Isolation of Carotenoid Hyperproducing Mutants of Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous (Phaffia rhodozyma) by Flow Cytometry and Cell Sorting

Approaches for improving astaxanthin yields in Xanthophyllomyces dendrorhous include optimization of fermentation conditions and generation of hyperproducing mutants through random mutagenesis using chemical or physical means. A key limitation of classical mutagenesis is the labor-intensive nature of the screening processes required to find relatively rare mutants having increased carotenoid content, as these are present against a high background of low-interest cells. Here, flow cytometry is described as a high-throughput, single-cell method for primary enrichment of mutagenized cells expressing high levels of astaxanthin. This approach improves the speed and productivity of classical strain selection, enhancing the chances for isolating the carotenoid hyperproducing mutants (CHMs) needed to enable high-titer, economical production of natural astaxanthin.