• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.83-91
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• 2018

Advances in bacterial and fungal genome mining uncover a plethora of cryptic secondary metabolite biosynthetic gene clusters. Guided by the genome information, targeted transcriptional derepression could be employed to determine the product of a cryptic gene cluster and to explore its biological role. Monascus spp. are food grade filamentous fungi popular in eastern Asia and several genome data belong to them are now available. We achieved transcription activation of a cryptic fungal polyketide synthase-nonribosomal peptide synthase gene Mpfus1 in Monascus purpureus ${\Delta}MpPKS5$ by inserting Aspergillus gpdA promoter at the upstream of Mpfus1 through double crossover gene replacement. The gene cluster with Mpfus1 show a high similarity to those for the biosynthesis of conjugated polyene derivatives with 2-pyrrolidone ring and the mycotoxin fusarin is the representative member of this group. The ${\Delta}MpPKS5$ is incapable of producing azaphilone pigment, providing an excellent background to identify chromogenic and UV-absorbing compounds. Activation of Mpfus1 resulted in a yellow hue on mycelia and its methanol extract exhibit a maximum absorption at 365 nm. HPLC analysis of the organic extracts indicated the presence of a variety of yellow compounds in the extract. This implies that the product of MpFus1 is metabolically or chemically unstable. LC-MS analysis guided us to predict the MpFus1 product and to propose that the Mpfus1-containing gene cluster encode the biosynthesis of a desmethyl analogue of fusarin. This study showcases the genome mining in Monascus and the possibility to unveil new biological activities embedded in it.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.711-715
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• 2004

The stability of 80% ethanol-soluble pigments from Monasus purpureus CBS 281.34 was investigated according to storage temperature, pH and addition of organic acid. Also, the stability of ethanol-soluble pigment in aqueous system was examined after the addition of distilled water in the range of 0∼80% during the storage at 1$0^{\circ}C$ and 2$0^{\circ}C$ for 4 weeks with water soluble pigment. The heat stability was the highest (9.74%) when the 80% ethanol-soluble pigments were stored at 1$0^{\circ}C$ for 4 weeks. However, the 80% ethanol-soluble pigments stored at 6$0^{\circ}C$ and 8$0^{\circ}C$ for 24 h and 12 h greatly decreased by 23.06% and 30.36%, respectively. Although the 80% ethanol-soluble pigments were stable in the range of pH 4∼8, the degradation rate of pigment increased at pH 2 and PH 10.80% ethanol extract was adjusted to PH 4 by adding organic acids. The rate of pigment degradation was not different from control for 4 weeks. Red pigment was stable in the treatment of organic acids. And the stability of ethanol-soluble pigment in aqueous system was gradually decreased as the pigment content and storage time increased. Additionally, the stability of ethanol-soluble pigment was higher at 1$0^{\circ}C$ than at 2$0^{\circ}C$.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.5
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• pp.830-834
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• 2003

The optimal condition for the production and extraction of monacolin K was reported. HPLC was used to determine monacolin K a kind of metabolite of Monascus from red-koji made of Monascus purpureus CBS 281.34. After culturing Monascus in solid and liquid media at $30^{\circ}C$ for 10 days, each of these were inoculated with soybean, wheat, barley, waxy rice, and rice and cultivated at $30^{\circ}C$ for 11 days. The production of monacolin K was the highest(0.35g/100g) when cultured with rice. The yield of monacolin K in red-koji increased with drying temperature and time according to the removal of water. Considering monacolin K content and the degree of death of Monascus, red-koji was dried at $80^{\circ}C$ for 60 min. Although monacolin K in red-koji was mostly extracted by 80% ethanol, there was no difference in monacolin K between shaking for 1 min and extraction for $0{\sim}24$ hr after sonication for 7 min. The extracted yield of monacolin K was the highest when the ratio of red-koji and 80% ethanol was 1:9. Moreover, the production of monacolin K appeared to be parallel with that of the pigment.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.192-198
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• 2021

Red yeast rice has been extensively used as food and traditional medicine for thousands of years in East Asian countries. It is produced by the fermentation of a particular yeast (in general, Monascus purpureus) as rice and various cereals (barley, soybean, etc.). Monascus sp. produces many secondary metabolites during its growth, including pigments, monacolins, and γ-aminobutyric acid. Some metabolites―specifically, monacolin K, γ-aminobutyric acid, dimerumic acid, and monascus pigments―have been reported to lower cholesterol and blood pressure while showing anti-obesity effects. In this study, we investigated the anti-obesity effect of ethanol extract from red yeast barley (RYB) fermented with Monascus sp. BHN-MK 2 on 3T3-L1 cells. The anti-obesity effects of RYB extract were examined: its lipid accumulation inhibitory effect was tested by Oil Red O staining, and obesity-related mRNA expression levels were tested by real-time RT-PCR in MDI stimulated 3T3-L1 cells. The intracellular lipid content of MDI-stimulated 3T3-L1 cells decreased significantly to 5.04%, 12.24%, and 23.52% in response to 200, 400, and 800 ㎍/ml RYB, respectively. Moreovers, we evaluated that RYB extract significantly downregulated the expression of C/EBPα, SREBP-1, and PPAR-γ gene in a dose-dependent manner. As a result, red yeast barley ethanol extracts exerted the strongest anti-obesity effects. Also, the results indicate that red yeast barley could be used as a functional anti-obesity food material.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.16-23
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• 2014

Red yeast rice (RYR) has been known to exhibit various biological effects, including anti-hyperlipidemia, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and anti-inflammtory activities. Oxidative stress is a main risk factor in the development of cardiovascular disease, such as atherosclerosis. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the possible hypolipidemic and antioxidant effect of RYR on rats fed a high-cholesterol diet supplemented with either 0.2%, 1%, or 5% RYR for 4 weeks. We measured lipid profiles in the plasma and liver, antioxidant enzyme activities in plasma and erythrocyte, gene expression of antioxidant enzymes in the liver, and oxidative DNA damage in lymphocytes. The group supplemented with 0.2% RYR had total cholesterol level in plasma decreased by 24%, while the group supplemented with 5% RYR had high-density cholesterol increased by 20% compared to the control. The antioxidant enzyme activities were also affected by RYR supplementation. Total superoxide dismutase activities in plasma significantly decreased by 11% in the 1% RYR group, while these activities in the liver significantly decreased by 16% and 21% in the 1% and 5% supplemented group compared to the control, respectively. Glutathione peroxidase activities in plasma and erythrocytes increased 13% and 48% in the 1% RYR group, respectively. Catalase (CAT) activity in erythrocytes significantly increased by 49% and 68% in the 1% and 5% RYR group compared to the control, respectively. The gene expression of CAT was up-regulated 7.9 fold compared to the control in the 5% RYR supplemented group. These results suggest that RYR can control hyperlipidemia by improving the lipid profile and modulating oxidative stress.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.9
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• pp.1153-1160
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• 2009

Monascus-fermented Korean red ginseng (MFRG), fermented by Monascus purpureus KCCM 12002, may be an ideal candidate for the hepatoprotectic, hypolipidemic and antioxidative activities. Effect of MFRG powder on these parameters in rats was investigated. Body weight gain, food intake, and water consumption were not significantly different among the groups. Total and relative weights of liver were significantly higher in MFRG group than that in other groups. The activities of AST and $\gamma$-GTP were highly lowered in MFRG group compared to control group. Contents of serum total lipid and triglyceride were significantly lowered in silymarin group and were significantly increased in MFRG group compared to control group, but tended to be lowered in RG group. Serum content of total cholesterol tended to be lowered in silymarin, RG, and MFRG groups compared to control group. HDL-cholesterol contents was only significantly increased in MFRG group compared to control group. At the same time, atherogenic index (AI) was also significantly lowered in silymarin, RG and MFRG groups compared to control group, and this effect was more pronounced in MFRG group. Content of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in the liver was significantly lowered in MFRG group and tended to lowered in silymarin and RG groups compared to control group. The hepatic glutathione concentration was significantly higher in silymarin and MFRG groups. Hepatic morphology in all experimental groups revealed clear-cut hepatic lobules with the uniform pattern of the polyhedral hepatocytes radiating towards the periphery from the central vein. These results suggested that MFRG may have anti-atherogenic index (AI) and antioxidative activity in normal dietary feeding rats.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.805-809
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• 2013

This study was carried out to investigate the effects and characteristics of sausages with red yeast rice added, particularly the Monascus purpureus KFRI 1134 strains, and to decide the optimal quantity of red yeast rice used. The additional rate of red yeast rice which has been used as a material for reducing nitrite, a coupler in meat products were 0, 1, 3, and 5% (w/w). In terms of the effects of the red yeast rice on the color, texture properties, and sensory characteristics of the sausages, the optimal temperature at which color stability was shown was below $100^{\circ}C$, and the addition of 1% red yeast rice resulted in a distinctly attractive color and increasingly improved the red color in the UV-visual Spectrophotometer analysis. However, the addition of over 1% (w/w) resulted in an unattractive color. The red colors also had strong heat stability. The texture properties and taste of the sausages were not affected by the red yeast rice.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2023

Red yeast rice, also known as Hong Qu and red Koji, has been used for a long time in Asian functional food and traditional medicine. It consists of multiple bioactive substances, which can potentially be used as nutraceuticals. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) can range from simple steatosis or inflammation to fibrosis and cirrhosis, possibly through leaky gut and systemic endotoxemia. This study examined the liver and gut effects of red yeast rice (RYR) (Monascus purpureus) ethanol extract against binge ethanol-induced liver injury in mice. RYR extract was orally administered to C57BL/6N mice at a concentration of 200 mg/kg body weight per day for 10 days. Then, mice were administered binge alcohol (5 g/kg/dose) three times at 12 hr intervals. Binge alcohol exposure significantly elevated the endotoxin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and alanine transaminase (ALT) activity of plasma, as well as hepatic triglyceride levels; however, RYR treatments reduced these levels. In addition, RYR pretreatment significantly reduced the alcohol-induced oxidative maker protein and apoptosis maker in binge alcohol-induced gut and liver injuries. These results suggest that RYR may prevent alcohol-induced acute leaky gut and liver damage.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2014

In previous work, we fermented coffee beans using solid-state culture with various fungal mycelia to enhance the physiological activity of the coffee. The coffee fermented with Monascus sp. showed a higher physiological activity than non-fermented coffee or other coffees fermented with mushroom mycelium. The aim of this study was to characterize the various fermented coffees with respect to their area of cultivation and their variety using Monascus purpureus (MP) mycelium solid-state culture. Thirty types of green coffee beans, which varied in terms of their cultivation area or variety, were purchased from different suppliers and fermented with MP under optimal conditions. Each MP-fermented coffee was medium roasted and extracted further using hot water (HW) under the same conditions. Of the HW extracts, those derived from MP-Mandheling coffees had the highest yield (13.6-15.5%), and MP-Robusta coffee showed a significantly higher polyphenolic content (3.03 mg gallic acid equivalent/100 mg) and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) free radical scavenging activity (27.11 mg ascorbic acid equivalent antioxidant capacity/100 mg). Furthermore, in comparison to other MP-fermented coffees at $1,000{\mu}g/mL$, MP-Robusta coffee showed not only the most effective inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$ (TNF-${\alpha}$) production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells (67.1% of that in LPS-stimulated control cells), but also an effective inhibition of lipogenesis in 3T3-L1 adipose cells (22.2% of that in differentiated control cells). In conclusion, these results suggest that Vietnam Robusta coffee beans solid-state fermented with MP mycelium are amenable to industrial applications as a functional coffee beverage or material.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2007

The optimal conditions for Monascus pigments production of Monascus sp. KM 1001, pigment overproducing mutant, in submerged culture was investigated. The optimal medium for the production of pigment from KM 1001 mutant is determined to be composed of 4% rice powder, 0.15% Bacto-peptone, 0.1% glycine, 0.01% $FeSO_{4}{\cdot}7H_{2}O,\;0.1%\;MgSO_{4}{\cdot}7H_{2}O,\;0.25%\;KH_{2}PO_{4},\;pH4.5$. On optimal conditions,10.0 g/L of the cell mass was obtained at $30^{\circ}C$ for 5 days. Yellow, orange and red pigment of Monascus sp. KM 1001 were produced 3.25 units, 1.59 units and 0.88 units in extracellular part, and 84.96 units, 78.84 units and 91.80 units in intracellular part, respectively.