• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.584-591
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• 2021

Marine algae (seaweed) encompass numerous groups of multicellular organisms with various shapes, sizes, and colors, and serve as important sources of natural bioactive substances. The brown alga Ecklonia cava Kjellman, an edible seaweed, contains many bioactives such as phlorotannins and fucoidans. Here, we evaluated the antioxidative, neuroprotective, and anti-apoptotic effects of E. cava extract (ECE), E. cava phlorotannin-rich extract (ECPE), and the phlorotannin dieckol on neuronal PC-12 cells. The antioxidant capacities of ECPE and ECE were 1,711.5 and 1,050.4 mg vitamin C equivalents/g in the ABTS assay and 704.0 and 474.6 mg vitamin C equivalents/g in the DPPH assay, respectively. The dieckol content of ECPE (58.99 mg/g) was approximately 60% higher than that of ECE (36.97 mg/g). Treatment of PC-12 cells with ECPE and ECE increased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. Intracellular oxidative stress in PC-12 cells due to ECPE and ECE decreased dose-independently by up to 63% and 47%, respectively, compared with the stress control (323%). ECPE reduced the production of the pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and caspase-3 more effectively than ECE. Early and late apoptosis in PC-12 cells were more effectively decreased by ECPE than ECE treatments. From the results obtained in this study, we concluded that ECPE, which is rich in phlorotannins, including the marker compound dieckol, may be applied to the development of functional materials for improving cognition and memory.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2019

Glutamate toxicity-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal cell death are involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases as well as acute brain ischemia/stroke. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective mechanism of dieckol (DEK), one of the phlorotannins isolated from the marine brown alga Ecklonia cava, against glutamate toxicity. Primary cortical neurons ($100{\mu}M$, 24 h) and HT22 neurons (5 mM, 12 h) were stimulated with glutamate to induce glutamate toxic condition. The results demonstrated that DEK treatment significantly increased cell viability in a dose-dependent manner ($1-50{\mu}M$) and recovered morphological deterioration in glutamate-stimulated neurons. In addition, DEK strongly attenuated intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial overload of $Ca^{2+}$ and ROS, mitochondrial membrane potential (${\Delta}{\Psi}_m$) disruption, adenine triphosphate depletion. DEK showed free radical scavenging activity in the cell-free system. Furthermore, DEK enhanced protein expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), an important anti-oxidant enzyme, via the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-like 2 (Nrf2). Taken together, we conclude that DEK exerts neuroprotective activities against glutamate toxicity through its direct free radical scavenging property and the Nrf-2/HO-1 pathway activation.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.81-87
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• 2021

The monthly variability in marine algal flora and community structure was examined in the intertidal zones of Doripo, and the biomass of an edible alga, Ulva prolifera, at Gaip-ri of Hampyong Bay on the southwestern coast of Korea was investigated over one year from April 2008 to March 2009. A total of 22 seaweeds were identified including five green, four brown, and 13 red algae. Based on importance value, Ulva australis was dominant over the year and the subdominant species were Ulva linza and Caulacanthus ustulatus at the Doripo coast of Hampyong Bay. The vertical distribution in terms of importance values was in the order of Ulva linza - C. ustulatus - U. australis - Sargassum thunbergii from the upper to the lower intertidal zones. The biomass of U. prolifera ranged between 2.4-98.2 g dry wt. m^-2, with a maximum in June and a minimal in November. In the field, U. prolifera biomass could be positively related to seawater temperature. However, further research on the association between biomass and other environmental factors such as nutrients and light intensity is required.

• ALGAE
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.127-139
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• 2023

Cryptic stages of diverse macroalgae present in natural substrata, "the bank of microscopic forms", were isolated into clonal cultures and identified based on both morphological characteristics and DNA barcoding. Approximately 120 clonal isolates from 308 natural substratum samples were collected from the entire coastline of Kuwait. Amongst these isolates, 77 (64%) were identified through DNA barcoding using the nuclear ribosomal small subunit, RuBisCO spacer (ITS2, tufa, rbcL, psaA, and psbA) and sequencing. Twenty-six isolates (34%) were identified in the division Chlorophyta, 18 (23%) as Phaeophyceae, and 33 (43%) as Rhodophyta. For all DNA sequences in this study, species-level cut off applied was ≥98% homology which depend entirely on the markers used. Three putative new records of Chlorophyta new for the Arabian Gulf were made: Cladophora laetevirens (Dillwyn) Kützing, Ulva torta (Mertens) Trevisan and Ulvella leptochaete (Huber) R. Nielsen, C. J. O'Kelly & B. Wysor in Nielsen, while Cladophora gracilis Kützing and Ulva ohnoi M. Hiraoka & S. Shimada are new records for Kuwait. For Phaeophyceae, Ectocarpus subulatus Kützing and Elachista stellaris Areschoug were new records for the Gulf and Kuwait. In the Rhodophyta, Acrochaetium secundatum (Lyngbye) Nägeli in Nägeli & Cramer, Ceramium affine Setchell & N. L. Gardner, Gelidium pusillum var. pakistanicum Afaq-Husain & Shameel and Dasya caraibica Børgesen are new records for the Gulf and Kuwait, while the red alga Stylonema alsidii (Zanardini) K. Drew is a new record for Kuwait. Several isolates identified corresponded to genera not previously reported in Kuwait and / or the Arabian Gulf, such as Porphyrostromium Trevisan, a new genus from the Bangiales, and two unidentified species for the Planophilaceae Škaloud & Leliaert. The isolates cultivated from substrata enhance understanding of the marine macroalgal diversity in the region and confirmed that the Germling Emergence Method is suitable for determining the actual diversity of a given study area through isolation from cryptic life-history phases.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.156-165
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• 2011

It is selected seven sites for marine algal flora and community structure and investigated seasonally from December 2008 to November 2009 in Gogunsan Islands, the west coast of Korea. A total of 58 species including 10 green, 16 brown and 32 red algae were collected and identified. Among these species, 11 species were found throughout the year. Annual mean biomass in dry weight were 213.8 g $m^{-2}$ at Sinsido 1, 143.1 g $m^{-2}$ at Sinsido 2, 133.3 g $m^{-2}$ at Sinsido 3, 164.0 g $m^{-2}$ at Munyeodo, 116.9 g $m^{-2}$ at Seonyudo, and 145.1 g $m^{-2}$ at Jangjado. Maximum biomass was recorded in Sinsido 1, and minimum mean biomass was Sinsido 4. The dominant species based on biomass were Sargassum thunbergii, Ulva pertusa, Sargassum fusiforme and Corallina pilulifera. S. thunbergii was the representative alga occurred at all seasons. The flora investigated could be classified into six functional groups such as coarsely branched form (46.6%), filamentous form (27.6%), sheet form (17.2%), thick leathery form (3.4%), jointed calcareous form (3.4%) and crustose form (1.7%). The R/P, C/P and (R+C)/P value reflecting flora characteristics were 0.33~0.75, 1.11~2.50, 1.47~3.25, respectively. Diversity index (H') and dominance index (DI) indicated that stability of seaweed community of Gogunsan Islands was unstable and environmental conditions were bad. According to multidimensional scaling (MDS) and cluster analysis, Gogunsan Islands were divided into three distinct groups. The first group was Sinsido 2, Sinsido 3, Seonyudo and Muyeodo and the second group comprised Sinsido 1 and Jangjado and the other was Sinsido 4 due to meaningful difference in similarity.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.400-407
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• 2016

A unicellular green alga, Chlorella vulgaris KNUA027, was isolated from the roots of Panax ginseng seedlings and its biotechnological potential was investigated. The results of GC/MS analysis showed that C. vulgaris KNUA027 was rich in nutritionally important polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) such as alpha-linolenic acid (C_18:3 ω3, 45.8%, 50.8 mg/g) and hexadecatrienoic acid (C_16:3 ω3, 11.8%, 13.1 mg/g). Therefore, this Korean indigenous microalga may have potential as a source of omega-3 PUFAs. It was also found that the saturated palmitic acid (C_16:0, 37.1%, 41.2 mg/g), which is suitable for biodiesel production, was one of the major fatty acids produced by strain KNUA027. The proximate analysis showed that the volatile matter content was 88.5%, and the ultimate analysis indicated that the higher heating value was 19.8 MJ/kg. Therefore, the results from this research with C. vulgaris KNUA027 may provide the basis for the production of microalgae-based biofuels and biomass feedstock.

• ALGAE
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2017

The red alga Gracilaria vermiculophylla, a species native to the waters of Korea and Japan, has invaded marine coastal areas of Europe and the Americas, thriving in conditions that differ from those of its native habitat. In recent years, G. vermiculophylla has been discovered in the Long Island Sound (LIS) estuary growing alongside the native congener Gracilaria tikvahiae. The goal of this study was to determine whether the two strains of G. vermiculophylla from different regions of the world have evolved genetic differences (i.e., ecotypic differentiation) or if the physiological performance of the strains simply reflects phenotypic plasticity. Two strains of G. vermiculophylla (isolated in Korea and LIS) and a strain of the LIS native G. tikvahiae were grown for four weeks under temperatures ranging from 20 to $34^{\circ}C$ using a temperature gradient table (all other environmental conditions were kept constant). At the end of each week, wet weight of each sample was recorded, and thalli were reduced to the original stocking density of $1gL^{-1}$ (excess biomass was preserved for tissue carbon and nitrogen analysis). Generally, the growth rates of Korean G. vermiculophylla > LIS G. vermiculophylla > G. tikvahiae. After one week of growth G. tikvahiae grew 9.1, 12.0, 9.4, and 0.2% $d^{-1}$, at temperatures of 20, 24, 29, and $34^{\circ}C$, respectively, while G. vermiculophylla (LIS) grew 6.6, 6.2, 5.7, and 3.6% $d^{-1}$. G. vermiculophylla (Korea) grew 15.4, 22.9, 23.2, and 10.1% $d^{-1}$, much higher than the two strains currently inhabiting the LIS. On average, the LIS G. vermiculophylla strain contained 4-5% DW N, while the Korean strain and G. tikvahiae had more modest levels of 2-3% N DW. However, tissue N content declined as temperature increased in LIS and Korean G. vermiculophylla. The non-native haplotype may have evolved genetic differences resulting in lower growth capacity while concentrating significantly more nitrogen, giving the non-native a competitive advantage.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2003

In the previous reports, the authors isolated two strains of marine bacteria, Shewanella sp. SR-14, which has Chaetonros sp. growth inhibition activity, and Vibrio alginolyticus, that did not affect growth of the alga. In the present study, fatty acid compositions of diatoms, Chaetoceros calcitrans and Skeletonema costatum, and marine bacteria, Shewanella sp. SR-14 and V. alginolyticus, were analyzed. Changes of fatty acid composition in the diatoms grown with the marine bacteria were also determined. Major fatty acids of Sbewanella sp. SR-14 were 16:1n-7 $(29.4\%)$ and 16:0 $(19.2\%)$ during incubation in peptone broth at $20^{\circ}C$ for 3 days. The compositions of V. alginolyticus detected were 16:0 $(23.7\%),$ 16:1n-7 $(27.7\%)$ and 18:1n-7 $(21.0\%).$ C. calcitrans consisted of 16:1n-7 $(33.3\%),$ 16:0 $(27.1\%)$ and 14:0 $(12.1\%).$ S. costatum mainly contained 16:1n-7 $(28.9\%),$ 16:0 $(21.6\%)$ and 20:5 $(19.8\%).$ When halves of cell numbers of C. calcitrans were moribund cells by Shewanella sp. SR-14, the C. calcitrans and S. costatum simultaneously cultured with the bacteria were harvested by filtration with GE/D glass microfibre filter. In the fatty acid composition of both diatoms, saturated fatty acid contents in both diatoms grown with Shewanella sp. SR-14 were decreased, but unsaturated fatty acid contents were increased. The differences were greater in C. calcitrans than those in S. costatum. During the growth of diatoms with V. alginolyticus, C. calcitrans showed increase of saturated fatty acid contents and decrease of unsaturated fatty acid contents; however, S. costatum did not show sharp difference in fatty acid content. In this study, Shewanella sp. SR-14, which showed growth inhibition activity against C. calcitrans, influenced on the changes of fatty acid contents in the diatom. It was suggested that increased unsaturated fatty acid was synergistically activated algal growth inhibition activity of Shewanella sp. SR-14.

• ALGAE
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2014

To develop effective and safe acne vulgaris therapies with a continuing demand for new solutions, we investigated unique efficacy of an antibacterial agent from marine brown alga Eisenia bicyclis in treating acne vulgaris. The methanolic extract of E. bicyclis exhibited potential antibacterial activity against acne-related bacteria. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the strongest antibacterial activity against the bacteria among solvent fractions. Six compounds (1-6), previously isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of E. bicyclis, were evaluated for antibacterial activity against acne-related bacteria. Among them, compound 2 (fucofuroeckol-A [FF]) exhibited the highest antibacterial activity against acne-related bacteria with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 32 to $128{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$. Furthermore, FF clearly reversed the high-level erythromycin and lincomycin resistance of Propionibacterium acnes. The MIC values of erythromycin against P. acnes were dramatically reduced from 2,048 to $1.0{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$ in combination with MIC of FF ($64{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$). The fractional inhibitory concentration indices of erythromycin and lincomycin were measured from 0.500 to 0.751 in combination with 32 or $64{\mu}g\;mL^{-1}$ of FF against all tested P. acnes strains, suggesting that FF-erythromycin and FF-lincomycin combinations exert a weak synergistic effect against P. acnes. The results of this study suggest that the compounds derived from E. bicyclis can be a potential source of natural antibacterial agents and a pharmaceutical component against acnerelated bacteria.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.242-246
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• 2002

Growth and tetraspore release pattern of lithophyllum yessoense (Rhodophyta, Corallinaceae) were investigated from March 2000 to July 2001. Pinkish tetraspores were 40.2 $\pm$ 0.4 $\mu$m in diameter. After release, tetraspores attached on substrate shortly. Culture conditions were five temperatures (5, 10, 15, 20, 25^{\circ}C), four irradiances (0, 20, 50, 100 $\mu$mol${\cdot}m^{-2}$${\cdot}s^{-1}$) and six salinities (0, 9, 17, 25, 34, 43 ppt). Maximum growth of gametophyte was occurred at $20^{\circ}C$, $20{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}$${\cdot}s^{-1}$, 16: 8h (L:D) and 34 put. Maximum relative growth rate was 0.1232 at $20^{\circ}C$. The amount of tetraspore release showed maximum at September as 266 cells per crust area ($cm^2$), and tetraspores did not release from January to March.