• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.226-235
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• 2017

Carotenoids such as phytoene, lycopene, and ${\beta}-carotene$ are used as food colorants, animal feed supplements, and for human nutrition and cosmetic purposes. Previously, we reported the isolation of a novel marine bacterium, Kocuria gwangalliensis, which produces a pink-orange pigment. Phytoene desaturase (CrtI), encoded by the gene crtI, catalyzes lycopene formation from phytoene and is an essential enzyme in the early steps of carotenoid biosynthesis. CrtI is one of the key enzymes regulating carotenoid biosynthesis and has been implicated as a rate-limiting enzyme of the pathway in various carotenoid synthesizing organisms. Here, we report the cloning of the crtI gene responsible for lycopene biosynthesis from K. gwangalliensis. The gene consisted of 1,584 bases encoding 527 amino acid residues. The nucleotide sequence of the crtI gene was compared with that of other species, including Kocuria rhizophila and Myxococcus xanthus, and was found to be well conserved during evolution. An expression plasmid containing the crtI gene was constructed (pCcrt1), and Escherichia coli cells were transformed with this plasmid to produce a recombinant protein of approximately 57 kDa, corresponding to the molecular weight of phytoene desaturase. Lycopene biosynthesis was confirmed when the plasmid pCcrtI was co-transformed into E. coli containing the plasmid pRScrtEB carrying the crtE and crtB genes required for lycopene biosynthesis. The results from this study will provide valuable information on the primary structure of K. gwangalliensis CrtI at the molecular level.

• Proceedings of the Korea Society of Poultry Science Conference
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.9-27
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• 2003

This study was performed to measure the effect of carotenoid polarity on absorption and Pigmentation in blood, muscle, and skin of laying hens. Carotenoids used in this study and Polarity were ${\beta}$-8-Apo-carotenoic acid ethyl ester(ACAEE) ＞ astaxanthin ＞ canthaxanthin ＞ ${\beta}$-carotene. The chickens used in this study were 61∼78 weeks old ISA brown laying hens. Experiment #1 was designed to measure the effect of carotenoid level on the accumulation of carotenoids in carcass of laying hens after feeding for 6 weeks. D-carotene was accumulated in skin only at a detectable level when it was fed at 300 mg/kg feed. The skin was pigmented as yellow when it was measured by colorimeter. The concentration of ${\beta}$-carotene in blood was proportional to that in the feed. Pigmentation of muscle by 9-carotene was not effective. Canthaxanthin significantly increased redness of the skin(p＜0.05). However, canthaxanthin did not pigment muscle. The level of canthaxanthin in the blood and skin increased as the concentration in feed increased. ACAEE at 200 and 300 mg/kg feed significantly increased yellowness of the skin(p＜0.05). At all levels of ACAEE used($\geq$50 mg/kg feed) the b values of colorimeter increased. With increases in the contents of ACAEE, the concentration of ACAEE in the blood and skin increased. Compared to ${\beta}$-carotene, ACAEE and canthaxanthin were absorbed 9- and 3-fold more into the blood, respectively. The concentration of ACAEE and canthaxanthin in the skin was 1/10 of those in the blood. The lower were the concentrations of carotenoids in the feed, the higher were the absorption rates(from feed to blood and from blood to skin) The results indicated that the higher was the polarity of carotenoids, the more effective were the absorption and pigmentation. In experiment #2, the effect of carotenoid levels of feed on the accumulation of carotenoids in each body part of laying hens was determined. The colorimeter values for redness and yellowness significantly increased when canthaxanthin was fed at $\geq$50 mg/kg feed(p＜0.05). Breast and thigh were not affected by feeding of canthaxanthin at the levels used. The L values of muscle but not the a and b values were significantly affected by feeding at $\geq$200 mg/kg feed for wings and breasts, respectively. The yellowness of skin and muscle significantly increased when ACAEE was fed at $\geq$ 100 and $\geq$ 200 mg/kg feed, respectively(p＜0.05).

• Journal of Photoscience
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.78-81
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• 2002

Fluorescence rise and decay curves of carotenoids were measured in solutions and in pigment protein complexes with a femtosecond time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. For linear carotenoids, the S$_2$ lifetimes showed the maximum value around n = 9-10. The conjugation of a keto-carbonyl group shortened the S$_2$lifetime and prolonged the S$_1$lifetime. The excitation relaxation dynamics within carotenoids and the excitation energy transfer kinetics from carotenoids to chlorophylls are discussed as a function of molecular structure of carotenoids.

• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.48
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• pp.72-78
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• 2003

Carotenoids are the major pigment of pepper (Capsicum annuum) and tomato (Lycopersicon esulentum) which are very important foods in Korea. However the analysis of carotenoids is quite complicated because of their diversity and the presence of cis-trans isomeric forms of these compounds. The objective of this review is to collect the achievements on the field of the chromatographic separation of carotenoids in food and some vegetables, to describe and critically evaluate the techniques, And to compare the benefits and shortcomings of the various chromatographic methods such as adsorption and reversed-phase HPLC and thin-layer chromatography. HPLC equipped with ultra-violet or photodiode array detection is most often employed in routine use for the analysis of carotenoids. Here, the method to analyze carotenoids by HPLC separation after solvent extration and purification from pepper powder samples done in our laboratory is also mentioned.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.9
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• pp.1232-1237
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• 2014

Lycopene, which is a well-known red carotenoid pigment, has been drawing scientific interest because of its potential biological functions. The current study reports that lycopene acts as a bactericidal agent by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated DNA damage in Escherichia coli. Lycopene treatment elevated the level of ROS-in particular, hydroxyl radicals ($^*OH$)-which can damage DNA in E. coli. Lycopene-induced DNA damage in bacteria was confirmed and we also observed cell filamentation caused by cell division arrest, an indirect marker of the DNA damage repair system, in lycopene-treated E. coli. Increased RecA expression was observed, indicating activation of the DNA repair system (SOS response). To summarize, lycopene exerts its antibacterial effects by inducing $^*OH$-mediated DNA damage that cannot be ameliorated by the SOS response. Lycopene may be a clinically useful adjuvant for current antimicrobial therapies.

• Molecular & Cellular Toxicology
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.300-306
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• 2008

We investigated high light-induced alterations in antioxidant enzymes by exposing green vegetative cells of the alga Haematococcus pluvialis to excess irradiance to induce the production of astaxanthin, a carotenoid pigment. Total activity of catalase decreased approximately 70% after high light exposure, whereas glutathione peroxidase (GPX) activity was slightly enhanced. Total activity of superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase (APX) also slightly decreased. Overall, we did not observe dramatically elevated levels of antioxidant isozymes, although APXn, GPX2, and GPX3 isozyme increased slightly. ${H_2}{O_2}$ content increased about sixfold after high light exposure, demonstrating severe cellular oxidative stress, whereas lipid peroxidation was notably reduced. Concomitantly, astaxanthin accumulation increased about sevenfold. This result suggests that probably massively accumulated astaxanthin may be one of the antioxidant protector against high light stress.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.467-477
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• 2021

Staphylococcus aureus is a well-known pathogen that can cause diseases in humans. It can cause both mild superficial skin infections and serious deep tissue infections, including pneumonia, osteomyelitis, and infective endocarditis. To establish host infection, S. aureus manages a complex regulatory network to control virulence factor production in both temporal and host locations. Among these virulence factors, staphyloxanthin, a carotenoid pigment, has been shown to play a leading role in S. aureus pathogenesis. In addition, staphyloxanthin provides integrity to the bacterial cell membrane and limits host oxidative defense mechanisms. The overwhelming rise of Staphylococcus resistance to routinely used antibiotics has necessitated the development of novel anti-virulence agents to overcome this resistance. This review presents an overview of the chief virulence determinants in S. aureus. More attention will be paid to staphyloxanthin, which could be a possible target for anti-virulence agents.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.18-23
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• 2003

This study was conducted to compare physiological responses of Pinus densiflora, Populus ${\times}$ tomentiglandulosa, Quercus acutissima and Eleutherococcus sessiliflorus exposed to SO$_2$, by measuring photosynthetic pigment contents and SOD activity. Four woody plants were exposed to relatively high SO$_2$ concentration (500 ppb, 800 ppb) for 8h day$^{-1}$ for 7 days in a chamber. Photosynthetic pigment contents in the leaves of four species decreased with increase of SO$_2$ concentration; also chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total carotenoid content were significantly different among tree species and treatments. The ratio of chlorophyll b to chlorophyll a of E. sessiliflorus and Q. acutissima increased for 500 ppb treatment but decreased at 800 ppb. This result showed that chlorophyll a was destroyed by 500 ppb SO$_2$ and chlorophyll b by 800 ppb SO$_2$. Therefore, the sensitivity of chlorophyll a to SO$_2$ may be higher than that of chlorophyll b. SOD activity differed significantly between species and treatments. SOD activity of E. sessiliflorus and Q. acutissima increased at 500 ppb but decreased at 800 ppb, but P. densiflora and P ${\times}$tomentiglandulosa maintained high SOD activity at both 500 ppb and 800 ppb. Based on the photosynthetic pigment contents and SOD activity in the leaves of four tree species, the tolerance of P. ${\times}$ tomentiglandulosa to SO$_2$ was the highest of four tree species.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.278-287
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• 1998

Carotenoids in integument of wild manchurian trout, Brachymystax lenok, and wild and cultured masu salmon Oncohynchus macrostomus, which are all the Korean native cold fresh water fish, were investigated by thin layer chromatography, column chromatography and HPLC. The total carotenoid contents of the wild manchurian trout were $3.72\;mg\%$ which is relatively higher compare to other species of salmonidae. The carotenoids were composed of $36.9\%$ zeaxanthin and $14.7\%$ $\beta-carotene$ as the major compounds, $7.8\%$ triol $7.3\%$ isocryptoxanthin, $5.7\%$ 4-hydroxy echinenone, $4.7\%$ lutein, $4.5\%$ salmoxanthin and $2.2\%$ astaxanthin as minor compounds, and other carotenoids such as canthaxanthin, tunaxanthin A, tunaxanthin B, tunaxanthin C, $\beta-cryptoxanthin$ and $\alpha-cryptoxanthin$ as minute carotenoids. Wild masu salmon contained more total carotenoids than cultured one and the contents were $0.82\;mg\%$ and $0.66\;mg\%$, respectively. The composition of the carotenoids from wild masu salmon were $20.7\%$ xeaxanthin, $17.0\%$ isocryptoxanthin and $15.8\%\;\beta-carotene$ as major compounds, and $6.2\%$ triol, $6.1\%$ 4-hydroxy echinenone, $6.1\%$ salmoxanthin, $5.9\%$ canthaxanthin, $5.8\%$ lutein, $4.9\%$ $\alpha-cryptoxanthin$ and $1.0\%$ astaxanthin as minor compounds. The composition of the carotenoids from cultured masu salmon were $19.7\%$ isocryptoxanthin, $18.0\%$ $\beta-carotene$ and $10.3\%$ zeaxanthin as the major compounds, and $8.9\%\;\beta-cryptoxanthin$, $8.5\%\;\alpha-cryptoxanthin$, $8.0\%$ lutein, $7.6\%$ canthaxanthin, $5.1\%$ triol and $2.0\%$ astaxanthin as minor carotenoids. Based on these data, wild masu salmon contained more zeaxanthin, salmoxanthin and 4-hydroxy echinenone while cultured masu salmon contained more $\alpha-cryptoxanthin$, indicating that carotenoid pigment of masu salmon depends on their living conditions. Unlike wild masu salmon, 4-hydroxy echinenone and salmoxanthin which are the characteristic carotenoids of salmons, were not found in the integument of cultured masu salmon. Unlike manchurian trout, both wild and cultured masu salmon did not contain tunaxanthin A, tunaxanthin B and tunaxanthin C.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.510-515
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• 2014

Duckweed (Lemna perpusilla J. Torrey) is a typical floating aquatic macrophyte that has been used for evaluating phytotoxicity of toxicants. In this study, we evaluated the responses of duckweed to PAHs and ammonium as toxicants that frequently affect the growth of plants in polluted industrial and agricultural areas. As the duckweed is growing in aquatic environment, the PAHs and ammonium were incorporated into nutrient solution and the fronds were cultured hydroponically. Frond growth was responded differentially to the concentration and type of PAHs. The severe inhibition of frond growth was observed in the treatment of fluorene. Fluoranthene and pyrene, however, showed weak inhibition of frond growth. The latter PAHs that showed weak inhibition did not reduced frond number at the low concentration of 30 ppm. Pigment contents were also responded differentially. Phenanthrene and fluorene reduced chlorophyll content more strongly than fluoranthene and pyrene. Carotenoids, well-known antioxidative compound, was relatively increased at the low concentration of PAHs up to 30 ppm by the treatment of fluoranthene and pyrene, suggesting an increased antioxidative activity in fronds. Ammonium treatment showed higher inhibitory effect even low concentration of 3 mM.