Uniform culture in solid-state fermentation with fungi and its efficient enzyme production.

Solid-state fermentation (SSF) has attracted a lot of interest for carrying out high-level protein production in filamentous fungi. However, it has problems such as the fermentation heat generated during the culture in addition to the reduced mobility of substances. These conditions lead to a nonuniform state in the culture substrate and result in low reproducibility.

Repression of secondary metabolite production by exogenous cAMP in Monascus.

The cAMP signal pathway controls various biological functions, including secondary metabolism of filamentous fungi. We found that exogenous cAMP represses the production of lovastatin, red pigments, and citrinin in Monascus. Interestingly, a mutant MK-1 with increased lovastatin and red pigments production was not influenced by cAMP on these productions, indicating that cAMP signaling might be lacking in MK-1.

Effects of the principal nutrients on lovastatin production by Monascus pilosus.

Lovastatin production is dependent on the substrates provided. We investigated how several carbon and nitrogen sources in the medium affect lovastatin production by Monascus pilosus. M.

Light effects on cell development and secondary metabolism in Monascus.

In nature, light is one of most crucial environmental signals for developmental and physiological processes in various organisms, including filamentous fungi. We have found that both red light and blue light affect development in Monascus, influencing the processes of mycelium and spore formation, and the production of secondary metabolites such as gamma-aminobutyric acid, red pigments, monacolin K and citrinin. Additionally, we observed that the wavelength of light affects these developmental and physiological processes in different ways.

Acivicin induce filamentous growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

The antibiotic acivicin is a known inhibitor of gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (gammaGTP). We found that acivicin can induce filamentous growth in both diploid and haploid cells of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This phenomenon is not related to the inhibition of gammaGTP or interference in glutathione metabolism.

Involvement of the VDE homing endonuclease and rapamycin in regulation of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae GSH11 gene encoding the high affinity glutathione transporter.

The Saccharomyces cerevisiae gene HGT1/GSH11 encodes the high affinity glutathione transporter and is repressed by cysteine added to the culture medium. It has been found previously that a 5'-upstream cis-element, CCGCCACAC, is responsible for regulating GSH11 expression and that several proteins bind to this element (Miyake, T., Kanayama, M.