Source Of Zeaxanthin Research Articles

Marine bacterium Seonamhaeicola algicola strain CC1 as a potential source for the antioxidant carotenoid, zeaxanthin

Currently, there are only six species in the genus Seonamhaeicola, i.e., Seonamhaeicola aphaedonensis, S. algicola, S. marinus, S. acroporae, S. maritimus, and S. sediminis. These bacteria have typical yellow or orange color. Among the identified strains, only S. marinus that had been reported to have a yellow polyene flexirubin pigment. However, the presence of carotenoid pigments has not been reported in this genus. Recently, we successfully isolated a new strain, S. algicola strain CC1, bacterium that was found in association with a red seaweed, Halymenia sp., collected from the coast of South Malang, Indonesia. The strain was grown well in the Zobell marine agar 2216E producing yellowish pigments. According to the 16S rRNA sequencing analysis and BLAST search, the strain is closely related to S. algicola strain Gy8, with 99.78% identity. The pigment composition was separated and analyzed by a high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection (HPLC-MS/MS) and the strain was found to produce zeaxanthin as the major component, which appeared at a retention time (tR) of 28.89 min, showing a typical mass spectrum with a molecular ion at m/z 568.5 [M]+ and four product ions at m/z 261.4 [M−307]+, 476.6 [M−92]+, 429.3 [M−139]+, and 536.5 [M− 32]+. Other carotenoids, including zeaxanthin cis isomers, β-cryptoxanthin, β-carotene cis isomer, and β-carotene, are as minor components. The novel and noteworthy finding of this report is the identification of a Seonamhaeicola species that produces carotenoids and can be used as a source of zeaxanthin.

Studies of Physalis alkekengi L. fruits as a source of xanthophylls

The studies reported here established that fruits of the perennial and quite hardy plant Physalis alkekengi grown in the conditions of the Belgorod area accumulate zeaxanthin (and β-cryptoxanthin) derivatives at levels of up to 20 mg/g of husks, which are needed for the prevention of age-related visual loss. Furthermore, attention is drawn to the berries of this Physalis species, which can be used in foods as a source of zeaxanthin (about 0.30 mg per berry).

Carotenóides da cianobactéria Synechocystis pevalekii produzida em condições normais e sob limitação de nutrientes

The use of microalgae and cyanobacteria as sources of nutrients and bioactive substances for food and dietary supplements has attracted a lot of interest in recent years. Through open column chromatography-visible absorption spectrophotometry, high performance liquid chromatography with a photodiode array detector, thin layer chromatography and functional group chemical reactions, trans- and cis-²-carotene, echinenone, ²-cryptoxanthin, 3-hydroxy-4'-ketocarotenoid, zeaxanthin and 3,3-dihydroxy-4'-ketocarotenoid were identified in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis pevalekii. The cianobacterium was green because of the presence of chlorophylls. When cultivated under stress (80% reduction of nutrient content of the original Conway medium) the chlorophylls disappeared and the cyanobacterium assumed an orange color. ²-Carotene decreased from 307 to 248 µg/g and ²-cryptoxanthin from 94 to 13 µg/g. On the other hand, zeaxanthin increased from 29 to 220 µg/g. Thus, S. pevalekii appears to have commercial potential as source of zeaxanthin, which is implicated in the reduction of the risk of macular degeneration and cataract, together with lutein. The results also showed that conditions for the production of the cyanobacterium can be established so that the biosynthesis of carotenoids important to human health, but difficult to obtain, can be favored. There are already several commercial sources of ²-carotene, but sources of zeaxanthin are rare.