• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.29-33
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• 2010

KGD1 gene was cloned by functional complementation of defects in $\beta$-1,3-glucan synthase activity of the previously isolated Saccharomyces cerevisiae mutant LP0353, which displays a number of cell wall defects at restrictive temperature. We performed the gene disruption experiment to characterize the function of KGD1 gene, which encodes $\beta$-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase, in cell wall biosynthesis. The disruption of KGD1 showed the decreased growth rate, the increase of chitin synthases activity, alterations in cell wall composition, and increase of susceptibility to cell wall inhibitors such as Calcofluor white and Nikkomycin Z. These results suggested that KGD1 might be involved in cell wall biogenesis, especially the biosynthesis of $\beta$-1,6-glucan and chitin in S. cerevisaie.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.493-499
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• 2023

In this study we evaluated the immune-enhancing effects of β-glucan, the main component of Euglena gracilis (Euglena), and Euglena on inflammatory factor expression in RAW264.7 macrophages and ICR mice with cyclophosphamide-induced immunosuppression. Macrophages were treated with β-glucan or Euglena for 48 h. The β-glucan and Euglena groups exhibited higher levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase, nitric oxide, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α than the control (vehicle alone) group. Animals were fed saline and β-glucan (400 mg/kg body weight (B.W.)) or Euglena (400 or 800 mg/kg B.W.) for 19 days, and on days 17-19, cyclophosphamide (CCP, 80 mg/kg B.W.) was administered to induce immunosuppression in the ICR mouse model. CCP reduced the body weight, spleen index, and cytokine expression of the mice. To measure cytokine and receptor expression, splenocytes were treated with concanavalin A (ConA) or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as a mitogen for 24 h. In vivo, ConA stimulation significantly upregulated the expression of interferon (IFN)-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, IL-12 receptor β1, IL-1β, and IL-2 in splenocytes from the β-glucan- or Euglena-treated groups compared with those in the splenocytes from the CCP-treated group; LPS stimulation increased the levels of the cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in splenocytes from the β-glucan- or Euglena- treated groups compared with those from the CCP-treated group, but most of these differences were not significant. These results demonstrate the effect of Euglena in ameliorating macrophages and immunosuppression in CCP-treated mice. Thus, Euglena has the potential to enhance macrophage- and splenocyte- mediated immune-stimulating responses.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.88-95
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• 2013

Candida biofilms are self-organized microbial communities growing on the surfaces of host tissues and medical devices. These biofilms have been displaying increasing resistance against conventional antifungal agents. The roots of Scutellaria baicalensis have been widely used for medicinal purpose throughout East Asia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of S. baicalensis aqueous extract upon the preformed biofilms of 10 clinical C. albicans isolates, and assess the mechanism of the antibiofilm activity. Its effect on preformed biofilm was judged using an XTT reduction assay and the metabolic activity of all tested strains were reduced ($57.7{\pm}17.3$%) at MIC values. The S. baicalenis extract inhibited (1, 3)-${\beta}$-D-glucan synthase activity. The effect of S. baicalensis on the morphology of C. albicans was related to the changes in growth caused by inhibiting glucan synthesis; most cells were round and swollen, and cell walls were densely stained or ruptured. The anticandidal activity was fungicidal, and the extract also arrested C. albicans cells at $G_0/G_1$. The data suggest that S. baicalensis has multiple fatal effects on target fungi, which ultimately result in cell wall disruption and killing by inhibiting (1, 3)-${\beta}$-D-glucan synthesis. Therefore, S. baicalensis holds great promise for use in treating and eliminating biofilm-associated Candida infections.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1490-1493
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• 2004

We investigated antifungal and antioxidant activity of Equsetum arvense L. The sterile stems of Equsetum arvense L. were extracted with methanol and then fractionated with n-hexane, ethyl acetate, butanol, and water. And their antifungal activities were determined by using paper disk diffusion method and (1. 3)β-glucan synthase inhibitory activity assay, and antioxidant activities were determined by using DPPH method. The ethyl acetate fraction showed antifungal activity on Candidas albacans in both disk diffusion and enzyme assays. This also showed antioxidant activity in DPPH assay. Further fractionation with ethyl acetate fraction was performed to obtain effective fractions. 4, 5, 6 and 7 fractions showed the significant antifungal antivities, and, 4 and 5 fractions showed the strongest antioxidative activity.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.214-214
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• 2022

Soluble starch synthases (SSs) elongate α-glucans from ADP-Glc to the glucan nonreducing ends and play a critical role in synthesizing resistant starch in the rice. A total of 10 SSs isoforms were reported in rice, including granules-bound starch synthase I (GBSSI), GBSSII, starch synthase I (SSI), SSIIa (SSII-3), SSIIb (SSII-2), SSIIc (SSII-1), SSIIIa (SSIII-2), SSIIIb (SSIII-1), SSIVa (SSIV-1), and SSIVb (SSIV-2). SSIII proteins are involved in forming the B chain and elongating cluster filling chains in amylopectin metabolism. The functions of SSIIIb (SSIII-1) are less clear as compared to SSs. Here, we sought to shed light on the genetic diversity profiling of the SSIII-1 gene in 374 rice accessions composed of 54 wild-type accessions and 320 bred cultivars (temperate japonica, indica, tropical japonica, aus, aromatic, and admixture). In total, 17 haplotypes were identified in the SSIII-1 coding region of 320 bred cultivars, while 44 haplotypes were detected from 54 wild-type accessions. The genetic diversity indices revealed the most negative Tajima's D value in the temperate-japonica, followed by the wild type, while Tajima's D values in other ecotypes were positive, indicating balancing selection. Nucleotide diversity in the SSIII-1 region was highest in the wild group (0.0047) while lowest in temperate-japonica. Lower nucleotide diversity in the temperate-japonica is evidenced by the negative Tajima's D and suggested purifying selection. The fixation index (F_ST) revealed a very high level of gene flow (low F_ST) between the tropical-japonica and admixture groups (F_ST=-0.21) followed by admixture and wild groups (-0.04), indica and admixture groups (0.02), while low gene flow with higher F_ST estimates between the temperate-japonica and aus groups (0.72), tropical-japonica and aromatic groups (0.71), and temperate-japonica and admixture groups (0.52). Taken together, our study offers insights into haplotype diversity and evolutionary fingerprints of SSIII-1. It provides genomic information to increase the resistant starch content of cooked rice.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.297-305
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• 2014

Red ginseng (RG) contains specific ginsenosides (Rg2, Rg3) which show various pharmacological effects and absorption rate in the body better than panax ginseng. Therefore many people have been used it for health for a long time. Furthermore, many researchers have been studying its biological activities for a long times because fermentation generates lots of beneficial small molecules good for health. In this study, we fermented red ginseng with mycelium of Leatiporus sulphures var. miniatus for 7 days. As a result, we found that three ginsenosides Rg1, Re and Rb2 were decreased from 0.24, 0.25, 0.16 mg/g to 0.12, 0.1, 0.03 mg/g respectively HPLC analysis. In addition, we studied biological activities of fermented red ginseng (FRG) about skin ageing such as anti-inflammation, cell migration, anti-oxidation, collagen type 1 synthesis, and MMP-1 inhibition activities. As a result, FRG were shown higher anti-inflammatory and cell migration promoting activities than RG. FRG inhibited production of nitric oxide (NO) and mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and decreased interleukin (IL)-6 induced by LPS stimulation in RAW 264.7 cells. In conclusion, this study suggest that FRG could be a potential source as a new natural anti-inflammatory agent.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.32 no.7
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• pp.491-500
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• 2022

HK shiitake mushroom mycelium (HKSMM), containing 14% β-glucan, is a health functional food ingredient individually approved by the Korea Ministry of Food and Drug Safety for liver health. The anti-inflammatory effect of a 50% aqueous ethanol extract of HKSMM (designated HKSMM50) was studied in RAW 264.7 macrophage cells treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). An active hexose correlated compound (AHCC) was used as a positive control. LPS-activated RAW 264.7 cells were treated with HKSMM50 and AHCC (0, 20, 100, 500 ㎍/ml) and cultured for 24 hr. Inflammation-related elements in the supernatant were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits, and the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) proteins in the cells was analyzed by Western blotting. The HKSMM50 lowered iNOS and COX-2 protein expressions, and nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB), nitric oxide (NO) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) contents in a concentration-dependent manner as compared to LPS treatment. Similarly, the HKSMM50 lowered the content of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-4 (IL-4) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) contents and increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). The efficacy of the AHCC treatment was similar to that of the HKSSM50 treatments. These results indicate that HKSMM50 showed an anti-inflammatory effect in LPS-treated RAW 264.7 cells by down-regulation of NF-κB signaling and suggest that HKSMM could be used as a health functional food ingredient to help improve immune function.