Astaxanthin Overproduction Enhanced by Metabolomics-Guided Rational Metabolic Engineering in <i>Synechococcus</i> sp. PCC 7002.

ABSTRACT: Astaxanthin, a natural red pigment with antioxidant and other physiological activities, is widely used in the feed, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Haematococcus pluvialis is a well-known microbial producer of astaxanthin; however, its slow growth and requirement for a complex two-stage cultivation under high-light conditions limit large-scale application due to increased contamination risk. As an alternative, Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 offers rapid growth and robustness, but metabolic engineering strategies to enhance astaxanthin production in this strain remain underexplored. In this study, we applied a metabolomics-guided approach to identify novel metabolic bottlenecks and engineering targets. A base strain expressing β-carotene hydroxylase (crtZ) and keto

SUBMITTER: Ida K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12645575 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature