Cordyceps scarabaeicola KEFC-C252 균사체의 배양으로 생산되는 천연색소의 생산조건 및 색소의 정제방법을 조사하였으며, 분리된 색소의 항돌연변이 효과를 조사하였다. 색소의 생산에 적합한 배지는 1.5% sucrose, 2.5% yeast extract, 초기 pH5.5였다. Cordyceps scarabaeicola KEFC-C252를 $26^{circ}C$에서 108시간 배양한 후에 색소생산이 최대에 달하였으며, 최적조건에서 Cordyceps scarabaeicola KEFC-C252는 1.2 g/liter의 색소를 생산하였다. 색소는 ethylacetate 추출, 산침전 및 결정화과정을 거치면서 정제하여 황색의 육각기둥 모양의 결정을 얻었다. 분리된 색소는 용액의 pH 변화에 따라 색상이 변하는 특성을 나타내었는데 알칼리성 용액에서 청색, 산성 용액에서 붉은색을 나타내었다. 분리된 색소는 4-NQO로 유도된 돌연변이를 억제하는 항돌연변이원성 물질이었다. 또 분리된 색소는 Salmonella typhimurium TA98과 TA100에서 자발적 돌연변이를 감소시켰다.
Cultural conditions for the production of water-soluble pigment from mycelial culture of Cordyceps scarabaeicola KEFC-C252 and antimutagenic activity of the pigment were investigated. To obtain the maximum productivity of the pigment from mycelial culture of C. scarabaeicola KEFC-C252, the optimized medium was made with 1.5% sucrose, 2.5% yeast extract and initial pH 5.5. C. scarabaeicola KEFC-C252 was cultivated to reach the maximum concentration of the pigment at $26^{circ}C$ for 108 hrs. C. scarabaeicola KEFC-C252 produced about 1.2 g/liter pigment under the optimized condition. The pigment was isolated from the culture filtrate by ethylacetate extraction, acidic precipitation and crystallization. The isolated pigment was scarlet hexagonal column crystal, and the color of the pigment was changed according to pH of the solution. The pigment showed violet in the alkaline water but showed red color in the acidic water. The pigment showed inhibitory activity against mutagenic activity induced by 4-nitroquinoline N-oxide. Furthermore, the pigment showed inhibitory activity against spontaneous mutation on Salmonella typhimurium TA98 and TAlOO.
