title: Effects of Light Intensity and Color on the Biomass, Extracellular Red Pigment, and Citrinin Production of Monascus ruber.
abstract: Light is a crucial environmental signal for fungi. In this work, the effects of different light intensities and colors on biomass, Monascus pigments (MPs) and citrinin production of Monascus ruber M7 were investigated. We have demonstrated that low intensity of blue light (500 lx) decreased Monascus biomass, increased MPs accumulation via upregulation of MpigA, MpigB, and MpigJ genes expression, but had no significant influence on citrinin production. High intensity of blue light (1500 lx) decreased citrinin accumulation but had no significant influence on biomass and MPs production after 14 days cultivation. Low intensity of green light (500 lx) stimulated citrinin production via upregulation of pksCT, mrl1, mrl2, and ctnA genes expression. One putative red light photoreceptor and two putative green light photoreceptors were identified in M. ruber M7. These observations will not only guide the practical production of Monascus but also contribute to our understanding light effects on Monascus.
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan, 430070, Hubei Province, PR China.|College of Life Science, Production & Construction Group Key Laboratory of Special Agricultural Products Further Processing in Southern Xinjiang, Tarim University , Alar 843300, Xinjiang, China.
authors.forename: Liling
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan, 430070, Hubei Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Yang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dai
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, Huazhong Agricultural University , Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, Hubei Province, PR China.|College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan, 430070, Hubei Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Wanping
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, Huazhong Agricultural University , Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, Hubei Province, PR China.|College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan, 430070, Hubei Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Yanchun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shao
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Environment Correlative Dietology, Huazhong Agricultural University , Ministry of Education, Wuhan 430070, Hubei Province, PR China.|National Key Laboratory of Agro-Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan 430070, Hubei Province, PR China.|College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University , Wuhan, 430070, Hubei Province, PR China.
authors.forename: Fusheng
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5234-1590
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D018533:Biomass; D002953:Citrinin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D003116:Color; D005656:Fungal Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D007218:Industrial Microbiology; D008027:Light; D032741:Monascus / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D010858:Pigmentation; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D005656:Fungal Proteins; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D002953:Citrinin
keywords: Monascus ruber, citrinin, pigment, biomass; light