• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.376-380
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• 2018

The astaxanthin recovery efficiencies were compared in acetonitrile, acetone, methanol, dichloromethane : methanol (1:3, v/v) and ethylacetate : ethanol (1:1, v/v) as a extraction solvent after the grinding of the H. pluvialis cells. The astaxanthin extraction yield in acetone was 1.13~1.29 times higher than other extraction solvents. It was also found that 96.7% of astaxanthin accumulated in H. pluvialis could be recovered by a single extraction. Since astaxanthin exists mainly as astaxanthin esters in H. pluvialis, a gradient reversed-phase HPLC analysis was carried out for the separation of astaxanthin esters from the extracts of H. pluvialis. Among the astaxanthin inside the H. pluvialis cell, free astaxanthin was 45.9% and astaxanthin esters were the rest.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.8 no.6
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• pp.322-330
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• 2003

The unicellular green alga Haematococcus pluvialis has recently attracted great inter-est due to its large amounts of ketocarotenoid astaxanthin, 3,3'-dihydroxy-${\beta}$,${\beta}$-carotene-4,4'-dione, widely used commercially as a source of pigment for aquaculture. In the life cycle of H. pluvialis, astaxanthin biosynthesis is associated with a remarkable morphological change from green motile vegetative cells into red immotile cyst cells as the resting stage. In recent years we have studied this morphological process from two aspects: defining conditions governing astaxanthin biosynthesis and questioning the possible function of astaxanthin in protecting algal cells against environmental stress. Astaxanthin accumulation in cysts was induced by a variety of environmental conditions of oxidative stress caused by reactive oxygen species, intense light, drought, high salinity, and high temperature. In the adaptation to stress, abscisic acid induced by reactive oxygen species, would function as a hormone in algal morphogenesis from veget ative to cyst cells. Furthermore, measurements of both in vitro and in vivo antioxidative activities of astaxanthin clearly demonstrated that tolerance to excessive reactive oxygen species is greater in astaxanthin-rich cysts than in astaxanthin-poor cysts or astaxanthin-less vegetative cells. Therefore, reactive oxygen species are involved in the regulation of both algal morph O-genesis and carotenogenesis, and the accumulated astaxanthin in cysts can function as a protective agent against oxidative stress damage. In this study, the physiological roles of astaxanthin in stress response and cell protection are reviewed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.27 no.5
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• pp.935-939
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• 1998

The concentrations of astaxanthin and $\alpha$-tocopherol were measured from the muscle of the rainbow trout(Oncorhynchus mykiss) that had been fed the red yeast(Phaffia rhodozyma) containing 0.2% astaxanthin for 7, 14 and 21 days. The effect of the astaxanthin supplementation for 21 days on peroxidation of liver and muscle lipids of the rainbow trouts was examined. The astaxanthin was found to be accumulated in the rainbow trout muscle when fed for 7 days with astaxanthin supplementation(80mg/kg diet) in the form of the red yeast and the content did not increase further when fed longer up to 21 days. Seven days supplementation of astaxanthin raised the rainbow trout muscle content of the astaxanthin to 17.3$\mu\textrm{g}$/g tissue from 11.8$\mu\textrm{g}$/g tissue in mature control group. Although the hepatic TBARS level was found to be significantly decreased, the astaxanthin supplementation did not alter the $\alpha$-tocopherol and TBARS contents of the rainbow trout muscle.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.381-385
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• 2006

The production of astaxanthin by Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous mutant depended on the culture conditions. Therefore, a cultivation strategy, including effective chemical and light induction, for the high-level production of astaxanthin by X. dendrorhous mutant JH1 was explored. Effective chemicals such as ethanol, acetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide, which are known inducers or precursors of astaxanthin synthesis, were investigated for their increase of astaxanthin production. Each of 1.0% ethanol, 1.0% acetic acid, and 1.0% hydrogen peroxide increased the astaxanthin concentration to 49.77 mg/l, 46.33 mg/l, and 45.61 mg/l, respectively. Among these chemicals, 1.0% ethanol showed the best effect on increasing astaxanthin concentration after 48 h of cultivation. Under 1.0% ethanol feeding condition, high light intensity (2,400 lux) stimulated astaxanthin production to 59.67 mg/l, compared with that in the dark-grown cultivation.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.1309-1314
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• 2004

The red carotenoid, astaxanthin was studied to improve the meat quality of broiler chickens. Astaxanthin pigmented chickens and delayed oxidation of lipid in them. Two sources of astaxanthin were used to pigment broiler chickens in a five-wk feeding trial: biological astaxanthin (BA) from the red yeast, Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous, and chemical astaxanthin (CA) from chemical synthesis. The concentrations of CA (45 mg/kg feed) and BA (22.5 mg/kg feed) were set to give similar levels of pigmentation. The colorimetric values (a and b) of breast muscles were significantly changed by astaxanthin (p${\leq}$0.01). Absorption and accumulation of BA were higher than those of CA, probably due to the high contents of lipids in the yeast (17%). Lipid peroxide formation in skin was significantly decreased by astaxanthin (p${\leq}$0.05). This result indicated that the production of lipid peroxides in the carcasses of broiler chickens during storage could be delayed by astaxanthin. Therefore, astaxanthin could be used as an antioxidant as well as a colorant for broiler chickens.

• ALGAE
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.131-147
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• 2013

Major progress has been made in the past decade towards understanding of the biosynthesis of red carotenoid astaxanthin and its roles in stress response while exploiting microalgae-based astaxanthin as a potent antioxidant for human health and as a coloring agent for aquaculture applications. In this review, astaxanthin-producing green microalgae are briefly summarized with Haematococcus pluvialis and Chlorella zofingiensis recognized to be the most popular astaxanthin-producers. Two distinct pathways for astaxanthin synthesis along with associated cellular, physiological, and biochemical changes are elucidated using H. pluvialis and C. zofingiensis as the model systems. Interactions between astaxanthin biosynthesis and photosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis and enzymatic defense systems are described in the context of multiple lines of defense mechanisms working in concert against photooxidative stress. Major pros and cons of mass cultivation of H. pluvialis and C. zofingiensis in phototrophic, heterotrophic, and mixotrophic culture modes are analyzed. Recent progress in genetic engineering of plants and microalgae for astaxanthin production is presented. Future advancement in microalgal astaxanthin research will depend largely on genome sequencing of H. pluvialis and C. zofingiensis and genetic toolbox development. Continuous effort along the heterotrophic-phototrophic culture mode could lead to major expansion of the microalgal astaxanthin industry.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.506-510
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• 2006

To be used as a source of astaxanthin by animals, the red yeast Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous needs to be dried and the cell wall ruptured. Spray-drying and flat-roller milling successfully prepared the yeast as a feed additive with little loss of astaxanthin. Spray-drying successfully dried the yeast with negligible decomposition of astaxanthin compared to drum-drying. By repeated milling with a flat-roller mill, astaxanthin extracted with ethanol increased from 0.01 to 1.31 mg astaxanthin/g yeast. This method did not decompose astaxanthin in contrast to chemical digestion of the cell wall. Flat-roller milling effectively flattened and cracked the dried cells. Astaxanthin in yeast prepared by spray-drying and flat-roller milling was well absorbed by animals. Specifically, when spray-dried and milled yeast was supplied in the feed (40 mg astaxanthin/kg feed), astaxanthin was successfully absorbed (1,500 ng/mL blood and 1,100 ng/g skin) by laying hens.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.28 no.12
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• pp.2019-2028
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• 2018

Natural astaxanthin mainly derives from a microalgae producer, Haematococcus pluvialis. The induction of nitrogen starvation and high light intensity is particularly significant for boosting astaxanthin production. However, the different responses to light intensity and nitrogen starvation needed to be analyzed for biomass growth and astaxanthin accumulation. The results showed that the highest level of astaxanthin production was achieved in nitrogen starvation, and was 1.64 times higher than the control group at 11 days. With regard to the optimization of light intensity utilization, it was at $200{\mu}mo/m^2/s$ under nitrogen starvation that the highest astaxanthin productivity per light intensity was achieved. In addition, both high light intensity and a nitrogen source had significant effects on multiple indicators. For example, high light intensity had a greater significant effect than a nitrogen source on biomass dry weight, astaxanthin yield and astaxanthin productivity; in contrast, nitrogen starvation was more beneficial for enhancing astaxanthin content per dry weight biomass. The data indicate that high light intensity synergizes with nitrogen starvation to stimulate the biosynthesis of astaxanthin.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.272-281
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• 1994

To investigate the effects on pigmentation and carotenoids metabolism of sea bass, Lateolablax japonicus, by supplemented carotenoids, fish were fed the diets each containing ${\beta}$-carotene, lutein ester, astaxanthin, astaxanthin monoester and astaxanthin diester for 8 weeks. Carotenoids in the integuments were analyzed. The important carotenoids in the integuments of sea bass were tunaxanthin and lutein. ${\beta}$-carotene, ${\beta}$-cryptoxanthin, zeaxanthin and ${\beta}$-carotene triol were minor contributors. Differences in the content of ${\beta}$-carotene, tunaxanthin fraction and lutein were observed between the natural and cultured sea bass. The wild sea bass contained higher amounts of tunaxanthin fraction and lutein, but contained lower amounts of ${\beta}$-carotene than cultured sea bass. In cultured sea bass with supplemented carotenoids, carotenoid deposition was higher in order of astaxanthin monoester group, astaxanthin group and astaxanthin diester group. Based on the contents and composition of carotenoids in each group after the feeding the experimental diet, The metabolism of carotenoid in sea bass was presumed to be the reductive metabolic pathways: astaxanthin to tunaxanthin via ${\beta}$-carotene triol, zeaxanthin and lutein.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.219-224
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• 2008

A total of 96 ISA Brown layers, 63-wk-old, were used in a 12-day feeding trial to measure the effect of dietary astaxanthin and capxanthin on their accumulation in egg yolk. The hens were fed diets containing astaxanthin from the yeast, Phaffia rhodozyma, at 22.5 mg/kg feed, or synthetic compound at 45 mg/kg feed, and capxanthin from paprika extract at 45 mg/kg feed. The levels of yolk astaxanthin from the two pigments were saturated at $9^{th}$ day of feeding. Capxanthin was not accumulated in egg yolk but its derivatives were slightly present after $6{\sim}9$ days of feeding. The level of astaxanthin accumulated in egg yolk was proportional to the level of dietary astaxanthin. Except the color of egg yolk, other quality factors of eggs were not significantly different among the treatments.