Microbial Pigments

Dear Colleagues,

With the impact of globalization in research trends, the search for healthier lifestyles, the increasing public demand for natural, organic, and ‘clean labelled’ products, as well as the growing global market for natural colorants and pigments in economically fast-growing countries all over the world, microorganisms have started to be investigated as readily available sources of chemically diverse pigments and colorants. For all of these reasons, this Special Issue of Microorganisms will highlight exciting findings which may pave the way for alternative and/or additional biotechnological processes for industrial applications of microbial pigments and colorants. Research papers and reviews about microbial biodiversity from terrestrial and marine origins are welcome, bringing new elements about archeabacteria, cyanobacteria, bacteria, yeasts, and fungi as potential sources of well-known carotenoid pigments (e.g., b-carotene, lycopene, astaxanthine, phytoene, phytofluene), indigo and specific pigmented polyketide molecules, such as Monascus and Monascus-like azaphilones, which are not known to be biosynthesized by any other organisms like higher plants. These polyketide pigments also include promising and yet unexplored hydroxy–anthraquinoid colorants from Ascomycetous species. The investigation of biosynthetic pathways of the carotenoids and polyketide-derivative colored molecules (i.e., azaphilones, hydroxyanthraquinones, and naphthoquinones) in pigment-producing fungal species could be the focus of some articles. Contributions about alternative greener extraction processes of the fungal colored compounds, along with current industrial applications, description of their limits, and further opportunities for the use of microbial pigments in beverage, food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, textile, leather, and painting areas will also be part of this Special Issue.

Prof. Dr. Laurent Dufossé
Guest Editor

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