Screening and liquid fermentation condition optimization of a high lovastatin producing Monascus

Abstract:

[Background] Lovastatin is a secondary metabolite of Monascus and an important clinically used lipid-lowering drug. Under liquid fermentation conditions, the production of lovastatin from Monascus is low, which is difficult to meet the requirements of industrial production. [Objective] In this study, a Monascus strain with high lovastatin yield was screened, and the production of lovastatin was improved by optimizing liquid fermentation conditions. [Methods] A high lovastatin yielding Monascus strain was selected from red yeast rice, which was identified based on morphological characteristics, physiological and biochemical characteristics, and 18S rRNA gene sequence analysis, response surface methodology (RSM) was applied for the optimization of the liquid fermentation conditions for lovastatin production. [Results] A lovastatin-producing fungus (Monascus purpureus M4) was obtained. With glycerol at 57.80 g/L, yeast extract powder at 5.52 g/L, and inoculation size at 6.90%, the lovastatin output (173.60 mg/L) was 4.8 times higher than that before optimization. [Conclusion] The establishment of the optimal liquid fermentation conditions for lovastatin production by strain M4 provided technical support for the large-scale production of lovastatin and the industrial application of the strain.