• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.59 no.1
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• pp.45-47
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• 2016

Two Monascus purpureus genomes lack the monacolin K biosynthesis locus (mok), while Monascus species are generally assumed to be monacolin K producers. These M. purpureus harbor a fusion of mokA and mokB orthologues. This finding suggests that an ancestral mok locus underwent a deletion event in the M. purpureus genome.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.164-169
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• 2004

We had screened the Monascus strain capable of producing monacolin K dominantly among 29 Monascus strains. Red yeast rice was prepared by culturing each Monascus sp. with 200 g of steamed rice (12$0^{\circ}C$, 20 min) at 3$0^{\circ}C$ for 10 days and drying at 8$0^{\circ}C$ for 20 min. As a result, red yeast rice cultured by M. purpureus ATCC16457, M. purpureu IFO 32316, M. purpureus IFO 32228, M. kaoliang ATCC 46595 and M. kaoliang ATCC 46596 produced lots of red pigment and monacolin K. An unidentified Monascus sp. showed the highest productivityof red pigment and monacolin K among 29 Monascus strains. Its production of red pigment and monacolin K was 1.3∼39 times and 2.4∼8 times higher than other strains, respectively. Although the morphological characteristics of unidentified Monascus strain were a little different from the typical M. purpureus, it was identified as M. purpureus CBS 281.34 from the result of sequencing of ITS (Internal transcribed spacer) and 28S ribosomal RNA (partial).

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.41-49
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• 2019

Carotene, xanthophyll, carotenoid anthocyan, phycopyrine, chlorophyll, and monascus pigments are used as natural coloring agents since they are more stable to human body than synthetic coloring agents. Among them, monascus pigments are a natural red pigment produced by the Monascus purpureus. For the development of edible paint using natural pigment, Monascus purpureus strain was cultured at a temperature of $35^{\circ}C$ for 15 days on a PDYA plate and liquid medium to produce a red pigment. In addition, a large amount of the red pigment was extracted from Hongkuk Koji in parallel with water extraction and ultrasonic wave extraction. At this time, the yield of ultrasonic extract was 2~4 times higher. Thus, Monascus purpureus strains, etc. were prepared by freeze-drying powder. In conclusion, natural paints made with red pigments have enabled the development of been edible paints that can be used as eco-friendly materials with good viscosity, enhanced spread ability and coloration.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.30 no.5
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• pp.468-475
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to investigate antioxidant activity and cell differentiation effects of Monascus purpureus pigment on osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cell. In order to examine the antioxidant activities of Monascus purpureus pigment, DPPH radical scavenging, ABTS radical scavenging and SOD-like activities were investigated. DPPH radical and ABTS radical scavenging activities of Monascus purpureus pigment were increased in a dose-dependent manner, and maximum activity were 94% and 99% at a concentration of 1,000 ㎍/ml, respectively. Additionally, SOD-like activity of Monascus purpureus pigment showed 62% at a concentration of 1,000 ㎍/ml. MC3T3-E1 cells did not show cytotoxicity in the concentration range of Monascus purpureus pigment 1~100 ㎍/ml. The ALP activity was increased by addition of Monascus purpureus pigment, and the maximum activity was 124% as compared with control. In addition, nodule formation, a late differentiation factor for bone formation, was increased by adding Monascus purpureus pigment compared to control. These results suggest that Monascus purpureus pigment is expected to be a natural source for developing functional materials to prevent bone-related diseases by osteoblast differentiation.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.250-256
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• 2006

The optimum cultural conditions for production of Monascus natural pigment by Monascus purpureus MK2 were investigated in submerged culture. This strain was showed the maximum production of monascus natural pigment in the optimal medium of 3.0% wheat flour, 0.15% $NaNO_3$, 0.2% $K_{2}HPO_4$ and 0.05% $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_{2}O$, at pH 7.0. The maximum production of this pigment was achieved at $30^{\circ}C$ for 7 day cultivation under 130 rpm shaking. At optimal condition, Monascus purpureus MK2 produced 29.10, 36.84 and 48.92 units of yellow, orange and red pigment, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.76-81
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• 2008

Currently, natural food colorants and preservatives are being used for their general health benefits. Monascus koji, the product of certain fungi that grow on rice grains, has been added to many foods for coloring and preservation. In this study, the antimicrobial activities of Monascus koji ethanol extracts were investigated. Six Monascus strains (M. araneosus KFRI 00371, M. kaoliang ATCC 46597, M. pilosus IFO 4520, M. purpureus IFO 4482, M. ruber IFO 32318 and M. sp. ATCC 16437) were selected based on their relative intensity of red pigment. Two Monascus extracts, M. kaoliang ATCC 46597 and M. purpureus IFO 4482, displayed antimicrobial activities against Bacillus subtilis, B. cereus, Micrococcus luteus, Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella typhimurium in concentration-dependent manners. The two extracts showed their strongest antimicrobial activity against S. typhimurium, a cause of food poisoning. Therefore, these results suggest that Monascus koji could be used as a natural food colorant and preservative.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.135-139
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• 2005

Antioxidant activity of monascus pigment of Monascus purpureus P-57 mutant was studied. Methanol extract from monascus pigment was separated into five organic solvent fractions; hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, butanol and water fractions. Hexane fraction showed the highest free radical scavenging effect on 1,l-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl(DPPH), and the strongest inhibitory effect against xanthine oxidase, followed by chloroform fraction. But butanol and water fraction did not show inhibitory effect against the enzyme. Lineweaver-Burk plot showed that hexane fraction inhibited xanthine oxidase by non-competitive mode.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.130-134
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• 2005

Isolation of a pigment overproducing mutant, P-57, by ultraviolet irradiation of Monascus purpureus KCCM 60016 and investigation of the optimal conditions for pigment production of the mutant were carried out. P-57 mutant produced pigment on solid state culture. Unpolished rice was the best cereal source for pigment production among eight kinds of tested cereal sources for the solid culture of the mutant. The optimal culture condition for pigment production were obtained from the cultivated at $30^{\circ}C,\;90\%$ humidity for 30 days. The P-57 mutant strain showed the best pigment productivity of 160.0 unit at red pigment, 193.6 unit at orange pigment, and 141.6 unit at yellow pigment on solid state culture under optimal condition.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.20 no.1 s.90
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• pp.66-70
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• 2005

Optimization of culture conditions for pigment production of Monascus purpureus P-57 mutant was investigated in liquid culture. The optimum composition of medium for the pigment production was $4\%$ rice power, $0.1\%$ beef extract, $0.03\%$ glutamic acid, $0.1\%\;MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O,\;0.25\%\;KH_2PO_4$, the optimum initial pH was 5.0. And the optimum culture conditions was at $30^{\circ}C$ for 8 days under 150 rpm with shaking. M. purpureus P-57 mutant produced the highest pigment as 356.04 units at red pigment and as 268.20 units at yellow pigment, and produced high cell mass as 15.00 g/L in liquid culture under the optimum conditions.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.123-127
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• 1996

The isolation and chemical characterization of yellow food pigments from Monascus purpureus were studied according to the compositions of media. Monacus yellow pigments were isolated and purified by solvent fractionation, silicagel column chromatography, TLC and HPLC. The retention time of Monascus yellow pigments isolated by HPLC was respectively 5 min(I) and 9 min(II) as the yeast malt extract agar(YMA) media and was respectively 4.6 min(III), 5 min(I) 5.7 min(IV), 8.3 min(V), 9 min(II) and 10.7 min(Ⅵ) at the malt extract agar(MEA) media. The structure of monascin(I), ankaflavin(II), 6,11-dihydrorubropunctatin(III), 6,11-dihydromonascorubrin(V) and unknown compounds(IV,Ⅵ) was elucidated by EI-Mass, H and C NMR, UV-visible spectrometer. Therefore, it was suggested that 6,11-dihydrorubropunctatin(III) and 6,11-dihydromonascorubrin(V) are new intermediates of Monascus yellow pigments.