• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.50
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L. Lam) is an economically important root crop and a valuable source of nutrients, processed foods, animal feeds, and pigment materials. However, during post-harvest storage, storage roots of sweet potatoes are susceptible to decay caused by various microorganisms and diseases. Post-harvest curing is the most effective means of healing wounds and preventing spoilage by microorganisms during storage. In this study, we aimed to identify proteins involved in the molecular mechanisms related to curing and study proteomic changes during the post-curing storage period. For this purpose, changes in protein spots were analyzed through 2D-electrophoresis after treatment at 33℃ (curing) and 15℃ (control) for three days, followed by a storage period of eight weeks. As a result, we observed 31 differentially expressed protein spots between curing and control groups, among which 15 were identified. Among the identified proteins, the expression level of 'alpha-amylase (spot 1)' increased only after the curing treatment, whereas the expression levels of 'probable aldo-keto reductase 2-like (spot 3)' and 'hypothetical protein CHGG_01724 (spot 4)' increased in both the curing and control groups. However, the expression level of 'sporamin A (spot 10)' decreased in both the curing and control treatments. In the control treatment, the expression level of 'enolase (spot 14)' increased, but the expression levels of 'chain A of actinidin-E-64 complex+ (spot 19)', 'ascorbate peroxidase (spot 22)', and several 'sporamin proteins (spot 20, 21, 23, 24, 27, 29, 30, and 31)' decreased. These results are expected to help identify proteins related to the curing process in sweet potato storage roots, understand the mechanisms related to disease resistance during post-harvest storage, and derive candidate genes to develop new varieties with improved low-temperature storage capabilities in the future.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.169-175
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• 2023

As a protective defensive mechanism against ultraviolet (UV) light exposure in skin tissue, melanocytes produce the pigment melanin. Tyrosinase plays a key role in melanin production in melanocytes. However, the overproduction of melanin can lead to lesions, such as freckles and dark spots. Thus, it is clinically important to find a modulating molecule to control melanogenesis by regulating tyrosinase expression and/or activity. It is known that catechin, a plant flavonoid, can reduce melano- genesis through the downregulation of tyrosinase expression. Here, we tested whether catechin derivatives isolated from the stem bark of Ulmus parvifolia have an effect on melanin production by regulating tyrosinase in mouse melanoma cells and in vitro mushroom tyrosinase. The catechin derivatives used in this study included C5A, C7A, C7G, and C7X. Treatments using these catechin derivatives reduced melanin production in mouse melanoma B16F10 cells in which melanogenesis was stimulated by α-MSH. Notably, the anti-melanogenic effects of catechin derivatives were similar to those of kojic acid, a well-known anti-melanogenic molecule. Both C5A and C7A directly inhibited the activity of tyrosinase isolated from mushrooms in vitro. Furthermore, our in silico computational simulation showed that these two compounds were expected to bind to the active site of tyrosinase, which is similar to kojic acid. In addition, all four catechin derivatives reduced tyrosinase protein expression. In summary, our results showed that catechin derivatives can reduce melanogenesis by regulating tyrosinase activity or expression. Thus, this study suggests that catechin derivatives isolated from U. parvifolia can be novel modulators of melanin production.

• Archives of design research
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• v.19 no.1 s.63
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• pp.253-262
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• 2006

Research of color has been developed and also has raised consumer desire through changing from a tool to pursue curiosity or beauty to a tool creating effects in the 20th century. People have been interested in colors as a dynamic expression of results since the color TV appeared. The meaning of colors has been recently diversified as the roles of colors became important to the emotional aspects of design. While auto colors have developed along with such changes of the times, black led the color trend during the first half of the 20th century from 1900 to 1950, a transitional period of economic growth and world war. Since then, automobile production has increased apace with the rapid economic growth throughout the world and automobiles became the most expensive item out of the goods that people use. Accordingly, increasing production induced facility investment in mass production and a technology leveling was achieved. Auto manufacturing processes are very complicated, auto makers gradually recognized that software changes such as to colors or materials was an easier way for the improvement of brand identity as opposed to hardware changes such as the mechanical or design components of the body. Color planning and development systems were segmented in various aspects. In the segmentation issue, pigment technology and painting methods are important elements that have an influence on body colors and have a higher technical correlation with colors than in other industries. In other words, the advanced mixture of pigments is creating new body colors that have not existed previously. This diversifies the painting structure and methods and so maximizes the transparency and depth of body colors. Thus, body colors that are closely related to technical factors will increase in the future and research on color preferences by region have been systemized to cope with global competition due to the expansion and change of auto export regions.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1377-1384
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• 2011

Astaxanthin (ATX) is a red-orange carotenoid pigment that occurs naturally in a wide variety of living organisms. In this study we investigated the inhibitory effects of ATX on the induction of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nitric oxide (NO), proinflammatory cytokines, nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-${\kappa}B$) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW264.7 cells. In addition, we tested the superoxide radical scavenging activity of ATX by scavenging assay. iNOS and NF-${\kappa}B$ expressions were determined by immunoblot analysis. Interleukin (IL)-6 and tumour necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) were assayed by ELISA. NO production was monitored by measuring the amount of nitrite. ROS was examined by using the 2', 7'-Dichlorodihydrofluorescin diacetate (DCFH-DA) method. At a concentration of 100 ${\mu}M$, ATX inhibited the expression level of LPS-induced NF-${\kappa}B$, as well as the production of LPS-induced NO and proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$), by suppressing iNOS expression. In particular, the maximal inhibition rate of IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ production by ATX (100 ${\mu}M$) was 65.2----- and 21.2-----, respectively. In addition, ATX inhibited the LPS-induced transcriptional activity of NF-${\kappa}B$, and this was associated with suppressing the translocations of NF-${\kappa}B$ from the cytosol to the nucleus. Moreover, at various concentrations (25-100 ${\mu}M$), ATX inhibited the intracellular level of ROS. At a concentration of 5 mg/ml, the superoxide radical scavenging activity of ATX was 1.33 times higher than ${\alpha}$-tocopherol of the same concentration. These results showed that ATX inhibited the expression of iNOS and the production of NO and proinflammatory cytokines resulting from ROS production and NF-${\kappa}B$ activation in macrophages. Furthermore, ATX was found to be more effective in superoxide radical scavenging activities compared to ${\alpha}$-tocopherol. These findings are expected to strengthen the position of ATX as anti-inflammatory medicine and antioxidant.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.196-211
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• 2017

Despite the significance of external environmental factors in differentiation, putative factors involved in differentiation of Aspergillus nidulans have not yet been fully understood. A sporulation-specific proteome analysis of A. nidulans in the present study revealed that the expression levels of more than 2,400 proteins were affected under conditions inducing sporulation (0.6 M KCl) compared with normal conditions. Among the proteins with predicted functions, two targets, AN1342 and AN9419, were functionally analyzed using targeted deletion strains and phenotypic observations. For AN1342, because the deletion of the corresponding open reading frame caused a reduction in stalk length during asexual development and in pigment production in liquid culture, the gene was designated as sspA ($\underline{s}hort$ $\underline{s}talk$ & $\underline{p}igment$). Deletion of the AN9419 gene, which is predicted to encode alanyl-tRNA synthetase, led to severe growth defects due to alanine auxotrophy and abolishment of asexual reproduction and thus, the gene was designated as alaA.

• 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.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.155-162
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• 2016

Melanin is produced by melanocytes of the melanoepidermic unit and other cell types. These cells secrete and distribute the melanin pigment, which provides protection from ultraviolet radiation. In this study, the inhibitory activity against tyrosinase and melanin biosynthesis in B16F10 melanoma cells and anti-wrinkling effects on human dermal fibroblasts of Dendrobium speciosum ethanol extract were investigated. The Dendrobium speciosum extract inhibited melanin biosynthesis and tyrosinase activity in a dose-dependent manner in comparison with an untreated control group. Treatment with the Dendrobium speciosum extract suppressed α-MSH-stimulated melanogenesis in B16F10 cells and the dendrite outgrowth of melanocyte/melanoma cells. The α-MSH-induced mRNA expression of tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1), tyrosinase-related protein-2 (TRP-2) and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF) was significantly attenuated in a concentration-dependent manner by Dendrobium speciosum treatment. In addition, Dendrobium speciosum treatment increased production of type I procollagen synthesis in human dermal fibroblasts. Dendrobium speciosum ethanol extract exhibited a potent inhibitory effect on melanin biosynthesis, tyrosinase activity and increased procollagen synthesis. These results indicate that Dendrobium speciosum shows promise as an ingredient in cosmeceutical products due to its whitening and anti-wrinkle effects.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1055-1061
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• 2019

Sarracenia purpurea as a carnivorous plant in the family Sarraceniaceae is known to require strong light for its growth and to absorb nutrients from the decomposed molecules of insects that are attracted by color, sweet juice, and the like. S. purpurea grew greenish in whole body under weak light conditions, while the whole of the insectivorous sac including leaves, is changed to dark red under strong light conditions. The phenomenon of reddish S. purpurea is thought to be related to the flavonoid pigment anthocyanin. Interestingly, the color change was not observed when S. purpurea was grown in a growth condition with abundant nitrogen fertilizer. The expression levels of anthocyanin contents and biosynthesis-related genes were strongly correlated with light intensity and nitrogen fertilizer. The anthocyanin content in the strong light condition ($240{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$) was 6.15 times higher than that in the weak light ($40{\mu}mol\;m^{-2}s^{-1}$). In contrast, the anthocyanin contents were not significantly changed when 0.8% urea solution was supplied as nitrogen fertilizer. Consistently, CHALCONE SYNTHASE (CHS) gene was up-regulated by strong light and down-regulated by nitrogen fertilizer. These results suggest that the environmental changes of light and nitrogen in soil regulate the anthocyanin content in S. purpurea.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.452-462
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• 2021

Pretilachlor (PRE) is a common acetanilide herbicide used worldwide. However, its effects on aquatic organisms, particularly marine photosynthetic life, are not sufficiently known. Herein, we evaluated the toxic effects of PRE by physiological and molecular parameters in the photosynthetic dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum. The cell density, pigment content, and photosynthetic parameters (F_v/F_m and PI_ABS) were considerably decreased with increased PRE exposure time and doses. In addition, photosynthesis-related genes, PmpsbA, PmpsaA, and PmatpB, were significantly upregulated when exposed to 1.0 mg L^-1 of PRE for 24 h (p<0.001). In 72 h treatment, the relative gene expression was significantly increased (0.1 and 0.5 mg L^-1; p<0.01). In contrast, PmrbcL was decreased or little changed compared to the controls. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) increased after 24 h exposure (p<0.001). However, the transcriptional fold-changes in glutathione S-transferase (GST) were significantly increased (0.5 and 1.0 mg L^-1; p<0.001) at 72 h. These findings suggested that the PmGST might be involved in PRE detoxification in P. minimum. In addition, PRE may affect the photosystem function in phytoplankton similar to other acetanilides, causing severe damage or cell death.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.351-359
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• 2010

To establish the optimum artificial light illumination method for baby leaf lettuce in closed plant factory system, the effects of red/blue light quality and short-term light quality conversion on growth and anthocyanin content were investigated. The growth of 'Hongha' lettuce was most favorable under red single wavelength LED light after 23 days of treatment, sequentially followed by the growth under red/blue mixed light, blue light, and fluorescent light. Total anthocyanin content in the mixed red/blue light (R57-B43) was 4.1-fold and 6.9-fold increased compared to the red LED and fluorescent light, respectively. With increasing the blue light ratio to 43%, the growth of lettuce was significantly decreased, while the relative chlorophyll content and Hunter's $a^*$ value was increased, indicating that the red/blue light ratio inversely affects on growth and anthocyanin pigment development. By changing light quality from red to red/blue mixed light source (R57-B43) for 9 days before harvest, the growth rate decreased compared to the continuous red light illumination, while the anthocyanin content dramatically increased compared to either red LED or fluorescent light. Whereas, when the light source was changed to red light, the growth rate was increased but anthocyanin content was reversely decreased. The result demonstrated that both growth and anthocyanin expression could be effectively regulated by shifting of light quality between red and red/blue mixed light source at a specific growth stage of lettuce in a plant factory.