Engineering astaxanthin accumulation reduces photoinhibition and increases biomass productivity under high light in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Astaxanthin is a highly valuable ketocarotenoid with strong antioxidative activity and is natively accumulated upon environmental stress exposure in selected microorganisms. Green microalgae are photosynthetic, unicellular organisms cultivated in artificial systems to produce biomass and industrially relevant bioproducts. While light is required for photosynthesis, fueling carbon fixation processes, application of high irradiance causes photoinhibition and limits biomass productivity.

Results

Here, we demonstrate that engineered astaxanthin accumulation in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii conferred high light tolerance, reduced photoinhibition and improved biomass productivity at high irradiances, likely due to strong antioxidant properties of constitutive

SUBMITTER: Cazzaniga S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9277849 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature