• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제19권11호
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• pp.1408-1414
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• 2009

The obtention of high yields of purified plasmid DNA is viewed as an essential issue to be considered towards efficient production of DNA vaccines and therapeutic plasmids. In this work, Escherichia coli $DH5\alpha$. bearing the pVAXI-LacZ plasmid was grown in a developed semi-defined medium at different temperatures and tryptone concentrations. Analysis of pDNA yields and E. coli morphology revealed that at higher temperatures (37 and $40^{\circ}C$), higher specific yields and E. coli filamentation were obtained. However, the best results were achieved when a lower tryptone concentration was used. This approach was shown to be a powerful tool to promote plasmid amplification, keeping the desirable plasmid structure, and favoring the attainment of quality. Our results suggest that by using tryptone alone as an amino acid source, pDNA amplification was improved and a specific yield of 20.43 mg pDNA/g dcw was achieved, proving that this strategy can improve pDNA yield even at a small scale.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제9권3호
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• pp.371-375
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• 1999

AL072 is a potent anti-Legionella antibiotic produced by Streptomyces strain AL91. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AL072 against Legionella pneumophila was 0.2$\mu$g/ml. Bacterial growth was rapidly inhibited at the dose range between the MIC and 20 times of the MIC when the antibiotic was added at the mid-exponential phase. Ultrastructural changes in L. pneumophila were observed upon treatment with AL072. Under electron microscopical observation, the organisms treated with AL072 exhibited characteristic morphological changes in the cellular outer coat. Also irregular morphological changes, such as the formation of filamentous materials in the cytoplasm, an increase in the size and number of cytoplasmic vacuoles, the extruding of cytoplasmic contents, the formation of spheroplast and ghost cells, and blebbings in the cell wall were observed. Furthermore, immunoelectron microscopical observation of the group treated with the MIC showed that the immune complex attached mainly to the cell wall. The results of these experiments indicate that AL072, like the inhibitors of cell wall synthesis, act selectively on the cell wall of L. pneumophila.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• 제44권2호
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• pp.145-154
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• 2006

Heterotrimeric G proteins (G proteins) are conserved in all eukaryotes and are crucial components sensing and relaying external cues into the cells to elicit appropriate physiological and biochemical responses. Basic units of the heterotrimeric G protein signaling system include a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), a G protein composed of ${\alpha},\;{\beta},\;and\;{\gamma}$ subunits, and variety of effectors. Sequential sensitization and activation of these G protein elements translates external signals into gene expression changes, resulting in appropriate cellular behaviors. Regulators of G protein signaling (RGSs) constitute a crucial element of appropriate control of the intensity and duration of G protein signaling. For the past decade, G protein signaling and its regulation have been intensively studied in a number of model and/or pathogenic fungi and outcomes of the studies provided better understanding on the upstream regulation of vegetative growth, mating, development, virulence/pathogenicity establishment, and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites in fungi. This review focuses on the characteristics of the basic upstream G protein components and RGS proteins, and their roles controlling various aspects of biological processes in the model filamentous ascomycete fungus Aspergillus nidulans. In particular, their functions in controlling hyphal proliferation, asexual spore formation, sexual fruiting, and the mycotoxin sterigmatocystin production are discussed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권5호
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• pp.913-917
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• 2008

The cyclic undecapeptide, cyclosporin A (CyA), is one of the most commonly prescribed immunosuppressive drugs. It is generated nonribosomally from a multifunctional cyclosporin synthetase enzyme complex by the filamentous fungus Tolypocladium niveum. In order to maximize the production of CyA by wild-type T. niveum (ATCC 34921), each of three culture stages (sporulation culture, growth culture, and production culture) were sequentially optimized. Among the three potential sporulation media, the SSMA medium generated the highest numbers of T. niveum spores. The SSM and SM media were then selected as the optimal growth and production culture media, respectively. The addition of valine and fructose to the SM production medium was also determined to be crucial for CyA biosynthesis. In this optimized three-stage culture system, 3% of the spore inoculum generated the highest level of CyA productivity in a 15-day T. niveum production culture, thereby implying that the determination of an appropriate size of T. niveum spore inoculum plays a critical role in the maximization of CyA production.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제31권5호
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• pp.676-685
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• 2021

RNA-binding proteins are involved in RNA metabolism and posttranscriptional regulation of various fundamental biological processes. The PUF family of RNA-binding proteins is highly conserved in eukaryotes, and its members regulate gene expression, mitochondrial biogenesis, and RNA processing. However, their biological functions in Aspergillus species remain mostly unknown in filamentous fungi. Here we have characterized the puf genes in the model organism Aspergillus nidulans. We generated deletion mutant strains for the five putative puf genes present in the A. nidulans genome and investigated their developmental phenotypes. Deletion of pufA or pufE affected fungal growth and asexual development. pufA mutants exhibited decreased production of asexual spores and reduced mRNA expression of genes regulating asexual development. The pufE deletion reduced colony growth, increased formation of asexual spores, and delayed production of sexual fruiting bodies. In addition, the absence of pufE reduced both sterigmatocystin production and the mRNA levels of genes in the sterigmatocystin cluster. Finally, pufE deletion mutants showed reduced trehalose production and lower resistance to thermal stress. Overall, these results demonstrate that PufA and PufE play roles in the development and sterigmatocystin metabolism in A. nidulans.

• Mycobiology
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• 제32권1호
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• pp.17-23
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• 2004

Growth of ten isolates of Catenaria anguillulae on linseed oil-cake agar medium was studied at 10, 13, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 44 and $46^{\circ}C$. The cardinal temperatures of these isolates were also determined. Observations clearly revealed that the isolates differed in their temperature requirements. Isolate GA was found to grow best at $40^{\circ}C$, whereas VF isolate showed best growth at 35 and $40^{\circ}C$. Isolates PA, KA, CHP, KO, MA and SWP grew best at $35^{\circ}C$. The other isolates(KP and MMT) showed their best growth at $30^{\circ}C$. Based on radial growth, isolates were categorized as fast growing, medium growing and slow growing. Studies on effect of different temperatures on pathogenicity was made using only three isolates: VF, KP and MA against Xiphinema basin. VF isolate caused maximum infection at $40^{\circ}C$, whereas KP and MA isolates caused maximum infection at $30^{\circ}C$. The morphology of sporangia varied with temperature in isolates producing elongate-elliptical or filamentous sporangia. In VF isolate the sporangia were largely iilamentous to elongate elliptical at $30^{\circ}C$. The width of the sporangia increased with increasing and decreasing temperatures. At $44^{\circ}C$ the sporangia of this isolate were mostly broadly elliptical or spherical. This clearly indicates that sporangia vary in morphology with temperature. From the morphometrical studies it was understood that sporangial morphology was more consistent and reliable for grouping of isolates. Based on the morphology of sporangia the isolates of C. anguillulae were characterized in three groups viz., Mamentouslelongate elliptical(VF, KA, GA and SWP), spherical(PA, KP, MA and MMT) and vertically elongate sporangia(CHP and KO).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제18권2호
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• pp.242-247
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• 2008

In the fungal pathogen Candida albicans, the yeast-to-hyphal transition occurs in response to a broad range of environmental stimuli and is considered to be a major virulence factor. To address whether the zinc homeostasis affects the growth or pathogenicity of C. albicans, we functionally characterized the zinc-finger protein Csr1 during filamentation. The deduced amino acid sequence of Csr1 showed a 49% similarity to the zinc-specific transcription factor, Zap1 of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sequential disruptions of CSR1 were carried out in diploid C. albicans. The csr1/csr1 mutant strain showed severe growth defects under zinc-limited growth conditions and the filamentation defect under hypha-inducing media. The colony morphology and the germ-tube formation were significantly affected by the csr1 mutation. The expression of the hyphae-specific gene HWP1 was also impaired in csr1/csr1 cells. The C. albicans homologs of ZRTl and ZRT2, which are zinc-transporter genes in S. cerevisiae, were isolated. High-copy number plasmids of these genes suppressed the filamentation defect of the csr1/csr1 mutant strain. We propose that the filamentation phenotype of C. albicans is closely associated with the zinc homeostasis in the cells and that Csr1 plays a critical role in this regulation.

• KSBB Journal
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• 제16권5호
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• pp.516-522
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• 2001

균사형성 미생물에 의한 항생물질의 대량생산은 적절한 산소공급이 요구되며, 산소전달속도는 생산성에 영향을 미치는 속도제한단계이다. 그러므로 발효에 이용하기 위해 Streptomyces avermitilis 와 같은 균사형성 미생물 배양액에서의 산소전달계수를 측정하였다. 그러나 회분식 배양에서 (K$_{L}$A) 측정을 위한 적절한 용존산소 유지가 어려웠으며, 이를 극복하기 위해서 유가식 배양을 도입하였다. 배지의 단계적 공급으로 미생물 성장속도를 조절할 수 있었고, 낮은 교반속도에서도 적정용존산소의 유지가 가능하였으며, 결과적으로 (K$_{L}$A) 측정도 용이하였다. 7 g/L 이하의 낮은 균체량에서 350 rpm의 교반속도가 교반효율과 전단응력을 고려했을 때 가장 적절한 조건임을 알수 있었다. 그러나 균체가 증가할수록 배양액 점도가 증가하여 혼합이 효과적이지 못한 이유로 더 높은 교반속도가 필요하였다. 통기량의 증가에 의한 (K$_{L}$A) 증가율은 건조균제질량이 고 농도 일수록 미미하였다. 그러므로 높은 균체농도에서는 이차대사산물에 영향을 주지 않은 범위에서 교반속도를 증가하여 용존산소 농도를 조절하는 것이 통기속도의 조절보다 더 효율적 일 것으로 판단되었다.판단되었다.

• 한국균학회지
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• 제38권2호
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• pp.160-166
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• 2010

모델 사상성 진균 Aspergillus nidulans는 분화과정을 연구하는 진핵세포 시스템으로 사용되어 왔다. 이러한 분화과정은 매우 다양한 유전자들의 발현을 통하여 조절되며 이와 관련된 다양한 전사요소들의 기능이 연구되어 왔다. 이들 중 forkhead 유전자는 일반적으로 감수분열 및 세포주기 조절에 중요한 역할을 하는 것으로 알려져 왔으며 A. nidulans에서도 유사한 기능을 하리라 예상되어 왔다. 이와 관련된 연구를 위하여 A. nidulans 유전체에 존재하는 6개의 forkhead 유전자를 발견, 확보하였고, 최근에는 효모 및 다른 진균에서는 발견되지 않는 A. nidulans 특이적 forkhead 유전자인 fkhF의 구조와 기능이 분석된 바 있다. 본 연구에서는 fkhF와 매우 유사한 단백질 서열을 가지고 있는 fkhE(AN2025.3) 유전자의 기능을 분석하였다. 본 유전자의 기능을 분석하기 위해 RT-PCR을 통하여 cDNA 서열을 분석한 결과 약 3종류의 서로 다른 mRNA가 존재하는 것이 밝혀졌고 이는 alternative splicing에 의한 것으로 추정되었다. 이들 3종류의 mRNA중 한 종류만 정상적인 ORF를 가지고 있으며 조사한 전체 cDNA 발현의 61%를 차지하였다. fkhE 유전자는 718개의 아미노산을 암호화하는 하나의 ORF를 가지고 있었으며 N 말단에 보존된 forkhead 도메인을 가지고 있었다. fkhE 유전자를 제거한 유전자 제거 돌연변이 균주는 fkhF와 유사하게 고체배지에서는 무성포자의 형성이 저해되었으나 유성분화에는 별다른 영향을 미치지 않았으며 액체 진탕배양에서는 야생형과 다르게 무성포자병(conidiophore)이 형성되었다. 이러한 결과는 fkhE 유전자가 무성분화에 관련되었음을 보여준다.

• 생명과학회지
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• 제34권6호
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• pp.393-398
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• 2024

본 연구는 항진균성 천연물 의약품을 개발하기 위한 생물자원의 연구로서 미나리아재비과에 속한 여러 한약재의 항진균활성을 새롭게 검증하고 비교하는 것을 목표로 한다. 한약재에서 진균류 생장을 저해하는 물질을 효과적으로 추출하는 방법을 찾고 추출물들에 포함된 항진균성 유용 물질을 탐색하였다. 위령선, 황련, 백두옹 한약재의 열수 추출 및 유기용매 추출을 진행하여 액체배지에서 항진균활성을 측정하였을 때 클로로포름 분획물에서 효과적인 결과를 얻었다. 또한 단세포성 진균인 Candida albicans, Candida tropi- calis, Candida lusitaniae 그리고 사상성 곰팡이인 Pythium ultimum KACC 40705, Aspergillus fumigatus, Fusarium oxysporum을 대상으로 고체배지에서 disc diffusion 실험으로 진균 성장 저해 실험을 수행하였다. 백두옹 추출물은 Candida spp.에 대해서, 위령선은 사상성 곰팡에 대해서 우수한 항진균활성을 가지고 있다는 것으로 확인했다. 마지막으로 추출물에 존재하는 항진균성 유용물질을 탐색하기 위해 GC-MS 분석을 진행하였다. 연구 결과 미나리아재비과의 한약재에서 항진균활성을 확인할 수 있었으며 위령선에서 thur- berogenone, 황련에서 16-HCDO를 항진균성 후보물질로서 확인하였다. 결론적으로 백두옹, 위령선 및 황련은 다양한 진균류에 대하여 항진균활성을 가지고 있음을 확인하였으며, GC-MS 분석에서 세 한약재 모두 서로 다른 항진균성 후보물질을 가지고 있는 것으로 확인되었다. 이러한 결과는 미나리아재비과 생물자원이 진균류 저항성에 대해 여러 방향으로 진화되었음을 나타낸다.