Natural resources of zeaxanthin are extremely limited. A Chlorella zofingiensis mutant (CZ-bkt1), which could accumulate high amounts of zeaxanthin, was generated and characterized. CZ-bkt1 was achieved by treating the algal cells with a chemical mutagen followed by a color-based colony-screening approach. CZ-bkt1 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-bkt1 to accumulate zeaxanthin. CZ-bkt1 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-bkt1 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-bkt1 is the sole species up to date with the ability to accumulate high amounts of the three carotenoids that are essential for human health.

中文翻译：

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铜绿小球藻突变体诱导玉米黄质，叶黄素和β-胡萝卜素的高产

玉米黄质的天然资源极为有限。产生并鉴定了可累积大量玉米黄质的小绿藻小球藻突变体（CZ- bkt 1）。通过用化学诱变剂处理藻类细胞，然后进行基于颜色的菌落筛选方法，可实现CZ- bkt 1。CZ- BKT 1被发现由一个不正常的类胡萝卜素酮酶，导致玉米黄质，而不是它的下游ketocarotenoid虾青素的积累。光照射，葡萄糖，NaCl和氮缺乏都诱导CZ- bkt 1积累玉米黄质。CZ- BKT1在高光照射和氮缺乏诱导下积累的玉米黄质可达7.00±0.82 mg / L，而通过补充饲喂葡萄糖则可高达36.79±2.23 mg / L。此外，除玉米黄质外，CZ- bkt 1还积累了大量的β-胡萝卜素（7.18±0.72 mg / g或34.64±1.39 mg / L）和叶黄素（13.81±1.23 mg / g或33.97±2.61 mg / L ）。CZ- bkt 1是迄今为止唯一的一种能够积累大量对人体健康至关重要的三种类胡萝卜素的物种。