A Review on Haematococcus pluvialis Bioprocess Optimization of Green and Red Stage Culture Conditions for the Production of Natural Astaxanthin

Abstract

As the most recognizable natural secondary carotenoid astaxanthin producer, the green microalga Haematococcus pluvialis cultivation is performed via a two-stage process. The first is dedicated to biomass accumulation under growth-favoring conditions (green stage), and the second stage is for astaxanthin evolution under various stress conditions (red stage). This mini-review discusses the further improvement made on astaxanthin production by providing an overview of recent works on H. pluvialis, including the valuable ideas for bioprocess optimization on cell growth, and the current stress-exerting strategies for astaxanthin pigment production. The effects of nutrient constituents, especially nitrogen and carbon sources, and illumination intensity are emphasized during the green stage. On the other hand, the significance of the nitrogen depletion strategy and other exogenous factors comprising salinity, illumination, and temperature are considered for the astaxanthin inducement during the red stage. In short, any factor that interferes with the cellular processes that limit the growth or photosynthesis in the green stage could trigger the encystment process and astaxanthin formation during the red stage. This review provides an insight regarding the parameters involved in bioprocess optimization for high-value astaxanthin biosynthesis from H. pluvialis.

Electric Stimulation of Astaxanthin Biosynthesis in Haematococcus pluvialis

“…Algal astaxanthin synthesis is usually induced as a defense mechanism against environmental oxidative stress [2,5,6]. Various stress-inducing conditions, such as nutrient starvation [7,8], exposure to intense light [9,10], high temperatures [11,12], high salinity [13,14], and nanomaterial addition to culture [15], have been applied to increase the content and productivity of algal astaxanthin. Among them, nitrogen-nutrient depletion has been employed extensively for effective astaxanthin induction in H. pluvialis cultures [2,16].…”

Haematococcus pluvialis as a Potential Source of Astaxanthin with Diverse Applications in Industrial Sectors: Current Research and Future Directions

“…The chemical composition of the cellular substance evolves as well. Based on dry biomass weight (DBW), during the "green phase," up to 1% lutein and total lipid content varies from 20-25, whereas the "red phase" content 32-37% of lipids and deposit 1-5% of astaxanthin [4].…”

“…They can be utilised to prevent diseases caused by oxidative stress and chronic inflammation [5]. Astaxanthin has 500 times the antioxidant activity of vitamin E and a 38-fold greater potential to terminate free radical chain reactions than ß-carotene [4]. Furthermore, astaxanthin is an anti-inflammatory, having therapeutic effects on a variety of human ailments such as UV-light photo-oxidation, inflammation, cancer, liver function, and heart, joint, skin, ageing, and prostate health [1,6].…”

Study on the Enhancement of Immune Function of Astaxanthin from Haematococcus pluvialis

“…The amounts of accumulated carotenoids can reach 2-5% of the dry weight of cells. It has the highest content of astaxanthin currently found and is regarded as the "concentrated product" of natural astaxanthin [9,10]. Therefore, Haematococcus pluvialis has become a hotspot for researchers who would like to improve the yield of astaxanthin extraction and its enrichment efficiency [11].…”