TAXONOMIC INVESTIGATION OF MONASCUS PURPUREUS 94-25 STRAIN
Tanya Rasheva1*, Jean – Noel Hallet2 and Anna Kujumdzieva1
1The Sofia University, Biological Faculty, Department
of General and Industrial Microbiology,
8 "Dragan Tzankov" st., 1421 Sofia, Bulgaria;
2Unite de Recherche sur la Biocatalyse,Universite de Nantes,
2 rue de la Houssiniere, F44322 Nantes, Cedex 3, France
Summary
Monascus sp. 94-25 strain
was isolated from red rice with the purpose of red pigments submerged production.
Morphological characterisation on the taxonomically important for the genus
media, showed that the strain produced cleistothecia with oval ascospores
and aleiroconidia. Comparison with a referent strain Monascus purpureus
Went 109.07 was made and it was proved that there were no considerable
differences between both strains. Monascus sp. 94-25 was a prototroph and
had optimal growth temperature 34oC. Investigation of the fermentation
and assimilation capacity of both strains was performed. It was found that
both of them assimilated well glucose, while highest fermentation ability
was observed when grown on galactose. Similarly to the referent strain
Monascus sp. 94-25 could grow on starch and protein containing natural
substrates. Regarding the morphological and biochemical investigations
the newly isolated strain 94-25 could be considered as Monascus purpureus.