MpigQ gene regulates the growth, development and pigment metabolism of Monascus

• Published in: Food bioscience Vol. 65; p. 106021
• Main Authors: Zhang, Sicheng, Li, Zhuolan, Guo, Shixin, Wei, Wanjun, Wang, Yurong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2025
• Subjects: bioinformatics; cell membranes; fluorescence; Gene knockout; Gene overexpression; genes; Growth and development; hydrophobicity; liquid state fermentation; Monascus; Monascus pigments; Monascus purpureus; rice; secretion; spores; Monascus pigments; Gene overexpression; Growth and development; Monascus; Gene knockout
• DOI: 10.1016/j.fbio.2025.106021
• ISSN: 2212-4292

The metabolism of Monascus pigments (MPs) is intricate, and the precise functions of certain gene clusters, such as MpigQ genes, remain incompletely elucidated. In this study, we focused on the Monascus purpureus M8 as our research subject and conducted a bioinformatics analysis to examine the fundamental characteristics of the MpigQ gene and protein. The MpigQ protein, characterized by its high basicity and significant hydrophobicity, is predominantly localized to the cell membrane. Furthermore, an analysis of its secondary structure revealed that 43.51% consists of random helices, 40.53% α-helices, 15.96% extended strands, and no β-turns. The impact of MpigQ gene overexpression and knockout on the growth, development, and metabolism of Monascus. The results demonstrated significant differences in spore count between the deletion strain (ΔQ), overexpression strain (OEQ), and original strain M8 on CYA medium. The fluorescence signal intensity was stronger in OEQ compared to M8. Overexpression of the MpigQ gene led to increased MPs production, while its deletion resulted in decreased production. However, deleting MpigQ enhanced Monascus's transport and secretion capacity for orange pigment by 60.89% and red pigment by 62.77%, moreover, there was a significant increase (22.713%) in the proportion of Y-1 in MPs during rice fermentation. The overexpression of MpigQ during liquid fermentation resulted in an upregulation of the expression levels of four key genes involved in MPs synthesis. Overall, our findings highlight the crucial role of MpigQ in Monascus biology while expanding our understanding of partial gene clusters associated with its pigment metabolism. [Display omitted]