Mutations and environmental factors affecting regulation of riboflavin synthesis and iron assimilation also cause oxidative stress in the yeast Pichia guilliermondii

Iron deficiency causes oversynthesis of riboflavin in several yeast species, known as flavinogenic yeasts. However, the mechanisms of such regulation are not known. We found that mutations causing riboflavin overproduction and iron hyperaccumulation (rib80, rib81 and hit1), as well as cobalt excess or iron deficiency all provoke oxidative stress in the Pichia guilliermondii yeast. Iron content in the cells, production both of riboflavin and malondialdehyde by P. guilliermondii wild type and hit1 mutant strains depend on a type of carbon source used in cultivation media. The data suggest that the regulation of riboflavin biosynthesis and iron assimilation in P. guilliermondii are linked with cellular oxidative state.