• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.62 no.2
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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.

• 한국생물공학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.04a
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• pp.267-270
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• 2000

In general, pigment production can be influenced by the medium composition, pH and physical factors such as aeration, agitation, and visible light. The influence of gaseous environments on the pigment production by Monascus purpureus ATCC 16365 was investigated by controlling the DO (dissolved oxygen) concentration through aeration and agitation. When the DO concentration was controlled below 20%, the production of red pigment significantly increased whereas the biomass production decreased. Therefore, the dissolved oxygen concentration could significantly affect the biosynthesis of red pigment as a secondary metabolite by a wild-type filamentous fungus under the anaerobic condition. The results indicate a high potential of enhancing the productivity of the red pigment as a secondary metabolite through controlling the DO concentration.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.314-324
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• 1997

This study was conducted to investigate whether 1) photosynthetic pigments(chlorophylls and carotenoids) are formed in dodder plant(Cuscuta australis), 2) there are any characteristics in the pigment biosynthesis, compared to that of other normal plants, and 3) dodder responds to some herbicides having target site on chloroplast. 1. Chlorophyll content of dodder tendrill grown under a natural daylight was 9 times and 50 times lower than that of field bindweed stem and leaf, respectively. 2. The photosynthetic pigment contents varied in different tissues, being higher in a apical region than in a lower region of seedling or tendrill. Chlorophyll wasn't almost observed below the 4th internode from the upper. 3. Pigment contents were greatly dependent on light intensity so that there were 4 to 6 times difference among light conditions. When the shoot containning low pigment contents under natural light, was incubated in growth chamber with various light intensities, the pigment contents were increased by 3 times of initial contents at about 97${\mu}E$ $m^{-2}s^{-1}$PAR. While the change in pigment contents was not observed at above 450${\mu}E$ $m^{-2}s^{-1}$PAR 4. Exogenous supply of 5mM 5-aminolevulinic acid increased protochlorophyllide by 7 times and 1.4 times in the etiolated shoot from field bindweed rhizome and in dodder stem, respectively, showing that dodder relatively has a low response to 5-aminolevulinic acid. 5. Pigment loss was observed in the treatment of paraquat, norflurazon, oxyfluorfen and diuron, and protoporphyrin IX was accumulated by oxyfluorfen as in normal plants Based on above results, several chracteristics of pigment biosynthesis in dodder seem to be summerized as follows. Photosynthetic pigment biosynthesis in Cuscuta australis runs even in low level. The pigment contents is differentially distributed in different regions and their contents seem significantly to be controlled by light intensities. Especially, chloroplast rapidly tends to degenerate with the development of tissue. Some herbicides having target site on chloroplast induce damage to dodder stem but are unlikely to control it well in field, except paraquat, due to low chloroplast activity and parasitic mode of nutrition.

• Proceedings of the Zoological Society Korea Conference
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• 1998.10b
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• pp.285.2-285
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• 1998

No Abstract, See Full Text

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.99-102
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• 1989

The tissue culture of Rubia cordifolia var. pratensis and R. akane were performed to enhance the biosynthesis of anthraquinone pigments under various conditions. The production of alizarin and purpurin in the callus was separately analysed and was quantitatively compared. The pigment biosynthesis was more active in the callus from R. cordifolia var. pratensis than from R. akane. The addition of ${\alpha}-ketoglutaric$ acid, a biosynthetic precursor of anthraquinones, enhanced the production of alizarin and purpurin remarkably.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.8-16
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• 2008

Aurofusarin is a polyketide pigment produced by some Fusarium species. The PKS12 and GIP1 genes, which encode a putative type I polyketide synthase (PKS) and a fungal laccase, respectively, are known to be required for aurofusarin biosynthesis in Gibberella zeae (anamorph: Fusarium graminearum). The ten additional genes, which are located within a 30 kb region of PKS12 and GIP1 and regulated by a putative transcription factor (GIP2), organize the aurofusarin biosynthetic cluster. To determine if they are essential for aurofusarin production in G. zeae, we have employed targeted gene deletion, complementation, and chemical analyses. GIP7, which encodes O-methyltransferase, is confirmed to be required for the conversion of norrubrofusarin to rubrofusarin, an intermediate of aurofusarin. GIP1-, GIP3-, and GIP8-deleted strains accumulated rubrofusarin, indicating those gene products are essential enzymes for the conversion of rubrofusarin to aurofusarin. Based on the phenotypic changes in the gene deletion strains examined, we propose a possible pathway for aurofusarin biosynthesis in G. zeae. Our results would provide important information for better understanding of naphthoquinone biosynthesis in other fdarnentous fungi as well as the aurofusarin biosynthesis in G. zeae.

• Korean Journal of Weed Science
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.214-220
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• 1990

To establish a greening assay for screening, and physiological and biochemical studies of the compounds affecting biosynthesis of plant pigments, were conducted on environmental factors, and on ways of incubation and illumination which affect plant greening. Greening was good when both cucumber and barley were grown for 5 to 6 days at $25^{\circ}C$ in darkness, when adaxial sides of cucumber cotyledons were contacted with the solution, and when barley leaf fragments were taken 0.5 to 2.0cm from the leaf tip. Potassium phosphate buffer(pH 6.0) at 10mM was most desirable for plant greening. The speed of greening during illumination was increased as the temperature increased from $15^{\circ}C$ to $35^{\circ}C$. The responses were sensitive more in cucumber than in barley, and in chlorophyll biosynthesis than in carotenoid biosythesis. The content of chlorophyll was greatest at the light intensity of 5000 and 1000 lux for cucumber and barley, respectively, but the biosynthesis of carotenoids were greatest at the light intensity higher than for chlorophyll. In use of solvents for dissolving chemicals, acetone, ethyl alcohol and DMSO at 10, 0.1 and 2.5% or less, respectively, did not affect the biosynthesis of plant pigments. $pI_{50}$ values were calculated for chemicals affecting pigment biosynthesis.

• Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.31-36
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• 1995

To investigate the mechanism for the main chain-elongation process and the possibility of putative precursors as stater units in the biosynthesis of the Monascus pigments, feeding experiments with possible $poly-{\beta}-ketide$ intermediates were carried out. Both crotonic acid and sorbic acid, especially in low concentrations, enhanced the pigment production while not increasing the dried mycelium weight appreciably. Also, it was observed that the feeding of sorbic acid and its ethyl ester was about two folds efficient in the pigment production than the feeding of crotonic acid and its ethyl ester. In addition to these acids, cinnamic acid and vinylacrylic acid were examined for their possibility as starter units. It was observed that the color of the culture fed with cinnamic acid was dominantly dark-red, but with overall decrease in the pigment production. Whey its ethyl ester was administered to the culture, however, the pigment production increased significantly. Also noted in 2D TLC study of the pigments was the increased production of red pigment and the formation of new red pigments.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 1988

The aims of the present studies were to understand the physiolosical and genetic characters of Streptomyces sp. isolated from soil. It revealed that Streptomyces sp. SMF301 had very fast growth rate and produced extracellular protease and heavily sporulated on rich media. It also showed $\beta$-lactamase activity and pigment production. Nonsporulating mutants were isolated after NTG or acriflavin treatment and their characters were compared with the parent strain. It was found that the mutants obtained by acriflavin treatment and ghier characters were compared with the parent strain. It was found that the mutants obtained by acriflavin treatment lost the pigment formation and $\beta$-lactamase production. Protease actibity of the mutant was lowered and the pH optimum was changed toward neutral. It was found that the changes were resulted from the reduction of alkaline protease biosynthesis in the bald mutant. Therefore it is considered that sporulation, pigment formation, $\beta$-lactamase production, and alkaline protease production in Streptomyces sp. might be controlled with a closely related relationship.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.1465-1480
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• 2021

Violacein, a purple pigment first isolated from a gram-negative coccobacillus Chromobacterium violaceum, has gained extensive research interest in recent years due to its huge potential in the pharmaceutic area and industry. In this review, we summarize the latest research advances concerning this pigment, which include (1) fundamental studies of its biosynthetic pathway, (2) production of violacein by native producers, apart from C. violaceum, (3) metabolic engineering for improved production in heterologous hosts such as Escherichia coli, Citrobacter freundii, Corynebacterium glutamicum, and Yarrowia lipolytica, (4) biological/pharmaceutical and industrial properties, (5) and applications in synthetic biology. Due to the intrinsic properties of violacein and the intermediates during its biosynthesis, the prospective research has huge potential to move this pigment into real clinical and industrial applications.