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CAROTENOIDES DE ORIGEN MICROBIANO: BIOSÍNTESIS, PROPIEDADES BIOACTIVAS Y APLICACIONES INDUSTRIALES
MICROBIAL CAROTENOIDS: BIOSYNTHESIS, BIOACTIVE PROPERTIES, AND INDUSTRIAL APPLICATIONS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15446/rev.fac.cienc.v15n2.124330Palabras clave:
bioprocesos , biotecnología microbiana , compuestos bioactivos , pigmentos microbianos , producción industrial (es)bioactive compounds , bioprocesses , industrial production , microbial biotechnology , microbial pigments (en)
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Los carotenoides son pigmentos de naturaleza liposoluble ampliamente distribuidos en organismos fotosintéticos y en diversos microorganismos. Además de su función colorante, estos compuestos presentan propiedades bioactivas destacadas, entre las que sobresalen su elevada capacidad antioxidante y su contribución a la salud humana y animal. En los últimos años, la producción biotecnológica de carotenoides a partir de microorganismos como microalgas, hongos filamentosos y levaduras ha cobrado creciente interés debido a las ventajas que ofrece frente a la síntesis química y la extracción vegetal, incluyendo el uso de sustratos renovables, la independencia de condiciones climáticas y la reducción de residuos contaminantes. En este artículo se revisan las rutas biosintéticas que conducen a la formación de carotenoides por microorganismos, sus principales propiedades y aplicaciones, así como los avances y perspectivas en su producción a nivel industrial, destacando su relevancia como ingredientes funcionales de alto valor nutracéutico y comercial.
Carotenoids are liposoluble pigments widely distributed among photosynthetic organisms and various microorganisms. Beyond their role as colorants, these compounds exhibit important bioactive properties, particularly their high antioxidant capacity and their contribution to human and animal health. In recent years, the biotechnological production of carotenoids using microorganisms such as microalgae, filamentous fungi, and yeasts has gained increasing attention due to its advantages over chemical synthesis and plant extraction, including the use of renewable substrates, independence from climatic conditions, and lower generation of contaminant effluents. This review examines the biosynthetic pathways involved in carotenoid formation by microorganisms, their main properties and applications, and recent advances and future perspectives in their large-scale industrial production, highlighting their relevance as high-value nutraceutical and commercial compounds.
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