• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.754-758
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• 2008

Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT) was successfully applied to Monascus ruber. The optimum cocultivation time was 84 h with an efficiency of 900 to 1,000 transformants when $1{\times}10^6$ spores were used with the same volume of bacteria. The stability of transform ants was over 98% after five generations. When M. ruber was transformed with A. tumefaciens YL-63 containing the green fluorescent protein gene (egfp), the green fluorescent signal was observed throughout hyphae, confirming expression of the gene. This efficient transformation and expression system of M. ruber by ATMT will facilitate the study of this fungus at a molecular genetic level.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.543-546
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• 2005

Optimized conditions for protoplast preparation and regeneration from young hyphae of Monascus ruber were established. Heat shock treatment of spores gave rapid and synchronized germination. Spores collected from cultures grown for 7-8 days at $30^{\circ}C$ were germinated until over 70% germ tubes reached to 3-5 spore length. Enzymatic digestion of young hyphae was optimal with 50 mg/mL Glucanex in 0.1 M sodium citrate buffer containing 0.8 M mannitol as an osmotic stabilizer. Regeneration rate was around 10% when 0.8 M sorbitol was used as an osmotic stabilizer in regeneration medium. These conditions will be applied in genetic study of M. ruber that produces citrinin at high level and thus is good model strain for molecular genetic dissection of citrinin biosynthesis.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

To enhance the physiological activities of roasted coffee (RC), 30 kinds of green coffee beans (GCB) with different cultivating areas and varieties were fermented with Monascus ruber mycelium (MR) by solid-state culture. After the dried MR-fermented GCB was subjected medium roasting, each RC was extracted with hot-water. Among the hot-water extracts, the highest yield was the hot-water extract of RC from MR-fermented Indonesia Mandheling GCB (15.5%). However, the hot-water extract of RC from MR-fermented Ethiopia Sidamo GCB showed significantly higher polyphenolic contents (3.08 mg GAE/100 mg) and ABTS free radical scavenging activity (25.41 mg AEAC/100 mg). Meanwhile, the hot-water extract of RC from MR-fermented Vietnam Robusta GCB showed not only the effective inhibition of $TNF-{\alpha}$ level (73.7% inhibition of LPS-stimulated control) from LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells but also significant inhibition of lipogenesis (63.5% inhibition of lipid differentiation control) in 3T3-L1 pre-adipose cells. In conclusion, these results suggest that roasted coffees from Ethiopia Sidamo and Vietnam Robusta green coffee beans fermented with Monascus ruber mycelium using solid-state culture could have industrial applications as functional coffee beverages.

• KSBB Journal
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.400-407
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• 2013

The growth characteristics and production of color pigments by Monascus strains were investigated during liquid culture, and production of monacolin K in red mold rice was carried out by solid state fermentation. Four different Monascus ruber strains were cultured in potato dextrose yeast extract broth (PDYB) media at $25^{\circ}C$ for 15 days. The high producing strain for red pigment was not corresponded to the strain for yellow pigment. Production of red pigment was high in the strain causing the fast pH change in culture broth. Production of monacolin K in red mold rice by solid state fermentation was influenced by a combination of wet cell weight and spore density in inoculum by liquid culture. Most strains showed the high production of monacolin K in red mold rice, when submerged fermentation was carried out for 5 days as inoculum for solid state fermentation. These results suggest that submerged fermentation period of inoculum have an effect on the production of monacolin K in red mold rice by solid state fermentation, and monacolin K in red mold rice could be increased by controlling the condition of submerged fermentation for inoculum.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.814-816
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• 2006

Monacolin K (MK) was produced on soybean using Monascus ruber GM011 by a two-stage-fermentation process. The optimal temperature was identified as $28^{\circ}C$. Higher yield was obtained by multiple-level-temperature cultivation than by single-level-temperature cultivation. The highest yield of total MK, 4.810 mg/g dry soybean product, was attained after 30 days of solid-state fermentation. No citrinin could be detected in the fermented soybean.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.78-84
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to optimize the solid state cultivation of Monascus ruber on sterile rice. A single-level-multiple-factor and a single-factor-multiple-level experimental design were employed to determine the optimal medium constituents and to optimize carbon and nitrogen source concentrations for lovastatin production. Simultaneous quantitative analyses of the ${\beta}$-hydroxyacid form and ${\beta}$-hydroxylactone for of lovastatin were performed by the high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with a UV photodiode-array (PDA) detector. The total lovastatin yield ($4{\sim}6\;mg/g$, average of five repeats) was achieved by adding soybean powder, glycerol, sodium nitrate, and acetic acid at optimized levels after 14 days of fermentation. The maximal yield of lovastatin under the optimal composition of the medium increased by almost 2 times the yield observed prior to optimization. The experimental results also indicated that the ${\beta}$-hydroxylactone form of lovastatin (LFL) and the ${\beta}$-hydroxyacid form of lovastatin (AFL) simultaneously existed in solid state cultures of Monascus ruber. while the latter was the dominant form in the middle-late stage of continued fermentation. These results indicate that optimized culture conditions can be used for industrial production of lovastatin to obtain high yields.

• 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 CROP SCIENCE
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• v.59 no.2
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• pp.167-173
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• 2014

Red yeast rice (RYR) is the product of fermented yeast by Monascus strains on rice, and has recently become a popular dietary supplement as a traditional food in Asia. RYR contains monacolin K substances known to inhibit cholesterol synthesis as efficiently as statin drugs. To determine the optimal rice cultivar for manufacturing RYR, 7 rice cultivars (Goami, Goami2, Sangjuchalbyeo, Seolgaeng, Saegyejinmi, Yeonghojinmi and Chilbo) were fermented using two Monascus strains (M. ruber KCTC6122 and KCCM60141 of M. ruber) in this study. The monacolin K content of Sangjuchalbyeo were 47.24 ppm on KCTC6122 cultures and 117.03 ppm on KCCM60141 cultures, respectively. Other cultivars, especially Goami and Goami2, which had less content of monacolin K could not seem to ferment normally because those didn't show red color. These results imply that Sangjuchalbyeo can be optimal rice cultivar as a commercial RYR which is well fermented rice and has high content of monacolin K.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.242-245
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• 2003

Buckwheat contains dietary rutin, a flavonol glycoside, which is able to antagonize hypertension in human and has antioxidant activity. Monacolin K, a secondary metabolite produced by fungi Monascus species, is an effective specific inhibitor of cholesterol biosynthesis. To develop functional health food, dehulled buckwheat was fermented with Manascus ruber to produce Anka, and contents of rutin and monacolin K and Anka were determined. The rutin content in dehulled buckwheat decreased slightly after germination, but increased with the growth of sprout. Growth of fungi had no influence on rutin content in dehulled buckwheat Anka, Monacolin K content in fermented dehulled buckwheat malt was lower than that in dehulled buckwheat Anka. Monacolin K content in dehulled buckwheat Anka decreased with increasing length of sprout in fermented dehulled buckwheat malt, probably due to consumption of nutrients, such as polysaccharides as carbon sources, during sprouting for growth of M. ruber.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 1998

The mold YH-69 producing pigments was isolated from soil, and identified as Monascus sp.. For the production of the pigments from the mold, the best condition was observed with 6% rice powder with 200 mesh, 0.2% yeast extract, 0.3% ammonium sulfate, and 0.02% ZnSO4 at pH 5 and 30$\circ$ for 6 day with reciprocal shaking.