ArticleScientific reports2025
Metabolically engineered plant cell cultures as biofactories for the production of high-value carotenoids astaxanthin and canthaxanthin.
Article in Scientific reports, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed.
- Machine learning-assisted single-cell Raman imaging for rapid, sensitive detection and intracellular mapping of carotenoids in plant cell cultures.Plant cell reports · 2026Article
- Canthaxanthin substitution of β-carotene yields structurally stable yet spectrally robust photosystem I cores in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.Photosynthesis research · 2026Article
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Authors and funding
3 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Astaxanthin and canthaxanthin are high-value carotenoids with growing demand due to their antioxidant properties and applications in food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical sectors. However, natural sources are limited and current production methods are often costly or unsustainable. In this study, we developed a plant-based platform for ketocarotenoid biosynthesis using metabolically engineered Nicotiana tabacum BY-2 cell suspension cultures. Specifically, we expressed a marine bacterial crtW gene (β-carotene ketolase) alone or in combination with overexpressed plant psy (phytoene synthase) and crtI (phytoene desaturase) genes. The resulting cell lines displayed visually distinct pigmentation and accumulated different ketocarotenoid profiles based on their genetic modifications. Single-gene transformants expressing crtW produced up to 50 µg g⁻¹ DW of canthaxanthin and 127 µg g⁻¹ DW of astaxanthin. Co-expression of all three genes significantly increased canthaxanthin accumulation to 788 µg g⁻¹ DW. Our results establish suspended undifferentiated plant cells as a scalable and sustainable system for ketocarotenoid production, offering a biological alternative to natural producers and chemical synthesis.
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