Screening and Molecular Characterization of Fungi Producing Lovastatin

Lovastatin is a competitive inhibitor of HMG-CoA reductase which catalyzes the conversion of HMG-CoA to mevolanate and is used as a drug in the treatment of cardiovascular diseases. In this study, we aimed to screen and molecular characterization of filamentous fungi isolated from soil for the production of lovastatin. In this thesis, we aimed to screen and molecular characterization of filamentous fungi isolated from soil for the production of lovastatin. 52 fungi were purified from soil samples and 14 isolates were positive in the pre-selection process with Candida albicans. After extracting lovastatin from these 14 isolates, the extracts were compared with pure lovastatin in thin layer chromatography. 5 isolates with similar Rf values were determined and these bands and confirmed by spectral scanning. Molecular characterization of 5 isolates selected was performed and recorded in GenBank. As a result, 7 days of incubation in soybean added liquid medium resulted in: Fusarium solani B5B, 20,9 mg/L; F.oxysporum C11, 22.28 mg/L; Penicillium brevicompactum C6, 28.34 mg/L; P. commune C9, 27.59 mg/L; Sarocladium strictum HA4, 43,77 mg/L produced lovastatin. In this study, new local isolates of lovastatin have been produced and the highest yield of HA4 is promising for lovastatin production