Sammanfattning
Background: The extract Lycogen (TM) from the phototrophic bacterium Rhodobacter
sphaeroides (WL-APD911) has attracted significant attention because of its promising potential as a
bioactive mixture, attributed in part to its anti-inflammatory properties and anti-oxidative activity.
Objective: This study aims to investigate the components of Lycogen(TM) and its anti-inflammatory
properties and anti-oxidative activity.
Design and results: The mutant strain R. sphaeroides (WL-APD911) whose carotenoid 1,2-hydratase
gene has been altered by chemical mutagenesis was used for the production of a new carotenoid.
The strain was grown at 30°C on Luria-ertani (LB) agar plates. After a 4-day culture period, the mutant
strain displayed a 3.5-fold increase in carotenoid content, relative to the wild type. In the DPPH test,
Lycogen(TM) showed more potent anti-oxidative activity than lycopene from the wild-type strain.
Primary skin irritation test with hamsters showed no irritation response in hamster skins after 30
days of treatment with 0.2% Lycogen(TM). Chemical investigations of Lycogen(TM) using nuclear
magnetic resonance (NMR) 1H, 13C, and COSY/DQCOSY spectra have identified spheroidenone and
methoxyneurosporene. Quantitative analysis of these identified compounds based on spectral
intensities indicates that spheroidenone and methoxyneurosporene are major components
(approximately 1:1); very small quantities of other derivatives are also present in the sample.
Conclusions: In this study, we identified the major carotenoid compounds contained in Lycogen(TM),
including spheroidenone and methoxyneurosporene by high-resolution NMR spectroscopy analysis.
The carotenoid content of this mutant strain of R. sphaeroides was 3.5-fold higher than that in normal
strain. Furthermore, Lycogen(TM) from the mutant strain is more potent than lycopene from the wild-
type strain and does not cause irritation in hamster skins. These findings suggest that this mutant
strain has the potential to be used as an enriched carotenoid source.