Monascus sanguineus May Be a Natural Nothospecies

Abstract

The genus <i>Monascus</i> has important economic and ecological values. In 2016, we isolated a strain <i>M. sanguineus</i>. After studying the phylogenetic relationship of <i>Monascus</i>, we believe that <i>M. sanguineus</i> is an independent species and speculate that it is a natural nothospecies. Recently, the morphological characteristics and sequences of seven genes (ITS, LSU, β-tubulin, calmodulin, RNA polymerase II subunit, β-ketoacyl synthase, and mating-type locus 1-1) of 15 <i>Monascus</i> strains were analyzed, including sequencing of multiple clones of five protein genes in four <i>M. sanguineus</i> strains. Two types of haplotypes (A and B) were observed in the five protein genes of <i>M. sanguineus</i>. Haplotype A was closely related to <i>M. ruber</i>, and haplotype B may be derived from an unknown <i>Monascus</i> species. The results demonstrated that <i>M. sanguineus</i> including type strains may be a natural nothospecies. This study laid the foundation for further exploration of the <i>M. sanguineus</i> genome, and the study may be of significant importance for the <i>Monascus</i> fermentation industry.