From genetic improvement to commercial-scale mass culture of a Chilean strain of the green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis with enhanced productivity of the red ketocarotenoid astaxanthin

There is a great breach between research made at universities and applications of these “academic results” to commercial purposes. This research is a successful example of this interaction. We show that random mutagenesis/selection is an effective strategy for genetically improving strains of the astaxanthin-producing microalga, H. pluvialis and that improved carotenogenic capacity attained is maintained when the volume of the cultures is scaled up to a commercial size. This research allowed to the company dispose of an improved strain accumulating 30% more astaxanthin that the wild type strain (per dry weight basis) and a 72% more (per culture volume basis).