title: Identification of mokB involved in monacolin K biosynthesis in Monascus pilosus.
abstract: Monacolin K (MK), which is widely used as an antihypercholesterolemia medicine, is produced as a fungal secondary metabolite through the polyketide pathway. The MK biosynthetic gene cluster proposed for Monascus pilosus BCRC38072 was also identified in M. pilosus NBRC4480. The mokB gene, located at the end of the putative gene cluster and possibly encoding polyketide synthase, was disrupted. The mokB disruptant did not produce MK, but accumulated an intermediate that was confirmed to be monacolin J, indicating that mokB encodes the polyketide synthase responsible for the biosynthesis of side-chain diketide moiety.
authors.affiliation: International Center for Biotechnology, Osaka University, 2-1, Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, 565-0871, Japan.
authors.forename: Kanae
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sakai
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kinoshita
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nihira
mesh_terms: D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D017353:Gene Deletion; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D005800:Genes, Fungal; D008148:Lovastatin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D053858:Metabolic Networks and Pathways / Q000235:genetics; D032741:Monascus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005810:Multigene Family; D009281:Naphthalenes / Q000378:metabolism; D048630:Polyketide Synthases / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D009281:Naphthalenes; D048630:Polyketide Synthases; D008148:Lovastatin; C045376:monacolin J