Premium
Thraustochytrid as a potential source of carotenoids
Author(s) -
Aki Tsunehiro,
Hachida Kazutaka,
Yoshinaga Megumi,
Katai Yuko,
Yamasaki Takashi,
Kawamoto Seiji,
Kakizono Toshihide,
Maoka Takashi,
Shigeta Seiko,
Suzuki Osamu,
Ono Kazuhisa
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/s11746-003-0773-2
Subject(s) - canthaxanthin , astaxanthin , carotenoid , food science , xanthophyll , chloroform , acetone , chemistry , strain (injury) , biology , botany , biochemistry , chromatography , anatomy
Thraustochytrids, marine protists whose dominant genera are Thraustochytrium and Schizochytrium , belong to the kingdom Chromista and are known as an industrial source of DHA. We describe here that thraustochytrid strain KH105, isolated as a DHA producer, also accumulates significant levels of β‐carotene and xanthophylls including canthaxanthin and astaxanthin. A4‐d cultivation using a medium composed of 10% glucose and less than 0.3% of nitrogen sources in a half‐concentration of seawater gave an astaxanthin production up to 6.1 mg/L, and canthaxanthin content reached more than 10 mg/L under conditions where a higher concentration of nitrogen sources (6%) was employed. It might be advantageous in mass production systems for these carotenoids to be extracted readily by simply suspending the cells with organic solvents such as acetone and chloroform. Analyses on the morphological and life history features of the KH105 strain revealed that it belongs to the genus Schizochytrium . This particular species of thraustochytrids is thus considered to be a promising source of xanthophylls as well as DHA for use in the food industry.