• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.108-111
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• 2003

A infectious fungus (J131) recently isolated from artificial cultivation farms of Paecilomyces tenuipes is known to cause a great yield loss and deterioration of products. In this study, its occurrence and characterization were made. The isolate (J131) was identified as Paecilomyces farinosus (Holm ex S. F. Gray) Brown ＆ Smith. Colonies of the isolate on PDA grew moderately fast, attaining a diameter of 19mm within 14 days at 24${\pm}$1$^{\circ}C$. Vegetative hyphae are smooth-walled and hyaline. Conidiophores mainly arose from the submerged mycelium, usually measuring 1.3-1.5$\mu\textrm{m}$ wide and consisted of verticillate branches with whorls of 2 to 4 phialides. Phialides of 3.8-5.8${\times}$1.5-1.8 $\mu\textrm{m}$, with a swollen basal portion tapered into a distinct neck of about 0.6-0.8 $\mu\textrm{m}$ wide. Conidia arisen from the phialides, were ellipsoidal to fusiform, smooth-walled, hyaline, 1.8-2.4${\times}$1.1-1.4$\mu\textrm{m}$. .When silkworm larvae were injected with concentration of 1${\times}$10$\^$8/ conidia/$m\ell$ of infectious fungus J131, infection rate was 41.3％ and synnemata formation rate was 23.6％. Black spots were appeared on the surface of silkworm larvae in 5-9 days after injection. The surface of larvae was covered with hyphae which were gradually turned into yellow from white color during the incubation period of 3-4 days. 1 to several 4-6mm long synnemata of yellow or orange color were formed on the surface. The matured synnemata were ramified from its end and produced much conidia of white color.

• Mycobiology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.143-150
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• 2011

The basidiomycete fungus Cryptococcus neoformans is an important pathogen of immunocompromised people. The ability of the fungus to sense its environment is critical for proliferation and the generation of infectious propagules, as well as for adaptation to the mammalian host during infection. The conserved cAMP/protein kinase A pathway makes an important contribution to sensing, as demonstrated by the phenotypes of mutants with pathway defects. These phenotypes include loss of the ability to mate and to elaborate the key virulence factors capsule and melanin. This review summarizes recent work that reveals new targets of the pathway, new phenotypic consequences of signaling defects, and a more detailed understanding of connections with other aspects of cryptococcal biology including iron regulation, pH sensing, and stress.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.152-158
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• 2003

Stromata of the white root rot fungus, Rosellinia necatrix, were produced on diseased roots although they were reported to develop rarely in nature. Forty-two (42) out of 47 samples produced synnemata while 23 developed stromata. Forty-seven (47) isolates obtained from diseased root samples were divided into 24 mycelium compatibility groups (MCGs). Sixteen (16) out of 24 MCGs produced stromata. Single ascospore isolates from 10 stroma samples produced dsRNA-containing isolates from diseased tissue beneath stromata. The frequency of synnema production on axenic culture varied among isolates with different origin. The dsRNA was not transmitted vertically to the ascospore offspring despite the infection of various dsRNA in the parental isolates. The dsRNA was absent in 35 ascospore isolates in two stroma samples that originated from the isolates, in which dsRNA was not eliminated by hyphal tip isolation. Consequently, sexual reproduction in the white root rot fungus was suggested to produce propagules as a new infection source and to have the function to eliminate infectious factors such as mycoviruses.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.80-85
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• 2008

This study was carried out to assess the antidermatophytic potential of the ethyl acetate(EtOAc) extract of the marine isolate of Aspergillus sp.. The fungus was isolated by serial dilution, and was identified Aspergillus sp.. The EtOAc extract of the fungus was examined to evaluate the antidermatophytic efficacy against the fungal pathogens infecting human skin using the disc diffusion and MIC(minimum inhibitory concentration) determination methods. The EtOAc extract($5{\mu}l\;disc^{-1}$) was considered to have the antidermatophytic activity based on the inhibition percentage of the mycelial growth of the fungi tested such as Trichophyton mentagrophytes KCTC 6085, Microsporum canis KCTC 6591, Microsporum canis KCTC 6348, Trichophyton rubrum KCTC 6352, Microsporum canis KCTC 6349 and Trichophyton mentagrophytes KCTC 6316. The percentage of the inhibition ranged from 54% to 81, and the MIC obtained was 62.5, 62.5, 250, 125, 125, and $125{\mu}g\;ml^{-1}$, respectively. The extract had a strong detrimental effect on the spore germination of the tested skin infectious pathogens. These findings strongly support the role of the ethyl acetate extract as a potential antidermatophytic agent.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.918-927
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• 2016

Cryptococcus neoformans is a life-threatening pathogenic yeast that causes devastating meningoencephalitis. The mechanism of cryptococcal brain invasion is largely unknown, and recent studies suggest that its extracellular microvesicles may be involved in the invasion process. The 14-3-3 protein is abundant in the extracellular microvesicles of C. neoformans, and the 14-3-3-GFP fusion has been used as the microvesicle's marker. However, the physiological role of 14-3-3 has not been explored. In this report, we have found that C. neoformans contains a single 14-3-3 gene that apparently is an essential gene. To explore the functions of 14-3-3, we substituted the promoter region of the 14-3-3 with the copper-controllable promoter CTR4. The CTR4 regulatory strain showed an enlarged cell size, drastic changes in morphology, and a decrease in the thickness of the capsule under copper-enriched conditions. Furthermore, the mutant cells produced a lower amount of total proteins in their extracellular microvesicles and reduced adhesion to human brain microvascular endothelial cells in vitro. Proteomic analyses of the protein components under 14-3-3-overexpressed and -suppressed conditions revealed that the 14-3-3 function(s) might be associated with the microvesicle biogenesis. Our results support that 14-3-3 has diverse pertinent roles in both physiology and pathogenesis in C. neoformans. Its gene functions are closely relevant to the pathogenesis of this fungus.

• Journal of Apiculture
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.125-129
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• 2019

Honey bees are important pollinators in agriculture, but are threatened by the pathogen Ascosphaera apis, which causes chalkbrood. Despite attempts to control this fungus using synthetic fungicides, none of them have been proven to be completely effective. Among 640 natural compounds that we tested, 4-hydroxyderricin (MIC=3.125, 6.25 mg/L after 24 h and 48 h growth, respectively) exhibited the strongest anti- Ascosphaera apis activity, followed by acetylshikonin (MIC=12.5 mg/L for 24 h and 48 h growth). 4-Hydroxyderricin showed selective growth inhibition of Ascosphaera apis and Rhizopus oryzae among tested fungus strains. Treatment 4-hydroxyderricin with miconazole revealed a synergistic effect (FICI=0.65±0.13 at 48 h incubation). These findings suggest that 4-hydroxyderricin, which has antifungal activity against Ascosphaera apis but few other fungal species, can effectively control infectious fungal diseases. Combined treatment of bees with 4-hydroxyderricin and miconazole could reduce cytotoxicity and improve the cost effectiveness of treatment.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.153-158
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• 1975

Actinomycosis is a chronic suppurative granulomatous disease due to Actinomyces israelii characterized by multiple abscess and sinus tract formation with dense fibrous scarring. This disease, especially thoracic infection, is very rare in Korea so we are not famiIliar with to make diagnosis and treatment. Otherwise the unspecificity of the clinical symptoms and the lack of adequate examination recedure (as anaerobic fungus culture) are the causes of misdiagnosis. Thoracic actinomycosis is very similar to chronic infectious disease of the lung and chest or thoracic neoplasm. Recently we experienced a case of thoracic actinomycosis (bronchopulmonary) which had been confused with chronic lung abscess and pathologically confirmed as broncho-pulmonary actinomycosis. The purpose of this report is to review our experience more thorouly to enhance consideration of Artinomycosis.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.77-80
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate infection process, symptoms and $LD_{50}$ values of the entomopathogenic fungus cordyceps, Paecillomyces japonica, on the domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori. Susceptibility of infection in the silkworms by cordyceps, Paecillomyces japonica, was 100% in $10^{7}$ block, 96% in $10^{6}$ block, 76% in $10^{5}$ block, 44% in $10^{4}$ block, 28% in $10^{3}$ block and 8% in $10^{2}$ block. Cordyceps, Paecillomyces japonica, was highly infectious to the silkworms. A pathogenicities of cordyceps, Paecillomyces japonica, may be highly virulent because of the low resistance or high susceptibility of the silkworms. Dosage of the pathogen of $LD_{50}$ was $3.78{\times}10^{3}\;spores/mm^{3}$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.11
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• pp.1771-1781
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• 2018

The emergence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms, as well as fungal infectious diseases that further threaten health, especially in immunodeficient populations, is a major global problem. The development of new antifungal agents in clinical trials is inferior to the incidence of drug resistance, and the available antifungal agents are restricted. Their mechanisms aim at certain characteristics of the fungus in order to avoid biological similarities with the host. Synthesis of the cell wall and ergosterol are mainly targeted in clinical use. The need for new approaches to antifungal therapeutic agents or development alternatives has increased. This review explores new perspectives on mechanisms to effectively combat fungal infections and effective antifungal activity. The clinical drug have a common feature that ultimately causes caspase-dependent cell death. The drugs-induced cell death pathway is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, including mitochondrial membrane depolarization and cytochrome c release. This mechanism of action also reveals antimicrobial peptides, the primary effector molecules of innate systems, to highlight new alternatives. Furthermore, drug combination therapy is suggested as another strategy to combat fungal infection. The proposal for a new approach to antifungal agents is not only important from a basic scientific point of view, but will also assist in the selection of molecules for combination therapy.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.177-184
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• 2009

This study was carried out to investigate infection process, symptoms and main component of the domestic silkworm, Bombyx mori. larvae and pupa infected with the entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps, Paecillomyces tenuipes. The Cordyceps, Paecillomyces tenuipes, was highly infectious to the silkworms. A pathogenicities of Cordyceps, Paecillomyces tenuipes, may be highly virulent because of the low resistance or high susceptibility of the silkworms. The silkworm larva infected with Cordyceps formed phialospores on the phialides at the imperfect stage of the genus Cordyceps, But silkworm pupa infected with Cordyceps formed ascospores in the asci at the perfection stage of the genus Cordyceps. The results of analysis of health silkworm pupa and silkworm pupa infected with Cordyceps were obtained that amino acid, fatty acid, and nucleoside were very different.