MrhbtA, a C₂H₂-type transcription factor, promotes hyphal branching and azaphilone biosynthesis in Monascus ruber M7.
- 1College of Food Science and Technology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430070, China.
- 2Hubei International Scientific and Technological Cooperation Base of Traditional Fermented Foods, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, 430070, China.
Abstract
Monascus spp. produces valuable Monascus azaphilone pigments (MAs), which are widely used as natural food colorants. Although hyphal branching significantly influenced both mycelial growth and MAs biosynthesis, the regulatory mechanisms governing this process remained poorly understood. To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms controlling hyphal branching, a novel C₂H₂-type zinc finger transcription factor MrhbtA was identified in M. ruber M7. The mrhbtA gene deletion strain (ΔmrhbtA) and mrhbtA gene overexpression strain (OE::mrhbtA) were constructed by homologous recombination. Deletion of mrhbtA led to reduced hyphal branching and lowered extracellular MAs pigment yields, whereas the OE::mrhbtA strain displayed a hyperbranching phenotype with 40% more branches and enhanced production of azaphilone pigments. DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) identified 121 target genes, of which 19 key regulators of cell wall organization and cell cycle control were determined to be positively regulated by MrhbtA. Based on these findings, a comprehensive regulation pathway of MrhbtA on hyphal development and MAs biosynthesis was proposed. In conclusion, MrhbtA served as a master regulator of hyphal morphology and MAs, and it represented a promising target for enhanced pigment production in industrial fermentation.
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BibTeX
@article{shang2026mrhbta,
title = {{MrhbtA, a C₂H₂-type transcription factor, promotes hyphal branching and azaphilone biosynthesis in Monascus ruber M7.}},
author = {Zhihui Shang and Xizhu Chen and Yali Duan and Wenrui Huang and Tingya Wang and Mu Li},
journal = {Current research in microbial sciences},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100675},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42999901},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - MrhbtA, a C₂H₂-type transcription factor, promotes hyphal branching and azaphilone biosynthesis in Monascus ruber M7.
AU - Zhihui Shang
AU - Xizhu Chen
AU - Yali Duan
AU - Wenrui Huang
AU - Tingya Wang
AU - Mu Li
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/23
JO - Current research in microbial sciences
DO - 10.1016/j.crmicr.2026.100675
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42999901
AB - Monascus spp. produces valuable Monascus azaphilone pigments (MAs), which are widely used as natural food colorants. Although hyphal branching significantly influenced both mycelial growth and MAs biosynthesis, the regulatory mechanisms governing this process remained poorly understood. To elucidate the regulatory mechanisms controlling hyphal branching, a novel C₂H₂-type zinc finger transcription factor MrhbtA was identified in M. ruber M7. The mrhbtA gene deletion strain (ΔmrhbtA) and mrhbtA gene overexpression strain (OE::mrhbtA) were constructed by homologous recombination. Deletion of mrhbtA led to reduced hyphal branching and lowered extracellular MAs pigment yields, whereas the OE::mrhbtA strain displayed a hyperbranching phenotype with 40% more branches and enhanced production of azaphilone pigments. DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-seq) identified 121 target genes, of which 19 key regulators of cell wall organization and cell cycle control were determined to be positively regulated by MrhbtA. Based on these findings, a comprehensive regulation pathway of MrhbtA on hyphal development and MAs biosynthesis was proposed. In conclusion, MrhbtA served as a master regulator of hyphal morphology and MAs, and it represented a promising target for enhanced pigment production in industrial fermentation.
SN - 2666-5174
ER -