food poisoning. Therefore, these results suggest that Monascus koji could be used as a natural food colorant and preservative.

• Mycobiology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2012

The complexes of tailor made ligands with life essential metal ions may be an emerging area to answer the problems of multi drug resistance. The coordination complexes of VO(II), Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) with the Schiff bases derived from isatin with 3-chloro-4-floroaniline and 2-pyridinecarboxaldehyde with 4-aminoantipyrine have been synthesized by conventional as well as microwave methods. These compounds have been characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, electronic spectra, FT-IR, FAB mass and magnetic susceptibility measurements. FAB mass data show degradation of complexes. Both the ligands behave as bidentate and tridentate coordinating through O and N donor. The complexes exhibit coordination number 4, 5 or 6. The Schiff base and metal complexes show a good activity against the bacteria; $Staphylococcus$ $aureus$, $Escherichia$ $coli$ and $Streptococcus$ $fecalis$ and fungi $Aspergillus$ $niger$, $Trichoderma$ $polysporum$, $Candida$ $albicans$ and $Aspergillus$ $flavus$. The antimicrobial results also indicate that the metal complexes are better antimicrobial agents as compared to the Schiff bases. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of the metal complexes were found in the range 10-40 ${\mu}g/mL$.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.619-623
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• 1991

To investigate nisin production and resistance of Lactococcus lactis ssp. tactis ML (L. lactis $ML_8$, effects of medium, pH of culture broth, and cell growth on the nisin activity, and effect of nisin with or without $Ca^[2+}$ ion on the growth of L. lactzs were analyzed. In the bio-assay of nisin by the agar diffusion method, inhibition-zone diameter of Micrococcus Javus was propotional to the logarithm of nisin concentration ranged 0.5~20 unitlml (12.5~500 ng/mf). Nisin activity of the pasteurized culture filtrates of L. lactis MLs was high at pH 2!3 but was inactivated completely at pH over 6.0. Nisin production of the L. lactis $ML_8$ cultured on LTB broth increased at late logarithmic phase and reached 10.5 unitlml after 16 hr. The cell growth of L. lactis LM 0230, a plasmid free and nisin sensitive strain, was inhibited on agar medium containing 7 unitlrnl of nisin, while L. lactis $ML_8$ showed high survival ability at 20 unitld of nisin. When 40 mM $Ca^[2+}$ ion was added to Elliker broth with 8 unitlml of nisin, the growth pattern of L. lactis $ML_8$ was similiar to that on control medium which did not contain nisin and $Ca^[2+}$ ion, and this suggested that $Ca^[2+}$ increased the nisin resistance of the L. lactis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.666-674
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• 2016

The bacterial strains were screened as potential starters for fermenting low-salt doenjang (a Korean traditional fermented soybean paste) using Korean doenjang based on proteolytic and antipathogenic activities under 6.5-7.5% NaCl conditions. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that they all belonged to the genus Bacillus. Proteolytic and antipathogenic activities against Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Aspergillus flavus, as well as fibrinolytic, amylase, and cellulase activities of the 10 strains were quantitatively evaluated. Of these, strains D2-2, JJ-D34, and D12-5 were selected, based on their activities. The functional, phenotypic, and safety-related characteristics of these three strains were additionally investigated and strains D2-2 and D12-5, which lacked antibiotic resistance, were finally selected. Strains D2-2 and D12-5 produced poly-γ-glutamic acid and showed various enzyme activities, including α-glucosidase and β-glucosidase. Growth properties of strains D2-2 and D12-5 included wide temperature and pH ranges, growth in up to 16% NaCl, and weak anaerobic growth, suggesting that they facilitate low-salt doenjang fermentation. Strains D2-2 and D12-5 were not hemolytic, carried no toxin genes, and did not produce biogenic amines. These results suggest that strains D2-2 and D12-5 can serve as appropriate starter cultures for fermenting low-salt doenjang with high quality and safety.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.356-366
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• 2018

The red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum, is one of the most common and economically important pests of stored cereal products worldwide. Furthermore, these beetles can act as vectors for several fungal post-harvest diseases. In this study, we collected T. castaneum from 49 rice processing complexes (RPCs) nationwide during 2016-2017 and identified contaminating fungal species on the surface of the beetles. Five beetles from each region were placed on potato dextrose agar media or Fusarium selection media after wet processing with 100% relative humidity at $27^{\circ}C$ for one week. A total of 142 fungal isolates were thus collected. By sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer region, 23 fungal genera including one unidentified taxon were found to be associated with T. castaneum. The genus Aspergillus spp. (28.9%) was the most frequently present, followed by Cladosporium spp. (12.0%), Hyphopichia burtonii (9.2%), Penicillium spp. (8.5%), Mucor spp. (6.3%), Rhizopus spp. (5.6%), Cephaliophora spp. (3.5%), Alternaria alternata (2.8%) and Monascus sp. (2.8%). Less commonly identified were genera Fusarium, Nigrospora, Beauveria, Chaetomium, Coprinellus, Irpex, Lichtheimia, Trichoderma, Byssochlamys, Cochliobolus, Cunninghamella, Mortierella, Polyporales, Rhizomucor and Talaromyces. Among the isolates, two known mycotoxin-producing fungi, Aspergillus flavus and Fusarium spp. were also identified. This result is consistent with previous studies that surveyed fungal and mycotoxin contamination in rice from RPCs. Our study indicates that the storage pest, T. castaneum, would play an important role in spreading fungal contaminants and consequently increasing mycotoxin contamination in stored rice.

• Mycobiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.100-107
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• 2013

Diverse fungi are present in Korean traditional meju and they are known to play an important role in fermented soybean products. To determine the origin of the fungi in meju, we examined the mycoflora of soybeans from 10 traditional meju factories. The samples were untreated or treated with sodium hypochlorite, and placed on malt extract agar (MEA), dichloran 18% glycerol agar (DG18), and dichloran rose bengal chloramphenicol agar (DRBC) medium. A total of 794 fungal strains were isolated and they were identified as 41 genera and 86 species. From sodium hypochlorite untreated soybeans, the genera, Cladosporium (55%), Eurotium (51%), Fusarium (33%), Penicillium (22%), and Aspergillus (exclusion of Eurotium) (20%), were mainly isolated, and Eurotium herbariorum (22%), Eurotium repens (18%), Cladosporium tenuissimum (18%), F. fujikuroi (18%), Aspergillus oryzae/flavus (7%), and Penicillium steckii (6%) were the predominant species. In case of sodium hypochloritetreated soybeans, Eurotium (31%) and Cladosporium (5%) were frequently isolated, but Aspergillus (excluding Eurotium), Penicillium and Fusarium which were frequently isolated from untreated soybeans, were rarely isolated. Eurotium herbariorum (21%), Eurotium repens (8%), and Cladosporium tenuissimum (3%) were the predominant species. Of the 41 genera and 86 species isolated from soybeans, 13 genera and 33 species were also found in meju. These results suggest that the fungi on soybeans may influence the mycoflora of meju.

• Mycobiology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.52-63
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• 2018

In our previous studies, Bacillus megaterium KU143, Microbacterium testaceum KU313, and Pseudomonas protegens AS15 have been shown to be antagonistic to Aspergillus flavus in stored rice grains. In this study, the biocontrol activities of these strains were evaluated against Aspergillus candidus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium fellutanum, and Penicillium islandicum, which are predominant in stored rice grains. In vitro and in vivo antifungal activities of the bacterial strains were evaluated against the fungi on media and rice grains, respectively. The antifungal activities of the volatiles produced by the strains against fungal development and population were also tested using I-plates. In in vitro tests, the strains produced secondary metabolites capable of reducing conidial germination, germ-tube elongation, and mycelial growth of all the tested fungi. In in vivo tests, the strains significantly inhibited the fungal growth in rice grains. Additionally, in I-plate tests, strains KU143 and AS15 produced volatiles that significantly inhibited not only mycelial growth, sporulation, and conidial germination of the fungi on media but also fungal populations on rice grains. GC-MS analysis of the volatiles by strains KU143 and AS15 identified 12 and 17 compounds, respectively. Among these, the antifungal compound, 5-methyl-2-phenyl-1H-indole, was produced by strain KU143 and the antimicrobial compounds, 2-butyl 1-octanal, dimethyl disulfide, 2-isopropyl-5-methyl-1-heptanol, and 4-trifluoroacetoxyhexadecane, were produced by strain AS15. These results suggest that the tested strains producing extracellular metabolites and/or volatiles may have a broad spectrum of antifungal activities against the grain fungi. In particular, B. megaterium KU143 and P. protegens AS15 may be potential biocontrol agents against Aspergillus and Penicillium spp. during rice grain storage.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.1667-1678
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• 1999

Certain parts of 190 kinds of medicinal herbs and 171 kinds of original materials of food were extracted by methanol. The extracts were tested their microbial inhibition activities against several food spoilage microorganisms, Micrococcus luteus, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, Listeria monocytogenes, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Escherichia coli, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, Penicillium citrinum, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus niger. The methanol extracts of Cornus officinalis, Evodia officinalis, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Salvia miltiorrhiza. Schizandrae fructus, Coptidis rhizoma, aroma hop and bitter hop were shown inhibitory effect on certain species of gram(+) bacteria. Aroma hop and bitter hop were shown inhibitory effect on certain species of gram(-) bacteria. The methanol extract of Salvia miltiorrhiza exhibited a strong antibacterial activities. It was purified by solvent fractionation, silicagel column chromatography, prep. TLC, prep. HPLC. The purified active substance was identified as cryptotanshinone by EIMS, $1^H-NMR,\;{13}^C-NMR$ and DEPT. Cryptotanshinone showed a strong antibacterial activity against gram positive bacteria $(MIC\;:\;3.91{\sim}62.50\;{\mu}g/mL)$. Especially, this compound was the most strong activity against Bacillus subtilis $(MIC\;:\;3.91\;{\mu}g/mL)$.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2006.10a
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• pp.32-44
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• 2006

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.

• 보존과학연구
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• s.5
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• pp.148-166
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• 1984

The Investigation of organisms damaged to papers and cellulose materials of Cultural Property in the Ch'ang Dok Palace The investigation of the airborne fungi, the attached fungi to the papers and cellulose materials of Cultural Properties in addition to the insects inhabiting at the Ku Sonwon Jon, Shin Sonwon Jon and Yonwa ch'anggo in the Ch'ang Dok Palace carried out from Jul. 10 to Jul. 21,1984.The results are summarized as follows ;1. Isolation and identification of the airborne fungi from the three storages were Cladosporium sp., Alternaria alternata, As pergillus cervinus, A. flavus, A. nidulance, A. oryzae, A. terreus, A. versicolor, A. wentii, Penicillium adametzii, P.albicans, P.canescens, P. citreo-viride, P. citrinums, P. decumbens, P. frequentans, P. funiculosum, P.herquei, P.implicatum, P.multicolor, P.nigricans, P.nonatum,P.purpurogenum, P.roqueforti, P.viridicatum, Trichodema viride, Geotrichumcandidum, Curvvlaria lunata, Torula hebarum, T.thermophila, Itersoniliasalmonicolor, Drechsclera avenue, Candida sp., Acremonium sp., and Botrytis sp., It was found that thirty five species in thirteen genera was isolated. Among them, the dominant species was Cladosporium sp., and the order was Penicillium, Aspergillus, Alternaria and so on.2. The attached fungi directly isolated from the papers and cellulose materials of Cultural Properties were twenty-nine species in fourteen genera, namely, Acremonium sp., Albertiniella sp., Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus clavatus,A.niger, A.ornatus, A.versicolor, Botrytis sp., Bysochlamys sp., Carpenteles sp.,Chaetomium globosum, Cladosporium sp., Eurotium sp., Mucor sp., Penicilliumcanescens, P.chermesium, P.citrinum, P.frequentans, P.funiculosum, P.herqueiP .implicatum, P.javanicum, P.luteum, P.purpurogenum, P.thomii, P.viridicatum, Torula thermophila, Trichoderma koningi and T.viride. Among them, the mostfungi distributed on the surface of the papers and cellulose materials was Penicillium and the order was Aspergillus, Alternaria, Cladosporium, Trichodermaand so on.3. The insects collected the three storages were ten genera and ten species including 916 specimens. By classifying the insects collected, the most species of the insects was Stenoscelodes hayashii of 857 specimens occupied about 93% of the total insect. And the other insects were collected as Microgamme costipennisAnobium pertinax, Xenomimetes alni, Anthrenus verbasci, Holoparmecus signatus,Thermobia domestica, Halyomorpha brevis, Drosophila coracine and Brattaorientalis. As described above, it could be known that the most airborne fungi was Cladosporium and the order was Penicillium, Aspergillus, Alternaria in the three storages. And the most attached fungi distributed on the surface of papers and cellulose materials was Penicillium and the other fungi were Aspergillus, Alternaria Cladosporium, Trichoderma and so on. Accordingly, from the results, itwas assumed that the major part of airborne fungi were attached to the papers and cellulose materials of Cultural Properties. The paper and cellulose materials of Cultural Properties in Ch'ang Dok Palace were chiefly damaged by S.hayashii in Coleoptera.