Pathway engineering of plants toward astaxanthin production

Misawa, Norihiko

doi:10.5511/plantbiotechnology.26.93

Cited by 52 publications

(26 citation statements)

References 50 publications

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“…Large amounts of astaxanthin, together with other ketocarotenoids, were obtained in transgenic plants such as in carrot roots containing ketocarotenoids up to 0.24% of dry weight (Jayaraj et al 2008) or in tobacco leaves accumulating up to 0.5% dry weight astaxanthin corresponding to 70% of their total carotenoid content (Hasunuma et al 2008). The various strategies to obtain an efficient conversion of b-carotene to astaxanthin in transgenic plants have been recently reviewed (Misawa 2009;Zhu et al 2009). Besides these genetically modified organisms, two Ranunculaceae species Adonis aestivalis and A. annua (Seybold and Goodwin 1959) have the aptitude to synthesize astaxanthin in their red colored flower petals (1% of optically pure 3S,3 0 S astaxanthin according to (Renstrom et al 1981b).…”

Section: Biotechnological Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Secondary ketocarotenoid astaxanthin biosynthesis in algae: a multifunctional response to stress

2010

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Under stressful environments, many green algae such as Haematococcus pluvialis accumulate secondary ketocarotenoids such as canthaxanthin and astaxanthin. The carotenogenesis, responsible for natural phenomena such as red snows, generally accompanies larger metabolic changes as well as morphological modifications, i.e., the conversion of the green flagellated macrozoids into large red cysts. Astaxanthin accumulation constitutes a convenient way to store energy and carbon, which will be used for further synthesis under less stressful conditions. Besides this, the presence of high amount of astaxanthin enhances the cell resistance to oxidative stress generated by unfavorable environmental conditions including excess light, UV-B irradiation, and nutrition stress and, therefore, confers a higher survival capacity to the cells. This better resistance results from the quenching of oxygen atoms for the synthesis itself as well as from the antioxidant properties of the astaxanthin molecules. Therefore, astaxanthin synthesis corresponds to a multifunctional response to stress. In this contribution, the various biochemical, genetic, and molecular data related to the biosynthesis of ketocarotenoids by Haematococcus pluvialis and other taxa are reviewed and compared. A tentative regulatory model of the biochemical network driving astaxanthin production is proposed.

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Section: Biotechnological Applicationsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Secondary ketocarotenoid astaxanthin biosynthesis in algae: a multifunctional response to stress

2010

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“…The price for synthetic astaxanthin is above $2,000 kg -1 , and the total market value of astaxanthin is over $240 M per year (Misawa 2009. Synthetic astaxanthin typically contains a mixture of 3S, 3'S; 3R, 3'S; and 3R, 3'R isoforms with a ratio of 1 : 2 : 1.…”

Section: Cell Biology and Physiologymentioning

confidence: 99%

Astaxanthin in microalgae: pathways, functions and biotechnological implications

Han¹,

Li²,

Hu³

2013

ALGAE

177

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Major progress has been made in the past decade towards understanding of the biosynthesis of red carotenoid astaxanthin and its roles in stress response while exploiting microalgae-based astaxanthin as a potent antioxidant for human health and as a coloring agent for aquaculture applications. In this review, astaxanthin-producing green microalgae are briefly summarized with Haematococcus pluvialis and Chlorella zofingiensis recognized to be the most popular astaxanthin-producers. Two distinct pathways for astaxanthin synthesis along with associated cellular, physiological, and biochemical changes are elucidated using H. pluvialis and C. zofingiensis as the model systems. Interactions between astaxanthin biosynthesis and photosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis and enzymatic defense systems are described in the context of multiple lines of defense mechanisms working in concert against photooxidative stress. Major pros and cons of mass cultivation of H. pluvialis and C. zofingiensis in phototrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic culture modes are analyzed. Recent progress in genetic engineering of plants and microalgae for astaxanthin production is presented. Future advancement in microalgal astaxanthin research will depend largely on genome sequencing of H. pluvialis and C. zofingiensis and genetic toolbox development. Continuous effort along the heterotrophic-phototrophic culture mode could lead to major expansion of the microalgal astaxanthin industry.

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“…However, a crop plant that already is included as a constituent of fish feed (e.g., Misawa, 2009;Zhu et al, 2009). A recurrent problem has been a relatively low yield of astaxanthin, both in absolute terms and as a percentage of the total carotenoid pigment, with intermediates in the pathway between b-carotene and astaxanthin typically the predominant ketocarotenoids.…”

Section: Prospects For the Biological Production Of Astaxanthinmentioning

confidence: 99%

Elucidation of the Pathway to Astaxanthin in the Flowers of Adonis aestivalis

2011

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A few species in the genus Adonis are the only land plants known to produce the valuable red ketocarotenoid astaxanthin in abundance. Here, we ascertain the pathway that leads from the b-rings of b-carotene, a carotenoid ubiquitous in plants, to the 3-hydroxy-4-keto-b-rings of astaxanthin (3,39-dihydroxy-b,b-carotene-4,4'-dione) in the blood-red flowers of Adonis aestivalis, an ornamental and medicinal plant commonly known as summer pheasant's eye. Two gene products were found to catalyze three distinct reactions, with the first and third reactions of the pathway catalyzed by the same enzyme. The pathway commences with the activation of the number 4 carbon of a b-ring in a reaction catalyzed by a carotenoid b-ring 4-dehydrogenase (CBFD), continues with the further dehydrogenation of this carbon to yield a carbonyl in a reaction catalyzed by a carotenoid 4-hydroxy-b-ring 4-dehydrogenase, and concludes with the addition of an hydroxyl group at the number 3 carbon in a reaction catalyzed by the erstwhile CBFD enzyme. The A. aestivalis pathway is both portable and robust, functioning efficiently in a simple bacterial host. Our elucidation of the pathway to astaxanthin in A. aestivalis provides enabling technology for development of a biological production process and reveals the evolutionary origin of this unusual plant pathway, one unrelated to and distinctly different from those used by bacteria, green algae, and fungi to synthesize astaxanthin.

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Pathway engineering of plants toward astaxanthin production

Cited by 52 publications

References 50 publications

Secondary ketocarotenoid astaxanthin biosynthesis in algae: a multifunctional response to stress

Secondary ketocarotenoid astaxanthin biosynthesis in algae: a multifunctional response to stress

Astaxanthin in microalgae: pathways, functions and biotechnological implications

Elucidation of the Pathway to Astaxanthin in the Flowers of Adonis aestivalis

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