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Cited by 17Plant biochemistry and biosynthesisAlgal biology and biofuel productionMicrobial Metabolism and Applications

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Stereoisomers of Colourless Carotenoids from the Marine Microalga Dunaliella salina

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Mazzucchi, Laura, Xu, Yanan, Harvey, Patricia·2020·Molecules
DOI 10.3390/molecules25081880PMC PMC7222010
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Abstract

Carotenoids comprise a diverse range of naturally occurring stereoisomers, which differ in their physico-chemical properties. Their biosynthesis begins with phytoene, which is a rarity among carotenoids because it is colourless. Phytoene is sought after as a skin protectant against harmful UV range B (290–320 nm) and C (100–290 nm) light, and as a natural skin-whitening agent and is synthesized from geranylgeranyl diphosphate. Geranylgeranyl diphosphate is catalysed by phytoene synthase and phytoene desaturase to phytoene and phytofluene, respectively. The subsequent steps involve desaturation, isomerisation and cyclisation reactions to form α- and β-carotene stereoisomers, via all-trans lycopene. The marine microalga Dunaliella salina is the richest source of β-carotene, but it can accumulate phytoene and phytofluene as well. In the present study, different analytical tools including High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC), Ultra-Performance Convergence Chromatography (UPC2-MS) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) were used to characterize and quantify the phytoene isomeric configurations in D. salina in order to explore both the feasibility of D. salina as a cell factory for phytoene production and to gain new insight into the carotenoid synthesis pathway in D. salina. D. salina, similar to tomato, produced predominantly 15-cis phytoene isomer (>98%) and a trace amount of all-trans phytoene (<2%). High light stress, red light stress, or use of a phytoene desaturase inhibitor or a mitotic disrupter herbicide led to the accumulation of 15-cis phytoene but not all-trans phytoene. 9-cis phytoene was not detected in any of the extracts of D. salina biomass. Our main findings suggest that 15-cis phytoene is the most abundant isomer in D. salina and that it is subject to a series of isomerisation and desaturation reactions to form all-trans and 9-cis β-carotene.

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  • Mazzucchi et al. (2020) cultivated D. salina in Algem photobioreactors under red and blue light for 48 h for beta carotene production.

    “Similarly Mazzucchi et al. (2020), cultivated D. salina in Algem photobioreactors under red and blue light for 48 h for beta carotene production.”

    From Production of microalgae with high lipid content and their potential as sources of nutraceuticals (2023) · cites this paper as Mazzucchi et al. 2020

    Materials and Methods §4.1 says D. salina was cultivated in an Algem photobioreactor under red or blue light, and Results §2.6 specifies 48-hour cultures. But §2.6 examines phytoene and phytofluene production under those conditions; the paper does not describe this experiment as being for β-carotene production. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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  • Lycopene production has been evaluated by several microalgal cultures such as Chlorella vulgaris, Nephroselmis sp, Dunaliella salina, etc.

    “Lycopene production has been evaluated by several microalgal cultures such as Chlorella vulgaris, Nephroselmis sp, Dunaliella salina, etc. (Coulombier et al. 2020; Mazzucchi et al. 2020; Mtaki et al. 2020).”

    From Production of microalgae with high lipid content and their potential as sources of nutraceuticals (2023) · cites this paper as Mazzucchi et al. 2020

    Materials and Methods §4.1 confirms that this study cultured Dunaliella salina, and the Abstract says it evaluated that alga as a cell factory for phytoene production. The Introduction describes lycopene as an intermediate in carotenoid biosynthesis, but the paper does not report evaluating lycopene production in D. salina; it also does not evaluate the other named cultures. (LLM, conf=0.84)

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Research works printed but not linked: 29

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Metadata

Authors
Mazzucchi, L., Xu, Y., & Harvey, P.
Affiliations
University of Greenwich (GB)
Corresponding author
Harvey, Patricia
ORCID
Venue
Molecules
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2020-04-18
Volume
25
Issue
8
Pages
1880
ISSN
1420-3049 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/molecules25081880
PMC
PMC7222010
OpenAlex
W3017127122
Cited by
17
References
0
Citations by year
2025: 2 · 2024: 4 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2
FWCI
0.89
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Molecules (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Greenwich Academic Literature Archive (University of Greenwich) (acceptedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
Interreg 2 Seas programme 2014-2020 co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ValgOrize 2S05017)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Plant biochemistry and biosynthesis
  • Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biotechnology › Microbial Metabolism and Applications
Keywords
Dunaliella salina, carotenoids, phytoene, phytofluene, beta-carotene, carotenoid biosynthesis, phytoene synthase, phytoene desaturase, isomerization, desaturation, cell factories, UV protection, light stress
MeSH terms
Carotenoids, Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid, Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, Mass Spectrometry, Stereoisomerism, Microalgae, Aquatic Organisms

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