• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.504-513
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• 2022

Chitin deacetylase (CDA) inhibitors were developed as novel antifungal agents because CDA participates in critical fungal physiological and metabolic processes and increases virulence in soil-borne fungal pathogens. However, few CDA inhibitors have been reported. In this study, 150 candidate CDA inhibitors were selected from the commercial Chemdiv compound library through structure-based virtual screening. The top-ranked 25 compounds were further evaluated for biological activity. The compound J075-4187 had an IC50 of 4.24 ± 0.16 µM for AnCDA. Molecular docking calculations predicted that compound J075-4187 binds to the amino acid residues, including active sites (H101, D48). Furthermore, compound J075-4187 inhibited food spoilage fungi and plant pathogenic fungi, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) at 260 ㎍/ml and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) at 520 ㎍/ml. Therefore, compound J075-4187 is a good candidate for use in developing antifungal agents for fungi control.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.65-74
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• 2020

BACKGROUND: Soil carbon sequestration has been investigated for a long time because of its potential to mitigate the greenhouse effect. No- or reduced tillage, crop rotations, or cover crops have been investigated and practiced to sequester carbon in soils but the roles of soil biota, particularly microorganisms, have been mostly ignored although they affect the amount and stability of soil organic matters. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study we analyzed the organic matter and microbial community in organically cultivated corn field soils where no-tillage (NT) or conventional tillage (CT) had been practiced for about three years. The amounts of organic matter and recalcitrant carbon pool were 18.3 g/kg dry soil and 4.1 g C/kg dry soil, respectively in NT soils, while they were 12.4 and 2.5, respectively in CT soils. The amounts of RNA and DNA, and the copy numbers of bacterial 16S rRNA genes and fungal ITS sequences were higher in NT soils than in CT soils. No-tillage treatment increased the diversities of soil bacterial and fungal communities and clearly shifted the bacterial and fungal community structures. In NT soils the relative abundances of bacterial phyla known as copiotrophs, Betaproteobacteria and Bacteroidetes, increased while those known as oligotrophs, Acidobacteria and Verrucomicrobia, decreased compared to CT soils. The relative abundance of a fungal phylum, Glomeromycota, whose members are known as arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, was about two time higher in NT soils than in CT soils, suggesting that the higher amount of organic matter in NT soils is related to its abundance. CONCLUSION: This study shows that no-tillage treatment greatly affects soil microbial abundance and community structure, which may affect the amount and stability of soil organic matter.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2019

The genomic structure of the Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD1) gene from the entomopathogenic fungus, Cordyceps pruinosa was characterized. The SOD1 gene of C. pruinosa spans 947 nucleotides and consisted of four exons encoding for 154 amino acids and three introns. Four exons of the SOD1 gene are composed of 13, 331, 97 and 20 nucleotides respectively. Homology search of amino acid sequences of the SOD1 gene of C. pruinosa with another 13 fungi species showed higher sequence similarity of 69% ~ 95% and had the most highest sequence identity of 95% with Beauveria bassiana and Cordyceps militaris, which can easely infect domesticated Bombyx mori and another wild lepidopteran species in artificial or natual manner of infection. This SOD1 gene sequence showed copper, zinc and beta-barrel fold sites. Homology search showed that the Cu/Zn SOD1 gene from the entomopathogenic fungus, C. pruinosa is an orthologous gene homolog present in different species of organism whose ancestor predates the split between the relating species. In addition, C. pruinosa SOD1 gene is placed together within the ascomycetes group of fungal clade. From these results it is concluded that C. pruinosa SOD1 gene is orthologous gene having the same or very similar functions with a common evolutionary ancestor.

• Current Optics and Photonics
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.571-576
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• 2019

The morphological changes of anthracnose (fungus) -infected tomato seeds have been studied to identify the infection and characterize its effect. Full-field optical coherence tomography (FF-OCT) has been utilized as a nondestructive but efficient modality for visualizing the effects of fungal infection. The cross-sectional images extracted from a stack of en face FF-OCT images showed significant changes with infection in the seed structure. First of all, the seed coat disappeared with the infection. The thickness of the seed coat of a healthy seed was measured as 28.2 ㎛, with a standard deviation of 1.2 ㎛. However, for infected seeds the gap between surface and endosperm was not appreciably observed. In addition, the measurements confirmed that the dryness of seeds did not affect the internal seed structure. The reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) image revealed that the permeability of the seed coat, which plays the vital role of protecting the seed, is also affected by the infection. These results suggest that FF-OCT has good potential for the identification of fungus-infected tomato seeds, and for many other tasks in agriculture.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.31-37
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• 2020

We previously identified a new heparinase inhibitor fungal metabolite, named CRM646-A, which showed inhibition of heparinase and telomerase activities in an in vitro enzyme assay and antimetastatic activity in a cell-based assay. In this study, we elucidated the mechanism by which CRM646-A rapidly induced nucleus condensation, plasma membrane disruption and morphological changes by increasing intracellular Ca²⁺ levels. Furthermore, PD98059, a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitor, inhibited CRM646-A-induced nucleus condensation through ERK1/2 activation in rat 3Y1 fibroblast cells. We identified CRM646-A as a Ca²⁺ ionophore-like agent with a distinctly different chemical structure from that of previously reported Ca²⁺ ionophores. These results indicate that CRM646-A has the potential to be used as a new and effective antimetastatic drug.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.978-987
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• 2015

Aluminum (Al) toxicity is one of the greatest limitations to agriculture in acid soils, particularly in tropical regions. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can supply plants with nutrients and give protection against Al toxicity. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effects of soil liming (i.e., reducing Al saturation) on the AMF community composition and structure in the roots of maize lines contrasting for Al tolerance. To this end, we constructed four 18S rDNA cloning libraries from L3 (Al tolerant) and L22 (Al sensitive) maize lines grown in limed and non-limed soils. A total of 790 clones were sequenced, 69% belonging to the Glomeromycota phylum. The remaining sequences were from Ascomycota, which were more prominent in the limed soil, mainly in the L3 line. The most abundant AM fungal clones were related to the family Glomeraceae represented by the genera uncultured Glomus followed by Rhizophagus and Funneliformis. However, the most abundant operational taxonomic units with 27% of the Glomeromycota clones was affiliated to genus Racocetra. This genus was present in all the four libraries, but it was predominant in the non-limed soils, suggesting that Racocetra is tolerant to Al toxicity. Similarly, Acaulospora and Rhizophagus were also present mostly in both lines in non-limed soils. The community richness of AMF in the non-limed soils was higher than the limed soil for both lines. The results suggest that the soil Al saturation was the parameter that mostly influences the AMF species composition in the soils in this study.

• Weed & Turfgrass Science
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.269-274
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• 2018

In the middle of May 2018, typical red thread disease symptoms were observed on Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.) on a golf course, which locates at Yangsan, Gyeongnam province in Korea. Irregular-shaped patched symptoms were observed in fairway of golf course. The foliar symptom was dried out and faded to straw color and tip of the grass leaves were tangled like thread. Early morning, infected and tangled leaves were covered with the pinkish gelatinous antler-like structure (sclerotinia) as a typical red thread disease symptom. Causal fungal pathogens were isolated from the symptom in Kentucky bluegrass. The fungal culture characteristic on potato dextrose agar color of colony was pale pink and conjugated hyphae, sclerotium of irregular shape was pale pink and 3~5mm diameter in size. The pathogen was identified as Laetisaria fuciformis based on morphological and culture characteristics as well as molecular characteristics. Pathogenicity test was verified on the Kentucky bluegrass by Koch's postulates. This is the first report of red thread disease occurrence in Kentucky bluegrass by L. fuciformis in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.265-270
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• 2013

Cooking oil and yolk mixture (COY) was applied to control the powdery mildew of sweet persimmon at the research field of Gyeongsangnam-do Agricultural Research and Extension Services from 2010 to 2011. COY was sprayed three times with 10 days interval on foliar parts of sweet persimmon and the disease development was monitored after 5 days of final spray. Diseased leaf area rate was 13.4% and the control efficacy of COY against powdery mildew was 80.5%. Disease rate was 68.6% on negative control. Using scanning electron microscope (SEM), the morphological changes of the powdery mildew fungus on the leaf surface were observed. On COY-treated leaves, fungal mycellia were morphologically characterized by a loss in cell volume, shriveling, plasma membrane rupture, and subsequent loss of intracellular contents. It may due to the destruction of fungal cell wall or membrane structure.

• Mycobiology
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.458-466
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• 2015

Oak tree death caused by symbiosis of an ambrosia beetle, Platypus koryoensis, and an ophiostomatoid filamentous fungus, Raffaelea quercus-mongolicae, has been a nationwide problem in Korea since 2004. In this study, we surveyed the yeast species associated with P. koryoensis to better understand the diversity of fungal associates of the beetle pest. In 2009, a total of 195 yeast isolates were sampled from larvae and adult beetles (female and male) of P. koryoensis in Cheonan, Goyang, and Paju; 8 species were identified by based on their morphological, biochemical and molecular analyses. Meyerozyma guilliermondii and Candida kashinagacola were found to be the two dominant species. Among the 8 species, Candida homilentoma was a newly recorded yeast species in Korea, and thus, its mycological characteristics were described. The P. koryoensis symbiont R. quercusmongolicae did not show extracelluar CM-cellulase, xylanase and avicelase activity that are responsible for degradation of wood structure; however, C. kashinagacola and M. guilliermondii did show the three extracellular enzymatic activities. Extracelluar CM-cellulase activity was also found in Ambrosiozyma sp., C. homilentoma, C. kashinagacola, and Candida sp. Extracelluar pectinase activity was detected in Ambrosiozyma sp., C. homilentoma, Candida sp., and M. guilliermondii. All the 8 yeast species displayed compatible relationships with R. quercus-mongolicae when they were co-cultivated on yeast extract-malt extract plates. Overall, our results demonstrated that P. koryoensis carries the yeast species as a symbiotic fungal associate. This is first report of yeast diversity associated with P. koryoensis.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2004

The direct electrochemical studies of four laccases (plant and fungal laccases) have been investigated on a gold electrode functionalized with a new tether of 2.2'-dithiosalicylic aldehyde. Results from these studies indicate that the redox potential of the active site of plant laccase from Rhus vernificera is shifted to a more negative value(255 mV versus SCE) than that of fungal laccase from Pyricularia oryzae (480 mV versus SCE). Mechanistic studies indicate that the reduction of type-1 Cu precedes the reduction of type-2 and type-3 Cu ions when the electrode is poised initially at different potentials. Also a new tether, 2.2'-dithiosalicylic aldehyde, has been used to study the redox properties of two laccases (LCCI and Lccla) covalently attached to a gold electrode. An irreversible peak at 0.47V vs. SCE is observed in the cyclic voltammorams of LCCI. In contrast, the cyclic voltammograms of LCCIa contain a quasi-reversible peak at 0.18V vs. SCE and an irreversible peak at 0.50V vs. SCE. We find that the replacement of the eleven amino acids a the C-terminus with a single cysteine residue $(i.e., \;LCCI{\rightarrow}LCCIa)$ influences the rate of heterogeneous electron transfer between an electrode and the copper containing active sites $(K_{het}\;for\;LCCI=1.0\times10^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;and\;K_{het}\;for\;LCCI_a= 1.0\;times10^{-1}\;s^{-1}\'at\;0.18V\;versus\;SCE\;and\;4.0\times10^{-2}\;s^{-1}\;at\;0.50V\; versus\;SCE)$. These results show for the first time that the change of the primary structure of a protein via site-directed mutagenesis influences both the redox potentials of the copper ions in the active site and the rate of heterogeneous electron transfer.