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Expression of pigmentation genes following electroporation of albino Monascus purpureus

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Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology

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Abstract

A UV-induced albino strain of Monascus purpureus was subjected to electroporation in the presence of genomic DNA from a wild-type red strain of the fungus. Eight colonies expressed color after several weeks of growth. The growth rates of all eight color variants were significantly greater than the recipient and donor strains under some culture conditions. Spectrophotometric analysis of the pigments extracted from the color variants revealed the pigments had absorbance spectra different from the DNA donor strain. These color variants may have resulted from transformation with wild-type DNA, mutation reversion, or activation of alternative pathway(s)—i.e., new mutations—that resulted in pigment production.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Busaba Yongsmith for providing strain KB20M1 and for technical advice, The Royal Golden Jubilee Ph.D. Program of the Thailand Research Fund, and Kasetsart University Graduate School for partial financial support.

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Author notes

  1. K. Lakrod

    Present address: Mission College, Muak Lek, Saraburi, Thailand

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok, Thailand

    K. Lakrod & C. Chaisrisook

  2. USDA-ARS and Department of Crop and Soil Science, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164–6420, USA

    D. Z. Skinner

Authors
  1. K. Lakrod
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  2. C. Chaisrisook
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  3. D. Z. Skinner
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Correspondence to D. Z. Skinner.

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Lakrod, K., Chaisrisook, C. & Skinner, D.Z. Expression of pigmentation genes following electroporation of albino Monascus purpureus . J IND MICROBIOL BIOTECHNOL 30, 369–374 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-003-0058-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-003-0058-9

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