## 2 Materials and Methods
### Analytical Methods  
Sugars were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in a Waters 2695 chromatograph with an IR Detector (2414). A CarbosepCHO 782 column operating at 75 \({}^{\circ}\)C with water as mobile phase (0.5 mL/min) was used for separation. A more detailed description can be found elsewhere [21]. Cell growth was monitored spectrophotometrically at a wavelength of 600 nm (DO600 nm), while cell viability, total cells, and viable cells were analyzed using a Vi-Cell XR system (Beckman Coulter, Brea, CA, USA). Dry cell weight was determined gravimetrically after lyophilization. An aliquot of the medium was collected and centrifuged, and the cells were washed twice and freeze-dried. The weight of freeze-dried cells was determined and referenced to the volume of the medium collected. The intracellular content of carotenoids was analysed using 35 mg of freeze-dried cells, as described by [PERSON] et al., with some modifications [22]. Cells were incubated twice in 1 mL of DMSO (with BHT as an additive at 0.05%) at 50 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 1 h. Subsequently, both cells and supernatants were collected by centrifugation (3000\(\times\)_g_, 5 min), and 1 mL of acetone was added to the cell pellets to extract the carotenoids. The supernatant was then collected by centrifugation and mixed with the DMSO fraction. This step was repeated until total carotenoid extraction (i.e., when observing a colourless pellet). Then, 2 mL of hexane and 0.5 mL of 20% NaCl were added to the supernatants. Finally, the organic phase was collected by centrifugation (3000\(\times\)_g_, 10 min, 4 \({}^{\circ}\)C) and evaporated under a nitrogen atmosphere using a Turbo VAp LV (Zymark, Hopkinton, MA, USA). It was then dissolved in ethanol. Total carotenoid content was determined spectrophotometrically at 450 nm after appropriate dilution, and its concentration was calculated using a standard curve (0.5-10 mg/L \(\beta\)-carotene in ethanol with BHT 0.05%). An HPLC Agilent 1200 Series using a Diode-Array detector-UV detector at 450 nm was also used to determine the caroten profile. A C18 Agilent Poroshell 120-EC column operating at 30 \({}^{\circ}\)C was employed. A gradient approach of two solutions at 0.8 mL/min was used as an elution strategy. For that, Solvent A (80:20 of a methanol: aqueous solution containing 1 mM tetrabutylammonium phosphate and 1 mM propionic acid); and solvent B (60:40 of acetonitrile: methanol) were used according to the following gradient: 0-30 min 100% solvent A to 100% solvent B; 30-33 min 100% solvent B; 33-40 min 100% solvent A. In addition, total lipid content was determined by the gravimetric method, following the method described by [PERSON] [23] with certain modifications as detailed before [24]. Between 70-80 mg of freeze-dried cells were mixed with 3.2 mL of 4 M HCl and incubated in a bath at 55 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 2 h for cell lysis. After this period, 8 mL of a 2:1 (_v/v_) chloroform-methanol solution was added to the cells, and incubation was continued in the bath at 20 \({}^{\circ}\)C for 3 h for lipid extraction. After the incubation step, the solution was transferred to a glass tube for centrifugation at 2000\(\times\)_g_ for 15 min using a swinging rotor to facilitate obtaining different phases, including the organic chloroform phase with dissolved lipids. The lower phase, where the lipids are collected, was recovered in a new pre-weighed glass tube. To the remaining aqueous phase, 4 mL of chloroform was added and centrifuged again to ensure complete extraction of all lipids present in the solution with cell debris. The organic phase generated was transferred to the glass tube. Finally, the chloroform was evaporated under a nitrogen stream in a TurboVap LV evaporator (Zymark, Hopkinton, MA, USA). The tubes were incubated in a vacuum oven (Heraeus Instruments, Liedekerke, Belgium) at 40 \({}^{\circ}\)C until constant weight was obtained. The resulting lipid content was determined as g lipid per 100 g freeze-dried or dried cell.