• ALGAE
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.343-353
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• 2014

Despite the extensive literature on marine algae over the past few decades, a paucity of published research and studies exists on red algae. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential therapeutic properties of the ethanol extract of the red alga Callophyllis japonica against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophage inflammation. The C. japonica extract (CJE) significantly inhibited the nitric oxide (NO) production and the induced dose-dependent reduction of the protein and mRNA levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase-2. Additionally, the CJE reduced the mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, interleukin (IL)-$1{\beta}$, and IL-6. We investigated the mechanism by which the CJE inhibits NO by examining the level of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) activation, which is an inflammation-induced signaling pathway in macrophages. The CJE significantly suppressed the LPS-induced phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase, extracellular signal-regulated kinase and p38 MAPK. Taken together, the results of this study demonstrate that the CJE inhibits LPS-induced inflammation by blocking the MAPK pathway in macrophages.

• Proceedings of the Korean Aquaculture Society Conference
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• 2004.05a
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• pp.156-157
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• 2004

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Life Science Conference
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• 2007.10a
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• pp.58.2-58.2
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• 2007

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• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.152.1-152.1
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• 2000

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2000

Epiphytic communities on marine plants of Seychelles (Indian Ocean Island group associated with East Africa) were investigated in January - March of 1989 during the $15^{th}$ biological voyage of the research vessel cademic Alexander Nesmeyanov. A seagrass species, Thalassodendron ciliatum, and macroalgae (Sargassum spp. and Halimeda spp.) were tested for host substrates and biomass of their dominant epiphytes were assessed. Also, in order to understand the effect of shading and nutrient filtering by epiphytes, two series of photosynthetic rates were compared for Th. ciliatum host leaves having 10% and no epiphytes. Total of 84 species of algae and main taxons of benthic animals were identified from three different host plants. An average biomass of the epiphytes on Th. cihiatum was $184.6g\;kg^{-1}$ and dominant species were green alga Halimeda opuntia, red algae Dictyurus occidentalis and Gelidiella myrioclada. These dominant species and their biomass were remarkably varied with depth increment. On Sargassum spp., an average biomass of the epiphytes was $0.18g\;kg^{-1}$ and the maximum biomass was never exceeded $0.16g\;kg^{-1}$. In the case of Halimeda spp. an average biomass of the epiphytes was $8.0g\;kg^{-1}$, and dominant species were Peyssonnelia dubyi, sponges and decapods. Photosynthetic rates of Th. ciliatum were significantly reduced in the leaves having 10% epiphytes (1.72 times lower, t=6.718, p<0.001).

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.21 no.11
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• pp.31.1-31.7
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• 2018

Three economic marine algae that have been used as food and carrageenan sources were collected from Korea during a survey of marine algal flora. They share the generic features of Hypnea, and three major clades supported by the sectional features were confirmed in a phylogenetic tree based on rbcL sequences. The first species, which belongs to a species group corresponding to the sect. Spinuligerae, nests in the same clade with Hypnea yamadae in a genetic distance of 0%. It is morphologically characterized by an entangled base, subcompressed or subterete to terete axes, somewhat percurrent main axis, irregularly alternately branching with wide angle, and rarely hooked spinous branchlets. The second one is also referred to the sect. Spinuligerae and formed the same clade as Hypnea cenomyce. The genetic distance between both sequences was calculated as 0.0-0.1%, which is considered to be intraspecific. This species is distinct by somewhat entangled thallus at the basal part, percurrent axis, short spine-like branchlets densely covering the axis, and medullary lenticular thickenings. The third alga, which forms a species group corresponding to the sect. Pulvinatae, nests in the same clade as Hypnea nidulans (no intraspecific divergence). It shows occasionally epiphytic habitat rather than epilithic habitat of low mat-forming growth and percurrent erect main axes with dense lateral branchlets. Based on these morphological and molecular data, the three Korean species are identified as H. yamadae, H. cenomyce, and H. nidulans. This is the first record of the Hypnea species in Korea.

• ALGAE
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.119-133
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• 2008

We cultured a tubular marine green alga, originally identified as Capsosiphon groenlandicus (J. Agardh) K.L. Vinogradova, from Amaknak Island, Alaska. The alga had an alternation of heteromorphic generations in which tubular monoecious fronds produced quadriflagellate zoospores and/or biflagellate isogametes. The gametes fused to produce cysts or Codiolum-like zygotes with long, tortuous stalks. Cysts and codiola produced 8-16 aplanospores, which germinated in situ to yield upright fronds. Fronds arising from both aplanospores and zoospores displayed a distinctive development in which non-septate colorless rhizoids from the base of the initially uniseriate, Ulothrix-like filament were transformed into septate uniseriate Ulothrix-like photosynthetic filaments. These transformed filaments then developed new basal non-septate rhizoids. This pattern of rhizoids becoming filaments, which then produced new rhizoids, was repeated to yield a tuft of up to 50 fronds. Periclinal and longitudinal divisions occurred in each filament, starting basally, until the mature tubular thallus was achieved. Pyrenoid ultrastructure revealed several short inward extensions of chloroplast lamellae, each of which was surrounded by pyrenoglobuli. Analysis of ribosomal SSU and ITS sequences placed this alga in the family Ulotrichaceae, order Ulotrichales, together with but as a distinct species from North Atlantic Capsosiphon groenlandicus. Analysis of a partial ITS sequence from authentic Capsosiphon fulvescens, the current name of the type of the genus Capsosiphon, indicated that neither our material nor C. groenlandicus belongs in that genus, and we propose a new genus, Pseudothrix, to accommodate both species. We propose P. borealis for the North Pacific entity formerly called C. groenlandicus and make the new combination P. groenlandica for the Atlantic species.

• ALGAE
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.201-212
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• 2020

The inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) including ulcerative colitis and Crohn disease are characterized by chronic inflammation throughout the gastrointestinal tract. The prevalence of IBD has been increasing worldwide, and has sometimes led to irreversible impairment of gastrointestinal structure and functions. In the present study, we identified a new sulfoquinovosylmonoacylglycerols (SQMG) (1) together with two known SQMGs (2 and 3) regulating intestinal inflammation from the brown alga Turbinaria ornata. The anti-inflammatory properties of two bioactive SQMGs, 1 and 2 were evaluated using an in vitro co-culture system consisting of human epithelial Caco-2 cells and PMA (phorbol 12-myristate 12-acetate)-differentiated THP-1 macrophages. Treatment with 1 or 2 inhibited the production nitric oxide and prostaglandin E₂ induced by lipopolysaccharide and interferon γ challenge. The expressions of inducible nitric oxide synthase and cyclooxygenase 2 were markedly down-regulated in response to inhibition of nuclear factor κB translocation to nucleus. These findings suggest the potential use of the brown alga T. ornata and its biologically active metabolites SQMGs as pharmaceutical adjuvants in the treatment of inflammation-related diseases, including IBD.

• ALGAE
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.207-217
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• 2021

An increase in seawater temperature owing to global warming is expected to substantially limit the growth of marine algae, including Pyropia yezoensis, a commercially valuable red alga. To improve our knowledge of the genes involved in the acquisition of heat tolerance in P. yezoensis, transcriptomes sequences were obtained from both the wild-type SG104 P. yezoensis and heat-tolerant mutant Gy500. We selected 1,251 differentially expressed genes that were up- or downregulated in response to the heat stress condition and in the heat-tolerant mutant Gy500, based on fragment per million reads expression values. Among them, PyHRG1 was downregulated under heat stress in SG104 and expressed at a low level in Gy500. PyHRG1 encodes a secretory protein of 26.5 kDa. PyHRG1 shows no significant sequence homology with any known genes deposited in public databases to date. However, PyHRG1 homologs were found in other red algae, including other Pyropia species. When PyHRG1 was introduced into the single-cell green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, transformed cells overexpressing PyHRG1 showed severely retarded growth. These results demonstrate that PyHRG1 encodes a novel red algae-specific protein and plays a role in heat tolerance in algae. The transcriptome sequences obtained in this study, which include PyHRG1, will facilitate future studies to understand the molecular mechanisms involved in heat tolerance in red algae.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1245-1253
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• 2014

One-step sulfuric acid saccharification of the red alga Pterocladiella capillacea was optimized, and various detoxification methods (neutralization, overliming, and electrodialysis) of the acid hydrolysate were evaluated for fermentation with the thermotolerant yeast Kluyveromyces marxianus. A proximate composition analysis indicated that P. capillacea was rich in carbohydrates. A significant galactose recovery of $81.1{\pm}5%$ was also achieved under the conditions of a 12% (w/v) biomass load, 5% (v/v) sulfuric acid, $121^{\circ}C$, and hydrolysis for 30 min. Among the various detoxification methods, electrodialysis was identified as the most suitable for fermentable sugar recovery and organic acid removal (100% reduction of formic and levulinic acids), even though it failed to reduce the amount of the inhibitor 5-HMF. As a result, K. marxianus fermentation with the electrodialyzed acid hydrolysate of P. capillacea resulted in the best ethanol levels and fermentation efficiency.