Monascus색소 주탄소골격의 생성 메카니즘을 연구하고, 새로운 개시체가 색소 생합성에 미치는 영향을 연구하고자 적절한 중간체와 개시체를 투여하였다. 크로톤산과 소르브산은 낮은 농도에서 균체의 증가 없이 색소 형성을 촉진하였다. 소르브산이나 그의 에틸에스테르를 투여하였을 때에는 크로톤산의 경우보다 약 2배 색소형성이 많았다. 이외에도 신남산과 비닐아크릴산을 개시체로 투여하였을 때에는 색소 혼합물은 암적색으로 나타났으며 색소의 형성은 감소하였다. 그러나 에틸에스테르로 변환시켜 투여하였을 때에는 색소의 형성이 증가하였으며 이차원 TLC 결과 새로운 적색소가 생성되었음을 알 수 있었다.
To investigate the mechanism for the main chain-elongation process and the possibility of putative precursors as stater units in the biosynthesis of the Monascus pigments, feeding experiments with possible $poly-{eta}-ketide$ intermediates were carried out. Both crotonic acid and sorbic acid, especially in low concentrations, enhanced the pigment production while not increasing the dried mycelium weight appreciably. Also, it was observed that the feeding of sorbic acid and its ethyl ester was about two folds efficient in the pigment production than the feeding of crotonic acid and its ethyl ester. In addition to these acids, cinnamic acid and vinylacrylic acid were examined for their possibility as starter units. It was observed that the color of the culture fed with cinnamic acid was dominantly dark-red, but with overall decrease in the pigment production. Whey its ethyl ester was administered to the culture, however, the pigment production increased significantly. Also noted in 2D TLC study of the pigments was the increased production of red pigment and the formation of new red pigments.
