Microbial production of vitamin B5: current status and prospects

Vitamin B5, also called D-pantothenic acid (D-PA), is a necessary micronutrient that plays an essential role in maintaining the physiological function of an organism. It is widely used in: food, medicine, feed, cosmetics, and other fields. Currently, the production of D-PA in industry heavily relies on chemical processes and enzymatic catalysis. With an increasing demand on the market, replacing chemical-based production of D-PA with microbial fermentation utilizing renewable resources is necessary. In this review, the physiological role and applications of D-PA were firstly introduced, after which the biosynthesis pathways and enzymes will be summarized. Subsequently, a series of cell factory development strategies for excessive D-PA production are analyzed and discussed. Finally, the prospect of microbial production of D-PA production has been prospected.

Automated summary

Vitamin B5, also known as D-pantothenic acid (D-PA), is a vital micronutrient with significant physiological functions. It is widely used in various fields such as food, medicine, feed, and cosmetics. This review provides an introduction to the role and applications of D-PA, summarizes its biosynthesis pathways and enzymes, analyzes strategies for excessive D-PA production through cell factory development, and discusses the prospects of microbial production of D-PA.