Carotenoid accumulation in the psychrotrophic bacterium Arthrobacter agilis in response to thermal and salt stress

• Published in: Applied microbiology and biotechnology Vol. 56; no. 5/6; pp. 750 - 756
• Main Authors: Fong, N.J.C, Burgess, M.L, Barrow, K.D, Glenn, D.R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01-09-2001; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Accumulation; Antarctica; Arthrobacter - drug effects; Arthrobacter - growth & development; Arthrobacter - metabolism; Arthrobacter - physiology; Arthrobacter agilis; Bacteria; Biological and medical sciences; Biology of microorganisms of confirmed or potential industrial interest; Biomass; biomass production; Biotechnology; Brackish; Carotenoids; Carotenoids - chemistry; Carotenoids - metabolism; Cold Temperature; Cultivation; Culture Media; Freshwater; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; glycosylation; ice; Low temperature; Miscellaneous; Mission oriented research; psychrotrophic bacteria; Salinity; salt stress; Sea ice; Sodium chloride; Sodium Chloride - pharmacology; Temperature; Antarctic region; PS, Antarctica; Arthrobacter agilis; Microorganism growth; Adaptive response; Environmental factor; Stress; Production; Microorganism culture; Bacteria; Actinomycetes; Psychrotrophy; Carotenoid; Low temperature; Sodium Chlorides
• ISSN: 0175-7598; 1432-0614
• DOI: 10.1007/s002530100739

A psychrotrophic strain of Arthrobacter agilis, isolated from Antarctic sea ice, grows from 5 degrees C to 40 degrees C and in culture media containing 0-10% (w/v) NaCl. Maximum growth rate occurred at 30-35 degrees C with a drastic decline as the cultivation temperatures diverged. Adaptation to extremes of low temperature may be partially attributed to the production of the C-50 carotenoid bacterioruberin, and its glycosylated derivatives. Lowering of the cultivation temperature resulted in a concomitant increase in carotenoid production, which may contribute to membrane stabilisation at low temperature. Maximum biomass accumulation occurred at 5-30 degrees C with a tenfold reduction at 40 degrees C. Changes in growth rates were minimal in culture media containing 0-2% (w/v) NaCl at 10 degrees C while a gradual decrease in growth rates occurred at higher salinity. Biomass accumulation at different salinity followed a trend similar to that observed with different cultivation temperatures. Maximum biomass accumulation was observed in culture media containing 0-5% (w/v) NaCl with a tenfold reduction at 10% (w/v) NaCl. Carotenoid production also decreased as salinity increased.