Improvement of carotenoid extraction from a recently isolated, robust microalga, Tetraselmis sp. CTP4 (chlorophyta)

Abstract

In recent years, there has been increasing consumer interest on carotenoids particularly of marine sustainable origin with applications in the food, cosmeceutical, nutritional supplement and pharmaceutical industries. For instance, microalgae belonging to the genus Tetraselmis are known for their biotechnologically relevant carotenoid profile. The recently isolated marine microalgal strain Tetraselmis sp. CTP4 is a fast-growing, robust industrial strain, which has successfully been produced in 100-m 3 photobioreactors. However, there are no reports on total carotenoid contents from this strain belonging to T. striata/convolutae clade.Although, there are several reports on extraction methods targeting chlorophytes, extraction depends on the strength of cell coverings, solvent polarity and the nature of the targeted carotenoids. Therefore, this article evaluates different extraction methods targeting Tetraselmis sp. CTP4, a strain known to contain a mechanically resistant theca. Here, we propose a factorial experimental design to compare extraction of total carotenoids from wet and freeze-dried microalgal biomass using four different solvents (acetone, ethanol, methanol or tetrahydrofuran) in combination with two types of mechanical cell disruption (glass beads or dispersion). The extraction efficiency of the methods was assessed by pigment contents and profiles present in the extracts. Extraction of wet biomass by means of glass beadassisted cell disruption using tetrahydrofuran yielded the highest amounts of lutein and βcarotene (622 ± 40 and 618 ± 32 µg g -1 DW, respectively). Although acetone was slightly less efficient then tetrahydrofuran, it is preferable due to its lower costs and toxicity.

Anti-Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HepG2) Activities of Monoterpene Hydroxy Lactones Isolated from the Marine Microalga Tisochrysis Lutea

“…These types of metabolites are produced from the carotenoids fucoxanthin, zeaxanthin, and violaxanthin upon photo-oxidation or thermal degradation, among other catabolic pathways [33,34]. Carotenoids are well-known dietary supplements used as ingredients in food and cosmeceutical formulations (e.g., as colorants), and perform versatile roles in human health, including neuroprotection and the prevention and/or treatment of macular degeneration, inflammatory and rheumatoid arthritis, cataracts, cancer, diabetes, and coronary artery conditions, among others [35]. Both pigments, fucoxanthin and These two carotenoid-derived metabolites are monoterpene lactones, also classified as norisoprenoids or apocarotenoids [28,30,31], which have often been isolated from various sources such as plants, algae, and other marine organisms [25,[32][33][34].…”

A comprehensive review on carotenoids in foods and feeds: status quo, applications, patents, and research needs

“…(Garcia-Mendoza et al 2015). In addition to food products, by-products and/or waste, research on innovative extraction methodologies for the obtaining of carotenoid-rich fractions from alternative sources, mainly microbial, are gaining importance (Sarkar et al 2020;Sch€ uler et al 2020;Zhang et al 2020).…”

Microalgae as Potential Sources of Bioactive Compounds for Functional Foods and Pharmaceuticals

“…Surprisingly, the IC 50 values for all cell lines were higher in the freshly prepared extract than the values reported in the initial screening. This discrepancy of activity between the extracts could be explained by the origin of the biomass, which is grown in an industrial setting for other applications (e.g., aquaculture feed, cosmetic industry) and where it is standard practice to perform constant optimization of culture conditions (e.g., light, temperature, nutrient availability, salinity) [59][60][61][62] to enhance productivity. This leads to fluctuation in the composition of biomass in between batches, including in the amount of the compounds responsible for the bioactivity (e.g., cytotoxic capacity).…”