Nuclear distribution within the extra-radical fungal structures and during spore production in the arbuscular mycorrhizae fungus Glomus intraradices was examined using an in vitro monoxenic culture system. A di-compartmental monoxenic culture system was modified using a nitrocellulose membrane and a coverglass slip for detailed observations. Nuclear distribution was observed using the fluorescent DNA binding probes SYBR Green I and DAPI. Both septate and non-septate mycelial regions were observed, but cytoplasmic contents were only found within non-septate mycelia. Nuclear fluorescent staining revealed that the non-septate hyphal region contained nuclei only with cytoplasm, and that nuclear distribution was limited by septa. Swollen hyphal bodies were often associated with septate and empty-looking hyphae. Cytoplasmic contents filled the swollen hyphal body from the non-septate hyphal region following removal of the septa. As a consequence, the swollen body developed into a new spore. These observations provide understanding about the distribution of AM fungal nuclei within extra-radical mycelia and during spore formation. The results suggest a mechanism by which the development of a cytoplasm-containing mycelium is controlled by the formation or removal of septa to efficiently maintain and proliferate essential contents. This mechanism may provide a survival strategy to the fungus.
Collodion ; Cytoplasm ; DNA ; Fungal Structures ; Fungi ; Hyphae ; Indoles ; Membranes ; Mycelium ; Mycorrhizae ; Organic Chemicals ; Spores

PURPOSE: Nowadays importance of growth factors in wound healing is being focused. Wound healing can be accelerated by various growth factors. Wound healing cascade consists of inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling phases. Basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) helps proliferation of fibroblast and promotes angiogenesis and formation of granulation tissue through proliferative phase. We investigated the effect of recombinant basic fibroblast growth factor Fiblast(R) (Kaken Pharmaceutical, Japan) on second degree burns. METHODS: 57 patients from July 2009 to September 2009 with second degree burn were treated with bFGF. Average age, sex, cause of burn, depth of burn, location of wound, epithelization period and number of operation were studied. Recombinant bFGF was used with spraying. The bFGT was sprayed and wait for 30 seconds and then foam dressing was applied to wounds. The bFGF administration continued until the wound healed. RESULTS: The average healing time in the bFGF-treated group was 8.4+/-2.2 days (4~14 days). Among 57 patients, 19 patients had superficial second degree burn and the average healing time in the bFGF-treated group was 7.2+/-1.5 days (4~9 days), 30 patients had deep second degree burn and the average healing time in the bFGF-treated group was 11.2+/-1.7 days (9~14 days). 20 patients had deep second degree burn and were clinically considered to get operation during hospital course but eventually 8 of patients (40%) with deep second degree burn treated with bFGF underwent operation. CONCLUSION: The use of bFGF for second-degree burns decreased the wound healing time. Especially the use of bFGF decreased the rate of getting operation in deep second degree burn and increased the convenience of treatment.
Bandages ; Biological Dressings ; Burns ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 ; Fibroblasts ; Granulation Tissue ; Humans ; Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins ; Wound Healing

Growth responses of Zea mays and Glycine max to colonization by mixture of combination of three species of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, two species of Glomus and a species of Scutellospora were compared. In Zea mays, plants inoculated with single species of AM fungi showed significantly higher in dry weight than non-mycorrhizal plant for all three AM fungal species. Also, growth of plants inoculated with spores of two species of AM fungi was significantly higher than nonmycorrhizal control except for plants inoculated with two Glomus species. When three species of AM fungi were inoculated, the plants showed the highest growth. In Glycine max, plants with single AM fungal species inoculation were not significantly different in plant growth from nonmycorrhizal plants. When the plants were inoculated with combination of two or more AM fungal species, their growth significantly increased compared to nonmycorrhizal plants. In both plant species, mycorrhizal root colonization by Scutellospora species was significantly lower than by Glomus species.
Colon ; Fungi* ; Plants ; Soybeans* ; Spores ; Zea mays*

Arbuscular mycorrhizas (AM) have mutualistic symbiosis with plants and thus efforts have been placed on application of these symbiotic relationships to agricultural and environmental fields. In this study, AM fungi were collected from 25 sites growing with 16 host plant species in Korea and cultured with Sorghum bicolor in greenhouse condition. AM fungal spores were extracted and identified using both morphological and molecular methods. Using morphological characters, total 15 morpho-speices were identified. DNA was extracted from single spore of AM fungi and a partial region on 18S rDNA was amplified using nested PCR with AM fungal specific primers AML1/AML2. A total of 36 18S rDNA sequences were analyzed for phylogenetic analysis and 15 groups of AM fungi were identified using both morphological and molecular data of spores. Among the species, 4 species, Archaeospora leptoticha, Scutellospora castanea, S. cerradensis, S. weresubiae were described for the first time in Korea and two species in Glomus and a species in Gigaspora were not identified. Morphological and molecular identification of AM fungal spores in this study would help identify AM fungal community colonizing roots.
Colon ; DNA ; DNA, Ribosomal ; Fungi ; Korea* ; Mycorrhizae ; Plants ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Sorghum ; Spores ; Spores, Fungal* ; Symbiosis