• The Korean Journal of Ecology
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• v.21 no.5_2
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• pp.557-565
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• 1998

The occurrence and distribution of dictyostelid cellualr slime molds were investigated in forests of Mt. Paektu. Fourteen species were isolated from forest soils of thirteen sites as follows Dictyostelium minutum, D. brefeldianum, D. crassicaule, D. capitatum, D. mucoroides var. stoloniferum, D. macrocephalum, D. mucoroides, D. septentrionalis, D. purpureum, D. aureo-stipes, P. violaceum, P. pallidum and two unidentified speceis. Mean total clones and species found were 4,415.69 No./g and 2.92, respectively. Dominant species were D. minutum, D. brefeldianum and D. crassicaule in this study area, and first widespread species was D. minutum. All sepecies that found in Mt. Paektu were isolated from forests of South Korea. But dominant species was different from those of South Korea. Total clones and species were more in subalpine Eurya japonica than in low elevated abies nephrolepis. It was thought that distribution of dictyostelids was related to soil microenvironments by vegetation, not or not more elevation.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.497-502
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• 2013

Autophagy-related protein 8 (Atg8) is an essential component of autophagy formation and encystment of cystforming parasites, and some protozoa, such as, Acanthamoeba, Entamoeba, and Dictyostelium, have been reported to possess a type of Atg8. In this study, an isoform of Atg8 was identified and characterized in Acanthamoeba castellanii (AcAtg8b). AcAtg8b protein was found to encode 132 amino acids and to be longer than AcAtg8 protein, which encoded 117 amino acids. Real-time PCR analysis showed high expression levels of AcAtg8b and AcAtg8 during encystation. Fluorescence microscopy demonstrated that AcAtg8b is involved in the formation of the autophagosomal membrane. Chemically synthesized siRNA against AcAtg8b reduced the encystation efficiency of Acanthamoeba, confirming that AcAtg8b, like AcAtg8, is an essential component of cyst formation in Acanthamoeba. Our findings suggest that Acanthamoeba has doubled the number of Atg8 gene copies to ensure the successful encystation for survival when 1 copy is lost. These 2 types of Atg8 identified in Acanthamoeba provide important information regarding autophagy formation, encystation mechanism, and survival of primitive, cyst-forming protozoan parasites.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.195-211
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• 1996

Dictyostelids cellular slime molds were isolated from the soils of Gokneung and Anyang streamside in Korea. The fifteen species including two undescrihed species were identified. These were as follows ; Dictyostelium macrocephalurn D. sphaerocephalum, D. aureum var. aureum, D.mucoroides, D. minutum, Polyspondyium pallidum. D. giganteum, P. violaceum. D. purpureum. D.brefeldianum, D. flavidum, D. mucoroides var. storoniferum, D. septentrionalis, D. aureum var. luteolum,D. aureo-stipes var. aureo-stipes. D. macrocephalum was the dominant species. and D. sphaerocephalum. D. aureum var. avreum were relatively common. D. mucoroides var. storoniferum, D. septentrionalis were the undescrihed species in Korea. In the soils of streamside, dominant species was shifted by D. macrosephalum, D. sphaerocephalum. which were rare in the forest soils. The total clones per gram of streamside soils were greater than that of forest soils, whereas the number of species in streamside was smaller than the in forest soils. As a result, the ratio of the number of clones to species was very high in the soils of streamside, Environmental factors of soil pH, water content, organic content, total nitrogen and total phosphorus made a effect differently on the cellular slime molds community. Key words: Cellular slime molds, D. macrocephalum, D. sphaerocephalum, Shift of dominant species, Environmental factors.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.247-262
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• 1996

In this study, the distribution of dictyostelid cellular slime molds was investigated from F, H and $A_1$ horizon of pinus, oak forests in Mt. Puk'an, Mt. Nam and Mt. Kwanak. The relationship of cellular slime molds with other soil microorganisms and abiotic factors were analyzed. The six species were isolated as follows: Polysphondlium pallidurn, Dictyostelium purpureum, D. mucoroides, D. crassicaule, D. capitatum, D. implicatum. The dominant species in pinus forests was P. pallidum, and in oak forests it was D. macro ides. In Mt. Nam, D. mucoroides and P. pallidum were isolated at only oak forest. The Correlations of slime mold abundance with bacteria were significant. Even though positive correlations of cellular slime molds with actinomycetes or fungi were not significant, correlations between soil microorganisms were analyzed. Correlation coefficients were high in Mt. Kwanak(r=0.5921) and Mt. Nam(r=0.7243) at significant level P<0.01. There were significant correlations between total slime molds and abiotic factors. It supports that cellular slime molds are limited by foods in nature. In low level of pH, water content and organic matter, that community diversity is more affected by bacteria whose organic degradation capacity is regulated by interactions of soil microorgaisms. Key words: Cellular slime molds, Soil microorganisms, Correlations, Abiotic factors.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.44 no.4 s.140
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• pp.331-341
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• 2006

Actin binding proteins play key roles in cell structure and movement particularly as regulators of the assembly, stability and localization of actin filaments in the cytoplasm. In the present study, a cDNA clone encoding an actin bundling protein named as AhABP was isolated from Acanthamoeba healyi, a causative agent of granulomatous amebic encephalitis. This clone exhibited high similarity with genes of Physarum polycephalum and Dictyostelium discoideum, which encode actin bundling proteins. Domain search analysis revealed the presence of essential conserved regions, i.e., an active actin binding site and 2 putative calcium binding EF-hands. Transfected amoeba cells demonstrated that AhABP is primarily localized in phagocytic cups, peripheral edges, pseudopods, and in cortical cytoplasm where actins are most abundant. Moreover, AhABP after the deletion of essential regions formed ellipsoidal inclusions within transfected cells. High-speed co-sedimentation assays revealed that AhABP directly interacted with actin in the presence of up to $10{\mu}M$ of calcium. Under the electron microscope, thick parallel bundles were formed by full length AhABP, in contrast to the thin actin bundles formed by constructs with deletion sites. In the light of these results, we conclude that AhABP is a novel actin bundling protein that is importantly associated with actin filaments in the cytoplasm.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.213-230
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• 1996

A study of occurrence and distribution of cellular slime molds(CSMs) in forest soils of central areas of Korea was carried out. Samples for CSMs isolation were collected from 4 study sites; Mt.Kyeryong, Mt. Taebaek, Mt. Sobaek and Mt. Sokri. In Mt. Kyeryong, six species were found. These were Dictyostelium fasciculatum, D.firmibasis, D. mucoroides, D. minutum, D. brefeldianum and Polysphondylium pallidum. The average number of species isolated at one site was 0.75, and average density(clones /g soil) was 292. The results of soil sample analyses were that the concentration of Pb was higher than any other areas. In Mt. Taebaek, seven species were found; D. fasciculatum, D.firmibasis, D. mucoroides, D. miuutum, P.pallidum. P. violaceum, P. candidum. The average number of species isolated at one site was 2.3,and average density was 1,108. Based on importance values calculated from study sites within each of three elevation ranges, several of the more widely distributed and abundant species have distribution patterns that show a response to elevation. In Mt. Sobaek, eleven species were found. These were D. fasciculatum. D.firmibasis, D. mucoroides, D. miuutum, D. brefeldianum, D. crassicaule,D. deminutivum, D. implicatum, P. pallidum. P. violaceum and P. candidum. The average number of species isolated at one site was 3, and average density was 793. Species diversity appeared to be the highest in this area. In Mt. Sokri, six species were found. These were D. fasciculatum. D. mucoroides, D. minutum, D. purpureum, P. pallidum. and P. violaceum. The average number of species isolated at one site was 2.4 and average density was 858. It was noticeable that D.purpureum were much more comrnonly found in this pinus evergreen forest. Key words: Cellular slime molds(CSMs), Importance value, Elevation, Average number of species, Average density.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.307-313
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• 2014

Cell migration requires a defined cell polarity which is formed by diverse cytoskeletal components differentially localized to the poles of cells to extracellular signals. Rap-GAP3 transiently and rapidly translocates to the cell cortex in response to chemoattractant stimulation and localizes to the leading edge of migrating cells. Here, we examined localization of truncated RapGAP3 proteins and found that the I/LWEQ domain in the central region of RapGAP3 was sufficient for posterior localization in migrating cells, as opposed to leading-edge localization of full-length Rap-GAP3. All truncated proteins accumulated at the leading edge of migrating cells exhibited clear translocation to the cell cortex in response to stimulation, whereas proteins localized to the posterior in migrating cells displayed no translocation to the cortex. The I/LWEQ domain appears to passively accumulate at the posterior region in migrating cells due to exclusion from the extended front region in response to chemoattractant stimulation rather than actively being localized to the back of cells. Our results suggest that posterior localization of the I/LWEQ domain of RapGAP3 is likely related to F-actin, which has probably different properties compared to newly formed F-actin at the leading edge of migrating cells, at the lateral and posterior regions of the cell.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.59-65
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• 2024

Dendritic cells play a very important role in the immune response as antigen-presenting cells that are critical for initiating both innate and acquired immunity. They recognize, process and present foreign antigens to other key immune cells to trigger and regulate the immune response. The ability to activate these dendritic cells can be used as a treatment for various immune diseases. Maqui berry has been reported to have anticancer, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. However, its effect on the activity of dendritic cells has not been studied. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of maqui berry extract in modulating dendritic cell activity. Treatment of dendritic cells with maqui berry extract induced the costimulatory molecules CD80, CD86, and MHC class I and II in a concentration-dependent manner. Furthermore, the antigen-presenting capacity of dendritic cells was inhibited, which confirms their ability to present antigens, and the production of Interleukin (IL)-12, which is important for dendritic cell activity, was increased. These results indicated that Maqui berry extract activates dendritic cells maturation by inducing the production of co-stimulatory molecules and IL-12. These results suggest that maqui berry extract may act as an effective adjuvant to enhance dendritic cell-based immune responses.