Ulva compressa Linnaeus (UCL) is a green algae seaweed that performs photosynthesis and is used as a food material in some Asian regions including Korea. It is known to be the dominant species in copper ion-contaminated seas, and many studies on copper ion resistant mechanisms have been reported. UCL is known to have an excellent antioxidant effect, but limited information is available regarding its other physiological activities. In this study, we investigated the anticancer activity of 30% prethanol extracts of Ulva compressa Linnaeus (30% PeUCL) and the underlying mechanisms of its activity on human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. The 30% PeUCL extracts suppressed FaDu cell viability without affecting normal cells (L929), as determined by MTT and viability assays. Furthermore, the 30% PeUCL extracts induced apoptosis, as determined by DAPI staining. The 30% PeUCL extracts inhibited colony formation effectively as well as wound-healing of FaDu cells, even at noncytotoxic concentrations. In addition, 30% PeUCL extracts induced apoptosis significantly through proteolytic cleavage of caspase-3, -7, and -9, and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, and by downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax in FaDu cells, as determined by Western blot analysis. Collectively, these results suggest that the inhibitory effect of 30% PeUCL extracts on the growth of oral cancer cells, colony formation and wound-healing may be mediated by caspase- and mitochondrial-dependent apoptotic pathways in human FaDu hypopharyngeal squamous carcinoma cells. Therefore, 30% PeUCL extracts can be administered as a natural chemotherapeutic drug for the treatment of human oral cancers.

Fenbendazole (FBZ) is one of the safest anthelmintic drugs. FBZ has been found to have anti-cancer effects by destabilizing microtubules. In this study, a synergistic effect of paclitaxel (PA), a microtubule-stabilizing anti-cancer agent, and FBZ was investigated on HL-60 cells, a human leukemia cell line. The metabolic activity of cells significantly decreased and the nucleus morphology upon the treatment of FBZ and PA based on 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide assay and Hoechst 33342 staining, respectively. To investigate the involvement of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the metabolic activity of the cells after treatment of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) was measured. Indeed, NAC significantly increased the metabolic activity of the cells treated with FBZ and PA, suggesting that both drugs affect at least in part via ROS. Furthermore, FBZ and PA increased cell death in an annexin V- fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide staining assay. Taken together, FBZ and PA have a synergistic anti-cancer activity on HL-60 cells at a certain concentration. These results may provide researchers and clinicians in cancer-related fields with some valuable information to broaden the use of FBZ.

We have used bulked segregant analysis to screen the strain-specific DNA marker associated thermophilic strain of Pleurotus eryngii. Bulked genomic DNAs of Pleurotus eryngii were amplified by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) using OP-A, OP-B, OP-L, OP-P, OP-R and OP-S primers to screen the strain-specific DNA marker. A unique DNA fragment of 500 bp was amplified with OP-A11 primer from the psychrophilic strain and sequenced. A sequence characterized amplified region (SCAR) marker was designed on the basis of the determined sequence and named as OP-A11-1. The PCR analysis with the OP-A11-1 primer showed that this SCAR marker clearly distinguish the psychrophilic strains from the control strains.

This study assesses of efficiency of oocyte recovery and in vitro development for during the non breeding season in goat. Thirty-four matured goats, maintained in a pen under natural day length and fed hay ad libitum, were pretreated with progestagen implanted CIDR for 10 days. Superovulation treatment of the goats received twice daily intramuscular injections of a total of 70 mg FSH for 3 days from Day 8 of CIDR. All the gonadotropin treated goats were injected with 10 mg PGF2α on Day 8 and 400～600 IU hCG in the afternoon on Day 10. Oocytes were recovered by follicle aspiration or oviduct flushing at 35 to 40 h after hCG injection through mid-ventral incision. The in vivo matured oocytes were activated by ionomycin (5 min) and 6-DMAP (3.5～4 h). The activated oocytes were cultured in mSOF medium containing 0.8% BSA at 38.5℃ in an atmosphere of 5% CO2, 5% O2, 90% N2 for 7～8 days. There was no significant difference in the mean number of CL and in vivo matured and follicular oocytes recovered. But, quality of I+II grade follicular oocytes was lower (p<0.05) in the prepubertal goat (25.0%) than the adults (52.4%). The same results were also observed in the cleavage and blastocyst rate of activated oocytes. The clavage and blastocyst rate from prepubertal derived oocytes were lower (p<0.05) in the prepubertal goat (54.5%, 23.3%) than the adult goat (86.8%, 46.6%). Considering overall these results, we suggest that maturation of donor goats is a major factor affecting recovered oocytes quality and in vitro development of activated goat oocytes. There was no significant difference in oocyte quality between seasonal treatments.

Background : The fungus Cylindrocarpon destructans (Zins) Scholten is the cause of root rot in many ginseng production areas. Root exudate composition and quantity vary in relation to plant nutritional status, but the impact of the differences on rhizosphere microbial communities is not known. Methods and Results : Five kinds of rotation crops, sudan grass soybean peanut sweet potato, perilla were grown for one year in ginseng garden harvested 6-year-old ginseng. The ratio of gram-negative bacteria, fungi, bacteria, total microbial biomass, aerobic/anaerobic microbes were increased by rotational crop cultivation, while the ratio of actinomycetes and the ratio of saturated to unsaturated fatty acids were decreased. The increase in the fungal density or the increase in the proportion of fungi to the bacteria tended to increase the incidence of root rot, but there was no significant difference. The yield of ginseng root showed a highly significant negative correlation with actinomycetes. The correlation between the soil chemical properties and the incidence of root rot was analyzed by cultivating 23 kinds of green manure crops for one year in field where cultivated ginseng continuously. The survival rate of ginseng showed a highly significant positive correlation with soil acidity and a highly significant negative correlation with nitrate nitrogen, and a significant negative correlation with soil salt concentration. Conclusion : Rotation crops improved soil microbial communities, lowered the rate of fungi and increased the proportion of bacteria, the survival rate of ginseng was significantly correlated with soil acidity, nitrate nitrogen and soil salinity.

Background: Some plants have harmful effects on fungi and bacteria as well as plants. Incorporating into soil as green manures are effective in reducing population densities of soil pathogens. Methods and Results: Twenty-three species of green manure crops were cultivated after the harvest of 6-year-old ginseng and then incorporated green manure into the soil at the flowering stage. The following year, the root rot ratio of 2-year-old ginseng and soil chemical properties were investigated. Sorghum sudanense, Helianthus annuus, and Helianthus tuberosus were relatively high in dry matter production. Without incorporating green manure into soil, NO3, EC (electric conductivity) and K were decreased by 95%, 79% and 65%, respectively. When green manure was incorporated to soil, P2O5 and NO3, were reduced by 41% and 25%, respectively. The survived root ratio of 2-year-old ginseng were significantly increased by 56.2%, 47.5%, and 47.3% in Sorghum sudanense, Ricinus communis and Helianthus tuberosus, respectively, In addition, there was a significant increase in Secale cereale, Chrysanthemum morifolium, Atractylodes macrocephala, and Smallanthus sonchifolius. The survived root ratio of ginseng showed a significant positive correlation with soil pH and a negative correlation with NO3, and EC. Conclusion: Cultivation of Chrysanthemum family mainly using rhizome and root as green manure was effective for root rot disease of ginseng.

Background : Ginseng root rot caused by soil-borne pathogens, Cylindrocarpon destructans and Fusarium solani, is a major factors of replanting failure in ginseng cultivation. Some of the phenolic compounds detected in the soil of commercially cultivated American ginseng could inhibit the seed germination and seedling growth of American ginseng. Our study is to investigate the causes of replanting failure of ginseng by overhead flooding treatment and soil incorporation of ginseng fine root in soil infected with root rot pathogens. Methods and Results : To make soil occurring continuous cropping injury, 2-year-old ginseng infected with Cylindrocarpon destructans replanted in soil cultivated ginseng for 5 years. Treatment are as follows: 1) control, 2) water of 2ℓ was irrigate infected soil of 20ℓ, 3) ginseng fine root of 20g was mixed with infected soil of 20ℓ. Soil pH was increased, while other inorganic components were significantly reduced by overhead flooding treatment. Soil incorporation of ginseng fine root decreased soil pH, but increased EC, NO3, P2O5 and K, meanwhile, did not affected changes in organic matter, calcium, magnesium, sodium. Irrigation treatment in soil occurring replanted failure promoted distinctly above-ground growth of ginseng, and inhibited the occurrence of root rot because inorganic nutrient like NO3, P2O5 and K were decreased to optimal levels, and the density of soil pathogens could be reduced. Growth of ginseng was not inhibited, while root rot was promoted by soil incorporation of ginseng fine root. Conclusion : Irrigation treatment was effective in promoting the growth of ginseng and inhibited root rot distinctly. Ginseng fine root remaining in the soil after ginseng harvest did not affect the above-ground growth of ginseng, while promoted the occurrence of root rot.