Biotechnological lycopene production by mated fermentation of Blakeslea trispora

Abstract

A semi-industrial process (800-l fermentor) for lycopene production by mated fermentation of Blakeslea trispora plus (+) and minus (-) strains has been developed. The culture medium was designed at the flask scale, using a program based on a genetic algorithm; and a fermentation process by means of this medium was developed. Fermentation involves separate vegetative phases for (+) and (-) strains and inoculation of the production medium with a mix of both together. Feeding with imidazole or pyridine, molecules known to inhibit lycopene cyclase enzymatic activity, enhanced lycopene accumulation. Different raw materials and physical parameters, including dissolved oxygen, stirring speed, air flow rate, temperature, and pH, were checked in the fermentor to get maximum lycopene production. Typical data for the fermentation process are presented and discussed. This technology can be easily scaled-up to an industrial application for the production of this carotenoid nowadays widely in demand.

Extraction of pure lycopene from industrial tomato by‐products in water using a new high‐pressure process

“…Production of lycopene using microorganisms has been proposed too, but always at the bench scale and, in most cases, with a weak specific yield, even though a new approach that can be scaled up to an industrial application has recently been presented. 17,18 It is worth noting that Italy is among the main producers of tomatoes in Europe, and that the by-products and residues of the industrial processing of tomatoes, now usually reincorporated in low-quality tomato products or used as an ingredient in animal food, could be more efficiently used as a source of pure lycopene. The quantity of by-products derived from industrial processes is estimated in Europe to be about 0.1 million tons, and represents an interesting low-cost source of lycopene.…”

Biosynthetic Pathway for γ-Cyclic Sarcinaxanthin in Micrococcus luteus : Heterologous Expression and Evidence for Diverse and Multiple Catalytic Functions of C 50 Carotenoid Cyclases

“…Even though most carotenoids in plants and microorganisms exhibit cyclic structures, cyclization reactions were predominantly known for C 40 pathways (45) catalyzed by monomeric enzymes that have been isolated from plants and bacteria (5,16,27,29,31,36). In C. glutamicum, the genes crtYe, crtYf, and crtEb were identified as being involved in the conversion of lycopene to the ε-cyclic C 50 carotenoid decaprenoxanthin (22,44).…”

Structural Characterization and Bioactivities of Red Pigment from Marine Rhodotorula glutinis

“…On the other hand, β-carotene, an orange-yellow pigment commonly found in plant and animal tissue, is a necessary nutrient and has some biological functions such as species-specific coloration, photoprotection, light absorbing, is an important component because it plays a role as precursor of vitamin A and hormones. [56,57] Furthermore, it was attributed as antioxidant properties, reducing cell and tissue damage. …”