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Ultraviolet-B radiation improves astaxanthin accumulation in green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis

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Abstract

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation has significantly negative effect on cell survival rate (P < 0.01) and positive effect on astaxanthin accumulation (P < 0.01) of Haematococcus pluvialis. H. pluvialis accumulated 3.2 mg/g of astaxanthin when being exposed to 5 W/m2 of UV-B for 60 min prior to 72 h of high light treatment, which was 122% higher than that of the control. This UV-B treatment also significantly stimulated lipid peroxidation and the value of malondialdehyde and glutathione peroxidase activities were 156 and 166% higher than those of control, respectively (P < 0.01).

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Acknowledgment

The authors acknowledge the support from Faculty Research Grant of Hong Kong Baptist University.

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Author notes

  1. Zhengyun Wu & Guanqun Chen

    Present address: Department of Food Engineering, College of Light Industry & Food Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610065, China

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and Kwong Living Trust Food Safety & Analysis Laboratory, Hong Kong Baptist University, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong

    Zhengyun Wu, Guanqun Chen, Siukuen Chong, Nai-ki Mak & Yue Jiang

  2. School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong

    Feng Chen

  3. Department of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2P5, Canada

    Guanqun Chen

Authors
  1. Zhengyun Wu
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  2. Guanqun Chen
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  3. Siukuen Chong
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  4. Nai-ki Mak
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  5. Feng Chen
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  6. Yue Jiang
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Yue Jiang.

Additional information

Zhengyun Wu and Guanqun Chen contributed equally to this work.

The authors would like the paper to appear in the section “Microbial and Enzyme Technology”.

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Wu, Z., Chen, G., Chong, S. et al. Ultraviolet-B radiation improves astaxanthin accumulation in green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis . Biotechnol Lett 32, 1911–1914 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-010-0371-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-010-0371-0

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