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Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology May 2011Monascus-fermented products have been used in food, medicine, and industry dating back over a thousand years in Asian countries. Monascus-fermented products contained... (Review)
Review
Monascus-fermented products have been used in food, medicine, and industry dating back over a thousand years in Asian countries. Monascus-fermented products contained several bioactive metabolites such as pigments, polyketide monacolins, dimerumic acid, and γ-aminobutyric acid. Scientific reports showed that Monascus-fermented products proved to be effective for the management of blood cholesterol, diabetes, blood pressure, obesity, Alzheimer's disease, and prevention of cancer development. This review article describes the beneficial effects about using Monascus-fermented products in human beings and animals.
Topics: Animals; Biological Factors; Drug Therapy; Fermentation; Humans; Monascus
PubMed: 21455594
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-011-3202-x -
World Journal of Microbiology &... Aug 2016Monascus yellow pigments (MYPs), are azaphilone compounds and one of the three main components of total Monascus pigments (MPs). Thirty-five hydrophilic or hydrophobic... (Review)
Review
Monascus yellow pigments (MYPs), are azaphilone compounds and one of the three main components of total Monascus pigments (MPs). Thirty-five hydrophilic or hydrophobic MYPs have been identified, with the majority being hydrophobic. Apart from screening special Monascus strains, some advanced approaches, such as extractive and high-cell-density fermentations, have been applied for developing or producing new MYPs, especially extracellular hydrophilic MYPs. The outstanding performance of MYPs in terms of resistance to photodegradation, as well as tolerance for temperature and pH, give natural MYPs reasonable prospects, compared with the orange and red MPs, for practical use in the present and future. Meanwhile, MYPs have shown promising potential for applications in the food and pharmaceutical industries based on their described bioactivities. This review briefly summarizes the reports to date on chemical structures, biological activities, biosynthetic pathways, production technologies, and physicochemical performances of MYPs. The existing problems for MYPs are discussed and research prospects proposed.
Topics: Benzopyrans; Biological Products; Biosynthetic Pathways; Fermentation; Food Industry; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Molecular Structure; Monascus; Pigments, Biological
PubMed: 27357404
DOI: 10.1007/s11274-016-2082-8 -
Natural Product Reports Apr 2019Covering: up to June 2018 Understanding the biosynthetic mechanisms that generate the astounding structural complexity and variety of fungal secondary metabolites (FSMs)... (Review)
Review
Covering: up to June 2018 Understanding the biosynthetic mechanisms that generate the astounding structural complexity and variety of fungal secondary metabolites (FSMs) remains a challenge. As an example, the biogenesis of the Monascus azaphilone pigments (MonAzPs) has remained obscure until recently despite the significant medical potential of these metabolites and their long history of widespread use as food colorants. However, a considerable progress has been made in recent years towards the elucidation of MonAzPs biosynthesis in various fungi. In this highlight, we correlate a unified biosynthetic pathway with the diverse structures of the 111 MonAzPs congeners reported until June 2018. We also discuss the origins of structural diversity amongst MonAzPs analogues and summarize new research directions towards exploring novel MonAzPs. The case of MonAzPs illuminates the various ways that FSMs metabolic complexity emerges by the interplay of biosynthetic pathway determinism with metabolic and chemical serendipity.
Topics: Food Additives; Food Coloring Agents; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Molecular Structure; Monascus; Multigene Family; Pigments, Biological; Secondary Metabolism
PubMed: 30484470
DOI: 10.1039/c8np00060c -
Food Chemistry May 2022The aim of this study was to investigate the digestion and fermentation properties of fish protein fermented by Monascus. Semi-dried fish was fermented by applying...
The aim of this study was to investigate the digestion and fermentation properties of fish protein fermented by Monascus. Semi-dried fish was fermented by applying Monascus purpureus Went M 3.439. Our results show that the Monascus fermentation of the fish protein enriched the free amino acids and achieved a relatively higher glutamate content than the control group. The Monascus treatment promoted the decomposition of the fish protein during in vitro digestion, reduced the ammonia and indole content and tended to increase the propionic acid content during in vitro fermentation. The Monascus treatment considerably changed the gut microbiota composition, and particularly increased the relative abundance of Parabacteroides in the in vitro fermentation model of human distal colon. Consumption of Monascus fermented fish protein could result in positive changes in fermentation metabolites and gut microbiota, which brings potential health benefits.
Topics: Animals; Digestion; Fermentation; Fish Proteins; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Monascus
PubMed: 34999460
DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.132000 -
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Nov 2022Monascus azaphilones (MAs) have been extensively applied as natural food coloring agents. MAs are classified into three categories: yellow MAs (YMAs), orange MAs (OMAs),...
Monascus azaphilones (MAs) have been extensively applied as natural food coloring agents. MAs are classified into three categories: yellow MAs (YMAs), orange MAs (OMAs), and red MAs with various biological activities. However, the exact biosynthetic mechanism of OMAs and YMAs are not thoroughly elucidated. Firstly, we identified four DNA-binding residues of transcription factor MrPigB and constructed a multi-site saturation mutagenesis library of MrPigB. Then, comparative metabolite and gene expression of the mutants revealed that two oxidoreductases MrPigE and MrPigF were responsible for the formation of YMAs and OMAs. Finally, the in vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated the opposite roles of MrPigE and MrPigF in conversion of OMAs to YMAs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a binary oxidoreductase system for dynamic regulation of fungal secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Broadly, our work also demonstrates the transcription factor engineering strategy for elucidating the biosynthetic pathway of secondary metabolite. KEY POINTS: • MrPigE converts orange Monascus azaphilones to yellow Monascus azaphilones • MrPigF oxidizes intermediates to afford orange Monascus azaphilones • MrPigE and MrPigF constitute a binary system in Monascus azaphilones biosynthesis.
Topics: Monascus; Oxidoreductases; Pigments, Biological; Transcription Factors
PubMed: 36221033
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-12219-z -
Journal of Agricultural and Food... May 2024is a filamentous fungus that has been used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. When used as an auxiliary fermenting agent in the manufacturing of cheese, cheese... (Review)
Review
is a filamentous fungus that has been used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. When used as an auxiliary fermenting agent in the manufacturing of cheese, cheese is obtained. Citrinin (CIT) is a well-known hepatorenal toxin produced by that can harm the kidneys structurally and functionally and is frequently found in foods. However, CIT contamination in cheese is exacerbated by the metabolic ability of to product CIT, which is not lost during fermentation, and by the threat of contamination by spp. that may be introduced during production and processing. Considering the safety of consumption and subsequent industrial development, the CIT contamination of cheese products needs to be addressed. This review aimed to examine its occurrence in cheese, risk implications, traditional control strategies, and new research advances in prevention and control to guide the application of biotechnology in the control of CIT contamination, providing more possibilities for the application of in the cheese industry.
Topics: Monascus; Cheese; Citrinin; Food Contamination; Humans; Fermentation
PubMed: 38627202
DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.4c00588 -
MBio Feb 2020Despite the important biological activities of natural product naphthoquinones, the biosynthetic pathways of and resistance mechanisms against such compounds remain...
Despite the important biological activities of natural product naphthoquinones, the biosynthetic pathways of and resistance mechanisms against such compounds remain poorly understood in fungi. Here, we report that the genes responsible for the biosynthesis of naphthoquinones (monasones) reside within the gene cluster for azaphilone pigments (MonAzPs). We elucidate the biosynthetic pathway of monasones by a combination of comparative genome analysis, gene knockouts, heterologous coexpression, and and enzymatic reactions to show that this pathway branches from the first polyketide intermediate of MonAzPs. Furthermore, we propose that the monasone subset of biosynthetic genes also encodes a two-tiered resistance strategy in which an inducible monasone-specific exporter expels monasones from the mycelia, while residual intracellular monasones may be rendered nontoxic through a multistep reduction cascade. The genes for naphthoquinone (monasone) biosynthesis are embedded in and form a composite supercluster with the azaphilone pigment biosynthetic gene cluster. Early biosynthetic intermediates are shared by the two pathways. Some enzymes encoded by the supercluster play double duty in contributing to both pathways, while others are specific for one or the other pathway. The monasone subcluster is independently regulated and inducible by elicitation with competing microorganisms. This study illustrates genomic and biosynthetic parsimony in fungi and proposes a potential path for the evolution of the mosaic-like azaphilone-naphthoquinone supercluster. The monasone subcluster also encodes a two-tiered self-resistance mechanism that models resistance determinants that may transfer to target microorganisms or emerge in cancer cells in case of naphthoquinone-type cytotoxic agents.
Topics: Biosynthetic Pathways; Drug Resistance, Fungal; Monascus; Multigene Family; Naphthoquinones
PubMed: 32019788
DOI: 10.1128/mBio.02676-19 -
Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology Jan 2008Monascus-fermented rice has traditionally been used as a natural food colorant and food preservative of meat and fish for centuries. It has recently become a popular... (Review)
Review
Monascus-fermented rice has traditionally been used as a natural food colorant and food preservative of meat and fish for centuries. It has recently become a popular dietary supplement because of many of its bioactive constituents being discovered, including a series of active drug compounds, monacolins, indicated as the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors for reducing serum cholesterol level. The controversy of its safety has been provoked because a mycotoxin, citrinin, is also produced along with the Monascus secondary metabolites by certain strains or under certain cultivation conditions. This review introduces the basic production process and addresses on the compounds with bioactive functions. Current advances in avoiding the harmful ingredient citrinin are also discussed.
Topics: Citrinin; Dietary Supplements; Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; Monascus; Oryza; Pigments, Biological; gamma-Aminobutyric Acid
PubMed: 18038131
DOI: 10.1007/s00253-007-1256-6 -
Food & Function Feb 2019This study aimed to compare the hypolipidaemic activities of different Monascus pigments (yellow, red and orange pigments) and elucidate their possible regulatory...
This study aimed to compare the hypolipidaemic activities of different Monascus pigments (yellow, red and orange pigments) and elucidate their possible regulatory mechanisms on lipid and cholesterol metabolism in rats fed on a high-fat diet (HFD). Results showed that oral administrations of Monascus yellow, red and orange pigments can markedly alleviate the disturbance of lipid metabolism through ameliorating the serum lipid levels and suppressing hepatic lipid accumulation and steatosis. Meanwhile, the excretion of fecal cholesterol, triacylglycerols and bile acids was also promoted by the oral administrations of different Monascus pigments (MPs). Furthermore, Monascus pigment (MP) supplementation produced significant structural changes in the intestinal microbiota of HFD-fed rats, and modulated the relative abundance of functionally related microbial phylotypes compared with the HFD group in particular. Key phylotypes in response to the HFD and Monascus pigment (MP) intervention were found to strongly correlate with the lipid metabolism disorder associated parameters using Spearman's correlation coefficient. Some beneficial gut microbiota (such as Oscillibacter sp., Ruminococcus albus, Clostridium sp., etc.) were found to be negatively correlated with the serum and hepatic lipid indicator. Moreover, Monascus pigment (MP) treatments regulated the mRNA expression levels of the genes responsible for lipid and cholesterol metabolism. In general, different Monascus pigments (MPs) regulate the homeostasis of lipid and cholesterol metabolism through different regulatory pathways. These findings illustrated that not only Monascus yellow pigments, but also Monascus red and orange pigments have the potential to ameliorate lipid metabolic disorders, and therefore could be used as potential functional food ingredients for the prevention or treatment of hyperlipidemia and gut microbiota dysbiosis.
Topics: Animals; Biological Products; Diet, High-Fat; Dysbiosis; Feces; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Lipid Metabolism; Monascus; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Pigments, Biological; Rats; Rats, Wistar
PubMed: 30720827
DOI: 10.1039/c8fo02192a -
Natural Product Research May 2022Amino acid-directed strategy becomes an efficient way to explore the alkaloids' biosynthetic potential of marine fungi. The metabolites of marine fungus BB3 were...
Amino acid-directed strategy becomes an efficient way to explore the alkaloids' biosynthetic potential of marine fungi. The metabolites of marine fungus BB3 were regulated obviously when cultured in GPY medium supplemented with L-tryptophan, L-phenylalanine, D,L-methionine, L-threonine, L-lysine, L-serine and L-valine. Four new γ-lactams, monascuslactams A-D (-), together with two known compounds pulchellalactam () and -acetylperlolyrine () were obtained. Their structures were determined by comprehensive analysis on the 1 D and 2 D NMR, HRESIMS, UV and IR data, and their absolute configurations were assigned by the experimental and calculated ECD data analysis. Compounds , and showed moderate cytotoxicity against human cancer cell lines SUNE1, HepG2, QGY7701, GLC82, HCT116 and MDA-MB-231.
Topics: Antineoplastic Agents; Fungi; Humans; Lactams; Molecular Structure; Monascus
PubMed: 33951987
DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2021.1915308