Effects of inorganic nitrogen sources on the production of PP-V [(10Z)-12-carboxyl-monascorubramine] and the Expression of the nitrate assimilation gene cluster by Penicillium sp. AZ.
A fungal strain, Penicillium sp. AZ, produced the azaphilone Monascus pigment homolog when cultured in a medium composed of soluble starch, ammonium nitrate, yeast extract, and citrate buffer, pH 5.0. One of the typical features of violet pigment PP-V [(10Z)-12-carboxyl-monascorubramine] is that pyranoid oxygen is replaced with nitrogen. In this study, we found that ammonia and nitrate nitrogen are available for PP-V biosynthesis, and that ammonia nitrogen was much more effective than nitrate nitrogen. Further, we isolated nitrate assimilation gene cluster, niaD, niiA, and crnA, and analyzed the expression of these genes. The expression levels of all these genes increased with sodium nitrate addition to the culture medium. The results obtained here strongly suggest that Penicillium sp. AZ produced PP-V using nitrate in the form of ammonium reduced from nitrate through a bioprocess assimilatory reaction.
Department of Chemistry and Life Science, Nihon University College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University Graduate School of Bioresource Sciences, Fujisawa, Kanagawa, Japan.
Teppei
T
Arai
Sara
S
Umemura
Tamaki
T
Ota
Jun
J
Ogihara
Jun
J
Kato
Takafumi
T
Kasumi
D015107:4-Butyrolactone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015966:Gene Expression Regulation, Fungal; D007546:Isoquinolines; D005810:Multigene Family / Q000235:genetics*; D009566:Nitrates / Q000378:metabolism*; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010407:Penicillium / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
C572203:(10Z)-12-carboxyl-monascorubramine; D007546:Isoquinolines; D009566:Nitrates; D009584:Nitrogen; D015107:4-Butyrolactone; C510964:monascorubramine