title: Production of the secondary metabolites gamma-aminobutyric acid and monacolin K by Monascus.
abstract: gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA), a hypotensive agent, and monacolin K, a cholesterol-lowering drug, can be produced by Monascus spp. Under optimal culture conditions, the products of fermentation using Monascus spp. may serve as a multi-functional dietary supplement and can prevent heart disease. In this study, Monascus purpureus CCRC 31615, the strain with the highest amount of monacolin K, was identified from 16 strains using solid fermentation. Its GABA productivity was particularly high. Addition of sodium nitrate during solid-state fermentation of M. purpureus CCRC 31615 improved the productivity of monacolin K and GABA to 378 mg/kg and 1,267.6 mg/kg, respectively. GABA productivity increased further to 1,493.6 mg/kg when dipotassium hydrophosphate was added to the medium.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Chemistry, National Taiwan University, 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Road, Taipei, Taiwan, ROC.
authors.forename: Yuan-Chi
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Su
authors.forename: Jyh-Jye
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Tzu-Tsen
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Tzu-Ming
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pan
mesh_terms: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D003470:Culture Media; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D032741:Monascus / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen; D012492:Salts; D013696:Temperature; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D000924:Anticholesteremic Agents; D003470:Culture Media; D012492:Salts; D005680:gamma-Aminobutyric Acid; D008148:Lovastatin; D009584:Nitrogen