Comparative genome analyses of Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus flavus originated from a Korean fermentation starter, nuruk.

Aspergillus oryzae is an industrially important fungus used to produce traditional fermented foods and beverages in Korea and other East Asian countries. Conversely, A. flavus, which exhibits approximately 99.

Mycological and Genomic Characterization of Fusarium vorosii, a Potentially Pathogenic Fungus, Isolated from Field Crops and Weeds in Korea.

Fusarium vorosii (Fv) is one of the least studied species of the Fusarium graminearum species complex, a major plant pathogen causing Fusarium head blight (FHB) in a variety of crops. In this study, we isolated 12 strains of Fv from cereal samples with FHB symptoms and gramineous weeds. Trichothecene genotyping of Fv strains showed that 10 strains were nivalenol (NIV) type and 2 strains were 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol (15ADON) type.

Drug-Resistance Biomarkers in Patient-Derived Colorectal Cancer Organoid and Fibroblast Co-Culture System.

Colorectal cancer, the third most commonly occurring tumor worldwide, poses challenges owing to its high mortality rate and persistent drug resistance in metastatic cases. We investigated the tumor microenvironment, emphasizing the role of cancer-associated fibroblasts in the progression and chemoresistance of colorectal cancer. We used an indirect co-culture system comprising colorectal cancer organoids and cancer-associated fibroblasts to simulate the tumor microenvironment.

Observation of different Li intercalation states and local doping in epitaxial mono- and bilayer graphene on SiC(0001).

Li intercalation is commonly used to enhance the carrier density in epitaxial graphene and mitigate coupling to the substrate. So far, the understanding of the intercalation process, particularly how Li penetrates different layers above the substrate, and its impact on electron transport remains incomplete. Here, we report different phases of Li intercalation and their kinetic processes in epitaxial mono- and bilayer graphene grown on SiC.

Integrated genomics and phenotype microarray analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae industrial strains for rice wine fermentation and recombinant protein production.

The industrial potential of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has extended beyond its traditional use in fermentation to various applications, including recombinant protein production. Herein, comparative genomics was performed with three industrial S. cerevisiae strains and revealed a heterozygous diploid genome for the 98-5 and KSD-YC strains (exploited for rice wine fermentation) and a haploid genome for strain Y2805 (used for recombinant protein production).

Differentiation of Geographical Origin of White and Brown Rice Samples Using NMR Spectroscopy Coupled with Machine Learning Techniques.

Rice ( L.) is a widely consumed food source, and its geographical origin has long been a subject of discussion. In our study, we collected 44 and 20 rice samples from different regions of the Republic of Korea and China, respectively, of which 35 and 29 samples were of white and brown rice, respectively.

Enzyme activity of Aspergillus section Nigri strains isolated from the Korean fermentation starter, nuruk.

Aspergillus section Nigri is a fungus used industrially because of its ability to produce enzymes such as cellulolytic, amylolytic and proteolytic enzymes. In this study, we obtained twenty-eight strains of Aspergillus section Nigri from the traditional Korean fermentation starter, nuruk, which is known as a mixed culture of enzymatic filamentous fungi and yeasts. All strains were identified as Aspergillus section Nigri through combined phylogenetic analysis using partial β-tubulin and calmodulin gene sequences.

pH Changes Have a Profound Effect on Gene Expression, Hydrolytic Enzyme Production, and Dimorphism in .

is an amylolytic yeast that plays an important role within (a traditional Korean fermentation starter) used for the production of (Korean rice wine), which is characterized by high acidity. However, the effect of pH change (neutral to acidic) on the yeast cell to hyphal transition and carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzyme activities for has not been investigated yet. In this study, strains were cultured under the different pH conditions, and the effect on the enzyme production and gene expression were investigated.

Molecular characterization of the Saccharomycopsis fibuligera ATF genes, encoding alcohol acetyltransferase for volatile acetate ester formation.

Aroma ester components produced by fermenting yeast cells via alcohol acetyltransferase (AATase)-catalyzed intracellular reactions are responsible for the fruity character of fermented alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine. Acetate esters are reportedly produced at relatively high concentrations by non-Saccharomyces species. Here, we identified 12 ATF orthologues (SfATFs) encoding putative AATases, in the diploid genome of Saccharomycopsis fibuligera KJJ81, an isolate from wheat-based Nuruk in Korea.

Mycobiome analysis for distinguishing the geographical origins of sesame seeds.

Sesame (Sesamum indicum) is one of the most widely cultivated crops in Asia and Africa. The identification of the geographical origins of sesame seeds is important for the detection of fraudulent samples. This study was conducted to build a prediction model and suggest potential biomarkers for distinguishing the geographical origins of sesame seeds using mycobiome (fungal microbiome) analysis coupled with multivariate statistical analysis.

Integrated genomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals unique mechanisms for high osmotolerance and halotolerance in Hyphopichia yeast.

The yeast species Hyphopichia is common in nature and strongly competitive under harsh environmental conditions. Here, we characterized Hyphopichia burtonii KJJ43 and H. pseudoburtonii KJS14, which exhibit strong halotolerance, using genomic and transcriptomic analyses.

Unique Metabolic Profiles of Korean Rice According to Polishing Degree, Variety, and Geo-Environmental Factors.

The precise determination of the chemical composition in crops is important to identify their nutritional and functional value. The current study performed a systematic delineation of the rice metabolome, an important staple in Asia, to investigate the following: (1) comparative features between brown and white rice; (2) variety-specific composition (Ilpum vs. Odae); and (3) cultivation of region-dependent metabolic content.

Plays Diverse Roles in DNA Damage Response, Fungal Development, and Pathogenesis in the Plant Pathogenic Fungus .

Arsenite-resistance protein 2 (Ars2) is an important nuclear protein involved in various RNA metabolisms in animals and plants, but no Ars2 ortholog has been studied in filamentous fungi. Although it is an essential gene in most model eukaryotes, null mutants were viable in the plant pathogenic fungus . The deletion of resulted in pleiotropic defects in various fungal developmental processes.

Comparative study on metabolic changes of Aspergillus oryzae isolated from fermented foods according to culture conditions.

Aspergillus oryzae is an important microbial starter for making diverse fermented foods due to its high hydrolytic enzyme activities. In this study, two strains of A. oryzae (AOB/AOK) with different activities of hydrolytic enzymes, such as α-amylase, protease and lipase, were cultured under various conditions of temperature, fermentation time, and initial pH.

Effects of pH and Cultivation Time on the Formation of Styrene and Volatile Compounds by .

Styrene can be formed by the microbial metabolism of bacteria and fungi. In our previous study, styrene was determined as a spoilage marker of Fuji apples decayed by , which is responsible for postharvest diseases. In the present study, was cultivated in potato dextrose broth added with phenylalanine-which is a precursor of styrene-using different initial pH values and cultivation times.

Bioformation of Volatile and Nonvolatile Metabolites by KJJ81 Cultivated under Different Conditions-Carbon Sources and Cultivation Times.

KJJ81 isolated from is an amylolytic yeast that is widely used as a microbial starter in various fermented foods. Volatile and nonvolatile metabolites of KJJ81 were investigated according to different carbon sources and cultivation times using a nontargeted metabolomic approach. Partial-least-squares discriminant analysis was applied to determine the major metabolites, which were found to be closely related to the clustering and discrimination of KJJ81 samples.

Comparison of volatile and non-volatile metabolites in rice wine fermented by Koji inoculated with Saccharomycopsis fibuligera and Aspergillus oryzae.

This study investigated volatile and nonvolatile metabolite profiles of makgeolli (a traditional rice wine in Korea) fermented by koji inoculated with Saccharomycopsis fibuligera and/or Aspergillus oryzae. The enzyme activities in koji were also examined to determine their effects on the formation of metabolites. The contents of all 18 amino acids detected were the highest in makgeolli fermented by S.

Discrimination and prediction of the origin of Chinese and Korean soybeans using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FT-IR) with multivariate statistical analysis.

The ability to determine the origin of soybeans is an important issue following the inclusion of this information in the labeling of agricultural food products becoming mandatory in South Korea in 2017. This study was carried out to construct a prediction model for discriminating Chinese and Korean soybeans using Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and multivariate statistical analysis. The optimal prediction models for discriminating soybean samples were obtained by selecting appropriate scaling methods, normalization methods, variable influence on projection (VIP) cutoff values, and wave-number regions.

A diversity study of Saccharomycopsis fibuligera in rice wine starter nuruk, reveals the evolutionary process associated with its interspecies hybrid.

The amylolytic yeast Saccharomycopsis fibuligera is the predominant yeast in the starter product, nuruk, which is utilized for rice wine production in South Korea. Latest molecular studies explore a recently developed interspecific hybridization among stains of S. fibuligera with a unique genetic feature.

Comprehensive analysis of fungal diversity and enzyme activity in nuruk, a Korean fermenting starter, for acquiring useful fungi.

Nuruk is a fermenting starter that is involved in the production of alcoholic beverages, and has been used in South Korea for a very long time. To analyze the fungal diversity, we collected a total of 59 nuruk samples from several companies and persons in 2013 to 2014, and obtained 364 isolates. All of the single isolated fungi were identified, both morphologically and molecularly, based on the sequences of ribosomal RNA gene [18S, ITS1-5.

Whole-genome de novo sequencing, combined with RNA-Seq analysis, reveals unique genome and physiological features of the amylolytic yeast and its interspecies hybrid.

Background: Genomic studies on fungal species with hydrolytic activity have gained increased attention due to their great biotechnological potential for biomass-based biofuel production. The amylolytic yeast has served as a good source of enzymes and genes involved in saccharification. Despite its long history of use in food fermentation and bioethanol production, very little is known about the basic physiology and genomic features of .

Comparative analysis of nonvolatile and volatile metabolites in Lichtheimia ramosa cultivated in different growth media.

Lichtheimia ramosa is one of the predominant filamentous fungi in Korean traditional nuruk. The nonvolatile and volatile metabolites of L. ramosa cultivated in three growth media: complete medium (CM), potato dextrose broth (PDB), and sabouraud dextrose broth (SDB), were investigated and compared.

Curcumin induces apoptosis by inhibiting sarco/endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ ATPase activity in ovarian cancer cells.

Aberrant increase in the expression levels of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA), which regulates Ca(2+) homeostasis, has been observed in ovarian cancers. In this study, we demonstrated that curcumin increases cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration through inhibition of SERCA activity, causing apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells but not in normal cells, including peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and ovarian surface epithelial cells (OSE). Curcumin induced apoptosis in ovarian cancer cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner.