Cell death-inducing DFF45-like effector (CIDE) domains, initially identified in apoptotic nucleases, form a family with diverse functions ranging from cell death to lipid homeostasis. Here we show that the CIDE domains of Drosophila and human apoptotic nucleases Drep2, Drep4, and DFF40 all form head-to-tail helical filaments. Opposing positively and negatively charged interfaces mediate the helical structures, and mutations on these surfaces abolish nuclease activation for apoptotic DNA fragmentation. Conserved filamentous structures are observed in CIDE family members involved in lipid homeostasis, and mutations on the charged interfaces compromise lipid droplet fusion, suggesting that CIDE domains represent a scaffold for higher-order assembly in DNA fragmentation and other biological processes such as lipid homeostasis.

This study aimed to improve the physiological activity and processing properties of ginseng sprouts. We first determined the effect of extraction and fermentation conditions on the antioxidant activity of ginseng sprouts. The optimal extraction conditions were 2 h at 80°C, with water as a solvent. The fermentation strains used were Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus KCTC 3635 and Enterococcus faecalis KCTC 3206. We then analyzed the changes in the reducing sugar and alcohol content. In fermented samples, the reducing sugar content was lower and the alcohol content was higher than those in control sample. The cell counts of lactic acid bacteria were higher in the fermented samples than those in the control sample. Fermented samples contained more ginsenoside than the extract samples, and ginsenoside was not detected in the control sample. The total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents were relatively high in the fermented samples, particularly in the sample fermented by E. faecalis. Finally, sensory evaluation revealed that the Yakju prepared using ginseng sprouts fermented by lactic acid bacteria was preferable to other drinks control and ginseng sprouts extracted sample. Overall, it was confirme that the addition of fermented ginseng improved the physiological activity and palatability of yakju, there by improving the quality of yakju.

The aim of this study was to improve the quality and functionality of Korean soy sauce made with onion juice. At the end of fermentation, the titratable acidity of the soy sauce containing 100% onion juice was the highest at 2.90%. The salt (NaCl) content was highest and lowest in the samples without and with onion juice supplementation, respectively. The protein content ranged from 11.09-12.50%. The sensory evaluation revealed that the soy sauce sample containing 70% onion juice had the highest scove at 5.0-5.8 levels in terms of sweetness, salty taste, delicate flavor, and overall preference. Quercetin content was 1.73 mg/100 g and 1.68 mg/100 g in soy sauce containing 70% and 100% onion juice, respectively. However, quercetin was not detected in the soy sauce without onion juice supplementation. Total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, as well as antioxidant activity, increased proportionally to the amount of onion juice added. Overall, it was confirmed that the addition of onion juice improved the quality and functionality of Korean soy sauce.

This study aimed to isolate and identify antibacterial compounds from Schisandra chinensis (S. chinensis) that are effective against the Streptococcus mutans KCCM 40105 strain. First, S. chinensis was extracted using varying concentrations of ethanol, and the resulting antibacterial activity was evaluated. The 30% ethanol extract of S. chinensis showed high activity. The fractionation and antibacterial activity of a 30% ethanol extract from S. chinensis were examined using five different solvents. Upon investigation of the antibacterial activity of the solvent fraction, the water and butanol fractions showed high activity, and no significant difference was found. Therefore, the butanol fraction was chosen for material exploration using silica gel column chromatography. A total of 24 fractions were obtained from the butanol portion using silica gel chromatography. The fraction with the highest antibacterial activity was Fr 7. From Fr 7, thirty-three sub-fractions were isolated, and sub-fraction 17 showed the highest level of antibacterial activity. A total of five peaks were obtained through the pure separation of sub-fraction 17 using HPLC. Peak 2 was identified as a substance exhibiting a high level of antibacterial activity. Based on the results of UV spectrometry, 13C-NMR, 1H-NMR, LC-MS, and HPLC analyses, the compound corresponding to peak number 2 was identified as tartaric acid.

This study aimed to select natural materials with antibacterial activity against Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) KCCM 40105 and determine their most efficient extraction conditions. The antibacterial activity was stable under various treatment conditions. Of the 17 material groups, extracts of Sophora flavescens (SF) and Schisandra chinensis (SC) showed antibacterial activity against the S. mutans strain. Measuring the antibacterial activity based on ethanol concentration revealed that the 30% ethanol extracts of SF and SC showed the highest antibacterial activity as observed by the inhibition zones of 10.69 and 14.49 mm, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentrations of the 30% ethanol extracts of SF and SC against the S. mutans strain were 2.0 and 5.0 mg/mL, respectively. Heat stability was confirmed; however, the 30% ethanol extract of SC was inactive at pH values ≥6.0. The antibacterial activity of the 30% ethanol extract of SF and SC treated with nine enzymes was the same at 10 ppm and 100 ppm. However, the activity tended to decrease marginally in the 1,000 ppm concentration treatment group.