Page 291 - Demo

SECTION II. APPLIED BIOTECHNOLOGY IN THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY... 2953. RESULTS3.1. Mononacus HG12The Monascus purpureus HG12 , isolated from traditional fermented rice in Ha Giang, Vietnam, is distinguished by its characteristic red pigmentation. When cultured on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) (Fig. 1a), the colony exhibits an orange-red hue, whereas on Belgan Red medium, it displays a purple-red coloration. This pigmentation is attributed to the production of secondary metabolites, including monascorubrin and rubropunctatin. The growth of M. purpureus HG12 is relatively slow, with pigment synthesis becoming apparent after 5 to 7 days of incubation.Microscopic observations reveal that the mycelium is branched, slender, and hyaline, with a clearly visible cell wall structure. The hyphae are non-septate, forming a continuous cellular strand. The strain produces asexual spores (conidia) that are oval to round, small in size, and range in color from pale yellow to light brown under microscopic examination (Fig. 1b). These morphological and growth characteristics are consistent with those of the Monascus genus, confirming the identity of the HG12 strain. (a) (b)Figure 1. Characterization of colonies (a), hyphae and conidia (b) of M. purpureus HG12 on PDA at 30oC for 7 days of cultivation