Optimization of culture method for growth of Haematococcus sp.KORDI03

Abstract

Haematococcus spp. are well known for the ability to synthesize and accumulate of the red ketocarotenoid astaxanthin (3,39-dihydroxy-b,b-carotene-4,49-dione) for up to 4% of the total cellular dry weight under induced stress condition (nutrient deprivation, increased salinity and exposure to high temperature). Astaxanthin is a high value-added product with applications in pharmaceuicals, nutraceuticals, and animal nutrition. However, the culture cost (nutrients, water, land and system etc.) are considerably high, it is essential to develop an affordable culture condition for mass production and sustainability of the strain. The purpose of this study was to develop for reducing culture cost by invented culture method and to investigate an optimal condition for biomass production of the Haematococcus sp. KORDI03 (KCTC 12348BP). The broth-cultured strain (3.2x106 cells/mL, 0.0012 g/L) was inoculated by different conditions of inoculation volumes and spray feed intervals on BBM medium-based plates (Ø90 x 25 x duplicate) under waterless culture plate with room temperature (28 ± 0.5°C) and fluorescence light (12:12 L : D cycle) conditions during a month. In the results, red cyst cells were observed from 10 days after inoculation (over 50% confluence), and the final biomass of dried red cyst cells were recorded a peak of 4.47±0.18 g/L in the condition of 1mL inoculation vol. and 1 day-fed interval. The maximum astaxanthin concentration in the dry biomass is recorded at the 10.97±1.5 μg/mL. The culture methodology in this study has a convenient process and affordable for the production of red cyst cells from Haematococus biomass.