Diversity and Distribution of Carotenogenic Algae in Europe: A Review

Microalgae are the richest source of natural carotenoids, which are valuable pigments with a high share of benefits. Often, carotenoid-producing algae inhabit specific biotopes with unfavorable or even extremal conditions. Such biotopes, including alpine snow fields and hypersaline ponds, are widely distributed in Europe. They can serve as a source of new strains for biotechnology. The number of algal species used for obtaining these compounds on an industrial scale is limited. The data on them are poor. Moreover, some of them have been reported in non-English local scientific articles and theses. This review aims to summarize existing data on microalgal species, which are known as potential carotenoid producers in biotechnology. These include Haematococcus and Dunaliella, both well-known to the scientific community, as well as less-elucidated representatives. Their distribution will be covered throughout Europe: from the Greek Mediterranean coast in the south to the snow valleys in Norway in the north, and from the ponds in Amieiro (Portugal) in the west to the saline lakes and mountains in Crimea (Ukraine) in the east. A wide spectrum of algal secondary carotenoids is reviewed: beta-carotene, astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, echinenone, adonixanthin, and adonirubin. For convenience, the main concepts of biology of carotenoid-producing algae are briefly explained.

Automated summary

This article reviews the existing data on microalgal species known as potential carotenoid producers in biotechnology. It includes well-known species like Haematococcus and Dunaliella, as well as lesser-known representatives. Their distribution covers Europe from the Greek Mediterranean coast in the south to snow valleys in Norway in the north, and from ponds in Portugal to saline lakes and mountains in Ukraine. A wide range of algal secondary carotenoids are reviewed, including beta-carotene, astaxanthin, canthaxanthin, echinenone, adonixanthin, and adonirubin. The main concepts of carotenoid-producing algae biology are briefly explained for convenience.