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Fermentation
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Pigment Production in Submerged Fermentation: Second Edition
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Pigment Production in Submerged Fermentation: Second Edition

A special issue of Fermentation (ISSN 2311-5637). This special issue belongs to the section "Microbial Metabolism, Physiology & Genetics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 16380

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Mekala Venkatachalam

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Chemistry and Biotechnology of Natural Products (CHEMBIOPRO), Faculty of Sciences and Technologies, Université de la Réunion, F-97744 Saint-Denis, France
Interests: fermentation; microbial pigments; probiotics and prebiotics; lactic acid bacteria; soil microbes; yeast extracts; food microbiology; food science and technology; plant biostimulants; functional foods
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Laurent Dufossé

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
Laboratoire de Chimie des Substances Naturelles et des Sciences des Aliments, ESIROI Département Agroalimentaire, Université de La Réunion, 2 rue Joseph Wetzell, F‐97490 Sainte‐Clotilde, La Réunion, France
Interests: sustainable textile; microbial biotechnology; microbial production of pigments and colorants; fermentation; bioprocess engineering and fermentation technology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The previous edition of this Special Issue, “Pigment Production in Submerged Fermentation”, in Journal of Fermentation just closed with thirteen publications, including twelve research articles and one review. It is now time to open the next edition to present the latest advances in pigment production research both in academia and industry.

There has been a considerable increase in consumer demand for natural, sustainable, clean-label pigments in all sectors, including food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, painting, printing inks, etc. The growing use of natural pigments in various industries, particularly the food industry, has seen a long-term structural shift from synthetic to natural sources, which is projected to drive the market growth rate and boost its demand globally. To meet these global demands, microorganisms have been considered and are widely being researched as a promising niche for pigment production due to their vast diversity in nature, ease of large-scale production, and possession of diverse chemical structures with bioactive properties. This indicates that future generations will depend on microbial pigments over synthetic colorants for sustainable livelihoods. Indeed, there are more untapped sources that need to be explored to produce pigmented compounds. This Special Issue aims to collect both review and research articles on exciting findings and significant advances related to:

  • Pigment production from different sources of microbes isolated from terrestrial or marine ecosystems, including actinobacteria, archaebacteria, cyanobacteria, bacteria, fungi, microalgae, and yeasts by submerged fermentation;
  • Studies on different biosynthetic pathways of pigment such as carotenoids and polyketide-derived colorants;
  • Utilization of agro-industrial wastes as an alternative media substitute for pigment production and its enhancement under submerged fermentation;
  • Any scale-up studies, from bench to pilot scale, on the impact of different process parameters on growth and pigment production, challenges arising during fermentation, and how they are addressed;
  • Characterization and identification of pigments using high-throughput LC-MS analyses;
  • Insights on the use of alternative green extraction techniques for easy downstream processing and yield improvement for pigments;
  • Production and identification of various bioactive pigmented compounds produced by microbes and their potential application in various sectors;
  • Exploration of the current applications of pigments in different industries, such as food, beverage, pharma, cosmetics, textiles, inks, leathers, paintings, and their associated challenges, usage limitations, and further opportunities;
  • Review on start-ups and industrial players targeted towards fermentation-based pigment production.

Dr. Mekala Venkatachalam
Prof. Dr. Laurent Dufossé
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fermentation is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2100 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • microorganisms
  • microbial pigments
  • natural colorants
  • secondary metabolites
  • submerged fermentation
  • biosynthetic pathway
  • culture conditions
  • pigment characterization
  • bioactive pigments

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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25 pages, 5901 KiB  
Article
Exploration of the Bioactivity of Pigmented Extracts from Streptomyces Strains Isolated Along the Banks of the Guaviare and Arauca Rivers (Colombia)
by Aixa A. Sarmiento-Tovar, Sara J. Prada-Rubio, Juliana Gonzalez-Ronseria, Ericsson Coy-Barrera and Luis Diaz
Fermentation 2024, 10(10), 529; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation10100529 - 17 Oct 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1820
Abstract
Pigments are chemical compounds that impart color through mechanisms such as absorption, reflection, and refraction. While traditional natural pigments are derived from plant and insect tissues, microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, algae, and filamentous fungi, have emerged as promising sources for pigment production. In [...] Read more.
Pigments are chemical compounds that impart color through mechanisms such as absorption, reflection, and refraction. While traditional natural pigments are derived from plant and insect tissues, microorganisms, including bacteria, yeasts, algae, and filamentous fungi, have emerged as promising sources for pigment production. In this study, we focused on pigment production by 20 Streptomyces isolates from our in-house actinobacteria strain collection, sourced from the Guaviare and Arauca Rivers in Colombia. The isolates were identified via 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and the bioactivities—including antioxidant, antibacterial, and cytotoxic properties—of their extracts obtained across four different culture media were assessed. Promising pigmented hydroalcoholic extracts demonstrating these bioactivities were further analyzed using LC-MS, leading to the annotation of a variety of pigment-related compounds. This study revealed that culture media significantly influenced both pigment production and bioactivity outcomes. Notably, anthraquinones, phenazines, and naphthoquinones were predominant pigment classes associated with cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities, while carotenoids were linked to antioxidant effects. For instance, S. murinus 4C171 produced various compounds exhibiting both cytotoxic and antioxidant activities. These findings highlighted a growth medium-dependent effect, as pigment production, coloration, and bioactivity outcomes were influenced by growth media. These results demonstrate the significant potential of Streptomyces isolates as sources of bioactive pigments for diverse applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pigment Production in Submerged Fermentation: Second Edition)
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15 pages, 2739 KiB  
Article
Using Omics Techniques to Analyze the Effects of Gene Mutations and Culture Conditions on the Synthesis of β-Carotene in Pantoea dispersa
by Na Liu and Tangbing Cui
Fermentation 2024, 10(2), 83; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation10020083 - 30 Jan 2024
Viewed by 2085
Abstract
β-carotene possesses antioxidant properties and holds significant research value. In our study, we have successfully identified a strain of Pantoea dispersa MSC14 which has the capability to produce β-carotene. By incorporating corn steep liquor powder into culture medium and employing mutagenesis breeding techniques, [...] Read more.
β-carotene possesses antioxidant properties and holds significant research value. In our study, we have successfully identified a strain of Pantoea dispersa MSC14 which has the capability to produce β-carotene. By incorporating corn steep liquor powder into culture medium and employing mutagenesis breeding techniques, we have successfully increased the production of β-carotene in the MSC14 strain by 13.97% and 29.22%, respectively. To gain further insights, we conducted genomic and transcriptomics analyses. These analyses revealed a significant mutation in the gndA (6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase) gene of the mutant strain 14P9, resulting in a 33.74% decrease in 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activity. Using transcriptomics analysis, we investigated the impact of this mutation on β-carotene production and explored the interconnectedness between carbon metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and β-carotene synthesis. The up-regulation of the trxC (Thioredoxin-2) gene, as observed in both transcriptomics results, prompted us to construct strains that overexpress trxC. This manipulation resulted in a notable 15.89% increase in β-carotene production, highlighting the significant impact of of the trxC gene on the β-carotene content of Pantoea dispersa. In conclusion, our study has successfully identified Pantoea dispersa MSC14 as a proficient producer of β-carotene. Furthermore, we have uncovered two genes implicated in the biosynthesis of β-carotene. These findings enhance our understanding of β-carotene synthesis and provide valuable guidance for carotenoid biosynthesis. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pigment Production in Submerged Fermentation: Second Edition)
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Review

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16 pages, 2119 KiB  
Review
Production of Carotenoids by Microorganisms
by Margarita Saubenova, Alexander Rapoport, Mekala Venkatachalam, Laurent Dufossé, Zhanerke Yermekbay and Yelena Oleinikova
Fermentation 2024, 10(10), 502; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation10100502 - 30 Sep 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4078
Abstract
Carotenoids are one of the most studied groups of biologically active compounds. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and coloring properties and are particularly interesting for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food, feed, cosmetic, and textile industries. Rapidly growing consumer demand for natural products has led [...] Read more.
Carotenoids are one of the most studied groups of biologically active compounds. They have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and coloring properties and are particularly interesting for the pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, food, feed, cosmetic, and textile industries. Rapidly growing consumer demand for natural products has led to a significant increase in research and development of opportunities for their production from natural sources. Among the sources of carotenoids of natural origin, various microorganisms are of greater interest. This mini-review briefly summarizes the information published mainly during the last decade about carotenoid-producing microorganisms, the physiological importance of carotenoids for microbial cells, and the possibilities to improve their biosynthesis. This review also describes some new approaches/directions to make biotechnological production of microbial carotenoids more efficient. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pigment Production in Submerged Fermentation: Second Edition)
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15 pages, 1025 KiB  
Review
Current Advances in Carotenoid Production by Rhodotorula sp.
by Nayra Ochoa-Viñals, Dania Alonso-Estrada, Sandra Pacios-Michelena, Ariel García-Cruz, Rodolfo Ramos-González, Evelyn Faife-Pérez, Lourdes Georgina Michelena-Álvarez, José Luis Martínez-Hernández and Anna Iliná
Fermentation 2024, 10(4), 190; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation10040190 - 30 Mar 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 5012
Abstract
Microbial carotenoids are pigments of lipophilic nature; they are considered promising substitutes for chemically synthesized carotenoids in the food industry. Their benefits for human health have been demonstrated due to their antioxidant capacity. Yeasts of the genus Rhodotorula have genotypic characteristics that allow [...] Read more.
Microbial carotenoids are pigments of lipophilic nature; they are considered promising substitutes for chemically synthesized carotenoids in the food industry. Their benefits for human health have been demonstrated due to their antioxidant capacity. Yeasts of the genus Rhodotorula have genotypic characteristics that allow them to accumulate high concentrations of carotenes under certain stress conditions. The present review includes recent information covering different aspects of carotenoid production in Rhodotorula sp. fermentation. This review focuses on fermentation carotenoid production strategies, describing various economic raw materials as sources of carbon and nitrogen, the capacity for tolerance to heavy metals, and the effect of light, pH, and salts on the accumulation of carotenoids. Genetic modification strategies used to obtain strains with increased carotenoid production are described. Furthermore, using magnetic nanoparticles in the fermentation system, which could be a stress factor that increases pigment production, is considered for the first time. Rhodotorula is a potential source of high-value carotenoids with applications in the cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and food industries. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pigment Production in Submerged Fermentation: Second Edition)
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22 pages, 2919 KiB  
Review
Seeing Colors: A Literature Review on Colorimetric Whole-Cell Biosensors
by Georgio Nemer, Mohamed Koubaa, Laure El Chamy, Richard G. Maroun and Nicolas Louka
Fermentation 2024, 10(2), 79; https://doi.org/10.3390/fermentation10020079 - 25 Jan 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2997
Abstract
Colorimetric whole-cell biosensors are natural or genetically engineered microorganisms utilized to detect target molecules and ions as indicators of pollutants and biological activity in the environment. Upon detection, within specific concentration ranges which vary depending on the microorganism and its genetic circuitry among [...] Read more.
Colorimetric whole-cell biosensors are natural or genetically engineered microorganisms utilized to detect target molecules and ions as indicators of pollutants and biological activity in the environment. Upon detection, within specific concentration ranges which vary depending on the microorganism and its genetic circuitry among other factors, these sensors produce pigments which can be detected with the human eye past certain thresholds and quantified using simple analytical techniques, namely spectrophotometry. These sensors, which can be rendered portable through lyophilization and other methods, provide valuable and reliable substitutes of more demanding analytical ex situ techniques. The insights gained from this review can highlight technological progress in the field and contribute to the identification of potential opportunities afforded by these advancements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pigment Production in Submerged Fermentation: Second Edition)
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