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Enzymatic Processes Triggered by PEF for Astaxanthin Extraction From Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous
Diederich Aguilar-Machado1,2, Carlota Delso1, Juan Manuel Martinez1
1Food Technology, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain.
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology
|September 9, 2020
Summary
Pulsed electric fields (PEF) enhanced astaxanthin extraction from yeast. Aqueous incubation after PEF treatment triggered enzymatic activity, enabling greener astaxanthin recovery, particularly from the ATCC 74219 strain.
Area of Science:
- Biotechnology
- Biochemistry
- Food Science
Background:
- Astaxanthin, a valuable lipid-soluble carotenoid, is primarily sourced from microbial fermentation.
- Current extraction methods often involve harsh chemicals and energy-intensive processes, limiting sustainability.
- Developing greener and more efficient extraction techniques is crucial for astaxanthin production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of pulsed electric fields (PEF) in enhancing astaxanthin extraction from *Xanthophyllomyces dendrouhous* yeast.
- To explore the role of enzymatic activity in PEF-assisted extraction.
- To compare extraction efficiency between wild-type (CECT 11028) and mutant (ATCC 74219) strains.
Main Methods:
- Yeast biomass (wild-type and mutant strains) was treated with pulsed electric fields (PEF) at 20 kV/cm for 135 μs.
- PEF-treated cells underwent aqueous incubation for 12 hours.
- Ethanol was used as the solvent for astaxanthin extraction.
- Cell inactivation, propidium uptake, esterase activity, and carotenoid content were quantified.
Main Results:
- PEF treatment alone with ethanol was ineffective for carotenoid extraction.
- Aqueous incubation of PEF-treated *X. dendrouhous* ATCC 74219 cells yielded 2.4 ± 0.05 mg/g dry weight of carotenoids, with 84% being all-trans astaxanthin.
- Extracted astaxanthin correlated with quantified esterase activity, suggesting PEF-triggered enzymatic release.
- Lipid globule formation in PEF-treated CECT 11028 cells hindered extraction.
Conclusions:
- PEF combined with aqueous incubation and enzymatic activity offers a sustainable and greener method for astaxanthin extraction from *X. dendrouhous* yeast.
- The ATCC 74219 strain showed higher extraction efficiency due to triggered esterase activity.
- PEF technology holds potential for improving the recovery of valuable compounds from microbial biomass.
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