• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.111-115
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• 2002

To produce yellow pigment selectively, mutants were induced from Monascus anka Nakazawa et Sato IFO 4478 (KCCM 11832 strain), and their characteristics were evaluated. Five kinds of auxotrophic mutants which required amino acids for growth and pigmentation, were isolated through a series of mutagenic treatments. Especially, asparagine auxotroph Y7 produced high ratio of yellow pigment. This mutant showed all the morphological characteristics of Monascuceae but the shape of colony and the diameter of conidia. Mutant Y7 was propagated by sexual reproduction more often than asexual reproduction, which could be effective in production of pigments. Yellow pigment produced extracellularly by the mutant Y7 was more soluble in polar solvents such as ethanol and water than in nonpolar solvents. Its productivity of yellow pigment was 2.2 times higher in the mutant Y7 than in parents. In addition, its yellow pigment showed characteristics of maximum absorption at 373 nm. Moreover, the hue of pigment produced by the mutant Y7 was bright yellow, and it was stable through the subculture over 10 generations.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 1989

Optimal conditions of producing red pigment by Monascus anka, Nakazawa, et Sato, IFO 4478 and 6540 were found to be at pH 6.0 and $30^{\circ}C$ for 10 days. When 3.0% steamed rice and 1.0% defatted sesame exfracts were used as substrates, the highest production of red pigment was yielded. Furthermore, mutants such as Monascus anka 4475-27 and 6540-185 induced by N -methyl-N-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) treatment were found to produce pigment much more than parent strains.