Multi-omics analysis provides insights into the enhancement of β-carotene and torularhodin production in oleaginous red yeast Sporobolomyces pararoseus under H2O2-induced oxidative stress

Abstract

Carotenoids are one of the most widespread groups of naturally occurring pigments with extensive applications in the food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Sporobolomyces pararoseus is a well-studied oleaginous red yeast that has attracted rising interest as an alternative source of high-value-added carotenoids, consisting of β-carotene, torulene, and torularhodin. Here, the effect of different concentrations of H2O2 treatments on carotenoid contents in S. pararoseus CJR was investigated. The results showed that, after 120 h of incubation, the total amount of carotenoids was significantly increased in 5 mM (963.37 μg/gdw), 10 mM (1525.03 μg/gdw), 20 mM (1823.8 μg/gdw), 40 mM (2163.78 μg/gdw), and 60 mM (1116.94 μg/gdw) H2O2 treatments than control (935.1 μg/gdw), respectively. Meanwhile, the increase in β-carotene and torularhodin production was the main contributor to the enhancement of total carotenoids under H2O2 treatments. Multi-omics profiling revealed that the up-regulation of carotenogenic metabolic flux and the down-regulation of TCA cycle metabolic flux might be the main reasons for this increase in total carotenoids. Our findings not only offer an accessible and effective way to boost carotenoid synthesis in S. pararoseus but also establish the molecular basis to further enhance their production through genetic or metabolic engineering.