Astaxanthin accumulation in Haematococcus pluvialis cells induced by nitrogen deficiency and high light intensity

Authors

  • Tatyana V. Samovich Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Akademičnaja Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus
  • Ruslan G. Goncharik Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Akademičnaja Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2839-5214
  • Elizaveta I. Pechenkina Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Akademičnaja Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0757-2872
  • Yauhen V. Viazau Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Akademičnaja Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9750-2792
  • Nikolay V. Kozel Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Akademičnaja Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2958-7645

Keywords:

Haematococcus pluvialis, high light intensity, nitrogen deficiency, astaxanthin

Abstract

It was established that nitrogen deficiency initiated at the resting phase of Haematococcus pluvialis (H. pluvialis) is not an effective stress factor in combination with high light intensity to induce the accumulation of astaxanthin in algae cells. The amounts of astaxanthin in H. pluvialis cells in the absence of nitrogen were lower compared to those when complete Rudic medium was used, regardless of the light intensity. This fact indicates the need for a certain amount of nitrogen in the medium for the functioning of the astaxanthin synthesis system. In addition, the low yield of astaxanthin in the experimental variants cultivated on incomplete Rudic medium is associated with the insufficient amount of nitrogen for its biosynthesis and also with a decrease in the expression level of the PSY gene encoding a key enzyme of the carotenoid biosynthesis chain – phytoene synthase.

Author Biographies

  • Tatyana V. Samovich, Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Akademičnaja Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus

    PhD (biology); senior researcher at the laboratory of biophysics and biochemistry of plant cells

  • Ruslan G. Goncharik, Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Akademičnaja Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus

    junior researcher at the laboratory of biophysics and biochemistry of plant cells

  • Elizaveta I. Pechenkina, Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Akademičnaja Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus

    junior researcher at the laboratory of biophysics and biochemistry of plant cells

  • Yauhen V. Viazau, Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Akademičnaja Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus

    PhD (biology); senior researcher at the laboratory of biophysics and biochemistry of plant cells

  • Nikolay V. Kozel, Institute of Biophysics and Cell Engineering, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Akademičnaja Street, Minsk 220072, Belarus

    PhD (biology); head of the laboratory of biophysics and biochemistry of plant cells

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Published

2020-12-31

Issue

No. 3 (2020): Journal of the Belarusian State University. Biology

Section

Cell Biology and Physiology

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How to Cite

Samovich, T. V., Goncharik, R. G., Pechenkina, E. I., Viazau, Y. V., & Kozel, N. V. (2020). Astaxanthin accumulation in Haematococcus pluvialis cells induced by nitrogen deficiency and high light intensity. Experimental Biology and Biotechnology, 3, 37-45. https://doi.org/10.33581/2521-1722-2020-3-37-45