# US 2021/0340489 A1 · Method of culturing haematococcus species for manufacturing of astaxanthin

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- Number: US 2021/0340489 A1
- Document ID: US20210340489A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 17/370,849
- Filed: 2021-07-08
- Published: 2021-11-04
- Earliest claimed: 2015-09-11
- Assignees: Universität zu Köln
- Applicants: UniversitäT Zu KöLn
- Inventors: Bjorn Podola; Michael Melkonian; Alice Costa Kiperstok; Petra Sebestyen
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20210340489A1

## CPC

- C12N 1/12: Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor (as new plants A01H13/00)
- C12P 23/00: Preparation of compounds containing a cyclohexene ring having an unsaturated side chain containing at least ten carbon atoms bound by conjugated double bonds, e.g. carotenes (containing heterorings C12P17/00)
- C12N 2529/10: Stimulation by light
- C12N: MICROORGANISMS OR ENZYMES; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF; PROPAGATING, PRESERVING, OR MAINTAINING MICROORGANISMS; MUTATION OR GENETIC ENGINEERING; CULTURE MEDIA (microbiological testing media C12Q1/00)
- C12P: FERMENTATION OR ENZYME-USING PROCESSES TO SYNTHESISE A DESIRED CHEMICAL COMPOUND OR COMPOSITION OR TO SEPARATE OPTICAL ISOMERS FROM A RACEMIC MIXTURE {(brewing of beer C12C; producing vinegar C12J; producing specific peptides or proteins C07K; producing enzymes C12N9/00; DNA or RNA concerning genetic engineering, vectors, e.g. plasmids, or their isolation, preparation or purification C12N15/00; measuring or testing processes involving enzymes or microorganisms C12Q; measuring or testing processes involving nucleic acid amplification reactions C12Q1/6844; fermentation processes to form a food composition, A21 or A23; compounds in general, see the relevant compound class, e.g. C01, C07)}

## Abstract

A method of culturing Haematococcus species for manufacturing of astaxanthin comprising the steps of: providing a substrate, arranging the Haematococcus species on the surface of the substrate, exposing the Haematococcus species arranged on the substrate to high light intensities from the beginning of a culturing process and avoiding a two-step culturing process of the Haematococcus species with a first step which is an initial culturing taking place by exposure of the Haematococcus species to low light energy followed by a second step of subsequent culturing of the Haematococcus species by exposure of the Haematococcus species to higher light energy than applied in the first step to induce astaxanthin formation, and optionally—harvesting the cultured Haematococcus species and/or—isolating astaxanthin.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

1-9. (canceled)

### Claim 10

A process for an improved astaxanthin production comprising a biofilm cultivation of Haematococcus on a substrate in a one-step procedure at high light intensity to increase biomass productivity and induce and increase astaxanthin production at the same time, wherein high light intensity is 200 μmol photons m−2 s−1 or more.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the astaxanthin is isolated from harvested Haematococcus species.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the Haematococcus species is Haematococcus pluvialis.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the substrate is a sheet-like material.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the substrate is a porous sheet.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The method of claim 13, wherein the sheet-like material is selected from the group consisting of paper, cellulose ester, in particular cellulose acetate, mixed cellulose ester, cellulose, cellulose nitrate, polyamides, polyesters and polyolefins.

### Claim 16 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein a light/dark cycle of 14/10 hours is used in combination with 5% CO2 during the cultivation.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein the amount of astaxanthin is higher than 4 g m−2.

### Claim 18 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10, wherein a low-light exposure is not mandatory, wherein low light is 50 μmol photons m−2 s−1 to less than 200 μmol photons m−2 s−1.