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Growth-associated biosynthesis of astaxanthin in heterotrophic Chlorella zofingiensis (Chlorophyta)

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Abstract

The green microalga Chlorella zofingiensis can produce the ketocarotenoid astaxanthin under heterotrophic culture conditions. Here we report the growth-associated biosynthesis of astaxanthin in this biotechnologically important alga. With glucose as sole carbon and energy source, C. zofinginesis grew fast in the dark with rapid exhaustion of nitrogen and carbon sources from media, leading to a high specific growth rate (0.034 h−1). Cultures started at a cell concentration of about 3.4 × 109 cells l−1 reached, after 6 days, standing biomass values of 1.6 × 1011 cells or 8.5 g dry weight l−1. Surprisingly, the biosynthesis of astaxanthin was found to start at early exponential phase, independent of cessation of cell division. A general trend was observed that the culture conditions benefiting cell growth also benefited astaxanthin accumulation, indicating that astaxanthin was a growth-associated product in this alga. The maximum cell dry biomass and astaxanthin yield were 11.75 g l−1 and 11.14 mg l−1 (about 1 mg g−1), simultaneously obtained in the fed-batch culture with a combined glucose–nitrate mixture addition, which were the highest ever reported in dark-heterotrophic algal cultures. The possible reasons why dark-heterotrophic C. zofingiensis could produce astaxanthin during the course of cell growth were discussed.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by a grant from the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, the CRCG and the Outstanding Young Researcher Award, and the Outstanding Research Student Supervisor Award of the University of Hong Kong, the Sci-tech Development Grant of Shandong and the Frontier Research Grant of the SCSIO.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, P.R. China

    Y. Wang & J. Peng

  2. Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research for Sustainable Development, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, Shandong, 264003, P.R. China

    Y. Wang

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  1. Y. Wang
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  2. J. Peng
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Correspondence to Y. Wang.

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Wang, Y., Peng, J. Growth-associated biosynthesis of astaxanthin in heterotrophic Chlorella zofingiensis (Chlorophyta). World J Microbiol Biotechnol 24, 1915–1922 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-008-9692-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-008-9692-8

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