l-aspartate in the production medium directly repressed PC expression in the living A. terreus while the limited malate flux regulated the malate/citrate antiporters resulting in the increasing cis-aconitate decarboxylase activity to simultaneously convert cis-aconitate, citrate isomer, into itaconic acid. The transport of cis-aconitate via the antiporters induced citrate synthase and 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase activities in response to balance the fluxes of TCA intermediates. Successively, itaconic acid production yield and final concentration could be improved by 8.33 and 60.32 %, respectively, compared to those obtained from the control fermentation with the shortened lag time to produce itaconic acid during the production phase. Keywords Itaconic acid l-aspartate Pyruvate carboxylase Cis-aconitate decarboxylase 6-phosphofructo-1-kinase Aspergillus terreus Allosteric inhibition Fermentation" />