• ALGAE
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.141-153
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• 2010

Seagrass epiphyte blooms potentially have important economic and ecological consequences in Tampa Bay, one of the Gulf of Mexico's largest estuaries. As part of a Tampa Bay pilot study to monitor the impact of environmental stresses, precise characterization of epiphyte diversity is required for efficient management of affected resources. Thus, epiphyte diversity may be used as a rational basis for assessment of ecosystem health. In May 2001, epiphytic species encompassing green, brown and red macroalgae were manually collected from dense and sparse seagrass beds of Thalassia testudinum and Syringodium filiforme. A total of 20 macroalgal epiphytes, 2 Chlorophyta, 2 Phaeophyta, and 16 Rhodophyta, were found on T. testudinum and S. filiforme seagrass at the four sampling sites (Bishop Harbor, Cockroach Bay, Feather Sound, and Mariposa Key). The Rhodophyta, represented by 16 species, dominated the numbers of species. Among them, the thin-crusted Hydrolithon farinosum was the most commonly found epiphyte on seagrass leaves. Species number, as well as species frequency of epiphytes, is higher at dense seagrass sites than sparse seagrass sites. Four attachment patterns of epiphytes can be classified according to cortex and rhizoid development: 1) creeping, 2) erect, 3) creeping & erect, and 4) erect & holding. The creeping type is characterized by an encrusting thallus without a rhizoid or holdfast base. Characteristics of the erect type include a filamentous thallus with or without a cortex, and a rhizoid or holdfast base. The creeping and erect type is characterized by a filamentous thallus with a cortex and rhizoid. A filamentous thallus with a cortex, holdfast base, and host holding branch is characteristics of the erect and holdfast attachment type. This study characterized each species found on the seagrass for epiphyte identification.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.241-246
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• 2015

This research was conducted to develop effective and safe marine-derived antiviral compounds against norovirus. The ethyl acetate (EtOAc)-extract from Eisenia bicyclis exhibited strong antiviral activity against murine norovirus (MNV) as a norovirus surrogate. Among the phlorotannins from E. bicyclis, dieckol (DE) and phlorofucofuroeckol-A (PFF) were known to possess the strongest antibacterial activity. In this study, DE and PFF were evaluated for antiviral activity against MNV. DE and PFF exhibited strong anti-MNV activity with 50% effective concentration ($EC_{50}$) of $0.9{\mu}M$. However, PFF exhibited more effective antiviral activity against MNV with higher selective index (668.87) than that of DE (550.60), due to its lower cell toxicity against RAW 264.7. This is the first report on the anti-MNV activity of phlorotannins from seaweed. The results obtained in this study suggest that the phlorotannins could be used as a potential source of natural antiviral agents.

• ALGAE
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.163-170
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• 2015

Tyrosinase inhibitors are an important component of cosmetic products. Our previous studies have proposed that eckol isolated from the brown alga Ecklonia cava, can be explored as a tyrosinase inhibitor. However, cellular activities and mechanism of action of eckol remain unknown. Therefore, the current study analyzed the eckol binding modes using the crystal structure of Bacillus megaterium tyrosinase. The effects of eckol on melanin synthesis induced by ${\alpha}$-melanocyte stimulating hormone in B16F10 melanoma cells were also investigated. We predicted the 3D structure of tyrosinase and used a docking algorithm to simulate binding between tyrosinase and eckol. These molecular modeling studies were successful (calculated binding energy value, $-115.84kcal\;mol^{-1}$) and indicated that eckol interacts with Asn205, His208, and Arg209. Furthermore, eckol markedly inhibited tyrosinase activity and melanin synthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells. We also found that eckol decreased the expression of tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP) 1, and TRP2. These results indicate that eckol is a potent inhibitor of melanogenesis, and this finding may be useful for the development of novel pharmaceutical and cosmetic agents.

• ALGAE
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• v.38 no.4
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• pp.295-306
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• 2023

Human coronavirus diseases, particularly severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, still remain a persistent public health issue, and many recent studies are focusing on the quest for new leads against coronaviruses. To contribute to this growing pool of knowledge and explore the available marine natural products against coronaviruses, this study investigated the antiviral effects of fucoxanthin isolated from Sargassum siliquastrum-a brown alga found on Jeju Island, South Korea. The antiviral effects of fucoxanthin were confirmed in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2-infected Vero cells, and its structural characteristics were verified in silico using molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations and in vitro colorimetric method. Fucoxanthin inhibited the infection in a concentration-dependent manner, without showing cytotoxicity. Molecular docking simulations revealed that fucoxanthin binds to the angiotensinconverting enzyme 2-spike protein (binding energy -318.306 kcal mol^-1) and main protease (binding energy -205.118 kcal mol^-1). Moreover, molecular dynamic simulations showed that fucoxanthin remains docked to angiotensin-converting enzyme 2-spike protein for 20 ns, whereas it breaks away from main protease after 3 ns. Also, the in silico prediction of the fucoxanthin was verified through the in vitro colorimetric method by inhibiting the binding between angiotensinconverting enzyme 2 and spike protein in a concentration-dependent manner. These results indicate that fucoxanthin exhibits antiviral effects against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 by blocking the entry of the virus. Therefore, fucoxanthin from S. siliquastrum can be a potential candidate for treating coronavirus infection.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.04a
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• pp.252-256
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• 2005

Removal of heavy metal ions from aqueous solution by brown sea weeds (Hizikia fusiformis, Laminaria, and Undaria pinnatifida) was 80-96% for lead, cadmium, chromium and copper ions. Fifty percent of the adsorption was completed in 4 min. The uptake of lead and cadmium ions followed Langmuir adsorption. In the adsorption experiments using single and multi metal ions 80-95% of metal ions were removed, and the removal efficiency was the best for lead ion.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.157-162
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• 2012

To analyze nucleotide sequence encoding internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions specific to the Laminariaceae family, genomic DNA was isolated from six brown algae species distributed along the east coast of Korea. These included three species from the Laminariaceae family (Agarum clathratum Dumortier, Costaria costata [C. Agardh] Saunders, and Saccharina japonica Areschoug) and two species from the Alariaceae family (Undaria pinnatifida [Harvey] Suringer and Ecklonia cava Kjellman), both in the order Laminariales, and one species from the family Sargassaceae in the order Fucales (Sargassum serratifolium). Based on a sequence analysis of ITS-1 and ITS-2 for A. clathratum, C. costata, and E. cava, oligonucleotides were designed from the regions that showed sequence conservation in Laminariaceae. Following polymerase chain reaction using three sets of primers, amplification of ITS-1 and ITS-2 was detected in reactions using genomic DNA isolated from the species belonging to Laminariaceae, but not from the species belonging to the other families. The results indicate that this method can be used for the detection and identification of Laminariaceae species.

• Journal of Plant Biology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.119-130
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• 1983

Algal vegetation in the subtidal zone between a small rock output and the Juckdo Island, eastern coast of Korea was investigated at several selected sites. The objectives of the survey were to descirbe the poorly known macroalgae community in this area and correlate the pattern of distribution as well as the change of zonatin with the environmental conditions. The water movement, light intensity and theinclinatin of substrate are considered as the environmental parameters. The upper and mid subtidal zones in sheltered area with less steep rocky surface are dominated by large brown algae Srgassum confusum; in the exposed area are characterised by species of Costaria costata. In the lower subtidal zone, the difference of vegetaton between the sheltered and the exposed areas is not recognized. At this depth the light intensity is an important ecological factor. Six narrow algal zones occur in the sheltered area, whereas two broad belts occur in the exposed area. the biomass value is 4 times greater in the sheltered area than in the exposed area.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.27-35
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• 2014

Marine brown algae have been identified as a rich source of structurally diverse bioactive compounds. Whether Myagropsis yendoi ethanolic extracts (MYE) inhibit inflammatory responses was investigated using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated microglia BV-2 cells. MYE inhibited LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in a dose-dependent manner and suppressed the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in BV-2 cells. MYE also reduced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. LPS-induced nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) transcriptional activity and NF-${\kappa}B$ translocation into the nucleus were significantly inhibited by MYE treatment through preventing degradation of the inhibitor ${\kappa}B-{\alpha}$. Moreover, MYE inhibited the phosphorylation of AKT, ERK, JNK, and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase in LPS-stimulated BV-2 cells. These results indicate that MYE is a potential source of therapeutic or functional agents for neuroinflammatory diseases.

• Proceedings of the PSK Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.375.3-375.3
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• 2002

In continuing search for BChE-inhibitory compounds from Korean marine algae. we found a highly potent inhibitory activity in the methanolic extract of Sargassum species. After partition of the MeOH extract between $CHCl_3$ and 30% MeOH. the former layer was subjected to a series of ODS flash chromatography. silica column chromatography. and preparative TLC to afford three compounds (1-3). Detailed structural elucidation of them is in progress. Compound 1 showed potent BChE-inhibitory activity with $IC_{50}$ values of 11 ng/mL. (omitted)

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.306-310
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• 2014

The brown seaweed Sargassum fusiforme is an edible and highly valued in Korea. During the summer season, phytal organisms graze heavily on young algal blades and holdfastsof the species and substantially reduce harvestable biomass. Here, in this study, we investigated the effects of pH (range: 2~13) and salinity (range: 0~44 psu) on the removal of two major phytal animals, Caprella scaura and Gammaropsis utinomi, associated with S. fusiforme. We also examined the optimum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) of algae in the same experimental conditions to quantify the tolerance of algae to acid and salinity treatments. It was observed that the phytal animals showed more than 80% mortality at pH lower that pH 4 and the extreams of salinity (0~10 psu and 44 psu) after a 5 min of immersion. However, the quantum yield of S. fusiforme was not significantly different from controls within the pH 3~11 range, and the 0~44 psu salinity range. Precisely, if the pH and salinity conditions outside these ranges were used in comercial Sargassum culture, the removal of the animal species would be higher, but with reduced quantum yield of algae. Taken together, our study results indicated that the pH and salinity treatments could allow multiple harvests from the same holdfast of S. fusiforme.