Zhu Xiangyu, Meng Chunxiao, Sun Fengjie, Wei Zuoxi, Chen Limei, Chen Wuxi, Tong Sheng, Du Huanmin, Gao Jinshan, Ren Jiali, Li Demao, Gao Zhengquan
School of Pharmacy, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, China.
Tianjin Key Laboratory for Industrial Biological Systems and Bioprocessing Engineering, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, China.
Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2023;63(30):10239-10255. doi: 10.1080/10408398.2022.2080176. Epub 2022 Jun 13.
Astaxanthin (3,3'-dihydroxy-4,4'-diketo-β-carotene) is a type of C40 carotenoid with remarkable antioxidant characteristics, showing significant application prospects in many fields. Traditionally, the astaxanthin is mainly obtained from chemical synthesis and natural acquisition, with both approaches having many limitations and not capable of meeting the growing market demand. In order to cope with these challenges, novel techniques, e.g., the innovative cell engineering strategies, have been developed to increase the astaxanthin production. In this review, we first elaborated the biosynthetic pathway of astaxanthin, with the key enzymes and their functions discussed in the metabolic process. Then, we summarized the conventional, non-genetic strategies to promote the production of astaxanthin, including the methods of exogenous additives, mutagenesis, and adaptive evolution. Lastly, we reviewed comprehensively the latest studies on the synthesis of astaxanthin in various recombinant microorganisms based on the concept of microbial cell factory. Furthermore, we have proposed several novel technologies for improving the astaxanthin accumulation in several model species of microorganisms.
虾青素（3,3'-二羟基-4,4'-二酮-β-胡萝卜素）是一种具有显著抗氧化特性的C40类胡萝卜素，在许多领域展现出重要的应用前景。传统上，虾青素主要通过化学合成和天然提取获得，这两种方法都存在诸多局限性，无法满足不断增长的市场需求。为应对这些挑战，人们已开发出新技术，如创新性的细胞工程策略，以提高虾青素产量。在本综述中，我们首先阐述了虾青素的生物合成途径，并讨论了代谢过程中的关键酶及其功能。然后，我们总结了促进虾青素生产的传统非遗传策略，包括外源添加剂法、诱变和适应性进化。最后，我们基于微生物细胞工厂的概念，全面回顾了各种重组微生物中虾青素合成的最新研究。此外，我们还提出了几种提高几种微生物模式物种中虾青素积累的新技术。
