As a member of ectomycorrhizal fungi, Tricholoma matsutake has a symbiotic relationship with its host, Pinus densiflora. To cultivate T. matsutake artificially, the co-cultivation of T. matsutake mycelia and bacteria from shiro was introduced. In this study, bacteria were isolated from soil samples in Bonghwa-gun, and seven bacterial isolates (B22_7_B05, B22_7_B06, B22_7_B07, B22_7_B08, B22_7_B10, B22_7_B13, and B22_7_B14) promoted the growth of T. matsutake mycelia (147.48, 232.11, 266.72, 211.43, 175.17, 154.62, and 177.92%, respectively). Sequencing of the 16S rRNA region of the isolated bacteria was performed. B22_7_B05 and B22_7_B10 were identified as Bacillus toyonensis, B22_7_B06 and B22_7_B08 as Paenibacillus taichungensis, B22_7_B07 and B22_7_B14 as P. gorilla, and B22_7_B13 as P. odorifer. These bacterial isolates were associated with the shiro community and are expected to contribute to the cultivation of T. matsutake.

Tricholoma matsutake is a traditional favorite food in East Asia, cultivated in fairy rings called “shiro,” which are found near Pinus densiflora. For effective artificial cultivation of Tri. matsutake, microorganisms from symbiotic fairy rings are co-cultivated. In this study, one bacterial isolate (Y22_B35) and two fungal isolates (Y22_F64 and Y22_F68) displayed growth-promoting effects on Tri. matsutake mycelium (158.47, 125.00, and 122.26% enhanced growth, respectively). For identification, 16S rRNA or ITS regions from the microorganisms¡¯ genomes were sequenced. Other sequences, including BenA, CaM, and RPB2 were sequenced in the fungal isolates. The bacterial isolate Y22_B35 was identified as Bacillus cereus. Y22_F64 and Y22_F68 were identified as Umbelopsis nana and Aspergillus parvulus, respectively. To identify the effects of the dominant microorganisms on Tri. Matsutake cultivation, metagenomic analyses were performed. Discovery of these Tri. matsutake mycelium growth-promoting microorganisms and metagenomics analyses are expected to contribute to our understanding of Tri. matsutake fruiting body growth and construction of biomimicry.

To cultivate pine mushroom (Tricholoma matsutake) artificially, co-cultivation with microorganisms has been introduced. Here, experiments were performed to assess the growth-promoting effect of bacteria on T. matsutake mycelia. Bacteria were isolated from soil samples collected in Yangyang County, Korea. Four of the bacterial isolates (Y22_B06, Y22_B11, Y22_B18, and Y22_B22) exhibited a growth-promoting effect on T. matsutake mycelia (154.67%, 125.91%, 134.06%, and 158.28%, respectively). To analyze the characteristics of the bacteria, especially the antifungal activity, -amylase and cellulase activity assays were performed. In comparison with the controls, the isolated bacteria exhibited low -amylase and cellulase activity. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was performed to identify the four bacterial isolates. The isolates belonged to the Terrabacteria group and were identified as Microbacterium paraoxydans, Paenibacillus castaneae, Peribacillus frigoritolerans, and P. butanolivorans. These bacterial isolates are expected to have contributed to the growth promotion of T. matsutake mycelia and the artificial cultivation of T. matsutake.

The insects have been investigated as novel sources for foods and biomaterials in several recent studies. However,its effects on hair growth have not been sufficiently researched. To develop novel and natural materials for preventingalopecia and promoting hair growth, we investigated the antioxidant activity and hair growth promoting effect of Tenebriomolitor larvae extract (TME). As a result, DPPH radical scavenging activity was 81.17%, and nitrite scavenging activitywas 43.69%, which were similar to blueberry extract. And TME promoted the proliferation of human DPCs and NIH3T3cells, concentration dependently. In addition, the TME prevented not only DHT-induced DPCs cytotoxicity but also actionof TBM as a potassium channel blocker in NIH3T3 cells. These results suggest that TME can be used as a functionalmaterial for alopecia therapeutic reagent by preventing hair loss and promoting hair growth.

This study aims to estimate the in vivo hair growth effects of Dansam-Samultang. A total of 40, six-week-old C578L/ 6 male mice were classified into four groups (10 in each group): Control (C, distilled water), Positive control (PC, minoxidil 3%), Experimental I (El, Dansam-Samultang ethanol extact 2%), and Experimental 2 (E2, Dansam-Samultang toner type 2%). Samples (150 t`l) were applied percutaneously on the back, once a day, six days a week, for four weeks. Water and feed conswnption, and body weight were measured once a week, in addition, macroscopic hair growth was observed once a week. On the second and fourth week, we took skin tissues after an autopsy, and measured the alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and ` -glutamyl transpeptidase (r -GT) enzyme activity, and mRNA development of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-l), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and transforming growth factor-fl I (TGF-fl I). There were no significant differences among the groups in water and feed consumption, body weight gain, and feed efficiency. In a macroscopic observation, hair growth effects showed in order of PC, El, E2, and C groups. Both ALP and 7 -GT enzyme activity showed significant increase (p<0.05) for the PC, El and E2 groups, compared to the C group. En the mRNA gene expressions of hair growth factors, IGF-1 and VEGF. were significantly greater for the PC, El and E2, compared to that of the C group, but significantly lower (p`<O.O5) in the mRNA expression of inhibitory factor, TGF- fi 1. From these results, it is estimated that Dansam-Samultang has positive effects on hair growth or hair loss prevention.

This study was carried out in order to evaluate the growth promotion effects on tomato crops and to assess the mineral nutrient concentrations of farm-made liquid fertilizers used in organic cultivation in South Korea. We hope that this study will help to develop of a standardized manufacturing technique for these organic liquid fertilizers. We collected 62 farm-made liquid fertilizers made from various raw materials including fish, seaweed, food scraps, plant and crop by-products, and other materials. Two groups of tomato seedlings were treated at different times, one at 20 days and the other at 40 days after sowing. We used both foliar and soil applications. These seedlings were treated using liquid fertilizers at various dilution rates (x1000, x500 and x100). When foliar application was used, seedlings after 20 days had a 20-30% increase in shoot fresh weight with 47-48 fertilizers and seedlings after 40 days had a 20-30% increase in shoot fresh weight with 17-32 fertilizers. When soil application was used, seedlings after 20 days had the same increase in shoot fresh weight with 30-31 fertilizers and seedlings after 40 days also saw the same increase with 6-7 fertilizers. Therefore, our studies showed that application of liquid fertilizers to seedlings 20 days after sowing was most effective and that foliar treatment was more effective than soil treatments. We also observed that the higher the concentrations of fertilizer, particularly when applied twice rather than just once, the higher the rates of growth, which promoted shoot fresh weight more than plant height. Our results imply that mineral nutrients in liquid fertilizers seem to be the probable cause for the growth promotion observed in this study. However, more study is required to determine exactly which mineral nutrients are most effective.

Drought stress is a major agricultural limitation to crop productivity worldwide, especially by which leafy vegetables, plant leaves eaten as vegetable, could be more lethal. The study was carried out to know the effect of drought tolerance plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) on water stress of kale seedlings. A total of 146 morphologically distinct bacterial colonies were isolated from bulk soil and rhizosphere soil of leafy vegetables and screened for plant growth promoting microbioassay in greenhouse. Out of them the isolate SB19 significantly promoted the growth of kale seedlings in increasement of about 42% of plant height (14.1 ㎝), 148% of leaf area (19.0 ㎠) and 138% of shoot fresh weight (1662.5 ㎎) attained by the bacterially treated plants compared to distilled water treated control (9.9 ㎝, 7.7 ㎠, 698.8 ㎎). Shoot water content of SB19 treated kale seedlings (1393.8 ㎎) was also increased about 152% compared with control (552.5 ㎎). The SB19 isolated from bulk soil of kale plant in Iksan, Korea, was identified as species of Bacillus based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. We evaluated the effect of drought tolerance by the Bacillus sp. SB19 on kale seedlings at 7th and 14th days following the onset of the water stress and watering was only at 7th day in the middle of test. In the survey of 7th and 14th day, there were mitigation effect of drought stress in kale seedlings treated with 106 and 107 cell mL-1 of SB19 compared to distilled water treated control. Especially, there were more effective mitigation of drought damage in kale seedlings treated with 107 cell mL-1 than 106 cell mL-1. Further, although drought injury of bacterially treated kale seedlings were not improved at 14th day compared with 7th day, drought injury of 107 cell mL-1 of SB19 treated kale seedlings were not happen rapidly but developed over a longer period of time than 106 cell mL-1 of SB19 or control. The diffidence of results might be caused by the concentration of bacterial suspension. This study suggests that beneficial plant-microbe interaction could be a important role of enhancement of water availability and also provide a good method for improving quality of leafy vegetables under water stress conditions.

최근 남성성탈모증에 대한 관심이 증대되고 있으며, 이에 천연물 및 그의 활성성분을 활용한 새로운 약물 개발에 대한 연구가 증가하고 있다. 송지(Resina Pini, RP)는 Pinus sp. (Pinaceae)의 수지질로 전통의 학적으로 감염, 우식증, 치주질환에 사용되어왔다. 본 연구진은 RP의 성분인 아비에트산(abietic acid, AA)이 남성성탈모기전에 중요한 효소인 5α-reductase를 억제하는 효과를 세포 수준에서 입증한바 있으며, 이번 연 구에서는 실제로 탈모억제 및 모발 성장에 대하여 실험동물 수준에서 입증하고자 한다. C3H/HeN 탈모마우스 모델에서 RP는 300 mg/kg에서 유의하게 탈모억제를 확인하였으며, 뿐만 아니라 AA는 30 mg/kg에서도 유의 하게 탈모억제효과를 보였다. 이상의 결과로부터 RP는 그 활성성분인 AA가 5α-reductase 억제하는 기전을 통해 남성성탈모억제효과를 보였다고 사료되며, 향후 탈모억제 보완치료법으로의 이용 가능성을 보였다.