A coculture system of Epicoccum nigrum with Mucor racemosus induces red pigment biosynthesis in vinegar mash.
- 1College of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, People's Republic of China.
- 2College of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
- 3College of Food Science and Biotechnology, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, People's Republic of China. [email protected].
Abstract
Fungal pigments hold significant food industrial value due to their safe and sustainable properties. Here we identified a naturally occurring coculture pair Epicoccum nigrum SPDX618 and Mucor racemosus SPDX522 in vinegar mash that produced red pigments, which was not observed in either monoculture. Our results showed that E. nigrum acted as the pigment producer while M. racemosus served as the elicitor. Response surface methodology and pH stabilization strategy improved the yield of red pigment into 328.7 U/g. Through bioactivity-guided fractionation coupled with UHPLC-MS/MS and in silico structure reconstitution, four red pigments were preliminarily assigned as anthracycline-like compounds. RNA-seq analysis revealed a putative dual-PKS gene cluster (SPDX618009169-SPDX618009178) with exclusively upregulation in cocultured E. nigrum that is potentially involved in red pigment biosynthesis. Besides, the production of the yellow pigment epipyrone was reduced in cocultured E. nigrum, consistent with the downregulated transcription level of its biosynthesis genes. Comparative metabolomics analysis further revealed a broad downregulation in both of primary metabolism and secondary metabolism in coculture system, indicating that a competition interaction relationship also existed between E. nigrum and M. racemosus. Altogether, this study reports a fungal coculture system that exhibited red pigments production. These findings contribute to the understanding of microbial interaction-driven metabolite biosynthesis and may provide a foundation for future exploration of their potential application as a colorant. KEY POINTS: • An Epicoccum nigrum-Mucor racemosus coculture system was identified to produce red pigment for the first time. • E. nigrum acts as the red pigment producer and M. racemosus serves as the elicitor. • RNA-seq analysis tentatively identified a putative dual-PKS gene cluster upregulated in coculture that is putatively involved in red pigment biosynthesis.
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BibTeX
@article{wang2026coculture,
title = {{A coculture system of Epicoccum nigrum with Mucor racemosus induces red pigment biosynthesis in vinegar mash.}},
author = {Fengli Wang and Fangyuan Xu and Xinle Liang and Wenjie Wang},
journal = {Applied microbiology and biotechnology},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.1007/s00253-026-13956-1},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42897269},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - A coculture system of Epicoccum nigrum with Mucor racemosus induces red pigment biosynthesis in vinegar mash.
AU - Fengli Wang
AU - Fangyuan Xu
AU - Xinle Liang
AU - Wenjie Wang
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/01
JO - Applied microbiology and biotechnology
DO - 10.1007/s00253-026-13956-1
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42897269
AB - Fungal pigments hold significant food industrial value due to their safe and sustainable properties. Here we identified a naturally occurring coculture pair Epicoccum nigrum SPDX618 and Mucor racemosus SPDX522 in vinegar mash that produced red pigments, which was not observed in either monoculture. Our results showed that E. nigrum acted as the pigment producer while M. racemosus served as the elicitor. Response surface methodology and pH stabilization strategy improved the yield of red pigment into 328.7 U/g. Through bioactivity-guided fractionation coupled with UHPLC-MS/MS and in silico structure reconstitution, four red pigments were preliminarily assigned as anthracycline-like compounds. RNA-seq analysis revealed a putative dual-PKS gene cluster (SPDX618009169-SPDX618009178) with exclusively upregulation in cocultured E. nigrum that is potentially involved in red pigment biosynthesis. Besides, the production of the yellow pigment epipyrone was reduced in cocultured E. nigrum, consistent with the downregulated transcription level of its biosynthesis genes. Comparative metabolomics analysis further revealed a broad downregulation in both of primary metabolism and secondary metabolism in coculture system, indicating that a competition interaction relationship also existed between E. nigrum and M. racemosus. Altogether, this study reports a fungal coculture system that exhibited red pigments production. These findings contribute to the understanding of microbial interaction-driven metabolite biosynthesis and may provide a foundation for future exploration of their potential application as a colorant. KEY POINTS: • An Epicoccum nigrum-Mucor racemosus coculture system was identified to produce red pigment for the first time. • E. nigrum acts as the red pigment producer and M. racemosus serves as the elicitor. • RNA-seq analysis tentatively identified a putative dual-PKS gene cluster upregulated in coculture that is putatively involved in red pigment biosynthesis.
SN - 0175-7598
SN - 1432-0614
ER -