Content of Primary and Secondary Carotenoids in the Cells of Cryotolerant Microalgae Chloromonas reticulata

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Olga V. Dymova^1,a*, Vitaliy S. Parshukov¹, Irina V. Novakovskaya¹, Elena N. Patova¹

¹Institute of Biology of Komi Science Centre of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 167982 Syktyvkar, Komi Republic, Russia

^* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

Received: September 30, 2023; Revised: May 30, 2024; Accepted: June 3, 2024

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Snow (cryotolerant) algae often form red (pink) spots in mountain ecosystems on snowfields around the world, but little is known about their physiology and chemical composition. Content and composition of pigments in the cells of the cryotolerant green microalgae Chloromonas reticulata have been studied. Analysis of carotenoids content in the green (vegetative) cells grown under laboratory conditions and in the red resting cells collected from the snow surface in the Subpolar Urals was carried out. Carotenoids such as neoxanthin, violaxanthin, anteraxanthin, zeaxanthin, lutein, and β-carotene were detected. Among the carotenoids, the ketocarotenoid astaxanthin with high biological activity was also found. It was established that cultivation of the algae at low positive temperature (6°C) and moderate illumination (250 μmol quanta/(m²⋅s) contributed to accumulation of all identified carotenoids, including extraplastidic astaxanthin. In addition to the pigments, fatty acids accumulated in the algae cells. The data obtained allow us to consider the studied microalgae as a potentially promising species for production of carotenoids.

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KEY WORDS: Chloromonas reticulata, green microalgae, carotenoids, astaxanthin, polyunsaturated fatty acids, high-performance liquid chromatography

DOI: 10.1134/S0006297924070071

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