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A new approach to promote astaxanthin accumulation via Na2WO4 in Haematococcus pluvialis

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Abstract

The optimum concentration of Na2WO4 was explored in relation to the cell density and astaxanthin content in Haematococcus pluvialis. Then, the cellular morphology, nitrate reductase (NR) activity, soluble sugar and protein contents, and chlorophyll fluorescence were measured, and the transcriptional expression of carotenogenic genes was determined by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed that 3.0 mmol/L of Na2WO4 was the optimum concentration to induce astaxanthin accumulation, with a maximum content of 49.41±0.13 pg/cell reached on the tenth day. The NR activity decreased significantly and continually after Na2WO4 treatment. The soluble sugar content increased gradually during the experimental period and was eventually significantly higher than that in the control. The soluble protein content increased rapidly, reached a maximum in day 0.5 and day 1 and then decreased. The effective photochemical efficiency of PSII ( Fv'/Fm') and light saturation ( Ek) first decreased and then tended to stabilize, and NADP+-glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) gene expression was correlated with photosynthesis. The transcriptional expression of ipi, psy and bkt was significantly increased compared with that in the control after application of Na2WO4, and the relative expression of ipi reached the highest level on the fifth day, with a 98.03±1.92-fold increase. Our results describe a new approach to promote the effective accumulation of astaxanthin in H. pluvialis by NR inhibitor Na2WO4.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Marine Biotechnology of Zhejiang Province, School of Marine Sciences, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China

    Yanguo Li, Dandan Cui, Pinli Zhuo, Lin Zhang, Xue Sun & Nianjun Xu

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  1. Yanguo Li
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Correspondence to Nianjun Xu.

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Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31572638), the Public Benefit Program of Zhejiang Science and Technology Department (No. 2015C32021), the Program of Ningbo Science and Technology Bureau (No. 2014C10023), the NSF of Ningbo Government (No. 2015A610265), the Project of Science and Technology Innovation for College Students in Zhejiang Province (No. 2016R405078), the K. C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University, and the Subject Project of Ningbo University (No. xkl1526)

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Li, Y., Cui, D., Zhuo, P. et al. A new approach to promote astaxanthin accumulation via Na2WO4 in Haematococcus pluvialis. J. Ocean. Limnol. 37, 176–185 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00343-018-7317-0

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