Kocuria indica sp. nov., isolated from a sediment sample.

An actinobacterial strain was isolated from a sediment sample from Chorao Island, in Goa province, India, and subjected to a taxonomic investigation. The isolate, designated NIO-1021(T), was a Gram-stain positive, aerobic, non-motile and coccoid. Strain NIO-1021(T) was identified as a member of the genus Kocuria by a polyphasic approach.

Silymarin inhibits melanin synthesis in melanocyte cells.

Objectives: The aim was to search for inhibitors of melanogenesis from natural resources.

Methods: The inhibitory effect of silymarin on melanogenesis in a spontaneously immortalized mouse melanocyte cell line, Mel-Ab, was studied.

Key Findings: Silymarin significantly prevented melanin production in a dose-dependent manner with an IC50 value (concentration producing 50% maximal inhibition) of 28.

A new antioxidant, clitocybin A, from the culture broth of Clitocybe aurantiaca.

Clitocybin A (1), a new antioxidant, was isolated from the culture broth of Clitocybe aurantiaca. This compound was purified by solvent extraction, silica gel column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography and preparative HPLC. Its structure was determined as 4,6-dihydroxy-2-p-hydroxyphenyl-isoindol1-one on the basis of the UV, NMR, and MS spectroscopic analysis.

Leifsonia kribbensis sp. nov., isolated from soil.

A yellow-pigmented actinobacterium, designated strain MSL-13T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from Bigeum Island, Republic of Korea, and its taxonomic position was determined by using a polyphasic approach. Strain MSL-13T showed phenotypic and chemotaxonomic properties consistent with its classification in the genus Leifsonia. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis of strain MSL-13T with sequences from Leifsonia naganoensis DB103T, Leifsonia aquatica DSM 20146T, Leifsonia xyli subsp.

Bacillus alkalitelluris sp. nov., an alkaliphilic bacterium isolated from sandy soil.

A Gram-positive, alkaliphilic bacterium, designated strain BA288(T), was isolated from sandy soil. Cells were facultatively anaerobic, endospore-forming rods that were motile by means of peritrichous flagella. The strain grew at 15-40 degrees C and pH 7.

Microbacterium kribbense sp. nov., isolated from soil.

A Gram-positive, short, rod-shaped, cream-coloured actinobacterium, designated MSL-04(T), was isolated from a soil sample collected from an agricultural field on Bigeum Island (Republic of Korea) and was subjected to polyphasic characterization to unravel its taxonomic position. The optimum growth temperature and pH were 28-30 degrees C and pH 7.2-7.

Phycicoccus bigeumensis sp. nov., a mesophilic actinobacterium isolated from Bigeum Island, Korea.

An actinomycete strain, designated MSL-03(T), was isolated from a soil sample collected from Bigeum Island in the Republic of Korea. The coccoid cells of the organism were Gram-positive and non-motile and did not form endospores. The colonies were yellow, small, circular with entire margins and contained meso-diaminopimelic acid as the diagnostic diamino acid in the peptidoglycan.

Nocardioides koreensis sp. nov., Nocardioides bigeumensis sp. nov. and Nocardioides agariphilus sp. nov., isolated from soil from Bigeum Island, Korea.

Three Gram-positive, coccoid to rod-shaped actinobacteria, designated strains MSL-09(T), MSL-19(T) and MSL-28(T), were isolated from a soil sample collected from Bigeum Island in Korea, and were subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic analysis. All three isolates grew optimally at pH 7.5-9.

Caspase-3 activation as a key factor for HBx-transformed cell death.

Objectives: Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappaB) activation has been associated with the tumorigenic growth of hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx)-transformed cells. This study was aimed to find a key target for treatment of HBx-mediated cancers.

Materials And Methods: NF-kappaB activation, endoplasmic reticulum-stress (ER-stress), caspase-3 activation, and cell proliferation were evaluated after Chang/HBx cells permanently expressing HBx viral protein were treated with inhibitors of NF-kappaB, proteasome and DNA topoisomerase.

Leifsonia bigeumensis sp. nov., isolated from soil on Bigeum Island, Korea.

A Gram-positive, motile, mesophilic bacterium that formed yellowish-white, circular, convex, glistening colonies, strain MSL-27T, was isolated from a soil sample from Bigeum Island, Korea, and its taxonomic position was investigated by a polyphasic approach. Cells of strain MSL-27T are non-spore-forming, irregular rods, usually fragmenting into shorter rods or coccoid elements. The growth temperature and pH ranges are 20-37 degrees C and pH 6.

Frigoribacterium mesophilum sp. nov., a mesophilic actinobacterium isolated from Bigeum Island, Korea.

A taxonomic study was performed on strain MSL-08T, which was isolated from a soil sample collected from Bigeum Island. The novel isolate was aerobic and Gram-positive. Cells were short and motile rods.

Lentibacillus salis sp. nov., a moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from a salt lake.

A Gram-positive, moderately halophilic bacterium, designated strain BH113T, was isolated from a salt lake located in Xinjiang Province, China. Cells of the strain were aerobic, spore-forming, motile rods with flagella. The organism grew optimally at 37 degrees C and pH 8.

Rubellimicrobium mesophilum sp. nov., a mesophilic, pigmented bacterium isolated from soil.

A pink- to light-reddish-pigmented, aerobic, pointed, budding, mesophilic strain designated MSL-20T was isolated from soil from Bigeum island, Korea. The isolate was Gram-negative. Cells were motile rods without flagella.

Nocardioides tritolerans sp. nov., Isolated from soil in Bigeum Island, Korea.

A Gram-positive strain designated as MSL-14T isolated from a soil sample collected from Bigeum Island, Korea, was subjected to polyphasic taxonomy. The isolate was strictly aerobic. Cells were short rods and motile.

Cryobacterium mesophilum sp. nov., a novel mesophilic bacterium.

A novel mesophilic, Gram-positive, cream- to pale yellow-pigmented, aerobic bacterium, designated MSL-15T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from Bigeum Island, South Korea. The cells were catalase-positive, motile and irregular rods. The diamino acid content of the cell-wall peptidoglycan was determined to be 2,4-diaminobutyric acid.

Marmoricola bigeumensis sp. nov., a member of the family Nocardioidaceae.

A Gram-positive, aerobic strain, designated MSL-05T, was isolated from a soil sample collected from Bigeum Island, Korea, and its taxonomic position was investigated using a polyphasic approach. Cells of the novel strain were coccoid and occurred singly. The novel strain grew over a wide range of NaCl concentrations (0-7 %, w/v).

Nocardioides dilutes sp. nov. isolated from soil in Bigeum Island, Korea.

A short coccoid-rod-shaped, nonmotile actinobacteria strain MSL-11T was isolated from soil in Bigeum Island, Korea. A polyphasic study was undertaken to establish the taxonomic position of this strain. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain MSL-11T forms an evolutionary lineage within the radiation of the genus Nocardioides.

Peroxidase-mediated formation of the fungal polyphenol 3,14'-bihispidinyl.

Medicinal fungi, Phellinus linteus and Inonotus xeranticus, produce a cluster of yellow pigment in their fermentation broth that acts as an important element of biological activity. The pigment is composed of diverse polyphenols with a styrylpyrone moiety, mainly hispidin and its dimers, 3,14'-bihispidinyl, hypholomine B, and 1,1- distrylpyrylethan. Although dimeric hispidins were proposed to be biosynthesized from two molecules of monomer via oxidative coupling by ligninolytic enzymes, laccase and peroxidase, the details of this process remain unknown.

Nocardioides halotolerans sp. nov., isolated from soil on Bigeum Island, Korea.

A strictly aerobic, Gram-positive, motile, coccoid-shaped, halotolerant actinobacterium (10% NaCl, w/v), designated MSL-23T, was isolated from a soil sample on Bigeum Island, Korea. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that the isolate belonged to the genus Nocardioides, with the highest sequence similarity (95.63%) being to Nocardioides kribbensis KCTC 19038T.

Nocardioides islandiensis sp. nov., isolated from soil in Bigeum Island Korea.

A novel actinobacterium designated as MSL-26(T) was isolated from soil in Bigeum Island Korea. A polyphasic study was undertaken to establish the taxonomic position of isolate MSL-26(T). Strain MSL-26(T) was found to have chemical and morphological characteristics similar to Nocardioides.

Antifungal cyclopeptolide from fungal saprophytic antagonist Ulocladium atrum.

The saprophytic fungus Ulocladium atrum Preuss is a promising biological control agent for Botrytis cinerea in greenhouse- and field-grown crops. However, despite its known potent antifungal activity, no antifungal substance has yet been reported. In an effort to characterize the antifungal substance from U atrum, we isolated an antibiotic peptide.

Bacillus kribbensis sp. nov., isolated from a soil sample in Jeju, Korea.

A Gram-positive, endospore-forming bacterium, designated strain BT080(T), was isolated from a soil sample in Jeju, Korea. Cells of the isolate were strictly aerobic rods that were motile by means of peritrichous flagella. The strain grew optimally at 30-33 degrees C and pH 5.

Complex formation of p65/RelA with nuclear Akt1 for enhanced transcriptional activation of NF-kappaB.

Akt1 was revealed to interact with Ki-Ras in the cytoplasm of Ki-Ras-transformed human prostate epithelial cells, 267B1/K-ras. Moreover, p65/RelA in the nucleus was found to interact with both Ki-Ras and Akt1, suggesting the nuclear translocation of Akt1:Ki-Ras complex for NF- kappaB activation. In support of this, compared with wild type Akt1, the dominant negative Akt1 mutant was decreased in its nuclear expression, reducing the Ki-Ras-induced NF-kappaB transcriptional activation.

New triterpene glucosides, oligoporins A-C, from Oligoporus tephroleucus protect DNA from Fenton reaction.

New triterpene glucosides, oligoporins A (1), B (2), and C (3), were isolated from the methanolic extract of the fruiting bodies of Oligoporus tephroleucus (Polyporaceae). Their structures were established by spectroscopic methods. These compounds significantly exhibited protective effect to plasmid DNA damage by hydroxyl radical (*OH) generated from the Fenton reaction with hydrogen peroxide and ferrous.