• 한국버섯학회지
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.8-14
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• 2023

This study aimed to verify the whitening effect of Cordyceps militaris, which is distributed in several countries worldwide, including Korea, Japan, and China, and has various medical effects. To screen the efficacy of C. militaris, the inhibitory activity of tyrosinase, which was 66% at a concentration of 1 mg/mL, was measured. Thereafter, the survival rate of melanoma cells was measured, and cell experiments were conducted at a concentration of 90% or more in which C. militaris was not toxic to cells. After measuring the inhibitory effect of TRP-1, TRP-2, tyrosinase protein, and mRNA expression, which are factors influencing melanin synthesis, C. militaris was found to decrease in all factors, with an expression level that was significantly lower compared to quercetin. This confirmed that C. militaris stimulated with LED has excellent whitening activity and can be used as a functional whitening cosmetics material.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• 제13권1호
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• pp.49-54
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• 2009

The mushroom Cordyceps militaris has been used for a long time in eastern Asia as a nutraceutical and in traditional Chinese medicine as a treatment for cancer patients. In the present study, a cytotoxic antifungal protease was purified from the dried fruiting bodies of C. militaris using anion-exchange chromatography on a DEAE-Sepharose column. Electrophoretic analyses indicated that this protein, designated C. militaris protein(CMP), has a molecular mass of 12 kDa and a pI of 5.1. The optimum conditions for protease activity were a temperature of $37^{\circ}C$ and pH of $7.0{\sim}9.0$. The enzyme activity was specifically inhibited by the serine protease inhibitor phenylmethylsulfonyl fluoride. Amino acid composition of intact CMP and amino acid sequences of three major peptides from a tryptic digest of CMP were determined. CMP exerted strong antifungal effect against the growth of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum, and exhibited cytotoxicity against human breast and bladder cancer cells. These results indicate that C. militaris represents a source of a novel protein that might be applied in diverse biological and medicinal applications.

• 한국버섯학회지
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.140-144
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• 2004

전통적으로 Cordyceps종은 한국을 포함한 동양에서 건강증진과 심장과 폐에 관련된 질환을 치료하는 약용식물의 하나로 사용되어왔다. 최근에 동충하초의 약리적 가치때문에 큰번데기 동충하초를 포함한 몇가지 Cordyceps 종의 인공재배에 관한 연구가 활발하게 이루어지고 있다. 본 연구에서는 큰번데기 동충하초를 in vitro에서 인공재배한 결과 자실체 형성이 불안정한 것을 관찰하였기에 보고하고자 한다.

• Animal Bioscience
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• 제34권11호
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• pp.1859-1869
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• 2021

Objective: The effects of a crude protease extracted from Cordyceps militaris (CM) mushrooms on the postmortem tenderization mechanism and quality improvement in spent hen breast were investigated. Methods: Different percentages of the crude protease extracted from CM mushrooms were introduced to spent hen breast via spray marination, and its effects on tenderness-related indexes and proteolytic enzymes were compared to papain. Results: The results indicated that there was a possible improvement by the protease extracted from CM mushroom through the upregulation of endogenous proteolytic enzymes involved in the calpain system, cathepsin-B, and caspase-3 coupled with its nucleotide-specific impact. However, the effect of the protease extracted from CM mushroom was likely dose-dependent, with significant improvements at a minimum level of 4%. Marination with the protease extracted from CM mushroom at this level led to increased protein solubility and an increased myofibrillar fragmentation index. The sarcoplasmic protein and collagen contents seemed to be less affected by the protease extracted from CM mushroom, indicating that substrate hydrolysis was limited to myofibrillar protein. Furthermore the protease extracted from CM mushroom intensified meat product taste due to increasing the inosinic acid content, a highly effective salt that provides umami taste. Conclusion: The synergistic results of the proteolytic activity and nucleotide-specific effects following treatments suggest that the exogenous protease derived from CM mushroom has the potential for improving the texture of spent hen breast.

• 한국자원식물학회:학술대회논문집
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• 한국자원식물학회 2022년도 추계학술대회
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• pp.115-115
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• 2022

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has been estimating the potential of insects as human food and animal feed for convincing food security since 2010. On account of this reason, Tenebrio molitor larvae have been gaining considerable attention as an alternative protein source for various foods. However, consumers do not prefer them because of their disgusting appearance. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a method that improve their appearance as to lead to T. molitor larvae consumption. In this study, T. molitor larvae which is prepared for optimally sampling conditions (shade drying, 30 min boiling after hot air drying, 30 min steaming after hot air drying), were cultured with Cordyceps militaris mycelia, and measured growth and density of mycelial. Also analyzed the cordycepin and adenosine content compared with commercial C. militaris. As a result, T. molitor larvae cultivated with C. militaris mycelia showed the highest cordycepin content (13.75 mg/g) was observed in optimal sampling conditions (shade drying). Therefore, we report that the methods which T. molitor larvae cultivated with C. militaris mycelia not only improve their appearance but also increase cordycepin content, which can be contributed to lead T. molitor larvae consumption.

• 한국버섯학회지
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• 제2권3호
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• pp.145-148
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• 2004

이 연구는 약용버섯 번데기 동충하초로부터 특이적 자실체 형성 유전자를 선별하기 위하여 수행하였다. cDNA는 버섯의 분화 4단계 균사체, 원기, 미성숙 자실체, 성숙한 자실체로부터 분리한 각각의 total RNA를 이용하여 합성하였다. 특이적으로 발현된 유전자의 선별은 cDNA와 랜덤한 primer set을 이용한 DD-PCR에 의해 수행되었고, pGEM 클로닝 벡터를 이용하여 6개의 partial 유전자 서열을 확인하였다. 6개의 DD-PCR product는 보고된 유전자와 유사도를 확인하기 위해 NCBI BLAST search를 사용하여 GenBank에서 비교하였고, 6개의 유전자는 보고되지 않은 유전자임을 확인하였다.

• 한국버섯학회지
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.254-257
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• 2022

Owing to its excellent nutritional value, eggs are among the most important components of the human diet. Gender and environmental factors, such as feed composition, may alter the nutritional profile and quality of eggs. Feed additives have recently been used to enhance the health and productivity of hens, which has resulted in the production of higher-quality eggs. The fungus Cordyceps militaris, a well-established source of traditional medicines, contains potential bioactive metabolites, which prompted us to examine the effects of C. militaris-supplemented diets on the quality of hens' eggs. The hens of two species (Gallus gallus domesticus and Araucana) were fed with one of three different diets: a control diet and diets supplemented with 2% or 5% of C. militaris. Egg quality was determined by measuring the Haugh Unit, yolk color, and shell thickness. In addition, egg and shell densities together with the ratio of yolk to albumen were calculated. Eggshell thickness and yolk color were both enhanced by the addition of C. militaris, whereas Haugh Unit values were somewhat reduced. Egg size, eggshell weight, and yolk and albumen production were all enhanced by C. militaris supplementation. Notably, in hens fed the 2% C. militaris-supplemented diet, enhancement was more evident in the yolk than in the albumen. The overall quality of the egg yolk was enhanced when 2% C. militaris was added to the hens' diet, which led to increases in both yolk color and quantity. Eggshell thickness and weight were also higher among eggs laid by hens fed the supplemented diets. Although these effects differed depending on the chicken species, we established that, in general, C. militaris contributes to improving egg quality.

• 한국버섯학회지
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.93-101
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• 2022

Cordyceps militaris mycelium extracts containing high amounts of cordycepin were evaluated in vitro for their anti-inflammatory and tumor cell growth-inhibitory activities. All extracts dose dependently inhibited the increased production of inflammatory mediators including reactive oxygen species (ROS), nitric oxide (NO), and 𝛽-hexosaminidase in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated inflammatory cells. All extracts were evaluated for anti-proliferative activity against normal RBL-2H3 cells and diverse types of cancer cell lines, including HCT, MC5-7, U-87MG, AGS, and A549 cells. The extract showed the strongest growth inhibition (IC₅₀ = 28.13 ㎍/mL) relative to vehicle-treated control cells against fibrosarcoma (MC5-7). We have demonstrated anti-inflammatory activity of C. militaris via inhibition of NO, ROS production, and 𝛽-hexosaminidase release in activated cells. C. militaris mycelium extract was also evaluated mechanistically and found to exert six types of anti-cancer activity, confirming its pharmacological potential. Our study suggests C. militaris use as a potential source of anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agents. C. militaris may also be considered a functional food.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제23권12호
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• pp.1516-1524
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• 2013

본 연구는 Monascus purpureus (Mp), Aspergillus oryzae (Ao), Aspergillus kawachii (Ak) 및 Rhizopus oryzae (Ro) 균주로 Cordycepin-고함유 동충하초(Cordyceps militaris)(CM${\alpha}$)를 발효시켜 수용성 추출물을 얻어 페놀화합물 및 플라보노이드 농도와 항산화 및 티로시나제 저해 활성을 측정한 결과 Ak로 발효시킨 CM${\alpha}$ (AkF-CM${\alpha}$)에서 각각 46 mg/g 및 093 mg/g과 6274% 및 7997%로 가장 우수한 효과를 나타내었다. 이러한 결과로부터 AkF-CM${\alpha}$를 선택하여 멜라닌 세포(B16F0 mouse melanoma cell)에서 미백효과를 검토하였다. 양성 대조구 arbutin 처리 B16F10 melanoma 세포는 92% 이상의 세포 생육과 43%의 멜라닌 생성 억제 효능을 보였고, AkF-CM${\alpha}$ 1, 3 및 5 mg/ml 처리 시 멜라닌 생성은 각각 35, 45 및 53% 억제되었다. 또한 AkF-CM${\alpha}$은 멜라닌 세포 내 tyrosinase 활성과 mushroom tyrosinase 활성 모두를 저해시켰고, 멜라닌 생성 관련 tyrosinase 단백질 발현량도 무첨가군에 비해 처리 농도 의존적으로 억제되었다. 이상의 결과에 따라 Aspergillus kawachii 균주로 발효시킨 Cordycepin-고함유 동충하초(Cordyceps militaris)의 수용성 추출물은 미백 화장품 소재로 개발 가능성이 높은 것으로 사료된다.

• 한국버섯학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.7-12
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• 2022

The ascomycete fungus Cordyceps militaris infects lepidopteran insect pupae, forming characteristic fruiting bodies called "Dong Chung Ha Cho" in Korean. They have been used as medicines owing to their anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, and immune-enhancing effects. This fungus can be grown on the geminated soybeans Rhynchosia nulubilis, which also contains several novel isoflavones. We performed a comparative transcriptome analysis to determine core gene sets or pathways contributing to biologically active products such as isoflavone. Initially, we sequenced 2-week-old fungal cultures on different soybean agar media, where different amounts of water agar were implemented to show different surface topology. We selected 830 upregulated and 188 downregulated genes by comparing linear models of the samples (two-fold change threshold). Gene ontology analysis identified that the "IMP biosynthesis" term was significantly found in the upregulated gene sets. The pathway is involved in the synthesis of cordycepin, the reference chemical for C. militaris. This finding in the transcriptome data is consistent with the previous observation: increased cordycepin concentrations in the C. militaris cultured on germinated soybean.