ISSN: 0973-7510

E-ISSN: 2581-690X

Research Article | Open Access

Tassnapa Wongsnansilp1,2, Kittisak Yokthongwattana3 , Sittiruk Roytrakul4 and Niran Juntawong5

1Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Bioscience, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
2Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Science and Fisheries Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology, Srivijaya, Trang Campus, Trang 92150, Thailand.
3Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, 272 Rama 6 Rd., Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
4National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand.
5Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Thailand.
J Pure Appl Microbiol, 2019, 13 (1): 193-200 | Article Number: 5408
Received: 17/01/2019 | Accepted: 07/02/2019 | Published: 27/03/2019
Abstract

Dunaliella salina is an important microalga for β-carotene production. In Thailand, the D. salina has not been commercially cultivated. Aim of this study was to screen high β-carotene producing mutants. D. salina KU11 cells were radiated with 0.4 mmol photons m-2·s-1  UV-C for 22 min. After 3 weeks, colonies which survived after radiation were allowed to grow on agar plates; fifty colonies out of 19,720 UV-mutagenized strains turned to orange. These colonies were picked up and transfer to modified Johnson medium. Four mutants out of fifty were KU5, KU18, KU20 and KU37 significantly produced high β-carotene at the stationary phase approximately up to 1.62, 2.03, 1.32 and 1.21 folds, respectively, compared to the wild type strain. In all three consecutive cycles of cultivation, the mutant KU18 accumulated 2.4-8.5 folds β-carotene (µg/ml) and 2.1-4.8 folds β-carotene (pg/cell) higher than the wild type, whereas cell density of the mutant KU18 was not different from the wild type. This is the new record of β-carotene producing mutant isolated from saline soil in Thailand.

Keywords

Dunaliella salina; UV-C radiation; β-carotene; high salinity.

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