Were it not for its unique ability to produce this pigment, the cell would die. The appearance of large amounts of beta - carotene ​ — up to 10 percent of the alga’s dry weight under these conditions — ​ accounts for the change in color.
Hlorofila līmenis pazeminās, un lielos daudzumos, pat sasniedzot 10 procentus no aļģes sausnas, tiek producēts cits pigments — β - karotīns —, kas izraisa šūnas krāsas maiņu.