Dunaliella mutant strain and pigment production method using the same

Eye health ingredient produced via seawater cultivation of non-GMO Dunaliella mutant strains for lutein and zeaxanthin

This technology features the Dunaliella MP3 mutant strain, which has an enhanced capacity to produce xanthophylls—specifically lutein and zeaxanthin—along with its cultures, dried products, and extracts. These algae are used as raw materials for food, feed, and oral compositions, and the production method for cultivating the algae and extracting the pigments is also included.

Marigold flowers, the primary source of the macular pigments lutein and zeaxanthin, have high production costs due to long breeding times and low yields relative to cultivation area. Methods involving the insertion of pigment synthesis pathways into bacteria are difficult to use in food additives and face significant consumer resistance regarding GMOs, while wild-type microalgae have limited utility as production strains because their zeaxanthin content is extremely low depending on light intensity.

This technology utilizes the MP3 strain, obtained through mutation rather than genetic recombination, to produce pigments with a high zeaxanthin ratio using less energy. By leveraging the characteristics of halophilic microalgae, seawater can be used as a culture medium. Xanthophylls derived from these algae are used to prevent eye function decline, retinal damage, and vision loss. Applicable to eye health supplements, natural food colorings, and livestock/aquaculture feed additives, this provides a low-cost, non-GMO alternative to marigold-derived lutein and zeaxanthin.

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Key Features:

• Dunaliella sp. MP3 algae with xanthophyll production capacity, deposited under accession number KACC 12990BP
• Dunaliella sp. MP3 algae that co-produce one or more pigments, including lutein, zeaxanthin, chlorophyll a/b, and beta-carotene
• A pigment composition containing one or more of Dunaliella sp. MP3 algae, its cultures, dried products, and extracts, with an increased ratio of zeaxanthin in the total pigment content
• A composition for food or food additives containing Dunaliella sp. MP3 algae for maintaining eye health and preventing or improving macular degeneration

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This invention was developed with support from the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning for the development of high-efficiency carbon dioxide-fixing microalgae through molecular biological improvement.

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