Culture Optimization to Produce High Yields of Mycosporine-Like Amino Acids by Fischerella sp. F5

Fischerella sp. is a valuable source of active metabolites, including UV-protecting compounds, among which mycosporin-like amino acids (MAAs) can be mentioned. Mycosporine-like amino acids are attractive secondary metabolites of a wide range of microorganisms, including microalgae and cyanobacteria. Enhanced production of MAAs has been studied in different sources. This study aimed to optimize the phosphate and nitrate concentrations of the culture medium on BG11 to maximize MAAs production from Fischerella sp. F5, using response surface methodology. The extraction process from the cultures, grown in adjusted conditions, was also optimized. The results confirmed that increasing both, nitrate and phosphate concentration, in the culture medium had a positive effect on the MAAs production by Fischerella sp. F5. While, optimization of the extraction process was not led to a highly accurate predictive model; temperature, sonication time, methanol ratio, and solvent/biomass ratio exhibited significant effects on the final MAAs’ concentration in partially purified extracts. In general, more optimization cultures studies need to complete these findings in reference to MAAs production and extraction from Fischerella sp. F5, for commercial-scale applications.