Production of EPA and fucoxanthin from Phaeodactylum tricornutum and their interaction with the receptor PPAR using an in silico approach
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29105/idcyta.v11i2.163Keywords:
omega-3, microalgae, fucoxanthin, autotrophy, mixotrophyAbstract
Phaeodactylum tricornutum is a microalga known for producing omega-3 fatty acids (EPA) and carotenoids (fucoxanthin), which have been associated with beneficial health effects. In this study, pigment and EPA production were evaluated under different cultivation conditions, such as mixotrophy and autotrophy, along with the potential interaction of EPA and fucoxanthinol to estimate their combined effect on the interaction with the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPARa) using in silico approaches. Molecular docking analysis revealed that both compounds exhibit affinity toward PPARa, with dissociation constant (Kd) values in the micromolar range (6.35 μM for EPA and 1.63 μM for fucoxanthinol). A response surface model was developed to integrate the concentration and affinity of both compounds through a receptor occupancy function (f total). The model identified a combination of 1385 mg/day of EPA and 32 mg/day of fucoxanthinol that maximized the theoretical occupancy of PPARα within the evaluated range, exhibiting a nonlinear behavior with a saturation effect. These findings represent a mathematical prediction derived from the computational model and provide a basis for future experimental studies aimed at evaluating the functional activation of PPARα and its potential role in the regulation of lipid metabolism.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Noemi Takebayashi-Caballero, Amanda Kim Rico-Chávez , Rosalía Reynoso-Camacho, Ana Angélica Feregrino-Pérez, Víctor Manuel Castaño-Meneses, Silvia Lorena Amaya-Llano , Carlos Regalado-González
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Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro
Grant numbers FOPER-2025-FQU04071
