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Identification and spectroscopic characterization of neurosporene

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Abstract

Objectives

Neurosporene is a carotene and an intermediate in the synthesis of lycopene from phytoene. Its content in carotenogenic organisms is very low; hence, the complete assignments of its spectroscopic data, including NMR, are insufficient.

Results

A purple bacterium of Rhodobacter sphaeroides G1C mutant had only one carotenoid. This carotenoid was extracted and purified using silica gel, DEAE-Toyopearl and C18-HPLC columns. It was identified using its absorption spectra, mass spectra, and 1H- and 13C-NMR spectra, including two-dimensional spectral analyses.

Conclusion

The major carotenoid in the Rhodobacter sphaeroides G1C mutant was identified as neurosporene (7,8-dihydro-ψ,ψ-carotene) using spectroscopic measurements, including complete assignments of its 1H- and 13C-NMR spectral data.

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Supporting information

Supplementary Fig. 1—1H-1H COSY spectrum of the carotenoid in CDCl3.

Supplementary Fig. 2—NOESY spectrum of the carotenoid in CDCl3.

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Correspondence to Takashi Maoka.

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Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 813 kb)

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Takaichi, S., Maoka, T. Identification and spectroscopic characterization of neurosporene. Biotechnol Lett 37, 2027–2031 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-015-1884-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-015-1884-3

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