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Composition and biosynthetic pathways of carotenoids in the astaxanthin-producing green alga Chlorococcum sp.

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Abstract

The composition of the secondary carotenoids in the astaxanthin-producing green alga Chlorococcum sp. was analyzed. Eight types of carotenoids were identified by a variety of spectroscopic techniques. Canthaxanthin, 3′-hydroxyechinenone, adonirubin and adonixanthin comprised, respectively, 32%, 23%, 12% and 9% of total carotenoids. The results imply that Chlorococcum sp. synthesized astaxanthin from β-carotene through various pathways which are different from other astaxanthin-producing microorganisms.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 5 Science Drive 2, Singapore, 117597

    Bei-Hui Liu & Yuan-Kun Lee

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  1. Bei-Hui Liu
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  2. Yuan-Kun Lee
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Liu, BH., Lee, YK. Composition and biosynthetic pathways of carotenoids in the astaxanthin-producing green alga Chlorococcum sp.. Biotechnology Letters 21, 1007–1010 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005660313289

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