Estimation of bacterioruberin by Raman spectroscopy during the growth of halophilic archaeon Haloarcula marismortui

Deciphering Pathways for Carotenogenesis in Haloarchaea

Bacterioruberin and its derivatives have been described as the major carotenoids produced by haloarchaea (halophilic microbes belonging to the Archaea domain). Recently, different works have revealed that some haloarchaea synthetize other carotenoids at very low concentrations, like lycopene, lycopersene, cis- and trans-phytoene, cis- and trans-phytofluene, neo-β-carotene, and neo-α-carotene. However, there is still controversy about the nature of the pathways for carotenogenesis in haloarchaea. During the last decade, the number of haloarchaeal genomes fully sequenced and assembled has increased significantly. Although some of these genomes are not fully annotated, and many others are drafts, this information provides a new approach to exploring the capability of haloarchaea to produce carotenoids. This work conducts a deeply bioinformatic analysis to establish a hypothetical metabolic map connecting all the potential pathways involved in carotenogenesis in haloarchaea. Special interest has been focused on the synthesis of bacterioruberin in members of the Haloferax genus. The main finding is that in almost all the genus analyzed, a functioning alternative mevalonic acid (MVA) pathway provides isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP) in haloarchaea. Then, the main branch to synthesized carotenoids proceeds up to lycopene from which β-carotene or bacterioruberin (and its precursors: monoanhydrobacterioriberin, bisanhydrobacterioruberin, dihydrobisanhydrobacteriuberin, isopentenyldehydrorhodopsin, and dihydroisopenthenyldehydrorhodopsin) can be made.

Effects of nicotine on the biosynthesis of carotenoids in halophilic Archaea (class Halobacteria): an HPLC and Raman spectroscopy study

Nicotine has a profound influence on the carotenoid metabolism in halophilic Archaea of the class Halobacteria. In a study of Halobacterium salinarum, Haloarcula marismortui and Halorubrum sodomense, using different analytical techniques to monitor the production of different carotenoids as a function of the presence of nicotine, we showed that the formation of α-bacterioruberin was inhibited in all. In Hbt. salinarum, addition of nicotine led to a significant change in the color of the culture due to the accumulation of lycopene, in addition to the formation of bisanhydrobacterioruberin which does not differ in color from α-bacterioruberin. Very little or no lycopene was formed in Har. marismortui and in Hrr. sodomense; instead bisanhydrobacterioruberin was the only major carotenoid found in nicotine-amended cultures. The findings are discussed in the framework of the recently elucidated biochemical pathway for the formation of the different carotenoid pigments encountered in the Halobacteria.

Biology and survival of extremely halophilic archaeon Haloarcula marismortui RR12 isolated from Mumbai salterns, India in response to salinity stress

Haloarchaea are unique microorganism’s resistant to environmental and osmotic stresses and thrive in their habitats despite extreme fluctuating salinities. In the present study, haloarchaea were isolated from hypersaline thalossohaline salterns of Bhandup, Mumbai, India and were identified as Haloferax prahovense, Haloferax alexandrines, Haloferax lucentense, Haloarcula tradensis, Haloarcula marismortui and Haloarcula argentinensis. The mechanism of adaptation to contrasting salinities (1.5 M and 4.5 M) was investigated in the extreme haloarchaeon, Hal. marismortui RR12. Hal. marismortui RR12 increased the intracellular sequestration of K⁺ and Cl⁻ ions in hypo salinity and hyper salinity respectively as detected by Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy microanalysis (EDAX) and Inductively Coupled Plasma- atomic Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-AES) indicating the presence of ‘salt-in’ strategy of osmoadaptation. As a cellular response to salinity stress, it produced small heat shock like proteins (sHSP) identified using MALDI-TOF MS and increased the production of protective red carotenoid pigment. This is the first report on the study of the concomitant cellular, molecular and physiological mechanism adapted by Hal. marismortui RR12 when exposed to contrasting salinities in external environment.

Carotenoid Production by Halophilic Archaea Under Different Culture Conditions

Carotenoids are pigments that may be used as colorants and antioxidants in food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Since they also benefit human health, great efforts have been undertaken to search for natural sources of carotenoids, including microbial ones. The optimization of culture conditions to increase carotenoid yield is one of the strategies used to minimize the high cost of carotenoid production by microorganisms. Halophilic archaea are capable of producing carotenoids according to culture conditions. Their main carotenoid is bacterioruberin with 50 carbon atoms. In fact, the carotenoid has important biological functions since it acts as cell membrane reinforcement and it protects the microorganism against DNA damaging agents. Moreover, carotenoid extracts from halophilic archaea have shown high antioxidant capacity. Therefore, current review summarizes the effect of different culture conditions such as salt and carbon source concentrations in the medium, light incidence, and oxygen tension on carotenoid production by halophilic archaea and the strategies such as optimization methodology and two-stage cultivation already used to increase the carotenoid yield of these microorganisms.