Enhanced accumulation of secondary carotenoids in a mutant of the green alga, Chlorococcum sp.

Abstract

A colour mutant of the unicellular green alga Chlorococcum sp. was obtained by visual colour detection method on plates with medium containing sodium azide. The growth of the mutant MA-1 was more susceptible to azide compared with the wild type, whereas the total secondary carotenoid (SC)synthesis was more resistant to the inhibitor. The azide concentration that inhibited SC formation by 50% (I50) was ten times higher than that required for the wild type. The mutant was stable over several consecutive subculturings in the absence of azide. The indoor and outdoor studies showed that the mutant could synthesise more than 2-fold of the total SC and astaxanthin of the wild type. The mutant MA-1 could be a natural source of SC and astaxanthin.