Resumo

Lovastatin is a statin of natural origin biosynthesized as secondary metabolites of several filamentous fungi. Widely used for reducing the cholesterol level and acts as inhibiting hydroxymethylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA), limiting step in cholesterol production in the liver. Lovastatin is produced commercially by fermentation of various filamentous fungi, species of the genera including Aspergillus, Penicillium, Monascus, Pleurotus has been cited as producers of this statin. Therefore, the objective was to select the largest producer among the strains of Aspergillus terreus available in the URM Culture Collection of the Federal University of Pernambuco. For this study were used thirty-seven strains of A. terreus to test for their ability of producing lovastatin. Fungi were cultivated in submerged fermentation using the culture medium composed of lactose and soybean meal, as carbon sources and nitrogen. The flasks were inoculated with a spore suspension standardized to contain 1 X 10⁶ spores/ml. Cultures were maintained at 28 °C and 150 rpm for 7 days. The fungal extracts were analyzed by UV spectrometry for quantitation of lovastatin, using a calibration curve commercial lovastatin (4 to 40 mg/ml). Nineteen fungal cultures were capable of producing lovastatin. The strain A. terreus URM 5579 showed a value of higher concentration lovastatin (13.96 mg/ml), followed by A. terreus URM 4317 (8.63 mg/ml) and A. terreus URM 5468 (7.63 mg/ml), whereas the highest yield of fungal biomass was recorded by strains A. terreus URM 5650 (20.52 mg/ml) followed by A. terreus URM 5254 (19.32 mg/ml) and A. terreus URM 4362 (18.85 mg/ml). Thereby, strains of Aspergillus terreus present at URM Culture Collection show an interesting biotechnological potential for production of lovastatin.