• Mycobiology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.150-159
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• 2017

This study analyzed the distribution of endophytic fungi in 3 coastal environments with different climatic, geographical, and geological characteristics: the volcanic islands of Dokdo, the East Sea, and the West Sea of Korea. The isolated fungal endophytes were characterized and analyzed with respect to the characteristics of their host environments. For this purpose, we selected common native coastal halophyte communities from three regions. Molecular identification of the fungal endophytes showed clear differences among the sampling sites and halophyte host species. Isolates were also characterized by growth at specific salinities or pH gradients, with reference to previous geographical, geological, and climate studies. Unlike the East Sea or West Sea isolates, some Dokdo Islands isolates showed endurable traits with growth in high salinity, and many showed growth under extremely alkaline conditions. A smaller proportion of West Sea coast isolates tolerate compared to the East Sea or Dokdo Islands isolates. These results suggest that these unique fungal biota developed through a close interaction between the host halophyte and their environment, even within the same halophyte species. Therefore, this study proposes the application of specific fungal resources for restoring sand dunes and salt-damaged agricultural lands and industrialization of halophytic plants.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.893-902
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• 2011

Endophytic fungi are little known for their role in gibberellins (GAs) synthesis and abiotic stress resistance in crop plants. We isolated 10 endophytes from the roots of field-grown soybean and screened their culture filtrates (CF) on the GAs biosynthesis mutant rice line - Waito-C. CF bioassay showed that endophyte GMH-1B significantly promoted the growth of Waito-C compared with controls. GMH-1B was identified as Penicillium minioluteum LHL09 on the basis of ITS regions rDNA sequence homology and phylogenetic analyses. GC/MS-SIM analysis of CF of P. minioluteum revealed the presence of bioactive $GA_4$ and $GA_7$. In endophyte-soybean plant interaction, P. minioluteum association significantly promoted growth characteristics (shoot length, shoot fresh and dry biomasses, chlorophyll content, and leaf area) and nitrogen assimilation, with and without sodium chloride (NaCl)-induced salinity (70 and 140 mM) stress, as compared with control. Field-emission scanning electron microcopy showed active colonization of endophyte with host plants before and after stress treatments. In response to salinity stress, low endogenous abscisic acid and high salicylic acid accumulation in endophyte-associated plants elucidated the stress mitigation by P. minioluteum. The endophytic fungal symbiosis of P. minioluteum also increased the daidzein and genistein contents in the soybean as compared with control plants, under salt stress. Thus, P. minioluteum ameliorated the adverse effects of abiotic salinity stress and rescued soybean plant growth by influencing biosynthesis of the plant's hormones and flavonoids.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.349-352
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• 2014

The fungal endophyte EML-CM25 was isolated in Korea from surface sterilized Chinese maple leaf tissues. Internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis indicated that the isolate showed 99% sequence similarity with Paraconiothyrium brasiliense, a finding that was confirmed by morphological analyses. The fungal colonies did not express aerial hyphae. Conidiomata formation was observed in the fungus cultured on potato dextrose agar at $25^{\circ}C$ for 7 days. Visible scattered black dots consisting of pycnidia were present throughout the colony. This is the first record of P. brasiliense in Korea.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.98-107
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• 2021

Background: Ginseng extracts and ginseng-fermented products are widely used as functional cosmetic ingredients for their whitening and antiwrinkle effects. Recently, increasing attention has been given to bioactive metabolites isolated from endophytic fungi. However, little is known about the bioactive metabolites of the fungi associated with Panax ginseng Meyer. Methods: An endophytic fungus, Penicillium sp. SNF123 was isolated from the root of P. ginseng, from which acremonidin E was purified. Acremonidin E was tested on melanin synthesis in the murine melanoma cell line B16F10, in the human melanoma cell line MNT-1, and in a pigmented 3D-human skin model, Melanoderm. Results: Acremonidin E reduced melanogenesis in α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16F10 cells with minimal cytotoxicity. qRT-PCR analysis demonstrated that acremonidin E downregulated melanogenic genes, including tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP-1), while their enzymatic activities were unaffected. The antimelanogenic effects of acremonidin E were further confirmed in MNT-1 and a pigmented 3D human epidermal skin model, Melanoderm. Immunohistological examination of the Melanoderm further confirmed the regression of both melanin synthesis and melanocyte activation in the treated tissue. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that acremonidin E, a bioactive metabolite derived from a fungal endophyte of P. ginseng, can inhibit melanin synthesis by downregulating tyrosinase, illuminating the potential utility of microorganisms associated with P. ginseng for cosmetic ingredients.

• Mycobiology
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• v.51 no.4
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• pp.230-238
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• 2023

Glabridin is a well-known active isoflavone found in the root of licorice (Glycyrrhiza glabra L.) that possess a wide range of biological activity. Plant cells, hairy roots, and fungal endophytes cultures are the most important alternative methods for plant resources conservation and sustainable production of natural compounds, which has received much attention in recent decades. In the present study, an efficient culture condition was optimized for the biomass accumulation and glabridin production from fungal endophyte Aspergillus eucalypticola SBU-11AE isolated from licorice root. Type of culture medium, range of pH, and licorice root extract (as an elicitor) were tested. The results showed that the highest and lowest biomass production was observed on PCB medium (6.43 ± 0.32 g/l) and peptone malt (5.85 + 0.11 g/l), respectively. The medium culture PCB was produced the highest level of glabridin (7.26 ± 0.44 mg/l), while the lowest level (4.47 ± 0.02 mg/l) was obtained from the medium peptone malt. The highest biomass (8.51 ± 0.43 g/l) and glabridin (8.30 ± 0.51 mg/l) production were observed from the PCB medium adjusted with pH = 6, while the lowest value of both traits was obtained from the same medium with pH = 7. The highest production of total glabridin (10.85 ± 0.84 mg/l) was also obtained from the culture medium treated with 100 mg/l of the plant root extract. This information can be interestingly used for the commercialization of glabridin production for further industrial applications.

• Mycobiology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.8-13
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• 2012

In the present study, an attempt to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of fungal endophytes inhabiting $Emblica$ $officinalis$ has been made keeping in view the medicinal importance of the selected host plant in Indian traditional practices. A total of four endophytic fungi belonging to Phylum Ascomycetes were isolated from different parts of the plant which were characterized morphologically and by using rDNA-internal transcribed spacer. The most frequently isolated endophyte was $Phomopsis$ sp. The antioxidant activity by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and reducing power assay, and total phenol were evaluated using ethanolic extract of endophytic fungi. DPPH activities in all the ethanolic extract increased with the increase in concentrations. Endophytes, $Phomopsis$ sp. and $Xylaria$ sp. showed highest antioxidant activity and also had the higher levels of phenolics. Antimicrobial activity of fungal extract were tested against four bacteria namely, $Escherichia$ $coli$ MTCC730, $Enteroccocus$ $faecalis$ MTCC2729, $Salmonella$ $enterica$ ser. $paratyphi$ MTCC735 and $Streptococcus$ $pyogenes$ MTCC1925, and the fungus $Candida$ $albicans$ MTCC183. In general, the fungal extracts inhibited the growth of test organisms except $E.$ $coli$.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.651-658
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• 2010

Garcinia is commonly found in Malaysia, but limited information is available regarding endophytic fungi associated with this plant. In this study, 24 endophytic fungi were successfully recovered from different parts of two Garcinia species. Characterization of endophytic fungi was performed based on the conserved internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequence analysis and the antimicrobial properties. Results revealed that fruits of the plant appeared to be the highest inhabitation site (38%) as compared with others. Glomerella sp., Guignardia sp., and Phomopsis sp. appeared to be the predominant endophytic fungi group in Garcinia mangostana and Garcinia parvifolia. Phylogenetic relationships of the isolated endophytic fungi were estimated from the sequences of the ITS region. On the other hand, antibacterial screening showed 11 of the isolates possessed positive response towards pathogenic and nonpathogenic bacteria. However, there was no direct association between certain antibacterial properties with the specific genus observed.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.122-129
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• 2017

Termites are destructive to agriculture, forestry, and buildings, but they can also promote agro-ecosystem balance through the degradation of lignocellulose. Termite-triggered cellulose digestion may be clarified through microbial metabolism of cellulose products. In the present study, we characterized the activities of cellulase and its three components synthesized by the cellulase-producing fungal strain HDZK-BYTF620 isolated from the gut of Odontotermes formosanus. The protein components of cellulases were synthesized by strain HDZK-BYTF620, which were isolated and characterized using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and the expression of the cellulases was studied at the proteome level.

• Mycobiology
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.222-227
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• 2008

Upon studying the diversity of fungal endophytes associated with pine trees in Korea, many species of Penicillium were encountered. In this study, we report two species of Penicillium isolated from the needles of Pinus rigida. Based on ID region analysis, cultural and morphological characteristics, the two species were identified as Penicillium fellutanum and P. toxicarium, both of which are new to Korea.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.97-99
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• 1999

Endophytic fungi from Ginkgo biloba and Taxus cuspidata in Korea were screened for production of taxol. Eighteen and twelve fungal isolates from G. biloba and T. cuspidata, respectively, were shown to produce immunologically detectable amount of taxol. The highest production of taxol at 260 ng/l was achieved by stationary culture of an Alternaria isolate from G. biloba. The strain also produced unidentified antifungal agent(s) against Pythium ultimum. However, the activity gradually decreased when the strain was stored at $4^{\circ}C$ for 6 months.