• Mycobiology
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.39-43
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• 2007

The antifungal effect of pine needle extract prepared by a distinguishable extraction method and the dry distillation method, was examined. The effect of this extract itself was insignificant. The chemical components of pine needle extract were then investigated by gas chromatographic analysis, and four, chemical components, acetol, furfural, 5-methyl furfural, and terpine4-ol, were identified. The antifungal effects of those four chemical components against Alternaria mali (A. mali), an agent of Alternaria blotch of apple, were then examined. It was observed that the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were 6.25, 0.78, 0.78, and 12.5 (mg/ml) of acetol, furfural, 5-methyl furfural, and terpine-4-ol, respectively. MICs of furfural and 5-methyl furfural had the same order of magnitude as that of an antifungal agrochemical, chlorothalonil. Although furfural itself can not be completely substituted for an antifungal agrochemical, a partial mixture of furfural and antifungal agrochemical may be used as a substitute. The use of agrochemicals for the prevention of plant disease caused by pathogenic fungus such as A. mali could be partially reduced by the application of this mixture.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.99-106
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• 2021

The fungal isolate Isaria javanica pf185 has potential as a mycopesticide because it demonstrates insecticidal activity against the green peach aphid and antifungal activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. For commercialization of this isolate, determination of the optimal and least expensive culture conditions is required; however, these data are not currently available. This study describes the conditions for optimal development of conidia and production of metabolites for the biocontrol of the fungal pathogen. The optimal culture conditions were examined using cultures on solid agar and liquid media. High growth temperature enhanced spore formation but reduced antifungal activity in both solid and liquid media. The highest spore yield was obtained in a medium containing glucose as a carbon source and yeast extract as a nitrogen source. Soybean powder and wheat bran were effective nitrogen sources that promoted spore production and antifungal activity of the isolate. These results revealed the basic, cost-effective growth media for commercial production of a biopesticide with insecticidal and antifungal properties for use in integrated pest management.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.323-328
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• 2006

Serratia marcescens W1, isolated from cucumber-cultivated soil in Suwon, Korea, evidenced profound antifungal activity and produced the extracellular hydrolytic enzymes, chitinase and protease. In order to isolate the antifungal genes from S. marcescens W1, a cosmid genomic library was constructed and expressed in Escherichia coli. Transformants exhibiting chitinase and protease expression were selected, as well as those transformants evidencing antifungal effects against the rice blast fungus, Magnaporthe grisea, and the cucumber leaf spot fungus, Cercospora citrullina. Cosmid clones expressing chitinase or protease exerted no inhibitory effects against the growth of fungal pathogens. However, two cosmid clones evidencing profound antifungal activities were selected for further characterization. An 8.2 kb HindIII fragment from these clones conditioned the expression of antagonistic activity, and harbored seven predicted complete open reading frames(ORFs) and two incomplete ORFs. The deduced amino acid sequences indicated that six ORFs were highly homologous with genes from S. marcescens generating pyrroloquinoline quinone(PQQ). Only subclones harboring the full set of pqq genes were shown to solubilize insoluble phosphate and inhibit fungal pathogen growth. The results of this study indicate that the functional expression of the pqq genes of S. marcescens W1 in E. coli may be involved in antifungal activity, via as-yet unknown mechanisms.

• Mycobiology
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.150-156
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• 2015

2',4'-Dihydroxychalcone (2',4'-DHC) was identified from a heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90)-targeting library as a compound with Hsp90 inhibitory and antifungal effects. In the presence of 2',4'-DHC ($8{\mu}g/mL$), radial growth of Aspergillus fumigatus was inhibited 20% compared to the control, and green pigmentation was completely blocked. The expression of the conidiation-associated genes abaA, brlA, and wetA was significantly decreased (approximately 3- to 5-fold) by treatment with 2',4'-DHC. The expression of calcineurin signaling components, cnaA and crzA, was also significantly reduced. The inhibitory effects of 2',4'-DHC on metabolic activity and mycelial growth were significantly enhanced by combination treatment with itraconazole and caspofungin. Docking studies indicated that 2',4'-DHC bind to the ATPase domain of Hsp90. These results suggest that 2',4'-DHC act as an Hsp90-calcinurin pathway inhibitor.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.140-145
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• 1993

Yeast strains were isolated from healthy women(36 isolates), infertile women(15 isolates) and women suffering from local morbidity(82 isolates). On the basis of 37 different physiological and morphological characteristics, the isolated 133 yeast strains were assigned to 10 species belonging to 5 genera. Four pathogenic species were identified. They were Candida albicans, Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis and Trichosporon beigelii. Candida albicans was the dominant species, whereas Saccharomyces cerevisiae prevailed among the saprophytic species. The percentage occurrence as well as the pattern of yeast species differed in the diagnostic groups. It was higher in the women suffering from local morbidity than in the healthy and infertile women. Moreover, a wider spectrum of species was isolated from this group. Women with intrauterine contraceptive devices showed the highest percentage of yeast occurrence which reached 50% of those tested. Five different antifungal agents were tested fro their effects on the growth of the isolated yeast species in vitro. Nystatin was the most effective against the isolated yeast species, followed by pyrithion zink and ciclopiroxolamine, whereas micronazole and clotrimazole, showed a lesser effect.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.8
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• pp.1482-1484
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• 2008

Spherical silver nanoparticles (nano-Ag) were synthesized and their antifungal effects on fungal pathogens of the skin were investigated. Nano-Ag showed potent activity against clinical isolates and ATCC strains of Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Candida species ($IC_{80}$, 1-7${\mu}g/ml$). The activity of nano-Ag was comparable to that of amphotericin B, but superior to that of fluconazole (amphotericin B $IC_{80}$, 1-5${\mu}g/ml$; fluconazole $IC_{80}$, 10-30${\mu}g/ml$). Additionally, we investigated their effects on the dimorphism of Candida albicans. The results showed nano-Ag exerted activity on the mycelia. Thus, the present study indicates nano-Ag may have considerable antifungal activity, deserving further investigation for clinical applications.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.538-547
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• 2019

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of two well-known natural antioxidants, vitamin C (VC) and vitamin E (VE), on the antifungal activity of honokiol against Candida albicans. The broth microdilution method was employed to test the antifungal activities of honokiol with or without antioxidants in the medium against C. albicans strain. Intracellular reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation were determined by fluorescence staining assay. Mitochondrial dysfunction was assessed by detecting the mitochondrial DNA and the mitochondrial membrane potential. We observed that VC could significantly potentiate the antifungal activities of honokiol while VE reduced the effectiveness of honokiol against C. albicans. In addition, VC accelerated honokiol-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and inhibited glycolysis leading to a decrease in cellular ATP. However, VE could protect against mitochondrial membrane lipid peroxidation and rescue mitochondrial function after honokiol treatment. Our research provides new insight into the understanding of the action mechanism of honokiol and VC combination against C. albicans.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.193-195
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• 2006

The effects of ethanol extract from Lepidolaena clavigera (L. clavigera) on antifungal activity were investigated. The crude ethanol extract of L. clavigera inhibited the growth of the Gram positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis ATCC 19659, (1 mm inhibition zone at 150 ${\mu}g/disc$) and the dermatophytic fungus Trichophyon mentagrophyes ATCC 28185, (2 mm inhibition zone at 150 ${\mu}g/disc$), and cytotoxic to P388 murine leukaemia cells ATCC CCL 46 P388D1, (IC50 >12,500 ${\mu}g/mL\;at\;150\;{\mu}g/disc$) and cytotoxic to BSC monkey kidney cells (@ 5 mg/mL, 150 ${\mu}g/disc$; ++: 50% activity). We suppose that this crude ethanol extract of L. clavigera is the antifungal activity.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.511-514
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• 2005

The effects of chloroform extract from Riccardia marginata on antifungal activity were investigated. The crude chloroform extract of R. marginata inhibited the growth of the Gram positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis ATCC 19659, (4 mm inhibition zone at $150\;{\mu}g/disc$) and the dermatophytic fungus Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC 28185, (6 mm inhibition zone at $150\;{\mu}g/disc$), and inactive to P388 murine leukaemia cells ATCC CCL 46 P388D1, ($IC_{50}\;>25,000\;{\mu}g/mL$ at $150\;{\mu}g/disc$). This crude chloroform extract of R. marginata showed strong antifungal activity against the dermatophytic fungus Trichophyton mentagrophytes.

• Mycobiology
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.498-506
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• 2021

An endophytic fungus strain DYSJ3 was isolated from a stem of Aphanamixis grandifolia Blume, which was identified as Aspergillus versicolor based on the morphological characteristics, internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and calmodulin gene sequences analyses. A. versicolor DYSJ3 exhibited strong antagonistic activity against Colletotrichum musae, C. gloeosporioides and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense with the inhibition rates of 61.9, 51.2 and 55.3% respectively. The antifungal metabolites mainly existed in the mycelium of A. versicolor DYSJ3, and its mycelial crude extract (CE) had broad-spectrum antifungal activities against plant pathogenic fungi. The CE had a good thermal stability, and the inhibition rate of 100 mg/mL CE against C. musae was above 70.0% after disposing at 120 ℃ for 1 h. Five secondary metabolites were isolated from the CE and identified as averufanin, ergosterol peroxide, versicolorin B, averythrin and sterigmatocystin. Activity evaluation showed versicolorin B exhibited inhibitory effects on the mycelial growth and conidial germination of C. musae, and sterigmatocystin had a weak inhibitory effect on the mycelial growth of C. musae.