• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.807-812
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• 2002

In order to analyze the cellular proteins which interact with core protein of hepatitis C virus (HCV), a yeast two-hybrid screening technique was employed. A carboxyl terminus truncated core protein, which contained amino acid residues from the 1st to 120th, was used as a bait to screen cellular proteins. The expression library prepared from HeLa cell was screened and 400 positive clones were selected. The 75 clones from the positive clones were sequenced and analyzed by undergoing the Blast search. Interestingly, 7 out of the 75 clones encoded E7 antigen of human papilloma virus (HPV). We studied in detail the Interaction between the truncated version of HCV core and E7 antigen in vitro. The core$_{120}$ protein expressed in chimeric form with G57 was able to bring down the E7 protein of HPV type 18 expressed in bacteria. It is therefore suggested that the core of HCV might affect the interaction between E7 and a normal cellular tumor suppressor, known as Rb protein.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.15 no.2 s.69
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• pp.279-286
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• 2005

The Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten Makino (Cactus) is a tropical or subtropical plant, which is cultivated or grows naturally in Jeju island. It has been widely used as folk medicine for burned wound, edema and indigestion. In addition, its extract has been claimed to have several biological activities including anti-inflammation in oriental medicine. In this study, we examined the antimicrobial activities of the methanol extract of Opuntia ficus-indica var. saboten Makino. The extract showed a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity against pathogenic bacteria, including antibiotics resistant bacteria (MRSA, R-P. aeruginosa, VRE) and Propionibacterium acnes, yeast, and fungi. The extract retained the activity after heat treatment for 15 min at $100^{\circ}C$ and $121^{\circ}C$ and after extended storage, up to 10 weeks storage period at $4^{\circ}C$ and $25^{\circ}C$, also stably retained its activity. It showed a better inhibitoring effect to the growth of E. coli than sodium benzoate did it at the same concentration. Addition of various salts or metal ions did not affect on its antimicrobial activity. Therefore, the antimicrobial characteristics of the extract can be applicable as a natural preservative and an antimicrobial agent for bacterial disease.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 2009

This study carried out development of a natural antimicrobial agent from Schima wallichii ssp. liukiuensis. Compound I exhibiting potent antimicrobial activity against Candida spp. was isolated from the methanol extracts of Schima wallichii ssp. liukiuensis. The structure of I identified as a sterol glycoside consisted of a trisaccharide and ${\alpha}_1$-sitosterol. Trisaccharide composed of L-rhamnose, D-galactose and D-glucose residues. The antimicrobial activity of I was selective on yeast rather than bacteria or other fungi. Compound I was demonstrated to be ineffective against toxicity to mouse liver cells where as protective to human dermal fibroblast cells at low concentrations. Thus, it is reasonable to expect a sterol glycoside (I) as a valuable alternative for synthetic antifungal.

• Mycobiology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.178-183
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• 2017

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder which affects millions of population worldwide. Global estimates published in 2010 reported the world diabetic prevalence as 6.4%, affecting 285 million adults. Foot ulceration and wound infection are major forms of disabilities arising from diabetic diseases. This study was aimed to develop a natural antimicrobial finishing on medical grade textile that meets American Association of Textiles Chemists and Colorists (AATCC) standard. The textile samples were finished with the ethanolic extract of Penicillium amestolkiae elv609, an endophytic fungus isolated from Orthosiphon stamineus Benth (common name: cat's whiskers). Endophyte is defined as microorganism that reside in the living plant tissue, without causing apparent disease symptom to the host. The antimicrobial efficacy of the ethanolic extract of P. minioluteum was tested on clinical pathogens isolated from diabetic wound. The extract exhibited significant inhibitory activity against 4 bacteria and 1 yeast with the minimal inhibitory concentration ranged from 6.25 to 12.5 mg/mL. The results indicate different susceptibility levels of the test microorganism to the ethanolic extract. However, the killing activity of the extract was concentration-dependent. The finished medical textile showed excellent antimicrobial efficacy on AATCC test assays. All the microbial cultures treated with the textile sample displayed a growth reduction of 99.9% on Hoheinstein Challenge Test. The wash durability of the finished textile was found good even after 50 washes with commercial detergent. Besides, the gas chromatography mass spectrometry analysis showed that 6-octadecenoic acid and diethyl phthalate were the main bioactive constituents of the extract. In conclusion, the developed medical textile showed good antimicrobial efficacy on laboratory tests. This work can be extended to in vivo trials for developing healthcare textile products for antimicrobial applications.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.453-464
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• 2014

The current research was focused on the extracellular biosynthesis of bactericidal silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using cell-free supernatant of a local isolate previously identified as a novel Streptomyces aegyptia NEAE 102. The biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by Streptomyces aegyptia NEAE 102 was quite fast and required far less time than previously published strains. The produced particles showed a single surface plasmon resonance peak at 400 nm by UV-Vis spectroscopy, which confirmed the presence of AgNPs. Response surface methodology was chosen to evaluate the effects of four process variables ($AgNO_3$ concentration, incubation period, pH levels, and inoculum size) on the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by Streptomyces aegyptia NEAE 102. Statistical analysis of the results showed that the linear and quadratic effects of incubation period, initial pH, and inoculum size had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on the biosynthesis of silver nanoparticles by Streptomyces aegyptia NEAE 102. The maximum silver nanoparticles biosynthesis (2.5 OD, at 400 nm ) was achieved in runs number 5 and 14 under the conditions of 1 mM $AgNO_3$ (1-1.5% (v/v)), incubation period (72-96 h), initial pH (9-10), and inoculum size (2-4% (v/v)). An overall 4-fold increase in AgNPs biosynthesis was obtained as compared with that of unoptimized conditions. The biosynthesized silver nanoparticles were characterized using UV-VIS spectrophotometer and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis, in addition to antimicrobial properties. The biosynthesized AgNPs significantly inhibited the growth of medically important pathogenic gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative bacteria (Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and yeast (Candida albicans).

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.515-523
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• 2015

In the study reported here, the antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of the ethanol leaf extract of Dendropanax morbiferus Lev. from Jeju Island was investigated. Of the 14 strains of 12 species of microorganisms tested, the extract exhibited antimicrobial activity observed against seven Gram-positive bacteria of four species, but not against six Gram-negative bacteria and a yeast strain. Using the disc diffusion method, the diameter of the inhibition zone increased with application of the extract with every strain and the highest growth inhibition was exhibited with Staphylococcus aureus KCTC 1916 at 5 mg/ml. The minimal inhibitory concentration of the extract (MIC) by turbidity was 2.5 mg/ml against Bacillus cereus KACC 12672 and 15 mg/ml when with Enterococcus faecalis KCTC 3206. The minimum bacterial concentration (MBC) values defined as being $${\geq_-}99.9%$$ reduction in viable cells against the tested strains was higher than the MIC values. Time killing curves using the optimum MIC were performed on seven strains incubated for 48 hr. The growth of B. cereus KACC 12672 was detected after 12 hr and no significant growth was found in the others strains after 48 hr (p<0.05). The 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging activity of the ethanol leaf extract was similar to that of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) at the same concentration. These results indicate that leaf extract of D. morbiferus Lev. can be utilized as a natural preservative and an antioxidant.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.67-73
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• 2008

Interests in natural products have been gradually increasing as well-being era has arrived. Panax ginseng was chosen since it represents Korean traditional medicine as its effect on many age-related symptoms. Panax ginseng absolute essential oil was prepared and analyzed for its main components. Ginseng absolute oil was extracted from Panax ginseng using organic solvent of hexane and ethanol with the yield of 0.146%. The oil was analyzed by GC-MS and main components are sesquiterpenes such as neoclovene, panasinsene, and calarene and more than 110 components were identified from it. The oil was tested for antibacterial activity against general bacteria(E. Coli, S. aureus and P. aeruginosa), yeast, acne germ(Propionibacterium acne) and dandruff germ(Pityrosporum ovale). Panox ginseng absolute essential oil showed the prominent antibacterial activity against Propionibacterium acnes ACCC 6919.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.38 no.12
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• pp.1054-1063
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• 2015

Mitochondria play a crucial role in eukaryotic cells; the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC) generates adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which serves as an energy source for numerous critical cellular activities. However, the ETC also generates deleterious reactive oxygen species (ROS) as a natural byproduct of oxidative phosphorylation. ROS are considered the major cause of aging because they damage proteins, lipids, and DNA by oxidation. We analyzed the chronological life span, growth phenotype, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and intracellular ATP and mitochondrial superoxide levels of 33 single ETC component-deleted strains during the chronological aging process. Among the ETC mutant strains, 14 ($sdh1{\Delta}$, $sdh2{\Delta}$, $sdh4{\Delta}$, $cor1{\Delta}$, $cyt1{\Delta}$, $qcr7{\Delta}$, $qcr8{\Delta}$, $rip1{\Delta}$, $cox6{\Delta}$, $cox7{\Delta}$, $cox9{\Delta}$, $atp4{\Delta}$, $atp7{\Delta}$, and $atp17{\Delta}$) showed a significantly shorter life span. The deleted genes encode important elements of the ETC components succinate dehydrogenase (complex II) and cytochrome c oxidase (complex IV), and some of the deletions lead to structural instability of the membrane-$F_1F_0$-ATP synthase due to mutations in the stator stalk (complex V). These short-lived strains generated higher superoxide levels and produced lower ATP levels without alteration of MMP. In summary, ETC mutations decreased the life span of yeast due to impaired mitochondrial efficiency.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Applied Microbiology Conference
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• 1979.04a
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• pp.113.2-114
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• 1979

$\beta-Galactosidase$ is an enzyme which catalizes hydrolysis of lactose, a natural substrate, to glucose and galctose and transferring some monosac-charide units to active acceptors as sugar or alcohol. The occurence of $\beta-Galactosidase$ is known in various microorganisms, animals and higher plants and has been studied by many investigatigators. Especially, a great deal of articles for the enzyme of E. coli have been presented in genetic control mechanism and induction-repression effects of proteins, On the other hand, in the dairly products industry, it is important to hydrolyes lactosd which is the principal sugar of milk and milk products. During the last few years, the interest in enzymatic hydrolysis of milk lactose has teen increased, because of the lactose intolerence in large groups of the population. Microbial $\beta-Galactosidases$ are considered potentially most suitable for processing milk to hydrolyse lactose and, in recent years, the immobilized enzyme from yeast has been examined. Howev, most of the microbial $\beta-Gal$ actosidase are intracellular enzymes, except a few fungal $\beta-Gala-$ ctosidases, and extracellular $\beta-Galactosidase$ which may be favorable to industrial applieation is not so well investigated. On this studies, a mold producing a potent extracellular $\beta-Galactosidase$ was isolated from soil and identified as an imperfect fungus, Beauveria bassians. In this strain, both extracellular and intracellular $\beta-Galactosidases$ were produced simultaneously and a great increase of the extracellular production was acheved by improving the cultural conditions. The extracellular enzyme was purified more than 1, 000 times by procedures including Phosphocellulose and Sephadex G-200 chromatographies. Several characteristics of the enzymewas clarified with this preparation. The enzyme has a main subunit of molecular weight of 80, 000 which makes an active aggregate. And at neutral pH range, it has optimum pH for activity and stability. The Km value was determined to be 0.45$\times$10$^{-3}$ M for $o-Nitrophenyl-\beta-Galactoside.$ In any event, it is interesting to sttudy the $\beta-Galactosidase$ of B. bassiana for the mechanism of secretion and conformational structure of enzyme.

• Journal of Microbiology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.248-255
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• 1999

We have analyzed the MRE3/REC114 gene of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, previously detected in isolation of mutants defective in meiotic recombination. We cloned the MRE3/REC114 gene by complementation of the meiotic recombination defect and it has been mapped to chormosome XIII. The DNA sequence analysis revealed that the MRE3 gene is identical to the REC114 gene. The upstream region of the MRE3/REC114 gene contains a T_4C site, a URS (upstream repression sequence) and a TR (T-rich) box-like sequence, which reside upstream of many meiotic genes. Coincidentally, northern blot analysis indicated that the three sizes of MRE3/REC114 transcripts, 3.4, 1.4 and 1.2 kb, are induced in meiosis. A less abundant transcript of 1.4 kb is detected in both mitotic and meiotic cells, suggesting that it is needed in mitosis as well as meiosis. To examine the role of the MRE3/REC114 gene, we constructed mre3 disruption mutants. Strains carrying an insertion or null deletion of the MRE3/REC114 gene showed slow growth in nutrient medium and the doubling time of these cells increased approximately by 2-fond compared to the wild-type strain. Moreover, the deletion mutant (${\delta}$mre3) displayed no meiotically induced recombination and no viable spores. The mre3/rec114 spore lethality can be suppressed by spo13, a mutation that causes cells to bypass reductional division. The double-stranded breaks (DSBs) which are involved in initiation of meiotic recombination were not detected in the analysis of meiotic chromosomal DNA from the mre3/rec114 disruptant. From these results we suggest that the MRE3/REC114 gene product is essential in normal growth and in early meiotic stages involved in meiotic recombination.