Optimization and Characterization of Flavipin Produced by Aspergillus Terreus

Abstract

The secondary metabolites of microorganisms serve as defence or signalling molecules in ecological interactions, revealing substantial survival benefits in nature. As a result, many researchers have concentrated on screening and optimizing the production of these molecules from natural sources such as microorganisms with the objective of pharmacological uses, primarily as antibiotics or anticancer agents. In this study, 80 isolates of Aspergillus were investigated for the production of flavipin. These fungi were collected from various locations and laboratories. Flavipin was estimated by using a standard curve, then purified by using silica gel chromatography, followed by identification using thin layer chromatography (TLC), and High Performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The fermentation conditions were carried out at the Central Health Laboratory/Maysan Health Directorate from April 2021 to August 2022. Out of eighty isolates of Aspergillus, only one isolate was identified as producer of flavipin which was Aspergillus terreus. According to HPLC analysis, the retention times of flavipin and its standard were 7.7 minutes and 7.6 minutes, respectively. By using the TLC technique, the relative flow (Rf) value was 0.55 cm for both standard flavipin and flavipin. The optimization of growth conditions and production of flavipin were studied. It is revealed that optimum conditions were as follows: pH 7 on 16 days, the temperature of 25oC for 12 days, culture volume of 50 ml on the 16th day, shaking speed of 150 rpm on the 12th day, inoculum size of 8 fungal agar disc on the 12th day, the optimal incubation period of 14 days, and Potato Dextrose Broth as the optimal culture media.  The aim of the study was to determination of optimal conditions for the flavipin production that produced by Aspergillus terreus. For yielding a profuse amount of flavipin, the incubation and fermentation conditions such as temperature, the culture volume, shaking speed, inoculum size, pH of the medium, incubation period, and the type of culture media should be considered and the optimal one must be chosen.