Brevundimonas aurantiaca M3d10, Isolated from the Olive Fly, Produces Hydroxylated Astaxanthin

In recent years, the exploitation of bacteria for the production of carotenoids has become of great interest as a sustainable alternative to chemical synthesis, which is expensive and technically challenging. This study contributes to the repertoire of carotenogenic bacteria by reporting the isolation of an orange-pigmented bacterium from the gut of adult olive flies. The novel isolate, designated as M3d10, shared 100% identity with Brevundimonas aurantiaca strain CB-R 16S ribosomal RNA, and, through a preliminary characterization, its orange pigment was predicted to be a hydroxylated astaxanthin derivative.