Publications by authors named "Minkyoung Kang"

Article Synopsis
  • Natural products, particularly isoprenoids, are used in various industries such as medicine, cosmetics, and biofuels, leading to a growing interest in microbial production methods.
  • Advances in metabolic engineering through synthetic and systems biology have facilitated the modification of microorganisms to enhance isoprenoid yield by targeting biosynthetic pathways like the MEP and MVA.
  • New combinations of the MVA pathway have shown improved carotenoid and lycopene production, making them promising for efficient industrial isoprenoid production while complying with safety regulations.
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In contemporary society, the increasing number of pet-owning households has significantly heightened interest in companion animal health, expanding the probiotics market aimed at enhancing pet well-being. Consequently, research into the gut microbiota of companion animals has gained momentum, however, ethical and societal challenges associated with experiments on intelligent and pain-sensitive animals necessitate alternative research methodologies to reduce reliance on live animal testing. To address this need, the Fermenter for Intestinal Microbiota Model (FIMM) is being investigated as an tool designed to replicate gastrointestinal conditions of living animals, offering a means to study gut microbiota while minimizing animal experimentation.

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The objective of this study was to isolate, identify, and evaluate novel Korean starter cultures for use in fermented sausages. A total of 72 strains were isolated from various indigenous sources, including Nuruk, Jeotgal, and mudflats on the west coast of South Korea. Two strains were identified as (SD01 and SJ02), a traditional starter used in the production of fermented sausages.

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Edible plant-derived nanovesicles (ePDNs) have shown potential as a non-pharmacological option for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) by maintaining gut health and showing anti-inflammatory effects. However, the effects of -derived nanovesicles (ADNs) on colitis have not been studied to date. Here, we extracted exosome-like nanovesicles from and investigated whether they have an anti-inflammatory effect in RAW 264.

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Article Synopsis
  • The transition from vegetative to reproductive stages in plants is regulated by environmental signals like photoperiod, significantly impacting flowering times.
  • Florigen, a protein produced mainly in leaves under long days, plays a crucial role by moving to the shoot apical meristem to induce flowering.
  • The review aims to analyze and classify the expression profiles of florigen orthologs in various plant species, discussing their relationship with photoperiodic responsiveness and potential applications in crop yield improvement through engineered flowering times.
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Backgruound: We investigated the association between body composition changes and new-onset diabetes mellitus (DM) development according to the body mass index (BMI) in a longitudinal setting in the general Korean population.

Methods: From 2010 to 2011 (1st) and 2012 to 2013 (2nd), we included 1,607,508 stratified random sample participants without DM from the National Health Insurance Service-Health Screening dataset of Korean. The predicted appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (pASMMI), body fat mass index (pBFMI), and lean body mass index (pLBMI) were calculated using pre-validated anthropometric prediction equations.

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Probiotics can exert direct or indirect influences on various aspects of health claims by altering the composition of the gut microbiome and producing bioactive metabolites. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of IDCC3201 on skeletal muscle atrophy in dexamethasone-induced C2C12 cells and a mouse animal model. Dexamethasone treatment significantly reduced C2C12 muscle cell viability, myotube diameter, and levels of muscle atrophic markers (Atrogin-1 and MuRF-1).

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Transcranial electrical stimulation has demonstrated the potential to enhance cognitive functions such as working memory, learning capacity, and attentional allocation. Recently, it was shown that periodic stimulation within a specific duration could augment the human brain's neuroplasticity. This study investigates the effects of repetitive transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS; 1 mA, 5 Hz, 2 min duration) on cognitive function, functional connectivity, and topographic changes using both electroencephalography (EEG) and functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

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Erigeron annuus (EA), traditionally used to treat disorders such as diabetes and enteritis, contains a variety of chemicals, including caffeic acid, flavonoids, and coumarins, providing antifungal and antioxidative benefits. However, the ingredients of each part of the EA vary widely, and there are few reports on the functionality of water extracts in skin inflammation and barrier protection. We assessed the therapeutic properties of the extract of EA without roots (EEA) and its primary ingredient, pyromeconic acid (PA), focusing on their antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidative capabilities using HMC-1(human mast cells) and human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells).

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Even though studying on the possible involvement of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in host-microbe interactions, how these relationships mediate host physiology has not clarified yet. Our current findings provide insights into the encouraging benefits of dietary source-derived EVs and microRNAs (miRNAs) on organic acid production and ultimately stimulating gut microbiome for human health, suggesting that supplementation of dietary colostrum EVs and miRNAs is a novel preventive strategy for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.

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Root-knot nematodes (RKN), spp., are plant-parasitic nematodes that are responsible for considerable economic losses worldwide, because of the damage they cause to numerous plant species and the inadequate biological agents available to combat them. Therefore, developing novel and eco-friendly nematicides is necessary.

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Sarcopenia is defined as loss of muscle mass and strength due to aging. Recent studies show that sarcopenia may improve via the gut-muscle axis, suggesting that gut health may affect muscle phenotypes. In this study, we aimed to investigate the ability of JY02 as a probiotic strain isolated from kimchi to alleviate sarcopenia.

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Methanol, a relatively cheap and renewable single-carbon feedstock, has gained considerable attention as a substrate for the bio-production of commodity chemicals. Conventionally produced from syngas, along with emerging possibilities of generation from methane and CO2, this C1 substrate can serve as a pool for sequestering greenhouse gases while supporting a sustainable bio-economy. Methylotrophic organisms, with the inherent ability to use methanol as the sole carbon and energy source, are competent candidates as platform organisms.

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Article Synopsis
  • - Nematodes cause significant agricultural losses, prompting the sequencing of genomes from two Streptomyces strains known to produce the antinematode drug spectinabilin to develop better drug-producing strains.
  • - The whole-genome analysis revealed that S. spectabilis KCTC9218 and Streptomyces sp. AN091965 have high numbers of protein-coding genes and secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters, with AN091965 producing significantly more spectinabilin.
  • - The study highlights the potential of these strains for producing multiple effective nematicidal compounds, particularly emphasizing that Streptomyces sp. AN091965 is a strong candidate for further development in nematicidal drug research.
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Mevalonate is an important platform compound for the biosynthesis of isoprenoids. It can be synthesized from acetyl-CoA in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) by the introduced mvaES operon in Escherichia coli. The influences of E.

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The purpose of this study is to assess the physicochemical properties and MRI diagnostic efficacy of two newly synthesized 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid (DOTA)-type Gd chelates, Gd-SucL and Gd-GluL, with an asymmetric α-substituted pendant arm as potential hepatocyte-specific magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents (MRI CAs). Our findings show that fine conformational changes in the chelating arm affect the pharmacokinetic behavior of the MRI CA, and that a six-membered chelating substituent of Gd-SucL is more advantageous in this system to avoid unwanted interactions with endogenous species. Gd-SucL exhibited a general DOTA-like chelate stability trend, indicating that all chelating arms retain coordination bonding.

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Background: Leukotriene receptor antagonists are recommended to treat asthma and allergic rhinitis. Although they had been used for a long time, recent studies have reported neuropsychiatric adverse drug reactions are associated with montelukast.

Objective: This study analyzed the adverse drug reactions of montelukast and pranlukast, which are the two most frequently prescribed leukotriene receptor antagonists, respectively in Korea.

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Endophytic bacteria, a rich source of bioactive secondary metabolites, are ideal candidates for environmentally benign agents. In this study, an endophytic strain, Streptomyces sp. AE170020, was isolated and selected for the purification of nematicidal substances based on its high nematicidal activity.

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A light pink coloured bacterium, designated strain BN140002, was isolated from a soil sample collected in Goesan-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, Republic of Korea. Cells of strain BN140002 were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile and rod-shaped. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed 94.

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Deer antler velvet is widely used in traditional medicine for its anti-aging, antioxidant, and immunity-enhancing effects. However, few studies have reported on the discovery of probiotic strains for deer antler fermentation to increase functional ingredient absorption. This study evaluated the ability of probiotic lactic acid bacteria to enhance the concentrations of bioactive molecules (e.

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A Gram-stain positive, aerobic, irregularly rod-shaped, non-spore-forming bacterium, designated as BN130099, was isolated from farmland soil sampled in Goesan-gun, Chungbuk, Republic of Korea. Phylogenetic analysis of its 16S rRNA gene sequence showed that the strain is closely related to KACC 19192 with 98.11 % similarity.

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In this study, we investigated the relation of probiotic activity of strain GG (LGG) and expression of microRNA to immune response and longevity in host model. First, we evaluated the survival rate of due to LGG exposure and bacterial colonization in the intestine. Next, the expression of mRNA and miRNA was analyzed in exposure to LGG for 24 h using microarray.

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Indocyanine green (ICG) is a clinically approved dye that has shown great promise as a phototheranostic material with fluorescent, photoacoustic and photothermal responses in the near-infrared region. However, it has certain limitations, such as poor photostability and non-specific binding to serum proteins, subjected to rapid clearance and decreased theranostic efficacy in vivo. This study reports stable and biocompatible nanoparticles of ICG (ICG-Fe NPs) where ICG is electrostatically complexed with an endogenously abundant metal ion (Fe) and subsequently nanoformulated with a clinically approved polymer surfactant, Pluronic F127.

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Probiotics, as living microorganisms, exert health benefits to the host by alleviating excess inflammation through modulating the immune system and establishing intestinal homeostasis. In this study, we evaluated the probiotic characteristics and inflammation alleviatory effects of isolated from traditional Korean fermented foods. The strains withstood the acidic environment of the digestive process, extended the lifespan of , and enhanced expression.

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Raw milk acts as a mediator of major foodborne pathogenic bacterial infections. However, the sources of pathogens that contaminate milk are often unclear. This study assessed the prevalence of sanitary quality-indicating bacteria (total aerobic bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria, coliform, and yeast/molds), including seven foodborne pathogens, in a dairy farm environment and processing plant in Korea.

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