Microbial Production of Riboflavin Using Fungal Isolates

Abstract

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is an important nutritional and growth factor in humans, animals, plants and microorganisms. This water soluble-vitamin was an essential ingredient of the basic metabolic processes, the precursor of oxidation-reduction coenzymes, Flavin Mononucleotide (FMN) in addition to Flavin Adenine Dinucleotide (FAD). The present study was concerned with the selection of the most potent yeast isolate, that is capable of producing riboflavin and then improving riboflavin production using response surface methodology. - Fifteen fungal isolates were screened for riboflavin production. Riboflavin was only produced by two yeast isolates (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Rhodotorula glutinis) (6.195µg/ml and 49.313µg/ml respectively) after 3 days of incubations. - Rhodotorula glutinis was selected as the most potent producer of riboflavin and was used throughout the present study. - The effect of different incubation periods on riboflavin production using Rhodotorula glutinis was determined and the maximum riboflavin production (49.88 µg/ml) was obtained after 5 days. However, the yeast growth and vitamin production were ceased with the further examination of incubation period.