Background: Ashbya gossypii naturally overproduces riboflavin and has been utilized for industrial riboflavin production. To improve riboflavin production, various approaches have been developed. In this study, to investigate the change in metabolism of a riboflavin-overproducing mutant, namely, the W122032 strain (MT strain) that was isolated by disparity mutagenesis, genomic analysis was carried out. Results: In the genomic analysis, 33 homozygous and 1377 heterozygous mutations in the coding sequences of the genome of MT strain were detected. Among these heterozygous mutations, the proportion of mutated reads in each gene was different, ranging from 21 to 75%. These results suggest that the MT strain may contain multiple nuclei containing different mutations. We tried to isolate haploid spores from the MT strain to prove its ploidy, but this strain did not sporulate under the conditions tested. Heterozygous mutations detected in genes which are important for sporulation likely contribute to the sporulation deficiency of the MT strain. Homozygous and heterozygous mutations were found in genes encoding enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism, the TCA cycle, purine and pyrimidine nucleotide metabolism and the DNA mismatch repair system. One homozygous mutation in AgILV2 gene encoding acetohydroxyacid synthase, which is also a flavoprotein in mitochondria, was found. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed heterozygous mutations in all 22 DNA helicase genes and genes involved in oxidation-reduction process. Conclusion: This study suggests that oxidative stress and the aging of cells were involved in the riboflavin overproduction in A. gossypii riboflavin over-producing mutant and provides new insights into riboflavin production in A. gossypii and the usefulness of disparity mutagenesis for the creation of new types of mutants for metabolic engineering.

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Background Previously, we isolated a riboflavin-overproducing Ashbya gossypii mutant (MT strain) and discovered some mutations in genes encoding flavoproteins. Here, we analyzed the riboflavin production in the MT strain, in view of flavoproteins, which are localized in the mitochondria. Results In the MT strain, mitochondrial membrane potential was decreased compared with that in the wild type (WT) strain, resulting in increased reactive oxygen species. Additionally, diphenyleneiodonium (DPI), a universal flavoprotein inhibitor, inhibited riboflavin production in the WT and MT strains at 50 µM, indicating that some flavoproteins may be involved in riboflavin production. The specific activities of NADH and succinate dehydrogenases were significantly reduced in the MT strain, but those of glutathione reductase and acetohydroxyacid synthase were increased by 4.9- and 25-fold, respectively. By contrast, the expression of AgGLR1 gene encoding glutathione reductase was increased by 32-fold in the MT strain. However, that of AgILV2 gene encoding the catalytic subunit of acetohydroxyacid synthase was increased by only 2.1-fold. These results suggest that in the MT strain, acetohydroxyacid synthase, which catalyzes the first reaction of branched-chain amino acid biosynthesis, is vital for riboflavin production. The addition of valine, which is a feedback inhibitor of acetohydroxyacid synthase, to a minimal medium inhibited the growth of the MT strain and its riboflavin production. In addition, the addition of branched-chain amino acids enhanced the growth and riboflavin production in the MT strain. Conclusion The significance of branched-chain amino acids for riboflavin production in A. gossypii is reported and this study opens a novel approach for the effective production of riboflavin in A. gossypii.

Background: Ashbya gossypii naturally overproduces riboflavin and has been utilized for industrial riboflavin production. To improve riboflavin production, various approaches have been developed. In this study, to investigate the change in metabolism of a riboflavin-overproducing mutant, namely, the W122032 strain (MT strain) that was isolated by disparity mutagenesis, genomic analysis was carried out. Results: In the genomic analysis, 33 homozygous and 1377 heterozygous mutations were detected. Among these heterozygous mutations, the proportion of mutated reads in each gene was different, ranging from 21 to 75%. These results suggest that the MT strain exhibits a mixture of diploidy, triploidy and tetraploidy, or contains multiple nuclei containing different mutations. We tried to isolate haploid spores from the MT strain to prove it ploidy, but these spores were never isolated. This result indicate MT strain does not produce its spores. Homozygous and heterozygous mutations were found in genes encoding enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism, the TCA cycle, purine and pyrimidine nucleotide metabolism and the DNA mismatch repair system. Especially, genes encoding enzymes in mitochondria had many homozygous and heterozygous mutations intensively. These results suggest that the overproduction of riboflavin in the MT strain may be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Conclusion: This study provides new insights into riboflavin production in A. gossypii and the usefulness of disparity mutagenesis for the creation of new types of mutants for metabolic engineering.

Background: Ashbya gossypii naturally overproduces riboflavin and has been utilized for industrial riboflavin production. To improve riboflavin production, various approaches have been developed. In this study, to investigate the change in metabolism of a riboflavin-overproducing mutant, namely, the W122032 strain (MT strain) that was isolated by disparity mutagenesis, genomic analysis was carried out. Results: In the genomic analysis, 33 homozygous and 1377 heterozygous mutations were detected. Among these heterozygous mutations, the proportion of mutated reads in each gene was different, ranging from 21 to 75%. We tried to isolate haploid spores from the MT strain to prove it ploidy, but these spores were never isolated. These results suggest that the MT strain may contain multiple nuclei containing different mutations to survive without any spores. Homozygous and heterozygous mutations were found in genes encoding enzymes involved in amino acid metabolism, the TCA cycle, purine and pyrimidine nucleotide metabolism and the DNA mismatch repair system. Especially, genes encoding enzymes in mitochondria had many homozygous and heterozygous mutations intensively. These results suggest that the overproduction of riboflavin in the MT strain may be associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Conclusion: This study provides new insights into riboflavin production in A. gossypii and the usefulness of disparity mutagenesis for the creation of new types of mutants for metabolic engineering.