Monascus is one of the most essential microbial resources in China, with thousands of years of history. Modern science has proved that Monascus can produce pigment, ergosterol, monacolin K, γ-aminobutyric acid, and other functionally active substances. Currently, Monascus is used to produce a variety of foods, health products, and pharmaceuticals, and its pigments are widely used as food additives. However, Monascus also makes a harmful polyketide component called citrinin in the fermentation process; citrinin has toxic effects on the kidneys such as teratogenicity, carcinogenicity, and mutagenicity (Gong et al., 2019). The presence of citrinin renders Monascus and its products potentially hazardous, which has led many countries to set limits and standards on citrinin content. For example, the citrinin limit is less than 0.04 mg/kg according to the Chinese document National Standard for Food Safety Food Additive Monascus (GB 1886.181-2016) (National Health and Family Planning Commission of the People's Republic of China, 2016), and the maximum level in food supplements based on rice fermented with Monascus purpureus is 100 µg/kg in the European Union (Commission of the European Union, 2019).
药食两用真菌红曲霉转运真菌毒素桔霉素的途径目前尚不清楚。本文通过CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑和过表达，分析了紫色红曲霉中一个假定的主要协同转运蛋白超家族（MFS）基因CtnC，证实了CtnC参与桔霉素的外排以及抑制菌丝体中桔霉素的积累，但CtnC蛋白不是唯一通道。同时，本研究结果发现CtnC过表达会负调控桔霉素合成相关基因（CtnD、CtnE、CtnF和pksCT）的表达。综上，本研究发现的红曲霉中桔霉素转运体基因为真菌毒素的防控策略研究提供了新的依据。.
药食两用真菌红曲霉转运真菌毒素桔霉素的途径目前尚不清楚。本文通过CRISPR/Cas9基因编辑和过表达，分析了紫色红曲霉中一个假定的主要协同转运蛋白超家族（MFS）基因CtnC，证实了CtnC参与桔霉素的外排以及抑制菌丝体中桔霉素的积累，但CtnC蛋白不是唯一通道。同时，本研究结果发现CtnC过表达会负调控桔霉素合成相关基因（CtnD、CtnE、CtnF和pksCT）的表达。综上，本研究发现的红曲霉中桔霉素转运体基因为真菌毒素的防控策略研究提供了新的依据。