A new process for red pigment production by submerged culture of Monascus purpureus

Formation of red pigment by Monascus purpureus via diauxic growth on glucose and ethanol in submerged culture was optimized based on inoculum preparation and culture medium. A vegetative inoculum was prepared from spores grown on ethanol. The optimized culture medium was low in phosphates, and had an initial pH?of 5.5. The characteristics of Monascus purpureus grown on glucose and on ethanol were compared: the specific consumption rate of glucose (q_G) was higher than the specific consumption rate of ethanol (q_E), whereas the specific growth rate was greatest with ethanol. The specific production rate of red pigment (p_OD) and pigment yield (Y_OD/s) with glucose was twice that with ethanol. A novel fermentation process was developed with M. purpureus initially grown with controlled ethanol formation, and consumption of the latter during pigment formation.     

The glucose metabolic frame of conditions induce the overproduction of a co-culture pigment: induction mechanism of the pigment and development of a specific eutrophic–oligotrophic transition cultivation system

Induction mechanism of a potential red pigment (RPc) was investigated in the present paper. A typical competition relationship exists between Penicillium sp. HSD07B and Candida tropicalis during co-culture, and C. tropicalis converts glucose into glycerol, organic acids and other substances, resulting in a stricter glucose limitation and the secretion of RPc. Moreover, a novel eutrophic–oligotrophic transition cultivation system (E-OTCS) was developed to produce red pigment during monoculture of Penicillium sp. HSD07B. However, the monoculture pigment (RPm) is different from RPc in components, and RP3 and RP4 only occur in RPm when glycerol is supplied. In addition, the additions of glycerol and organic acids to glucose exhaustion medium can significantly improve the pigment yield. These facts not only prove the feasibility of producing RPm using E-OTCS, but also reveal that, besides glucose exhaustion, the accumulation of metabolites of glucose including glycerol and organic acids is also an important factor influencing the production of RPc.     

Kinetic analysis of red pigment and citrinin production by Monascus ruber as a function of organic acid accumulation

In submerged cultures performed in synthetic medium containing glucose and glutamate, the filamentous fungus Monascus ruber produced a red pigment and a mycotoxin, citrinin. In oxygen-limiting conditions, the production of these two metabolites was growth-associated, as was the production of primary metabolites. In oxygen-excess conditions, the profile of citrinin production was typical of a secondary metabolite, since it was produced mostly during the stationary phase. In contrast, the production of the pigment decreased rapidly throughout the culture, showing a profile characteristic of an inhibitory mechanism. The organic acids produced during the culture, L-malate and succinate, were shown to be slightly inhibitory against pigment production, while citrinin production was unaffected. However, this inhibition could not account for the observed profile of pigment production in batch cultures. Other dicarboxylic acids such as fumarate or tartrate showed a similar effect to that provoked by malate and succinate as regards pigment production. It was concluded that the decrease in red pigment production during the culture was due to the inhibitory effect of an unknown product whose accumulation was favored in aerobic conditions.     

红酵母NZ-01发酵条件的优化

以红酵母菌株NZ-01为试验菌株,研究其发酵工艺与中试生产。采用摇瓶发酵优化的方式,研究培养基组分与发酵工艺条件对该菌发酵的影响,并进行中试放大生产。结果显示,该菌最适生长培养基组分为葡萄糖10g/L,蔗糖10g/L,酵母膏10g/L,牛肉膏2.5g/L;色素合成最适培养基组分为葡萄糖15g/L,蔗糖10g/L,酵母膏2.5g/L,牛肉膏5g/L。最适生长起始pH值为6.0,最适接种量为8%,生长周期为44h;最适色素合成起始pH值为7.0,最适色素合成接种量为8%,色素合成周期为48h。发酵优化后的色素产量3.88μg/mL较优化前1.71μg/mL提高了127%。中试产量达3.05μg/mL。红酵母菌NZ-01优化后的发酵条件可以应用于中试生产虾青素,有规模化生产应用潜力。     

Effect of light on growth,pigment production and culture morphology of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Monascus purpureus</Emphasis> in solid-state fermentation

The capacity to sense and respond to light is widespread in animals, plants, fungi and bacteria. The effect of light quality on growth and pigment yield of Monascus purpureus was investigated. Incubation in total darkness increased red pigment production from 14. 5 OD/g dry substrate to 22 OD/g dry substrate. In contrast, growth of the fungus in direct illumination resulted in total suppression of pigment production. It was found that both red and blue light influenced pigment yield as well as culture morphology. The authors propose the existence of a light-perception system in Monascus purpureus.     

Screening and characteristics of a butanol-tolerant strain and butanol production from enzymatic hydrolysate of NaOH-pretreated corn stover

As a gasoline substitute, butanol has advantages over traditional fuel ethanol in terms of energy density and hydroscopicity. However, solvent production appeared limited by butanol toxicity. The strain of Clostridium acetobutylicum was subjected to mutation by mutagen of N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine for 0.5?h. Screening of mutants was done according to the individual resistance to butanol. A selected butanol-resistant mutant, strain 206, produced 50?% higher solvent concentrations than the wild-type strain when 60?g glucose/l was employed as substrate. The strain was also able to produce solvents of 23.47?g/l in 80?g/l glucose P2 medium after 70?h fermentation, including 5.41?g acetone/l, 15.05?g butanol/l and 3.02?g ethanol/l, resulting in an ABE yield and productivity of 0.32?g/g and 0.34?g/(l?h). Subsequently, Acetone-butanol-ethanol (ABE) production from enzymatic hydrolysate of NaOH-pretreated corn stover was investigated in this study. An ABE yield of 0.41 and a productivity of 0.21?g/(l?h) was obtained, compared to the yield of 0.33 and the productivity of 0.20?g/(l?h) in the control medium containing 52.47 mixed sugars. However, it is important to note that although strain 206 was able to utilize all the glucose rapidly in the hydrolysate, only 32.9?% xylose in the hydrolysate was used after fermentation stopped compared to 91.4?% xylose in the control medium. Strain 206 was shown to be a robust strain for ABE production from lignocellulosic materials and has a great potential for industrial application.     

雪白白僵菌红色素的初步鉴定及其与环孢菌素A对底物缬氨酸的竞争

【目的】分离鉴定雪白白僵菌红色素,分析红色素与环孢菌素A对底物缬氨酸的竞争和相互影响。【方法】对红色素进行分离纯化,利用UV、IR和ESI-MS对红色素进行初步鉴定。采用缬氨酸分批补料培养,通过控制溶氧水平,以及添加红色素,分析红色素与环孢菌素A合成之间的竞争关联及相互影响。【结果】经鉴定,雪白白僵菌红色素分子式为C15H10O5,推测为含有芳环结构的蒽醌类化合物。在补加缬氨酸和高DO条件下,环孢菌素的产量高于低DO水平,相反红色素在低DO条件下合成量大于高DO水平。在不补加缬氨酸条件下,实验结果与补加缬氨酸培养一致,但是红色素和环孢菌素A的产量都显著降低。进一步添加外源纯化的红色素时,随着添加量的增加出现了环孢菌素A合成先减弱后增加的变化。【结论】发现并证实了雪白白僵菌红色素与环孢菌素A合成都以缬氨酸为共同底物,但两者的途径又相互独立。     

Improvement of red pigment/citrinin production ratio as a function of environmental conditions by monascus ruber

The growth and metabolic behaviour of the filamentous fungus Monascus ruber were studied in submerged cultures under various aeration and agitation conditions. Improving the oxygen supply, by increasing either the air input or the agitation speed, resulted in modified metabolism: the biomass yield, the consumption of the nitrogen source (monosodium glutamate), and the production of secondary metabolites (red pigment and citrinin) all increased. However, the citrinin production increased more than that of the red pigment. In consequence, a low oxygen transfer coefficient was required to improve the red pigment/citrinin production ratio. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Biotechnol Bioeng 64: 497–501, 1999.     

Optimization of process parameters by response surface methodology and kinetic modeling for batch production of canthaxanthin by Dietzia maris NIT-D (accession number: HM151403)

Dietzia maris NIT-D, a canthaxanthin producer, was isolated during routine screening of pigment-producing bacteria. Response surface methodology was applied for statistical designing of process parameters for biomass and canthaxanthin production. The effects of four process parameters (considered as independent variables), namely temperature (10-30?°C), pH (4.75-5.75), shaker speed (75-135?rpm) and percentage inoculum (0.5-2.5?%) on the biomass and canthaxanthin yield (considered as dependent variables) were studied. As much as 122?mg?L(-1) of canthaxanthin was obtained when Dietzia maris NIT-D was incubated for 120?h at 25?°C and 120?rpm, initial pH and percentage inoculum being 5.5 and 2?% respectively. The pigment yield is the highest reported till date, with Dietzia maris as the test organism. The maximum biomass yield was 7.39?g?L(-1) under optimized process parameters. The predicted values were also verified by validation experiments in 5-day fermentation. Different mathematical models were used to describe growth and production, considering the effect of glucose in batch mode. The kinetic constants were calculated by fitting the experimental data to the models. Cell growth was inhibited beyond a glucose concentration of 15?g?L(-1). Andrews' model gave the best fit with a R (2) value of 0.9993. During the exponential growth phase, the specific growth rate was found to remain fairly constant with respect to time. There was no inhibitory effect due to intracellular product accumulation for all concentrations of glucose. This observation is the first of its kind, as previous studies have reported that increasing accumulation of intracellular carotenoid exerts greater degree of inhibition on growth.     

Optimization of monascus red pigment fermentation by regulating chitinase activity level in fermentor

Enhancement of monascus pigment production in a co-culture of Monascus sp. J101 with Saccharomyces cerevisiae was accomplished using chitinase in the feeding of a S. cerevisiae culture filtrate. Batch fermentations were carried out at constant chitinase activity levels of 0.8?U and 0.5?U after 24?h of cultivation. Monascus red pigment concentrations obtained at the end of fermentation were 182.4 OD units and 147.3 OD units, respectively, for chitinase activity levels of 0.8?U and 0.5?U. The cell mass was higher at 0.8?U than at 0.5?U, whereas pigment production per unit cell mass was higher at 0.5?U than at 0.8?U. Kinetic equations involving cell growth rate, cell activity and chitinase activity levels were analyzed. Cell activity was expressed as a function of mean cell age. The optimum time for reduction of the chitinase activity level from 0.8?U to 0.5?U for maximization of monascus pigment production was numerically estimated to be 60?h. Based on this result, a batch fermentation was performed where the chitinase activity level was maintained at 0.8?U from 24?h to 60?h, then the level was lowered to 0.5?U after 60?h. This scheme resulted in a monascus pigment production of 198.3 OD units.     

Improvement of the production of a red pigment in Penicillium sp. HSD07B synthesized during co-culture with Candida tropicalis

Co-culture of Penicillium sp. HSD07B and Candida tropicalis resulted in the production of a red pigment consisting of six components as determined by TLC and HPLC. The pigment showed no acute toxicity in mice and was mot mutagenic in the Ames test. The pigment was stable between pH 2 and 10 and temperatures of 10-100 °C and exhibited good photo-stability and resistance to oxidization by hydrogen peroxide and reduction by Na₂SO₃. Glucose and ratio of C. tropicalis to strain HSD07B (w/w) in the inoculum were the important factors influencing production of the pigment. Under optimized conditions, a pigment yield of 2.75 and 7.7 g/l was obtained in a shake-flask and a 15 l bioreactor, respectively. Thus, co-culture of strain HSD07B and C. tropicalis is a promising way to produce a red pigment potentially useful for coloring applications.     

Producing mechanism of an algicidal compound against red tide phytoplankton in a marine bacterium γ-proteobacterium

Strain MS-02-063, γ-proteobacterium, isolated from a coast area of Nagasaki, Japan, produced a red pigment which belongs to prodigiosin members. This pigment, PG-L-1, showed potent algicidal activity against various red tide phytoplanktons in a concentration-dependent manner. An understanding of a mechanism of PG-L-1 production by this marine bacterium may yield important new insights and strategies for preventing blooms of harmful flagellate algae in natural marine environments. Therefore, we analyzed the mechanisms of PG-L-1 production. In our previous study, the pigment production by this marine bacterium was completely inhibited at 1.56 μg/ml of erythromycin or 3.13 μg/ml of chloramphenicol, while minimal inhibitory concentrations for cell growth of erythromycin and chloramphenicol against this bacterium were >100 and 25 μg/ml, respectively. It is interesting to note that the ability of the pigment production in erythromycin-treated bacterium recovered by an addition of homoserine lactone. In fact, the pigment production was inhibited by β-cyclodextrin that inhibits autoinducer activities by a complex with N-acyl homoserine lactones. N-acyl homoserine lactones with autoinducer activities are ubiquitous bacterial signaling molecules that regulate gene expression in a cell density dependent process known as quorum sensing. Therefore, it was suggested that PG-L-1 produced by strain MS-02-063 is controlled by the homoserine lactone quorum sensing. It is speculated that this quorum sensing is involved in the production of algicidal agents of other marine bacteria. This bacterium and other algicidal bacteria might be concerned in regulating the blooms of harmful flagellate algae through the quorum sensing system.     

Effect of glucose concentration on the biosynthesis of prodigiosin by serratia marcescens (author's transl)]

Serratia marcescens is an enterobacteria which produces a characteristic red pigment denominated prodigiosin. To study the effect of glucose on the kinetics of this secondary metabolite, cultures of Serratia marcescens S10 were incubated at 30 degrees C in the mineral medium GL, with glucose (2 g/l) as the carbon source. Prodigiosin production in relation to glucose consumption is studied, and parallel-wise, the effect of various concentrations of glucose on prodigiosin production. The kinetics data show the close correlation between glucose consumption and the synthesis of prodigiosin. This substrate inhibits the synthesis of pigment in cultures grown on solid medium GL with concentrations of glucose up to 15 g/l.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Rhodotorula mucilaginosa</Emphasis>, a carotenoid producing yeast strain from a patagonian high-altitude lake

The red yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa strain CRUB 0138 (previously identified as R. lactosa) was isolated from a high-altitude Patagonian Lake Toncek (1700 m a.s.l.), and assigned with mucilaginosa species. Its biochemical, physiological and molecular features were assessed and compared to R. mucilaginosa PYCC 5166 type strain using a polyphasic approach; in addition, biomass and carotenoid pigment production at different C/N ratios were determined in an incubator shaker. Phenetic characterization by means of 70 current physiological tests including assimilation of aldaric acids and aromatic compounds, and also the ability to grow with amino acids as sole carbon sources, was carried out. According to numerical taxonomy calculations, similarity indexes between R. mucilaginosa CRUB 0138 and PYCC 5166 type strain were 0.86 and 0.77, corresponding to a complete set of physiological tests and MSP-PCR (Mini/Micro Satellite Primed PCR; (GTG)5, M13 and (GAC)5 primers were employed) fingerprinting. Killer activity against 2 native strains, Rhodosporidium kratochvilovae and R. mucilaginosa was detected. Maximum biomass-glucose conversion efficiency (87%) and maximum carotenoid yield (2.32 mg/L) were obtained at C/N = 5 in culture medium containing 10 and 40 g/L glucose, respectively. Different C/N ratios did not influence carotenoid pigment production but low C/N enhanced biomass yield.     

一株产槲皮素类色素的银杏内生真菌的研究

从银杏树根中分离出70余株内生真菌.将它们置于马铃薯葡萄糖(PD)液体培养基中培养,发现其中一株(Gh01)能产生橙黄色色素.经过化学反应及HPLC检测证明该橙黄色色素为槲皮素类糖苷.这是关于内生真菌产槲皮素类糖苷的首次报道.本文深入探讨了碳源,氮源,金属离子,初始PH及培养温度对色素产量的影响.PD液体培养基的最适培养温度和初始PH分别为28℃和7.0.正交设计结果显示:最适碳源和氮源分别为20g/L葡萄糖和5g/L蛋白胨.增加1g/L的氯化锌可提高色素产量.在最适培养条件下连续培养120h色素的产量可达到27.515g/L.     

Pigment production from tryptophan by an Achromobacter species

Duerre, John A. (University of North Dakota, Grand Forks), and Patrick J. Buckley. Pigment production from tryptophan by an Achromobacter species. J. Bacteriol. 90:1686-1691. 1965.-A microorganism was isolated from the soil near the University of North Dakota. Biochemical and morphological characteristics indicated that this organism would best be classified as a member of the family Achromobacteraceae, genus Achromobacter, species unknown. The organism produced a red pigment when grown in a medium containing yeast extract and tryptophan. The pH optimum for pigment production was about 8.0 and the optimal temperature was 25 C. During a study of the nutritional requirements for growth and pigment production, it was found that the organism would grow and produce pigment in a medium containing tryptophan and nucleosides, but the rate of both growth and pigment formation in this medium was slower than that observed with tryptophan and yeast extract. The organism grew well in the presence of acid-hydrolyzed casein and nucleosides without producing pigment, indicating that the pigment is not necessary for growth. Resting-cell experiments definitely established tryptophan as the sole exogenous requirement for pigment production. The pigment was extracted from yeast extract-tryptophan medium with chloroform. Thin layer chromatographic analysis of the crude pigment extracted from this medium revealed the presence of two other pigments in addition to the major red pigment. One of these was a highly fluorescent orange pigment and the other a pink pigment. Only the red pigment was produced by resting cells in the presence of tryptophan alone. This pigment served as an electron acceptor when coupled with formic dehydrogenase, indicating its possible function as an oxidation-reduction pigment. The oxidized pigment had absorption peaks at 506 and 304 mmu. The peak at 506 mmu disappeared upon reduction with sodium sulfite. Shaking the reduced pigment in air proved to be an unsatisfactory method for returning the reduced pigment to the oxidized, colored state.     

Effect of pH and nitrogen source on pigment production by Monascus purpureus

The effect of pH and nitrogen source on pigment production by Monascus purpureus 192F using glucose as the carbon and energy source, was studied in pH-controlled, batch fermentor cultures using HPLC analysis to determine individual pigment concentrations. A maximum of four pigments were detected in fungal extracts. These were the yellow pigments monascin and ankaflavin, the orange rubropunctatin and the red pigment monascorubramine. Monascorubramine was present as the major product in all instances. Fungal growth and ankaflavin synthesis were favoured at low pH (pH 4.0), whereas production of the other pigments was relatively independent of pH. The nature of the nitrogen source affected fungal growth and pigment production, independent of pH. Ammonium and peptone as nitrogen sources gave superior growth and pigment concentrations compared to nitrate. Ankaflavin was not detected in nitrate cultures. The highest red pigment production was obtained using a glucose-peptone medium at pH 6.5, due to the secretion of red pigments into the medium under these conditions. Correspondence to: M. R. Johns     

Production of Monascus-Pigment in a Submerged Culture

The production of pigment by the molds belonging to the genus Monascus in a submerged culture was examined. The extracellular pigment was mainly studied. Monascus sp. No. 2 was found to be the most potent pigment producer. The optimum cultural conditions were: pH of the medium, 6.5; the temperature, 25°C; carbon sources, glucose or ethyl alcohol; nitrogen sources, polypeptone, yeast extract, monosodium glutamate or casamino acids. Glycine, l-threonine, l-arginine, l-alanine and l-tyrosine were found to be the most effective substances promoting pigment production.

Mycelial forms of this strain were correlated with pigment formation in submerged culture. As it grew into pellet type, the yield of pigment was at high level.

The Monascus-pigment in the fermentation liquid seemed to be firmly bound to the protein-like substances which made the pigment apparently soluble.     

Production of pigments byMonascus purpureus using sugar-cane bagasse in roller bottle cultures

Solid-state fermentation, using sugar-cane bagasse, and submerged fermentation, using a semi-synthetic medium, were performed for pigment production byMonascus purpureus in both stationary and rotary conditions. Rotary cultures gave higher yields of crude red and yellow pigments than stationary cultures whereas twice the amount was synthesized at an earlier time (day 8) in liquid medium (1,285U yellow pigment/bottle, 1,728U red pigment/bottle). Supplementing the liquid medium with 0.6% (v/v) corn oil doubled the extracellular pigment yield but halved fungal growth.     

食品添加剂和金属离子对高粱泡红色素稳定性的影响

探讨了5种常用食品添加剂和7种金属离子对高粱泡红色素稳定性的影响。结果表明:葡萄糖、蔗糖和苯甲酸钠对高粱泡红色素稳定性无不良影响,其中葡萄糖、蔗糖有不同程度的增(护)色效果;柠檬酸能显著提高色素的稳定性;而VitC能促进色素的氧化降解,有明显的破坏作用。金属离子中,Na⁺、Mg²⁺、Al³⁺、Zn²⁺等对高粱泡红色素稳定性无影响,且有一定增色作用;较高浓度(≥0.0025mol/L)Mn²⁺有一定不良影响,而Cu²⁺、Fe³⁺则有明显的破坏作用。