Soil cyanobacteria isolated from the rice paddy fields of 10 different locations across Korea were evaluated by agar plate diffusion test for antifungal activity. Aqueous, petroleum ether, and methanol extracts from one hundred and forty two cyanobacterial strains belonging to the 14 genera were examined for antifungal properties against seven phytopathogenic fungi causing diseases in hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L). Of total cyanobacteria, nine cyanobacteria (6.34%) exhibited antifungal effects. The nine cyanobacteria selected with positive antifungal activities were two species of Oscillatoria, two of Anabaena, three of Nostoc, one of Nodularia, and one of Calothrix. Alternaria alternata and Botrytis cinerea were inhibited by nine and eight species of cyanobacteria, respectively. Rhizopus stolonifer was suppressed by only methanol extract of Nostoc commune FK-103. In particular, Nostoc commune FK-103 and Oscillatoria tenuis FK-109 showed strong antifungal activities against Phytophthora capsici. Their antifungal activity at the late exponential growth phase is related to the growth temperature and not associated with the growth parameters such as cell biomass and chlorophyll-alpha concentration. The high inhibition levels of antibiotics were 22.5 and 31.8 mm for N. commune FK-103 and O. tenuis FK-109, respectively. The optimal temperature for antibiotic productivity was 35degrees C.
Agar ; Alternaria ; Anabaena ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biomass ; Botrytis ; Cyanobacteria* ; Diffusion ; Efficiency ; Ether ; Fungi* ; Korea ; Mass Screening* ; Methanol ; Nodularia ; Nostoc ; Nostoc commune ; Oscillatoria ; Petroleum ; Phytophthora ; Plants* ; Rhizopus ; Soil*

The present study was undertaken to explore the inhibitory effect of cyanobacterial extracts of Nostoc commune FA-103 against the tomato-wilt pathogen, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici. In an optimal medium, cell growth, antifungal activity, and antifungal compound production could be increased 2.7-fold, 4.1-fold, and 13.4-fold, respectively. A crude algal extract had a similar effect as mancozeb at the recommended dose, both in laboratory and pot tests. In vitro and in vivo fungal growth, spore sporulation and fungal infection of wilt pathogen in tomato seeds were significantly inhibited by cyanobacterial extracts. Nostoc commune FA-103 extracts have potential for the suppression of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici.
Azepines ; Cyanobacteria ; Fluoroquinolones ; Fusarium ; Lycopersicon esculentum ; Maneb ; Nostoc commune ; Seeds ; Spores ; Zineb

The lichen species Polychidium muscicola was found in South Korea for the first time and this is the first record of the genus Polychidium from the Korean peninsula. This species is characterized by a dichotomously branched minute thallus with clustered cells of Nostoc as the photobiont. A detailed description and illustrations of this species are provided.
Lichens ; Nostoc ; Republic of Korea

Sticta (Schreber.) Ach. is one of the common lichen genera in tropical and subtropical regions, but not in the Korean Peninsula. For almost two decades, no detailed taxonomic or revisionary study has been done on this genus. This study was based on the specimens deposited in the lichen herbarium at the Korean Lichen Research Institute, and the samples were identified on the basis of recent literature. In this revisionary study, a total of eight species of Sticta, including a newly recorded one are documented. These species include Sticta fuliginosa (Dicks.) Ach., Sticta gracilis (Mull. Arg.) Zahlbr., Sticta limbata (Sm.) Ach., Sticta nylanderiana Zahlbr., Sticta sublimbata (J. Steiner) Swinscow & Krog, Sticta weigelii (Ach.) Vain., Sticta wrightii Tuck., and Sticta yatabeana Mull. Arg. Detailed descriptions of S. nylanderiana, S. sublimbata, S. weigelii, and S. yatabeana with their morphological, anatomical, and chemical characteristics are provided. A key description of all known Sticta species of the Korean Peninsula is also presented.
Academies and Institutes ; Korea ; Lichens* ; Nostoc

The extracellular polysaccharides (EPS) of N. flagelliforme were purified by DEAE anion exchange chromatography and Sephadex G100 gel filtration chromatography. And two main components named NFPS1 and NFPS2 were obtained respectively. The physico-chemical characteristics of NFPS2 were analyzed and compared with NFPS0, which was obtained from field colony of N. flagelliforme. These results showed that both of NFPS2 and NFPSO were composed of four monosaccharides: glucose, xylose, galactose and mannose. The apparent molecular weight of NFPS2 and NFPS0 was estimated to be 2.79 x 10(5), 2.26 x 10(5) respectively. They are non-sulfated polysaccharides, free of protein and nuclear acid. The thermal analysis indicated that there was a decomposition peak at 245 degrees C in thermogravimetric (TG) curves. However, the microstructure analysis showed that they had different porous structures.
Extracellular Space ; chemistry ; Nostoc ; chemistry ; Polysaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Polysaccharides, Bacterial ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

The nucleotide sequence of pZMO1, a small cryptic plasmid of Zymomonas mobilis ATCC10988 was determined. Analysis of 1,680 bp of sequence revealed 69% identity with Shigella sonnei plasmid, pKYM and 61% identity with Nostoc sp. ss DNA replicating plasmid. Analysis of a deduced amino acid sequence of an orf of pZMO1 revealed 75% identity and 90% similarity with the repA gene of Synechocystis sp. plasmid pCA2.4. The upstream region of the repA gene of pZMO1 possesses six directed repeat sequences and two inverted repeat sequences at downstream of the IR consensus sequence of nick region of rolling circle replication (RCR) plasmid. A typical terminator hairpin structure was found at the downstream region of repA gene. Degradation of single-stranded plasmid DNA by S1 nuclease was detected by Southern hybridization. It suggests that pZMO1 replicates by a rolling circle mechanism in Z. mobilis ATCC10988 cells.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Animals ; Base Sequence ; Consensus Sequence ; DNA ; Ecthyma, Contagious ; Inverted Repeat Sequences ; Nostoc ; Plasmids* ; Shigella sonnei ; Synechocystis ; Zymomonas*