Enhanced Antifungal Bioactivity of Coptis Rhizome Prepared by Ultrafining Technology

The aim of this study was to identify and quantify the bioactive constituents in the methanol extracts of Coptis Rhizome prepared by ultrafining technology. The indicator compound was identified by spectroscopic method and its purity was determined by HPLC. Moreover, the crude extracts and indicator compound were examined for their ability to inhibit the growth of Rhizoctonia solani Kühn AG-4 on potato dextrose agar plates. The indicator compound is a potential candidate as a new plant derived pesticide to control Rhizoctonia damping-off in vegetable seedlings. In addition, the extracts of Coptis Rhizome prepared by ultrafining technology displayed higher contents of indicator compound; they not only improve their bioactivity but also reduce the amount of the pharmaceuticals required and, thereby, decrease the environmental degradation associated with the harvesting of the raw products

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides in human monocytic leukemia cells: from gene expression to network construction

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Ganoderma lucidum </it>has been widely used as a herbal medicine for promoting health and longevity in China and other Asian countries. Polysaccharide extracts from <it>Ganoderma lucidum </it>have been reported to exhibit immuno-modulating and anti-tumor activities. In previous studies, F3, the active component of the polysaccharide extract, was found to activate various cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, IL-12, and TNF-<it>α</it>. This gave rise to our investigation on how F3 stimulates immuno-modulating or anti-tumor effects in human leukemia THP-1 cells.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Here, we integrated time-course DNA microarray analysis, quantitative PCR assays, and bioinformatics methods to study the F3-induced effects in THP-1 cells. Significantly disturbed pathways induced by F3 were identified with statistical analysis on microarray data. The apoptosis induction through the DR3 and DR4/5 death receptors was found to be one of the most significant pathways and play a key role in THP-1 cells after F3 treatment. Based on time-course gene expression measurements of the identified pathway, we reconstructed a plausible regulatory network of the involved genes using reverse-engineering computational approach.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our results showed that F3 may induce death receptor ligands to initiate signaling via receptor oligomerization, recruitment of specialized adaptor proteins and activation of caspase cascades.</p

Precise dd excitations and commensurate intersite Coulomb interactions in the dissimilar cuprate YBa_2Cu_3O_(7-x) and La_(2-x)Sr_xCuO_4

Using high-resolution extreme ultraviolet resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (EUVRIXS) spectroscopy at Cu M-edge, we observed the doping dependent spectral shifts of inter-orbital (dd) excitations of YBa_2Cu_3O_(7-x) and La_(2-x)Sr_xCuO_4. With increasing hole doping level from undoped to optimally doped superconducting compositions, the leading edge of dd excitations is found to shift towards lower energy loss in a roughly linear trend that is irrespective to the cuprate species. The magnitude of energy shift can be explained by including a 0.15 eV Coulomb attraction between Cu 3d_(x^2-y^2) electrons and the doped holes on the surrounding oxygens in the atomic multiplet calculations. The consistent energy shift between distinct cuprate families suggests that this inter-site Coulomb interaction energy scale is relatively material-independent, and provides an important reference point for understanding charge density wave phenomena in the cuprate phase diagram.Comment: 29 pages; 8 figures. Physical Review B, in press. This paper reveals a Cu 3d-O 2p intersite interaction energy for the first time experimentally. It also explains why Tc of YBCO is higher than that of LSC

Control of plant diseases with secondary metabolite of Clitocybe nuda

Culture filtrates of five strains of Clitocybe nuda displayed various degrees of antimicrobial activity against plant pathogenic fungi and/or bacteria tested. The culture filtrate of C. nuda strain LA82 was very effective in reducing the incidence of Phytophthora blight of pepper caused by Phytophthora capsici and the incidence of leaf spot on pepper caused by Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria. The inhibitory substance in the C. nuda strain LA82 culture filtrate was stable at low and high pH. It was also stable at high temperature. The inhibitory substance was dialyzable in the membrane tubing with molecular weight cut-off of 1000 but not 500 or 100. It was also exchangeable by anion but not cation exchange resins, indicating that the inhibitor has a molecular weight between 1000 and 500, and negative charge on its molecule. The inhibitor is a hydrophilic compound, but not a protein

Effect of film-forming polymers on control of lily leaf blight caused by Boitrytis elliptica

The effectiveness of film-forming polyelectrolytes for the control of lily leaf blight caused by Botrytis elliptica was evaluated using laboratory a leaf disk assay, greenhouse tests and field trials. Among the six polyelectrolytes, 400ppm FO4240SH, FO4490SH and FO4550SH reduced the disease severity of lily leaf blight in leaf-disk tests. Both FO4240SH and FO4490SH also suppressed sporulation of the pathogen on leaf disks. In greenhouse tests, the number and size of lesions on leaves of Lilium oriental hybrid cv. Star Gazer were markedly reduced by FO4490SH and FO4550SH. Field trials showed that the effectiveness of FO4490SH was similar or better than that of procymidone on the reduction of lily leaf blight disease severity. The polymers had no harmful effects on the lily plants. The cationic polyelectrolytes FO4240SH, FO4490SH and FO4550SH reduced the percentage of conidial germination, inhibited germ-tube growth, and also suppressed the esterase production by germ tubes of B. elliptica. All the above evidence indicates that the disease control achieved with polyelectrolytes is due, at least in part, to the reduction of esterase secretion by B. elliptica

Prospects for Use of Agricultural Wastes for Control of Crop Diseases

稻稈、稻殼、花生殼、玉米穗軸、甘蔗渣、菜仔粕、篦麻粕、樹皮、廢棄菇類太空包培養基、畜禽糞便、蚵殼粉、血粉、魚粉與蝦蟹殼粉等農業廢棄物均蘊含有豐富的微生物與有機成分。將它們妥善的堆肥化(composting)處理，不但可降低環境污染的衝擊外，還可研製成優良的有機堆肥，成為作物有機生產的原動力。此外，農業廢棄物可堆積製成種苗之抑菌（病）栽培介質，並可充作紆解殺草劑殘留量毒傷作物根系或防治作物病害的有機添加劑。其中研發本土化抑菌（病）介質時，發現採用七個香菇栽培農場之未堆積香菇太空包廢棄堆肥培育甘藍種苗，証明各農場的廢棄堆肥均呈現抑制種苗發育的現象；惟將該等廢棄堆肥添加硝酸銨與過磷酸鈣後，經過堆積零至十二星期，結果發現堆積的時間長短會顯著影響香菇太空包廢棄堆肥培育甘藍種苗的效果，其中尤以堆積十二星期的香菇太空廢棄堆肥最有利於甘藍種苗的發育。然而，不同堆積時問的香菇太空包廢棄堆肥卻均不具有抑制甘藍立枯病(Rhizoctonia solani AG-4)的效果。將腐熟香菇太空包廢棄堆肥與炭化稻殼按體積三對一的比率混合成SSC-05介質，然後各別添加0.1-0.5 % (w/v)的骨粉、魚粉、牛血粉、菜仔粕或0.2-1.0 % (w/v)的蝦蟹殼粉後，發現處理蝦蟹殼粉、牛血粉與菜仔粕一星期者，可顯著減少甘藍種苗感染立枯病菌的效果。至於研發有機添加劑時，發現在土壤添加l-5 % (w/w)的金針菇太空包廢棄堆肥，可顯著保護豌豆根系免於拉草與丁基拉草的毒傷。若以香菇與金針菇太空包廢棄堆肥培育蔬菜種苗，証明這兩種堆肥可有效防治十字花科蔬菜根瘤病菌( Plasmodiophora brassicae)，西瓜根瘤線虫(Meloidogync incognita)與西瓜蔓割病菌( Fosariorn f. sp. ni veum)等引起的病害“為了研發農業廢棄物成為多元化與合理化的作物病害防治製劑，因此將農業廢棄物與工業廢物、化學肥料及微生物等均勻配製成S-H, SF-21, GS與FB N-5A等合成土壤添加物（formulated、soil amendments)或在24~28℃，經過30-45天醱酵處理成CF-5與CH-100 等合成有機添加劑(formulated organic adjuvants)。茲分別介紹各添加劑的組成分與功效如下：S-H混合物是由甘蔗渣、稻殼、蚵殼粉、尿素、矽酸爐渣與硝酸鉀等組合而成，可以在田間有效防治西瓜蔓割病、蘿蔔黃葉病(F. oxysporum f. sp. raphani)、瓜類獰倒病( Pythium aphanidermarum)及甜椒白絹病(Scierotium rolfsii)等。SF-21混合物含有松樹皮、甘油、硫酸銨、氯化鈣、氯化鉀與硫酸鋁等，可以有效防治R. solani, P. aphanidermatom及F. moniliforrnc var. subgiutinans即，三者引起之濕地松苗猝倒病。FBN-SA 混合物是由魚粉、骨粉、血粉、菜仔粕、硝酸銨、香藷太空包廢棄堆肥與丙烯醇等均勻拌合而成，具有防治豌豆立枯病(R. solani)及萎凋病(F. oxysporum f. sp. pisi)的效果。此外，CF-5是FBN-5A 混合物在水中醱酵30天的產物，它可防治甘藍立枯病外，還具有紆解草脫淨（50ppm ）毒傷豌豆植株的效應。CH-100是S-H混合物、甘藍下位葉殘體、菸葉渣、氯化鈣與牛肉煎汁等經過醱酵45 天後的濾液、再混合加入0.5 % (v/v)酒精所製成的產物，具有促進西瓜、甜椒、甘藍等種苗的發育，提高梨、柑桔、葡萄與枇杷等果實的甜度與品質，並可防治梅黑星病(Venturia carpophila)，梅、李白粉病(Podosphaeria tridacty1a)與韭菜锈病(Puccinia a]iii)等。顯然，妥善處理農業廢棄物不僅可以避免自然資源的浪費，提昇環境生態的品質外，而且還可有效防治作物病害，進而維護農業的永續經營。 Agricultural wastes such as rice straw, rice hull, peanut husk, corn cob, bagasse, rape-seed pomace, castor seed pomace, tree bark, muthroom growth medium waste and shrimp shell powder are widely used in land reclamation and in production of horticultural crops. They benefit crop production by improving soil fertility, increasing soil organic matter and, in many instances, reducing the incidence of soilborne diseases. Several container media and organic adjuvants, e.g. SSC-06, S-H, SF -21, LT, AR-3, CH-l, GS and FBN-5A mixtures have been formulated by using agricultural wastes and fertilizers for the management of crop diseases in Taiwan. Most of the formulated products were designed to maximize the harmful effect on target pathogens and maintain soil fertility with minimal negative impacts on the agroecosystem. The mechanisms by which container media and soil amendments affect plant pathogens can be simple or complex depending on the amendments and the pathogen. In some cases, control is achieved by direct killing of the pathogen propagules, in other cases, disease suppression is the result of a combination of multiple factors, including direct poisoning of the pathogen and indirect effects by enhanced microbial activity and improved vigor of plants

Field Sanitation and Foliar Application of Streptomyces padanus PMS-702 for the Control of Rice Sheath Blight

Rice sheath blight (ShB), caused by Rhizoctonia solani Kühn AG1-IA, is one of the destructive rice diseases worldwide. The aims of this study were to develop biocontrol strategies focusing on field sanitation and foliar application with a biocontrol agent for ShB management. Streptomyces padanus PMS-702 showed a great antagonistic activity against R. solani. Fungichromin produced by S. padanus PMS-702, at 3.07 mg/l inhibited 50% mycelial growth, caused leakage of cytoplasm, and inhibited the formation of infection structures of R. solani. Fungichromin could reach to 802 mg/l when S. padanus PMS-702 was cultured in MACC broth for 6 days. Addition of 0.5% S. padanus PMS-702 broth into soil decreased the survival rate of the pathogen compared to the control. Soil amended with 0.5% S. padanus broth and 0.5% tea seed pomace resulted in the death of R. solani mycelia in the infested rice straws, and the germination of sclerotia was inhibited 21 days after treatment. Greenhouse trials revealed that S. padanus cultured in soybean meal-glucose (SMGC-2) medium after mixing with different surfactants could enhance its efficacy for inhibiting the pathogen. Of six surfactants tested, the addition of 2% tea saponin was the most effective in suppressing the pathogen. S. padanus broth after being fermented in SMGC-2, mixed with 2% tea saponin, diluted 100 fold, and sprayed onto rice plants significantly reduced ShB disease severity. Thus, S. padanus PMS-702 is an effective biocontrol agent. The efficacy of S. padanus PMS-702 for disease control could be improved through formulation

Effects of nutrients on production of fungichromin by Streptomyces padanus PMS-702 and efficacy of control of Phytophthora infestans

The effects of carbon and nitrogen source on inhibitory activity of Streptomyces padanus PMS-702 culture filtrates were investigated using 12 saccharides, 12 nitrogen sources, and 7 organic compounds. Results showed that the carbon sources cellobiose, galactose, glucose, mannose and xylose; the organic compound peanut meal; and the nitrogen source glutamic acid were the most effective components for production of inhibitory substances by S. padanus and suppression of zoospore release of Phytophthora infestans. Production of the antibiotic fungichromin by S. padanus PMS-702 was high (145.5 ppm) in cultures grown in the liquid medium of peanut meal – glucose – glutamic acid (PMGG) containing 1.5% (w/v) peanut meal, 0.5% (w/v) glucose, and 0.5% (w/v) glutamic acid for 7 days. Spraying tomato plants with culture filtrates of S. padanus PMS-702 from the PMGG broth culture at a rate of 100-fold dilution significantly reduced severity of late blight of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) foliage caused by P. infestans both under controlled environment and field conditions