Ultra High-Pressure and Ion Implantation Combined Mutagenesis to Improve the Production of β-Carotene from Red Yeast

The Ultra high pressure (UHP) and ion implantation were used to improve the yield of β-carotene from Rhodotorula glutinis NR-98. A mutant G-39 strain was achieved by using ultra high pressure to treat NR-98 strain at a pressure of 300 MPa. The yield of β-carotene increased from the original concentration of 6.03 mg/L to 9.64 mg/L, the increase percentage was 59.87%. Passage experiment indicated it has a good genetic stability. Then, low energy nitrogen ion of 10 Kev was injected to treat the mutant G-39 strain. The other ion mutant GL-5 strain was obtained after screening. The yield of β-carotene was increased from 9.64 mg/L to 17.36 mg/L with an increase percentage of 80.08%. GL-5 strain also has a good genetic stability. The study showed that good mutagenesis effects could be obtained by using combined UHP and ion implantation methods to treat with Rhodotorula glutinis NR-98. The yield of β-carotene was increased from 6.03 mg/L to 17.36 mg/L with a total increase percentage of 188%. The result has a practical application prospect.