Efficient production of bacterial antibiotics aminoriboflavin and roseoflavin in eukaryotic microorganisms, yeasts.

Background: Actinomycetes Streptomyces davaonensis and Streptomyces cinnabarinus synthesize a promising broad-spectrum antibiotic roseoflavin, with its synthesis starting from flavin mononucleotide and proceeding through an immediate precursor, aminoriboflavin, that also has antibiotic properties. Roseoflavin accumulation by the natural producers is rather low, whereas aminoriboflavin accumulation is negligible. Yeasts have many advantages as biotechnological producers relative to bacteria, however, no recombinant producers of bacterial antibiotics in yeasts are known.

Cheese whey supports high riboflavin synthesis by the engineered strains of the flavinogenic yeast Candida famata.

Background: Riboflavin is a precursor of FMN and FAD which act as coenzymes of numerous enzymes. Riboflavin is an important biotechnological commodity with annual market sales exceeding nine billion US dollars. It is used primarily as a component of feed premixes, a food colorant, a component of multivitamin mixtures and medicines.

Expression of yeast homolog of the mammal BCRP gene coding for riboflavin efflux protein activates vitamin B production in the flavinogenic yeast Candida famata.

Candida famata is a representative of a group of so-called flavinogenic yeast species that overproduce riboflavin (vitamin B ) in response to iron limitation. Overproduced riboflavin accumulates in the cultural medium rather than in the cells suggesting existence of the special mechanisms involved in riboflavin excretion. The corresponding protein and gene have not been identified in yeasts.