• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2021

Saccharomyces lysate has the well-known function of soothing the skin in various ways: it is an anti-irritant and can treat skin care conditions, such as skin whitening and antioxidative activity. However, data on the safety for use of Saccharomyces lysate in cosmetics and skin care products are still limited. To design a new cosmetic material with antioxidant and skin-whitening effects, 80 yeast strains were isolated from berries grown in Sunchang. Among the isolates, the FT4-4 strain, which exhibited superior biological activities, was selected for further experiments. The FT4-4 strain was identified as Saccharomyces cerevisiae by 18S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. S. cerevisiae FT4-4 showed higher DPPH radical-scavenging (51.41%), superoxide dismutase (62.23%), and tyrosinase inhibition (64.75%) activities. The highest yield of biomass (3.16 g/l) and maximum growth rate of S. cerevisiae FT4-4 were observed within 16 h. Furthermore, the cytotoxicity potential of S. cerevisiae FT4-4 on B16F10 melanoma cells was measured by an MTT assay, and the results indicated that S. cerevisiae FT4-4 had a capacity to inhibit melanin up to 72.02% at an initial 10 mg/ml concentration. These results suggest that S. cerevisiae FT4-4 could be a promising candidate as a multi-functional material for application in the cosmetic industry, especially because of its antioxidant and skin-whitening effects.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.294-301
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• 2022

In our greenhouse experiment, soil heat treatment groups (50, 80, and 121℃) significantly promoted growth and disease suppression of Panax notoginseng in consecutively cultivated soil (CCS) samples (p < 0.01), and 80℃ worked better than 50℃ and 121℃ (p < 0.01). Furthermore, we found that heat treatment at 80℃ changes the microbial diversity in CCS, and the inhibition ratios of culturable microorganisms, such as fungi and actinomycetes, were nearly 100%. However, the heat-tolerant bacterial community was preserved. The 16S rRNA gene and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing analyses indicated that the soil heat treatment had a greater effect on the Chao1 index and Shannon's diversity index of bacteria than fungi, and the relative abundances of Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were significantly higher than without heating (80 and 121℃, p < 0.05). Soil probiotic bacteria, such as Bacillus (67%), Sporosarcina (9%), Paenibacillus (6%), Paenisporosarcina (6%), and Cohnella (4%), remained in the soil after the 80℃ and 121℃ heat treatments. Although steam increased the relative abundances of most of the heat-tolerant microbes before sowing, richness and diversity gradually recovered to the level of CCS, regardless of fungi or bacteria, after replanting. Thus, we added heat-tolerant microbes (such as Bacillus) after steaming, which reduced the relative abundance of pathogens, recruited antagonistic bacteria, and provided a long-term protective effect compared to the steaming and Bacillus alone (p < 0.05). Taken together, the current study provides novel insight into sustainable agriculture in a consecutively cultivated system.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.178-186
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• 2022

The tetraploid Solanum acaule is a wild potato species from Bolivia widely used for potato breeding because of its diverse attractive traits, including resistance to frost, late blight, potato virus X, potato virus Y, potato leafroll virus, potato spindle tuber viroid, and cyst nematode. However, the introgression of useful traits into cultivated potatoes via crossing has been limited by differences in endosperm balance number between species. Somatic fusion could be used to overcome sexual reproduction barriers and the development of molecular markers is essential to select proper fusion products. The chloroplast genome of S. acaule was sequenced using next-generation sequencing technology and specific markers for S. acaule were developed by comparing the obtained sequence with those of seven other Solanum species. The total length of the chloroplast genome is 155,570 bp, and 158 genes were annotated. Structure and gene content were very similar to other Solanum species and maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis with 12 other species belonging to the Solanaceae family revealed that S. acaule is very closely related to other Solanum species. Sequence alignment with the chloroplast genome of seven other Solanum species revealed four InDels and 79 SNPs specific to S. acaule. Based on these InDel and SNP regions, one SCAR marker and one CAPS marker were developed to discriminate S. acaule from other Solanum species. These results will aid in exploring evolutionary aspects of Solanum species and accelerating potato breeding using S. acaule.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.35 no.9
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• pp.1327-1339
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• 2022

Objective: Fat deposition in poultry is an important factor in production performance and meat quality research. miRNAs also play important roles in regulating adipocyte differentiation process. This study was to investigate the expression patterns of miRNAs in duck adipocytes after differentiation and explore the role of miR-214 in regulating carnitine palmitoyltransferases 2 (CPT2) gene expression during duck adipocyte differentiation. Methods: Successful systems for the isolation, culture, and induction of duck primary fat cells was developed in the experiment. Using Illumina next-generation sequencing, the miRNAs libraries of duck adipocytes were established. miRanda was used to predict differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs and their target genes. The expression patterns of miR-214 and CPT2 during the differentiation were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot. Luciferase reporter assays were used to explore the specific regions of CPT2 targeted by miR-214. We used a miR-214 over-expression strategy in vitro to further investigate its effect on differentiation process and CPT2 gene transcription. Results: There were 481 miRNAs identified in duck adipocytes, included 57 DE miRNA candidates. And the 1,046 targets genes of DE miRNAs were mainly involved in p53 signaling, FoxO signaling, and fatty acid metabolism pathways. miR-214 and CPT2 showed contrasting expression patterns before and after differentiation, and they were selected for further research. The expression of miR-214 was decreased during the first 3 days of duck adipocytes differentiation, and then increased, while the expression of CPT2 increased both in the transcriptional and protein level. The luciferase assay suggested that miR-214 targets the 3'untranslated region of CPT2. Overexpression of miR-214 not only promoted the formation of lipid droplets but also decreased the protein abundance of CPT2. Conclusion: Current study reports the expression profile of miRNAs in duck adipocytes differentiated for 4 days. And miR-214 has been proved to have the regulator potential for fat deposition in duck.

• Proceedings of the Plant Resources Society of Korea Conference
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• 2022.09a
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• pp.36-36
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• 2022

The molecular understanding of resistance and susceptibility of host plants to scab, a most threatful disease to pome fruit production worldwide, is very limited. Comparing resistant line '93-3-98' to susceptible one 'Sweet Skin' at seven time points of 0, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 8 days post inoculation, RNA-sequencing data derived from infected and mock-inoculated young leaves were analyzed to evaluate the tolerant response and to mine candidate genes of pear to the scab pathogen Venturia nashicola. Analysis of the mapped reads showed that the infection of V. nashicola led to significant differential expression of 17,827 transcripts with more than 3-fold change in the seven pairs of libraries, of which 9,672 (54%) are up- and 8,155(46%) are down-regulated. These included mainly receptor (NB-ARC domains-containing, CC-NBS-LRR, TIR-NBS-LRR, seven transmembrane MLO family protein) and transcription factor (ethylene responsive element binding, WRKY DNA-binding protein) related gene. An arsenal of defense response of highly resistant pear accessions derived from European pear was probably supposed no sooner had V. nashicola infected its host than host genes related to disease suppression like Polyketide cyclase/dehydrase and lipid transport protein, WRKY family transcription factor, lectin protein kinase, cystein-rich RLK, calcium-dependent phospholipid-binding copine protein were greatly boosted and eradicated cascade reaction induced by pathogen within 24 hours. To identify transcripts specifically expressed in response to V. nashicola, RT-PCRs were conducted and compare to the expression patterns of seven cultivars with a range of highly resistant to highly susceptible symptom. A DEG belonging to the PR protein family genes that were higher expressed in response to V. nashicola suggesting extraordinary role in the resistance response were led to the identification. This study provides the first transcriptional profile by RNA-seq of the host plant during scab disease and insights into the response of tolerant pear plants to V. nashicola.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2006

Purpose : The incidence of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is twice as high in East Asians as in Caucasians. However, its metabolic basis has not been clearly explained. The UDP-glucuronosyltransferase gene(UGT1A1) mutation was found to be a risk factor of neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. We studied whether neonatal hyperbilirubinemia is associated with the 1828G>A(rs 10929303) polymorphism of the UGT1A1 gene, which encodes for a key enzyme of bilirubin metabolism. Methods : The genomic DNA was isolated from 80 Korean full term neonates who had greater than a 12 mg/dL level of serum bilirubin with no obvious cause, and the genomic DNA was also isolated from 164 Korean neonates of the control population. We studied a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of 1828G>A in the untranslated region of the UGT1A1 gene by direct sequencing. Results : Three of the 80 neonates with a serum bilirubin level above 12 mg/dL had homozygous mutations and 10 of the 80 neonates with a serum bilirubin level above 12 mg/dL had heterozygous mutations. Thirteen of the 164 neonates of the control group had homozygous mutations and 16 neonates of the control group had heterozygous mutations. The allele frequency of 1828G>A polymorphism of UGT1A1 in the hyperbilirubinemia group was 10.0 percent, which was not significantly different from the allele frequency of 12.8 percent in the control group. Conclusion : In this study, the 1828G>A polymorphism of the UGT1A1 gene was detected in the Korean neonates with neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. Our results indicated that this SNP is not associated with the prevalence of hyperbilirubinemia in Koreans.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.9
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• pp.804-812
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• 2020

The giant mealworm beetle, Zophobas atratus (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) has been used as a protein source for small pets and mammals. Recently, it was temporarily registered in the list of the Food Code. We previously performed an in silico analysis of the Zophobas atratus transcriptome to identify putative antimicrobial peptides and identified several antimicrobial peptide candidates. Among them, we assessed the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activities of zophobacin 1 that was selected bio-informatically based on its physicochemical properties against microorganisms and mouse macrophage Raw264.7 cells. Zophobacin 1 showed antimicrobial activities against microorganisms without inducing hemolysis and decreased the nitric oxide production of the lipopolysaccharide-induced Raw264.7 cells. Moreover, ELISA and Western blot analysis revealed that zophobacin 1 reduced expression levels of pro-inflammatory enzymes such as inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). We also investigated expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 and interleukin-1β) production through quantitative real time-PCR and ELISA. Zophobacin 1 markedly reduced the expression level of cytokines through the regulation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling. We confirmed that zophobacin 1 bound to bacterial cell membranes via a specific interaction with lipopolysaccharides. These data suggest that zophobacin 1 could be promising molecules for development as antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory therapeutic agents.

• Journal of Dairy Science and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.131-139
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to manufacture Cutting-Gouda cheese and to investigate the change in physicochemical properties of Cutting-Gouda cheese made with Lactobacillus rhamnosus_p1. Lactic acid bacteria were isolated from Gouda cheese ripened for more than 1 year. They were identified as 2 strains of L. rhamnosus, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus curvatus, and Staphylococcus saprophyticus by 16S rDNA sequencing and named L. rhamnosus_p1, L. casei_p2, L. curvatus_p3, L. rhamnosus_p4 and S. saprophyticus_p5. The proteolytic activities of isolated strains against casein were measured using prepared skim milk agar plates. L. rhamnosus_p1 showed the highest proteolytic activity. Cutting-Gouda cheese was made with L. rhamnosus_p1, and its physicochemical properties (moisture, protein, fat, ash and free amino acid content) were measured during ripening periods. Because of the modified atmosphere packaging ($N_2{^-}$), there was no change in moisture, protein, fat, and ash in the experimental group. The total amount of free amino acids in the control and experimental group gradually increased during ripening periods. The sensory evaluation showed that the experimental group was preferable to the control group. This result suggests that L. rhamnosus_p1 has potential to be developed as a new starter for Gouda cheese.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.11
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• pp.1173-1178
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to isolate an agar-degrading marine bacterium and characterize its agarase. Bacterium BK-1, from Gwanganri Beach at Busan, Korea, was isolated on Marine 2216 agar medium and identified as Agarivorans sp. BK-1 by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The extracellular agarase, characterized after dialysis of culture broth, showed maximum activity at pH 6.0 and $50^{\circ}C$ in 20 mM Tris-HCl buffer. Relative activities at 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, and $70^{\circ}C$ were 67, 93, 97, 100, 58, and 52%, respectively. Relative activities at pH 5, 6, 7, and 8 were 59, 100, 95, and 91%, respectively. More than 90% of the activity remained after a 2 hr exposure to 20, 30, or $40^{\circ}C$; about 60% of the activity remained after a 2 hr exposure to $50^{\circ}C$. Almost all activity was lost after exposure to 60 or $70^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. Zymography revealed three agarases with molecular weights of 110, 90, and 55 kDa. Agarose was degraded to neoagarobiose (46.8%), neoagarotetraose (39.7%), and neoagarohexaose (13.5%), confirming the agarase of Agarivorans sp. BK-1 as a ${\beta}$-agarase. The neoagarooligosaccharides generated by this agarase could be used for moisturizing, bacterial growth inhibition, skin whitening, food treatments, cosmetics, and delaying starch degradation.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.273-284
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• 1994

The primary objective of this study was to examine the toxic effects of PCP on activated sludge and to analyze its metabolic responses while treating wastewater containing pentachlorophenol (PCP) in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system operating under different control strategies. This study was conducted in two phases 1 and 2 (8-hr and 12-hr cycles). Each phase was operated with two control strategies I and II. Strategy I (reactor 1) involved rapid addition (5 minutes to complete) of substrate to the reactor with continuous mixing but no aeration for 2 hours. Strategy ll (reactor 2) involved adding the feed continuously during the first 2 hours of the cycle when the system was mixed but not aerated. During both phases each reactor was operated at a sludge age of 15 days. The synthetic wastewater was used as a feed. The COD of the feed solution was about 380 mg/l. After the reference response for both reactors was established, the steady state response of each system was established for PCP feed concentrations of 0.1 mg/l, 1.0 mg/l, and 5.0 mg/l in SBR systems operating on both 8-hr and 12-hr cycles. Soluble COD removal was not inhibited at any feed PCP concentrations used. At 5.0 mg/l fined PCP concentration and in SBR systems operating on phase 2, the concentrations of MLVSS were decreased; selective pressure on the mixed biomass might be increased, narrowing the range of possible ecological responses; the settleability of activated sludge was poor; the SOURS were increased, showing that the systems were shocked. Nitrification was made to some extent at all concentrations of feed PCP in SBR systems operating on phase 2 whereas in SBR systems operating on phase 1 little nitrification was observed. Then, nitrification will be delayed as much as soluble COD removal is retarded due to PCP inhibition effects. Enhanced biological phosphorus removal occurring in the system operating with control strategy I during phase 1 of this work and in the presence of low concentrations of PCP was unreliable and might cease at anytime, whereas enhanced biological phosphorus removal occurring in the system operating with either control strategy I or II during phase 2 of this work and in the Presence of feed PCP concentrations up to 1.0 mg/l was reliable. When, however, such processes were exposed to 5.0 mg/l PCP dose, enhanced phosphorus removal ceased and never returned.