High-quality lycopene overaccumulation via inhibition of γ-carotene and ergosterol biosyntheses in Blakeslea trispora

Abstract

A novel method for producing high-quality lycopene from Blakeslea trispora through submerged fermentation is studied. 2-Isopropylimidazole at 300 mg/L completely inhibited lycopene cyclase, which limited the accumulation of γ-carotene and β-carotene. 2-Isopropylimidazole also intensified the metabolic flow of lycopene by increasing the expression levels of key enzymes involved in the lycopene synthetic pathway. Ketoconazole at 20 mg/L reduced the metabolic flow of ergosterol and increased lycopene content and production by 76.6% and 64.3%, respectively. Lycopene accounted for approximately 96% of the total carotenoids, whereas cis-lycopene accounted for approximately 35% of the total lycopene. The content and nutritional quality of lycopene from B. trispora were higher than those of lycopene from tomatoes. B. trispora is an ideal source of natural lycopene.

Keywords

• Blakeslea trispora
• Lycopene
• 2-Isopropylimidazole
• Ketoconazole