Ashbya gossypii riboflavin overproducing strains are highly susceptible to light-induced oxidative DNA damage

Abstract

Background The overproduction of riboflavin by Ashbya gossypii, which is one of the most distinctive traits of this filamentous hemiascomycete, is triggered by oxidative stress [1]. In turn, riboflavin is a strong photosensitizer that upon irradiation with light has been shown to generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) and induce oxidative DNA damage in mammalian cells [2-3]. Envisioning a better understanding of this A. gossypii trait, here we investigated whether riboflavin overproduction is associated with increased DNA damage. [...]