Accumulation of astaxanthin and lutein in Chlorella zofingiensis (Chlorophyta)

Abstract

When grown photoautotrophically, Chlorella zofingiensis strain CCAP 211/14 accumulates a significant amount of valuable carotenoids, namely astaxanthin and lutein, of increasing demand for use as feed additives in fish and poultry farming, as colorants in food, and in health care products. Under standard batch-culture conditions, this microalgal strain exhibits high values of both growth rate (about 0.04 h(-1)) and standing cell population (over 10(11) cells l(-1), or 7 g dry weight l(-1)). Lutein, in a free (unesterified) form, was the prevalent carotenoid during early stages of cultivation (over 0.3 pg cell(-1), equal to 4 mg g(-1) dry weight, or 20 mg l(-1) culture), whereas esterified astaxanthin accumulated progressively, to reach a maximum (over 0.1 pg cell(-1), equal to 1.5 mg g(-1) dry weight, or 15 mg l(-1) culture) in the late stationary phase. A differential response of lutein and astaxanthin accumulation was also recorded with regard to the action of some environmental and nutritional factors. C. zofingiensis CCAP 211/14 represents a unique model system for analyzing the differential regulation of the levels of primary (lutein) and secondary (astaxanthin) carotenoids. Relevant also from the biotechnological viewpoint, this photosynthetic organism, with outstanding attributes for fast photosynthetic growth and carotenoid accumulation, might prove most valuable for its application to the mass production of either or both lutein and astaxanthin.

Sugar-based growth, astaxanthin accumulation and carotenogenic transcription of heterotrophic Chlorella zofingiensis (Chlorophyta)

“…4). Photoautotrophic C. zofingiensis accumulated astaxanthin up to 1.5 mg g À1 or 15 mg l À1 when induced with high light [30]. In contrast, dark-grown C. zofingiensis could accumulate astaxanthin up to 32.4 mg l À1 (this study), which may be further enhanced by employment of reactive oxygen species as described in our previous study [31,32] or by optimization of fermentative medium [33].…”

Salt stress effects on growth and photosynthetic pigments’ content in algoculture of Acutodesmus dimorphus (Chlorophyta)

“…Установлено, что концентрация NaCl 0,05 М в культуральной среде практически не влияла на темпы роста A. obliquus, тогда как при 0,3 М интенсивность роста культуры уменьшалась более чем в 2 раза, а при концентрации 0,6-3,0 М он прекращался . Ингибирование роста и уменьшение биомассы под воздействием солевого стресса было отмечено у некоторых синезеленых и зеленых водорослей: Arthrospira fusiformis , Chlorella zofingiensis (Del Campo et al, 2004) и Chlorococcum sp. (Masojídek et al, 2000).…”

“…Увеличение общего содержания каротиноидов отмечено у Chlorella zofingiensis при внесении в культуральную среду 0,2 М NaCl, при этом основным каротиноидом был астаксантин. Увеличение концентрации NaCl в среде до 0,4 М ингибировало рост и приводило к уменьшению количества фотосинтетических пигментов (Del Campo et al, 2004). В условиях высокой инсоляции и присутствии 2% NaCl в среде содержание астаксантина у Ch.…”

“…У зеленых водорослей Chlorella zofingiensis Dönz, Haematococcus pluvialis Flot., Chlorococcum sp. и B. braunii солевой стресс индуцировал образование вторичных каротиноидов -астаксантина и кантаксантина Masojídek et al, 2000;Del Campo et al, 2004;. Гиперсинтез липидов и каротиноидов при солевом стрессе отмечен также у синезеленой водоросли Arthrospira fusiformis (Voronikhin) Komárek & J.W.G.…”

Optimized astaxanthin production in Chlorella zofingiensis under dark condition by response surface methodology

“…The green microalga Chlorella zofingiensis can grow well and accumulate astaxanthin under dark heterotrophic culture conditions (13)(14)(15). The kinetics of cell growth and astaxanthin accumulation of C. zofingiensis had been investigated and the results indicated that glucose and nitrate were the major nutrients affecting astaxanthin formation (14,15).…”