초록
<P>Natural resources of zeaxanthin are extremely limited. A <I>Chlorella zofingiensis</I> mutant (CZ-<I>bkt</I>1), which could accumulate high amounts of zeaxanthin, was generated and characterized. CZ-<I>bkt</I>1 was achieved by treating the algal cells with a chemical mutagen followed by a color-based colony-screening approach. CZ-<I>bkt</I>1 was found to consist of a dysfunctional carotenoid ketolase, leading to the accumulation of zeaxanthin rather than to its downstream ketocarotenoid astaxanthin. Light irradiation, glucose, NaCl, and nitrogen deficiency all induced CZ-<I>bkt</I>1 to accumulate zeaxanthin. CZ-<I>bkt</I>1 accumulated zeaxanthin up to 7.00 ± 0.82 mg/g when induced by high-light irradiation and nitrogen deficiency and up to 36.79 ± 2.23 mg/L by additional feeding with glucose. Furthermore, in addition to zeaxanthin, CZ-<I>bkt</I>1 also accumulated high amounts of β-carotene (7.18 ± 0.72 mg/g or 34.64 ± 1.39 mg/L) and lutein (13.81 ± 1.23 mg/g or 33.97 ± 2.61 mg/L). CZ-<I>bkt</I>1 is the sole species up to date with the ability to accumulate high amounts of the three carotenoids that are essential for human health.</P><P><B>Graphic Abstract</B><BR><IMG SRC='http://pubs.acs.org/appl/literatum/publisher/achs/journals/content/jafcau/2018/jafcau.2018.66.issue-4/acs.jafc.7b05400/production/images/medium/jf-2017-05400b_0006.gif'></P><P><A href='http://pubs.acs.org/doi/suppl/10.1021/jf7b05400'>ACS Electronic Supporting Info</A></P>