• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.96-101
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• 2011

S-Adenosyl-L-methionine synthtase (SAM-s) catalyzes the biosynthesis of SAM from ATP and L-methionine. SAM plays important roles in the primary and secondary metabolism of cells. A metK encoding a SAM-s was searched from Streptomyces natalensis producing natamycin, a predominantly a strong antifungal agent, inhibiting the growth of both yeasts and molds and preventing the formation of aflatoxin in filamentous fungi. To obtain the metK of S. natalensis, PCR using primers designed from the two highly conserved regions for metK genes of Streptomyces strains was carried out, and an intact 1.2-kb metK gene of S. natalensis was cloned by genomic Southern hybridization with PCR product as a probe. To identify the function of the cloned metK gene, it was inserted into pSET152ET for its high expression in the Streptomyces strain, and then introduced into S. lividans TK24 as a host by transconjugation using E. coli ET12567(pUZ8002). The high expression of metK in S. lividans TK24 induced actinorhodin production on R5 solid medium, and its amount in R4 liquid medium was 10-fold higher than that by exconjugant including only pSET152ET.

• Korean Journal of Pharmacognosy
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.267-281
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• 1993

To find antitumor components from higher fungi, the mycelia of Collybia confluens (Pers. ex Fr.) Kummer were cultured in artificial media. For efficient production of the mycelia, the influences of various modifications of culture conditions were examined. A water-soluble protein-bound polysaccharide fraction, Fr. A, was obtained from the mycelia by hot water extraction. When Fr. A was purified and fractionated by DEAE-cellulose and Sepbadex G-200 gel filtration chromatographies into four fractions which were designated B, C, C-I and C-II. The tumor inhibition ratios of these fractions ranged from 46% to 75% against the solid forms of sarcoma 180 in ICR mice at doses of 20 and 50 mg/kg/day when given intraperitoneally. Especially, Fr. C which was named Collyban(CB) exhibited a marked life-prolonging effect of the mice against ascitic forms of sarcoma 180 at a dose of 50 mg via i.p. administration. To extend spectra of the antitumor activities and eliminate the effects of allograft rejection, the characterization of antitumor effects of CB was performed in syngeneic host-tumor systems. It did not show any antitumor activity against L1210 murine leukemia in $CD_2Fl$ mice but prolonged their life span against ascitic forms of $MM_{46}$ carcinoma in $C_3H/He$ mice. Also it exhibited antitumor activity against human cervical cancer HeLa cells that were xenografted into nude mice having BALB/c genetic backgrounds by the i.p. injection at a dose of 100 mg/kg/day. In order to characterize the antitumor components, CB was examined by chemical analysis. It was acidic protein-bound polysaccharides composed of 31% polysaccharide, 27% protein and 3% hexosamine. CB was fractionated into two fractions, Fr. C-I(M.W.: 500 Kd) and Fr. C-II(M.W.:30 and 8 Kd) by Sephadex G-200 gel filtration chromatography.

• Asian Journal of Turfgrass Science
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.175-190
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• 2006

The term mycoherbicide started in 1970, but its interest heightened due to increase costs of chemical herbicides. A classical biocontrol agent is expected to become a permanent part of its new environment and do no harm to it. Contemporary biological control agent(BCA) must be produced by artificial culture and could be applied like chemical herbicides over weeds. BCA is different from the classical approach in that it released through natural spread. To date 26 species of fungi are used as classical BCA against 26 species of weeds in seven countries. There are a number of examples of pathogens attacking non-target plants. But through risk assessments which include understanding the taxonomy, biology and ecology, the target and non-target species, it will be safe to introduce of exotic pathogens to control weeds. But pathogens have not been successfully used in practice. Many mycoherbicides show potential in laboratories, but are ineffective in the field and not consistent from year to year or field to field. There is also a lack of understanding humidity, dew formation and temperature and their effects on suppression of weeds by plant pathogens. Potential pathogen must be selected as a BCA. Previous studies suggest that these pathogens must (1) produce abundant and durable inoculum in artifical culture, (2) be genetically stable and weed specific and (3) kill weeds in control. A granular preparation of mycoherbicide into sodium alginate is lighter than liquids and less bulky than organic matter. Gel forms have also been used.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.91-100
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• 2022

Ticks are the arthropod vector capable of transmitting diverse pathogens, which include bacteria, viruses, protozoan and fungi. Ticks are able to survive under stressful environmental conditions. One of evolutionary outcomes of these obligatory hematophagous arthropods is the survival for extended periods of time without a blood meal during off-host periods. Water conservation biology and heat tolerance have allowed ticks to thrive even under high temperatures and low relative humidity, thus they have become highly successful arthropods as they are distributed globally. Tick osmoregulatory physiology is a complex mechanism, which involves multiple osmoregulatory organs (salivary glands, Malpighian tubules, hindgut and synganglion) for the acquisition and excretion of water and ions. Blood feeding and water vapor uptake have been early reported as the primary passages for ixodid tick to acquire water. Recently, we have learned that ticks can actively drink environmental water allowing hydration. The acquired water can be traced to the salivary glands (type I acini) and the midgut diverticula. This opens new avenues for tick management through the delivery of toxic agents into their drinking water, in addition to an alternative strategy for the study of tick physiology. Here we address the osmoregulatory physiology in the ixodid ticks as a potential target physiological mechanism for tick control. We discuss the implications of water drinking behavior for tick control through the delivery of toxic agents and discuss the dermal excretion physiology as an additional pathway to induce tick dehydration and tick death.

• Journal of Mushroom
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.27-30
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• 2024

As a member of ectomycorrhizal fungi, Tricholoma matsutake has a symbiotic relationship with its host, Pinus densiflora. To cultivate T. matsutake artificially, the co-cultivation of T. matsutake mycelia and bacteria from shiro was introduced. In this study, bacteria were isolated from soil samples in Bonghwa-gun, and seven bacterial isolates (B22_7_B05, B22_7_B06, B22_7_B07, B22_7_B08, B22_7_B10, B22_7_B13, and B22_7_B14) promoted the growth of T. matsutake mycelia (147.48, 232.11, 266.72, 211.43, 175.17, 154.62, and 177.92%, respectively). Sequencing of the 16S rRNA region of the isolated bacteria was performed. B22_7_B05 and B22_7_B10 were identified as Bacillus toyonensis, B22_7_B06 and B22_7_B08 as Paenibacillus taichungensis, B22_7_B07 and B22_7_B14 as P. gorilla, and B22_7_B13 as P. odorifer. These bacterial isolates were associated with the shiro community and are expected to contribute to the cultivation of T. matsutake.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.174-181
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• 1998

In four citrus grow of Satsuma mandarin (rootstock of trifoliate orange) including two grove of organical management and two groves of conventional management, spores of arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM) fungi were identified and seasonal changes in spore density in soils and AM colonization of citrus roots were investigated. AM colonization in weeds found in the groves were also examined. Three species of Glomus (G.deserticola, G. vesiculiferum, G. rubiforme ) and one unknown species of Acaulospora were observed in all of the groves. Annual mean density of AM fungal spores were in the range of 10,000${\sim}$40,000 per 100g soil with more spores in the organically-managed groves. The least spores were observed in December in all groves, and the most spores in April in the organically-managed groves while in February or April in the conventionally- managed. Annual mean AM colonization more 27% of citrus root were observed in the organically-managed with the high peaks in April and October and the minimum in August, while mean colonization less than 15% in the conventionally-managed with the peak in February and the minimum in different times depending on groves and years. AM colonization corresponded to a sigmoidal curve consisting of a laf phase during winter and a subsequent increase in spring, then succeeded by a maximum, and then a decrease at the end of vegetation. Fungal spore density and AM colonization showed a parallel pattern during the sample period. The seasonality appeared to be related more to the phenology of the plant than to the soil factors. Generally more spore density and AM colonization were found in organically managed groves. AM colonization was not correlated with available P and organic matter content in soil in this field investigation. Among sixteen weed species found in the groves, Astrogalus sinicus of Leguminosae, Portulaca oleracea of Portulacaceae showed high colonization in all groves and they can be considered as a source of inoculumn and host plants for propagation of AM fungi.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.23 no.1 s.72
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• pp.92-104
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• 1995

Ten species of Cordyceps species were collected throughout Kangwon province including Chuncheon Dongsanmyun KNU forest experiment from June to September, 1993. Collected Cordyceps species were identified as Cordyceps militaris, C. roseostromata, C. kyushuensis, C. scarabaeicola, Phytocordyceps ninchukiospora, C. nutans, Paecilomyces tenuipes, C. sphecocephala, Hymenostilbe odonatae, Torrubiella sp.. C. militaris, type species of Cordyceps species, was mainly formed on pupae of Lepidoptera and found after the rainy season around July. Fruiting body of C. roseostromata was morphologically similar to those of C. militaris, but relatively small in size and they were also found on lawn or pupa of Lepidoptera. Fruiting body of C. scarabaeicola was found on adult Scarabaeidae specifically and collect fruiting bodies of C. kyushuensis were on larva of moth. C. nutans and C. sphecocephala had host specificity on Hemiptera and Hymenoptera, respectively. Each species formed elliptical fertile part attach to the slim and carneous stalk and they were collected the most in specimen number through whole season of the summer. Ascospore of Phytocordyceps ninchukiospora on seed was characterized by two viable, multiseptate, fusiform units linked end-to-end by a long, filiform connective. Paecilomyces tenuipes, imperfect stage of the genus Cordyceps is multi-infective fungi that attack all stages of all groups of insects. Hymenostilbe odonatae attacks only adult Odonata and Torrubiella sp. formed on spider was difficult to collect because it was found the back side of leaf. As results of cultural test PDA medium showed the best mycelial growth. In the experiment of effect of the acidity inside of the media, C. militaris was good on pH 5, C. nutans and Phytocordyceps ninchukiospora were good on pH 6 and Paecilomyces tenuipes was on pH 7 and C. scarabaeicola was on pH 9. All isolates tested showed the best mycelial growth at $20^{\circ}C$. Morphologically similar isolates were used to analyze protein banding pattern among and within species. As a result, C. militaris, C. roseostromata and C. kyushuensis were clustered into close species and C. scarabaeicola and Phytocordyceps ninchukiospora were relatively distant from those species.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2015.05a
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• pp.59-59
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• 2015

Cryptococcus neoformans causes life-threatening meningoencephalitis in humans, but the treatment of cryptococcosis remains challenging. To develop novel therapeutic targets and approaches, signaling cascades controlling pathogenicity of C. neoformans have been extensively studied but the underlying biological regulatory circuits remain elusive, particularly due to the presence of an evolutionarily divergent set of transcription factors (TFs) in this basidiomycetous fungus. In this study, we constructed a high-quality of 322 signature-tagged gene deletion strains for 155 putative TF genes, which were previously predicted using the DNA-binding domain TF database (http://www.transcriptionfactor.org/). We tested in vivo and in vitro phenotypic traits under 32 distinct growth conditions using 322 TF gene deletion strains. At least one phenotypic trait was exhibited by 145 out of 155 TF mutants (93%) and approximately 85% of the TFs (132/155) have been functionally characterized for the first time in this study. Through high-coverage phenome analysis, we discovered myriad novel TFs that play critical roles in growth, differentiation, virulence-factor (melanin, capsule, and urease) formation, stress responses, antifungal drug resistance, and virulence. Large-scale virulence and infectivity assays in insect (Galleria mellonella) and mouse host models identified 34 novel TFs that are critical for pathogenicity. The genotypic and phenotypic data for each TF are available in the C. neoformans TF phenome database (http://tf.cryptococcus.org). In conclusion, our phenome-based functional analysis of the C. neoformans TF mutant library provides key insights into transcriptional networks of basidiomycetous fungi and ubiquitous human fungal pathogens.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.77 no.4
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• pp.453-459
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• 1988

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effects of acid rain on tree growth and on the mycorrhizal formation and the effects of mycorrhizae on the host tolerance to acid rain. Simulated acid rain was applied for five months to Pinus $rigida{\times}taeda$ seedlings in pots inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius (Pt) and Suillus luteus (Sl). Mycelial inocula of Pt and Sl were either mixed with entire pot soil (Mix) or casted as a band (Band) after soil sterilization. Three pH levels of acid rain (pH 3.0, 4.5 and 6.4 adjusted by 3 : 1 mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids) were tested. Pt-Mix was most effective in growth stimulation and resulted in 45-90% increase in tree height in sandy loam. Pt-Band was less effective than Pt-Mix in growth stimulation and mycorrhizal formation. Simulated acid rain at pH 4.5 stimulated height growth by 10-55%, while acid rain at pH 3.0 did not significantly affect the height growth. The top/root ratio was increased by pH 4.5 treatment, while pH 3.0 treatment reduced it. Mycorrhizal infection rate was not affected by acid rain. Pt inoculation reduced acid-induced leaf injury by 28-58% in both pH 3.0 and 4.5 compared with un-inoculated plants. Sl was also effective in growth enhancement, but was less effective than Pt in both mycorrhizal infection and reducing leaf injury.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.284-292
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• 2012

To date, chemical control remains the most common way to reduce beet armyworm (Spodoptera exigua) populations. However, this insect has become more tolerant or resistant to many chemical insecticides and the insect larvae usually hide inside hollow, tube-like leaves of host plant so they were difficult to kill by spraying insecticides. The use of viral and bacterial insecticide to solve these problems has not been successful because of their novel feeding habit. To overcome these problems, in this study, the biological characteristics and virulence of an entomopathogenic fungus isolated from the cadaver of larvae beet armyworm were investigated. Isolated entomopathogenic fungus was identified as Nomeraea rileyi (Farlow) Samson by morphological examinations and genetic identification using sequences of the ITS, ${\beta}$-tubulin gene and EF1-${\alpha}$ regions. This fungus was named as N. rileyi SDSe. Virulence tests against 3rd larvae of beet armyworm were conducted with various conidial suspensions from $1{\times}10^4$ to $10^8$ conidia/ml of N. rileyi SDSe in laboratory conditions. Mortality rate of beet armyworm showed from 20 to 54% and the virulence increased with increasing conidial concentrations. Although N. rileyi SDSe showed low mortality rate against beet armyworm, it is expected that N. rileyi SDSe will be used effectively in the integrated pest management programs against the beet armyworm.