• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제29권6호
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• pp.897-904
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• 2019

Monascus purpureus recombinant mppC and mpp7 knockout strains were subjected to extractive fermentation in the context of azaphilone pigment production. Inclusion of Diaion HP-20 resin resulted in the selective production of unreduced azaphilone congeners, in addition to the early intermediate FK17-P2a, from ${\Delta}mppC$ and ${\Delta}mpp7$ strains that would otherwise mainly produce reduced congeners. Structural determination of two novel unreduced azaphilones from the ${\Delta}mpp7$ strain was accomplished. The unreduced azaphilone compound was converted into the cognate reduced congener in recombinant M. purpureus strains, demonstrating its intermediate role in azaphilone biosynthesis. This study demonstrates the possibility that extractive fermentation with Diaion HP-20 resin can be used to obtain cryptic azaphilone metabolites.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제25권10호
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• pp.1648-1652
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• 2015

Azaphilone polyketides are synthesized by iterative non-reducing fungal polyketide synthases (NR-fPKSs) with a C-terminus reductive domain (-R). Several azaphilone biosynthetic gene clusters contain a putative serine hydrolase gene; the Monascus azaphilone pigment (MAzP) gene cluster harbors mppD. The MAzP productivity was significantly reduced by a knockout of mppD, and the MAzP NR-fPKS-R gene (MpPKS5) generated its product in yeast only when co-expressed with mppD. Site-directed mutations of mppD for conserved Ser/Asp/His residues abolished the product formation from the MpPKS5/mppD co-expression. MppD and its homologs are thus proposed as a new protein factor involved in the product formation of NR-fPKS-R.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제61권4호
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• pp.327-334
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• 2018

Monascus is a source of food colorant with high productivity of the pigment azaphilone. Monascus azaphilone (MAz) is biosynthesized through a single non-reducing polyketide pathway, the major components of which are ankaflavin (1), monascin (2), rubropunctatin (3) and monascorubrin (4); valuable biological activities have been reported for these compounds. Thus, various culture conditions were explored to reduce the cost of culture ingredients, enhance productivity and modulate compound composition. In the present study, we examined an extractive fermentation (EF) method with Diaion HP-20 resin (HP20) in direct comparison to a previously explored method involving Triton X-100 (TX100) to explore the modulated production of the major MAzs. We employed wild-type Monascus purpureus as well as two derivative recombinant strains (${\Delta}mppG$ and ${\Delta}mppE$) that are known to have differential MAz profiles as that of the wild-type strain. The HP20 resin was capable of modulating the MAz profile in favor of orange MAzs 3 and 4, oxidized congeners in this class, as was TX100-a phenomenon not previously observed for TX100 EF with Monascus anka. These finding substantiate that HP20 can be employed for the selective production of oxidized MAz and for diversifying the culture conditions used for Az production.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제60권3호
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• pp.249-256
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• 2017

The Monascus azaphilone (MAz) pigment is a well-known food colorant that has yellow, orange and red components. The structures of the yellow and orange MAz differ by two hydride reductions, with yellow MAz being the reduced form. Orange MAz can be non-enzymatically converted to red MAz in the presence of amine derivatives. It was previously demonstrated that mppE and mppG are involved in the biosynthesis of yellow and orange MAz, respectively. However, ${\Delta}mppE$ and ${\Delta}mppG$ knockout mutants maintained residual production of yellow and orange MAz, respectively. In this study, we deleted the region encompassing mppD, mppE and mppG in M. purpureus and compared the phenotype of the resulting mutant (${\Delta}mppDEG$) with that of an mppD knockout mutant (${\Delta}mppD$). It was previously reported that the ${\Delta}mppD$ strain retained the ability to produce MAz but at approximately 10% of the level observed in the wildtype strain. A chemical analysis demonstrated that the ${\Delta}mppDEG$ strain was still capable of producing both yellow and orange MAz, suggesting the presence of minor MAz route(s) not involving mppE or mppG. Unexpectedly, the ${\Delta}mppDEG$ strain was observed to accumulate fast-eluting pigments in a reverse phase high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. A LC-MS analysis identified these pigments as ethanolamine derivatives of red MAz, which had been previously identified in an mppE knockout mutant that produces high amounts of orange MAz. Although the underlying mechanism is largely unknown, this study has yielded an M. purpureus strain that selectively accumulates red MAz.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.231-236
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• 2015

Two new azaphilone derivatives containing 1,3-dioxolane moiety, penidioxolanes A (1) and B (2), were isolated from marine-derived fungus Penicillium sp. KCB12C078, together with four known compounds (3-6) by chemical investigation. Compounds 1 - 6 were isolated by combination of silica gel, ODS column chromatography and preparative HPLC. Their structures were determined by analysis of spectroscopic data including 1D-, 2D-NMR, and MS techniques. The isolates were evaluated against cancer cell growth inhibition effects and antimicrobial activity.

• Mycobiology
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.256-260
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• 2019

Neuraminidase (NA) cleaves the glycosidic bond linkages of sialic acids to release the mature virions from infected cells and has been an attractive therapeutic target for anti-influenza agents. In our ongoing investigation of NA inhibitors in mushroom extracts, we found that the extract the fruiting body of Glaziella splendens potently inhibited neuraminidase. The fruiting bodies of G. splendens were extracted and partitioned successively with hexane, ethyl acetate, and butanol. The ethyl acetate soluble-layer was subjected to silica gel and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatographies, and MPLC to obtain five compounds (1-5). Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods. NA inhibitory activity of these compounds was evaluated using NAs from recombinant rvH1N1, H3N2, and H5N1 influenza A viruses. One compound (1) was elucidated as a new azaphilone derivative, and four compounds (2-5) were identified as entonaemin A, comazaphilone D, rubiginosin A, and entonaemin B, respectively. Compounds 3 and 4 showed considerable inhibitory activity against three types of neuraminidases with the $IC_{50}$ values of 30.9, 41.8, and $35.7{\mu}M$ for 3 and 46.5, 50.4, and $29.9{\mu}M$ for 4, respectively. This study reveals that the fruiting bodies of G. splendens possess azaphilone derivatives with the NA inhibitory activity. This is the first report on the isolation of neuraminidase inhibitors from the fruiting bodies of G. splendens.

• 한국미생물·생명공학회지
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.429-438
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• 2020

The emergence of multi-drug resistant, pathogenic methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a threat to global health and has created a need for novel functional therapeutic agents. In this study, we evaluated the underlying mechanisms of the anti-MRSA effect of an azaphilone pigment, sclerotiorin (SCL) from Penicillium sclerotiorum. The antimicrobial activity of SCL was evaluated using agar disc diffusion, broth microdilution, time-kill assays and biophysical studies. SCL exhibits selective activity against Gram positive bacteria including MRSA (range, MIC = 128-1028 ㎍/ml) and exhibited rapid bactericidal action against MRSA with a > 4 log reduction in colony forming units within three hours of administration. Biophysical studies, using fluorescent probes and laser or electron microscopy, demonstrated a SCL dose-dependent alternation in membrane potential (62.6 ± 5.0.4% inhibition) and integrity (> 95 ± 2.3%), and the release of UV260 absorbing materials within 60 min (up to 3.2 fold increase, p < 0.01) of exposure. Further, SCL localized to the cytoplasm and hydrolyzed plasmid DNA. While in vitro checkerboard studies revealed that SCL potentiated the antimicrobial activity of topical antimicrobials such as polymixin, neomycin, and bacitracin (Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index range, 0.26-0.37). Taken together these results suggest that SCL targets the membrane and DNA of MRSA to facilitate its anti-MRSA antimicrobial effect.

• 생약학회지
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• 제50권2호
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• pp.81-85
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• 2019

An endophytic fungus, Penicillium sp. JVF17, was isolated from a leaf of Vitex rotundifolia in coastal area of Jeju island. Chemical investigation of this fungal strain resulted in the isolation of four compounds, piceol (1), cyclo (${\text\tiny{L}}-Pro-{\text\tiny{L}}-Val$) (2), isochromophilone VI (3), and dicitrinin A (4). Their chemical structures were elucidated by comparison of their spectral data such as NMR and ESIMS with reported literature values.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제62권2호
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• pp.157-165
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• 2019

Di- and tri-methylation of lysine 4 on histone H3 (H3K4me2 and H3K4me3, respectively) are epigenetic markers of active genes. Complex associated with Set1 (COMPASS) mediates these H3K4 methylations. The involvement of COMPASS activity in secondary metabolite (SM) biosynthesis was first demonstrated with an Aspergillus nidulans cclA knockout mutant. The cclA knockout induced the transcription of two cryptic SM biosynthetic gene clusters, leading to the production of the cognate SM. Monascus spp. are filamentous fungi that have been used for food fermentation in eastern Asia, and the pigment Monascus azaphione (MAz) is their main SM. Monascus highly produces MAz, implying that the cognate biosynthetic genes are highly active in transcription. In the present study, we examined how COMPASS activity modulates MAz biosynthesis by inactivating Monascus purpureus cclA (Mp-cclA) and swd1 (Mp-swd1). For both ${\Delta}Mp-cclA$ and ${\Delta}Mp-swd1$, a reduction in MAz production, accompanied by an abated cell growth, was observed. Suppression of MAz production was more effective in an agar culture than in the submerged liquid culture. The fidelity of the ${\Delta}Mp-swd1$ phenotypes was verified by restoring the WT-like phenotypes in a reversion recombinant mutant, namely, trpCp: Mp-swd1, that was generated from the ${\Delta}Mp-swd1$ mutant. Real-time quantitative Polymerase chain reaction analysis indicated that the transcription of MAz biosynthetic genes was repressed in the ${\Delta}Mp-swd1$ mutant. This study demonstrated that MAz biosynthesis is under the control of COMPASS activity and that the extent of this regulation is dependent on growth conditions.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• 제61권1호
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• pp.83-91
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• 2018

박테리아와 진균의 유전체 정보 탐색을 통하여 이차대사 생합성을 지정하는 다수의 잠재 유전자군을 찾을 수 있으며, 유전체 정보를 기반으로 특정 유전자의 발현을 활성화하여 잠재 유전자군의 생성물을 추론하고, 해당 물질의 생물학적 기능을 연구하는 것이 가능하다. 동아시아 지역에서 잘 알려진 식용 사상진균 홍국에 대하여 몇 몇 유전체 정보가 공개되어있으며, 본 연구에서는 Monascus purpureus ${\Delta}MpPKS5$ 균주에서 polyketide synthase-nonribosomal peptide synthase 유전자 Mpfus1 상단에 Aspergillus gpdA 프로모터를 삽입하는 방식으로 이 유전자의 발현을 활성화하였다. Mpfus1 유전자군은 2-pyrrolidone/conjugated polyene 구조를 갖는 물질의 생합성 유전자군들과 높은 유사성을 보이며, 이들 화합물 그룹에서 진균 독소인 fusarin이 잘 알려져 있다. ${\Delta}MpPKS5$ 균주는 홍국 azaphilone 색소 생산 능력이 소실된 균주이며 색소 및 자외선 흡수 특성을 보이는 화합물들의 동정에 적절한 균주이다. Mpfus1 활성화는 균사체가 노란색을 띠도록 유도하며, 균사체의 methanol 추출액은 365 nm에서 최대 흡광도를 보임을 확인할 수 있었다. 해당 추출액의 HPLC 분석을 통하여 다수의 화합물들이 포함되어 있음을 확인할 수 있었으며 이를 통하여 MpFus1 효소의 생성물이 대사적, 화학적으로 불안정함을 추론할 수 있다. Mpfus1 활성화 균주 추출물을 LC-MS로 분석하여 MpFus1 생성물의 구조를 유추하여 Mpfus1 유전자군이 fusarin의 탈메틸 유사체 생합성을 지정하는 것으로 제안할 수 있었다. 본 연구는 홍국 균주에서 유전체 기반-미지 화합물 발굴 연구의 예를 제시하고 홍국 균주에서 새로운 생리활성의 동정 가능성을 시사하여 준다.