Fucoxanthin from Algae to Human, an Extraordinary Bioresource: Insights and Advances in up and Downstream Processes.

Fucoxanthin is a brown-colored pigment from algae, with great potential as a bioactive molecule due to its numerous properties. This review aims to present current knowledge on this high added-value pigment. An accurate analysis of the biological function of fucoxanthin explains its wide photon absorption capacities in golden-brown algae. The specific chemical structure of this pigment also leads to many functional activities in human health. They are outlined in this work and are supported by the latest studies in the literature. The scientific and industrial interest in fucoxanthin is correlated with great improvements in the development of algae cultures and downstream processes. The best fucoxanthin producing algae and their associated culture parameters are described. The light intensity is a major influencing factor, as it has to enable both a high biomass growth and a high fucoxanthin content. This review also insists on the most eco-friendly and innovative extraction methods and their perspective within the next years. The use of bio-based solvents, aqueous two-phase systems and the centrifugal partition chromatography are the most promising processes. The analysis of the global market and multiple applications of fucoxanthin revealed that Asian companies are major actors in the market with macroalgae. In addition, fucoxanthin from microalgae are currently produced in Israel and France, and are mostly authorized in the USA.

The Fucoxanthin Chlorophyll a/c-Binding Protein in Tisochrysis lutea: Influence of Nitrogen and Light on Fucoxanthin and Chlorophyll a/c-Binding Protein Gene Expression and Fucoxanthin Synthesis.

We observed differences in lhc classification in Chromista. We proposed a classification of the lhcf family with two groups specific to haptophytes, one specific to diatoms, and one specific to seaweeds. Identification and characterization of the Fucoxanthin and Chlorophyll a/c-binding Protein (FCP) of the haptophyte microalgae Tisochrysis lutea were performed by similarity analysis. The FCP family contains 52 lhc genes in T. lutea. FCP pigment binding site candidates were characterized on Lhcf protein monomers of T. lutea, which possesses at least nine chlorophylls and five fucoxanthin molecules, on average, per monomer. The expression of T. lutea lhc genes was assessed during turbidostat and chemostat experiments, one with constant light (CL) and changing nitrogen phases, the second with a 12 h:12 h sinusoidal photoperiod and changing nitrogen phases. RNA-seq analysis revealed a dynamic decrease in the expression of lhc genes with nitrogen depletion. We observed that T. lutea lhcx2 was only expressed at night, suggesting that its role is to protect \cells from return of light after prolonged darkness exposure.