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Bolaños-Martínez OC, Malla A, Rosales-Mendoza S, Vimolmangkang S. Harnessing the advances of genetic engineering in microalgae for the production of cannabinoids. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2023; 43:823-834. [PMID: 35762029 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2022.2071672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 04/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is widely recognized as a medicinal plant owing to bioactive cannabinoids. However, it is still considered a narcotic plant, making it hard to be accessed. Since the biosynthetic pathway of cannabinoids is disclosed, biotechnological methods can be employed to produce cannabinoids in heterologous systems. This would pave the way toward biosynthesizing any cannabinoid compound of interest, especially minor substances that are less produced by a plant but have a high medicinal value. In this context, microalgae have attracted increasing scientific interest given their unique potential for biopharmaceutical production. In the present review, the current knowledge on cannabinoid production in different hosts is summarized and the biotechnological potential of microalgae as an emerging platform for synthetic production is put in perspective. A critical survey of genetic requirements and various transformation approaches are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omayra C Bolaños-Martínez
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Ashwini Malla
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sergio Rosales-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
- Sección de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud y Biomedicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
| | - Sornkanok Vimolmangkang
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
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Kaewbandit N, Malla A, Boonyayothin W, Rattanapisit K, Phetphoung T, Pisuttinusart N, Strasser R, Saetung R, Tawinwung S, Phoolcharoen W. Effect of plant produced Anti-hIL-6 receptor antibody blockade on pSTAT3 expression in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11927. [PMID: 37488213 PMCID: PMC10366097 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-39106-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
As a response to invasion by pathogens, the secretion of interleukin 6 (IL-6) which is a cytokine, activates IL-6/JAKs/STAT3 intracellular signaling via., phosphorylation. Over expression of pSTAT3 induces IL-6 positive feedback loop causing cytokine release syndrome or cytokine storm. Plants have gained momentum as an alternative expression system. Hence, this study aims to produce mAb targeting human IL-6 receptor (hIL-6R) in Nicotiana benthamiana for down regulating its cellular signaling thus, decreasing the expression of pSTAT3. The variable regions of heavy and light chains of anti-hIL-6R mAb were constructed in pBYK2e geminiviral plant expression vector and transiently co-expressed in N. benthamiana. The results demonstrate the proper protein assembly of anti-hIL-6R mAb with highest expression level of 2.24 mg/g FW at 5 dpi, with a yield of 21.4 µg/g FW after purification. The purity and N-glycosylation of plant produced antibody was analyzed, including its specificity to human IL-6 receptor by ELISA. Additionally, we investigated the effect to pSTAT3 expression in human PBMC's by flow cytometry wherein, the results confirmed lower expression of pSTAT3 with increasing concentrations of plant produced anti-hIL-6R mAb. Although, further in vivo studies are key to unveil the absolute functionality of anti-hIL-6R, we hereby show the potential of the plant platform and its suitability for the production of this therapeutic antibody.
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Affiliation(s)
- Namthip Kaewbandit
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Wanuttha Boonyayothin
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Thareeya Phetphoung
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Nuttapat Pisuttinusart
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Graduate Program of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Richard Strasser
- Department of Applied Genetics and Cell Biology, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Rattana Saetung
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand
| | - Supannikar Tawinwung
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand.
- Cellular Immunotherapy Research Unit, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | - Waranyoo Phoolcharoen
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
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Kim MJ, Kim SY, Kim KH, Yoo SS, Lee TK, Choi TJ. High-Level Expression of Recombinant VHSV Glycoprotein Using Transformed C. vulgaris and Verification of Vaccine Efficacy. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:1205. [PMID: 37515021 PMCID: PMC10385554 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11071205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The demand for aquaculture is increasing, but production is declining due to high feed costs and disease outbreaks. Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is a viral disease that seriously affects seawater and freshwater fish in aquaculture, including the olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), a major aquaculture fish in Korea. However, very few vaccines are currently available for viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV). The nutrient-rich microalga Chlorella vulgaris has been used as a feed additive in aquaculture and as a host for the industrial production of recombinant VHSV glycoprotein as an oral vaccine. In this study, VHSV glycoprotein was cloned with a salt-inducible promoter, and high levels of expression up to 41.1 mg/g wet C. vulgaris, representing 27.4% of total extracted soluble protein, were achieved by growing the transformed C. vulgaris for 5 days in the presence of 250 mM NaCl. The production of a neutralizing antibody was detected in the serum of fish given feed containing 9% VHSV glycoprotein-expressing C. vulgaris. Furthermore, relative survival rates of 100% and 81.9% were achieved following challenges of these fish with VHSV at 106 and 107 pfu/fish, respectively, indicating that C. vulgaris could be used as a platform for the production of recombinant proteins for use as oral vaccines in the control of viral diseases in aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min-Jeong Kim
- Department of Microbiology, School of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Seon-Young Kim
- Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki-Hong Kim
- Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Sik Yoo
- Choong Ang Vaccine Laboratory Co., Ltd., South Chungcheong, Daejeon 34055, Republic of Korea
| | - Taek-Kyun Lee
- South Sea Environment Research Division, Korea Institute of Ocean Science & Technology, Geoje-si 53201, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Jin Choi
- Department of Microbiology, School of Marine and Fisheries Sciences, Pukyong National University, Busan 48513, Republic of Korea
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Wang Y, Wei Z, Fan J, Song X, Xing S. Hyper-expression of GFP-fused active hFGF21 in tobacco chloroplasts. Protein Expr Purif 2023; 208-209:106271. [PMID: 37084839 DOI: 10.1016/j.pep.2023.106271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/09/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023]
Abstract
Human fibroblast growth factor 21 (hFGF21) is a promising candidate for metabolic diseases. In this study, a tobacco chloroplast transformation vector, pWYP21406, was constructed that consisted of codon-optimized encoding gene hFGF21 fused with GFP at its 5' terminal; it was driven by the promoter of plastid rRNA operon (Prrn) and terminated by the terminator of plastid rps16 gene (Trps16). Spectinomycin-resistant gene (aadA) was the marker and placed in the same cistron between hFGF21 and the terminator Trps16. Transplastomic plants were generated by the biolistic bombardment method and proven to be homoplastic by Southern blotting analysis. The expression of GFP was detected under ultraviolet light and a laser confocal microscope. The expression of GFP-hFGF21 was confirmed by immunoblotting and quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbnent assay (ELISA). The accumulation of GFP-hFGF21 was confirmed to be 12.44 ± 0.45% of the total soluble protein (i.e., 1.9232 ± 0.0673 g kg-1 of fresh weight). GFP-hFGF21 promoted the proliferation of hepatoma cell line HepG2, inducing the expression of glucose transporter 1 in hepatoma HepG2 cells and improving glucose uptake. These results suggested that a chloroplast expression is a promising approach for the production of bioactive recombinant hFGF21.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Wang
- Jilin Provincial Crop Transgenic Science and Technology Innovation Center, Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130033, China
| | - Zhengyi Wei
- Jilin Provincial Crop Transgenic Science and Technology Innovation Center, Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130033, China; Maize Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, 530007, China
| | - Jieying Fan
- Jilin Provincial Crop Transgenic Science and Technology Innovation Center, Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130033, China
| | - Xinyuan Song
- Jilin Provincial Crop Transgenic Science and Technology Innovation Center, Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130033, China.
| | - Shaochen Xing
- Jilin Provincial Crop Transgenic Science and Technology Innovation Center, Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130033, China.
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5
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Dong BR, Jiang R, Chen JF, Xiao Y, Lv ZY, Chen WS. Strategic nanoparticle-mediated plant disease resistance. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2023; 43:22-37. [PMID: 35282729 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.2007842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Nanotechnology is a promising means for development of sustainable agriculture while the study of nanoparticle-mediated plant disease resistance is still in its primary stage. Nanotechnology has shown great promise in regulating: the content of secondary metabolites, inducing disease resistance genes, delivering hormones, delivering biomolecules (such as: nucleotides, proteins, and activators), and obtaining transgenic plants to resist plant diseases. In this review, we conclude its versatility and applicability in disease management strategies and diagnostics and as molecular tools. With the advent of new biotechnologies (e.g. de novo regeneration, CRISPR/Cas9, and GRF4-GIF1 fusion protein), we discuss the potential of nanoparticles as an optimal platform to deliver biomolecules to plants for genetic engineering. In order to ensure the safe use and social acceptance of plant nanoparticle technology, its adverse effects are discussed, including the risk of transferring nanoparticles through the food chain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo-Ran Dong
- Research and Development Center of Chinese Medicine Resources and Biotechnology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Rui Jiang
- Research and Development Center of Chinese Medicine Resources and Biotechnology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun-Feng Chen
- Research and Development Center of Chinese Medicine Resources and Biotechnology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Xiao
- Research and Development Center of Chinese Medicine Resources and Biotechnology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zong-You Lv
- Research and Development Center of Chinese Medicine Resources and Biotechnology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Wan-Sheng Chen
- Research and Development Center of Chinese Medicine Resources and Biotechnology, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,Department of Pharmacy, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
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Wang Y, Fan J, Ahmad N, Xin W, Wei Z, Xing S. Successful production of human epidermal growth factor in tobacco chloroplasts in a biologically active conformation. Growth Factors 2023; 41:20-31. [PMID: 36454601 DOI: 10.1080/08977194.2022.2150187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Human epidermal growth factor (hEGF) is an important therapeutic compound with multiple applications particularly in pharmaceutical industry. Human EGF has already been expressed in different expression systems, however, the production of hEGF with bioactivity in chloroplasts has not been successful so far. In this study, we expressed a 6 × His-tagged hEGF in tobacco chloroplasts in its native conformation for the potential of large-scale production of hEGF for industrial applications. Several transplastomic plant lines were obtained, which were screened by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) using primers specific to selectable gene aadA, hEGF- and GFP-coding sequences that were included in the chloroplast expression vector. The selected lines were confirmed to be homoplasmic by PCR verification and Southern blot analysis. Immunoblotting assays of homoplasmic lines using antibodies raised against hEGF confirmed the accumulation of hEGF in transplastomic plants and the ELISA results demonstrated the expression levels of hEGF were between 0.124% and 0.165% of the total soluble proteins (TSP), namely, 23.16-25.77 ng/g of the fresh weight. In terms of activity, the data from cell proliferation and elongation assays showed that the tobacco-derived recombinant hEGF was as bioactive as its commercial counterpart. To our knowledge, this is the first report of recombinant production of hEGF with native bioactivity form in the chloroplast stroma. Overall, our results demonstrate the potential of higher plant chloroplasts for the production of a human therapeutic, hEGF, in an active conformation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Wang
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Jieying Fan
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Niaz Ahmad
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Department of Biotechnology, Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Wen Xin
- Beijing TransGen Biotech Co., Ltd, Beijing, China
| | - Zhengyi Wei
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
- Maize Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, China
| | - Shaochen Xing
- Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
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Wang Y, Fan J, Wei Z, Xing S. Efficient expression of fusion human epidermal growth factor in tobacco chloroplasts. BMC Biotechnol 2023; 23:1. [PMID: 36611158 PMCID: PMC9824920 DOI: 10.1186/s12896-022-00771-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chloroplast transformation is a robust technology for the expression of recombinant proteins. Various types of pharmaceutical proteins including growth factors have been reported in chloroplasts via chloroplast transformation approach at high expression levels. However, high expression of epidermal growth factor (EGF) in chloroplasts with the technology is still unavailable. RESULTS The present work explored the high-level expression of recombinant EGF, a protein widely applied in many clinical therapies, in tobacco chloroplasts. In this work, homoplastic transgenic plants expressing fusion protein GFP-EGF, which was composed of GFP and EGF via a linker, were generated. The expression of GFP-EGF was confirmed by the combination of green fluorescent observation and Western blotting. The achieved accumulation of the recombinant fusion GFP-EGF was 10.21 ± 0.27% of total soluble proteins (1.57 ± 0.05 g kg- 1 of fresh leaf). The chloroplast-derived GFP-EGF was capable of increasing the cell viability of the NSLC cell line A549 and enhancing the phosphorylation level of the EGF receptor in the A549 cells. CONCLUSION The expression of recombinant EGF in tobacco chloroplasts via chloroplast transformation method was achieved at considerable accumulation level. The attempt gives a good example for the application of chloroplast transformation technology in recombinant pharmaceutical protein production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunpeng Wang
- grid.464388.50000 0004 1756 0215Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130033 China
| | - Jieying Fan
- grid.464388.50000 0004 1756 0215Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130033 China
| | - Zhengyi Wei
- grid.464388.50000 0004 1756 0215Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130033 China ,grid.452720.60000 0004 0415 7259Maize Research Institute, Guangxi Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanning, 530007 China
| | - Shaochen Xing
- grid.464388.50000 0004 1756 0215Institute of Agricultural Biotechnology, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, 130033 China
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Bravo-Vázquez LA, Srivastava A, Bandyopadhyay A, Paul S. The elusive roles of chloroplast microRNAs: an unexplored facet of the plant transcriptome. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2022; 109:667-671. [PMID: 35614291 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-022-01279-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Luis Alberto Bravo-Vázquez
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc., 76130, San Pablo, Queretaro, Mexico
| | - Aashish Srivastava
- Section of Bioinformatics, Clinical Laboratory, Haukeland University Hospital, 5021, Bergen, Norway
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, 5021, Bergen, Norway
| | - Anindya Bandyopadhyay
- International Rice Research Institute, 4031, Manila, Philippines.
- Reliance Industries Ltd., 400701, Navi Mumbai, India.
| | - Sujay Paul
- Tecnologico de Monterrey, School of Engineering and Sciences, Campus Queretaro, Av. Epigmenio Gonzalez, No. 500 Fracc., 76130, San Pablo, Queretaro, Mexico.
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Shahar N, Elman T, Williams-Carrier R, Ben-Zvi O, Yacoby I, Barkan A. Use of plant chloroplast RNA-binding proteins as orthogonal activators of chloroplast transgenes in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. ALGAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2021.102535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Chia WY, Kok H, Chew KW, Low SS, Show PL. Can algae contribute to the war with Covid-19? Bioengineered 2021; 12:1226-1237. [PMID: 33858291 PMCID: PMC8806238 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2021.1910432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The world at large is facing a new threat with the emergence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Though imperceptible by the naked eye, the medical, sociological and economical implications caused by this newly discovered virus have been and will continue to be a great impediment to our lives. This health threat has already caused over two million deaths worldwide in the span of a year and its mortality rate is projected to continue rising. In this review, the potential of algae in combating the spread of COVID-19 is investigated since algal compounds have been tested against viruses and algal anti-inflammatory compounds have the potential to treat the severe symptoms of COVID-19. The possible utilization of algae in producing value-added products such as serological test kits, vaccines, and supplements that would either mitigate or hinder the continued health risks caused by the virus is prominent. Many of the characteristics in algae can provide insights on the development of microalgae to fight against SARS-CoV-2 or other viruses and contribute in manufacturing various green and high-value products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wen Yi Chia
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Hanz Kok
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
| | - Kit Wayne Chew
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University Malaysia, Sepang, Selangor, Malaysia
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Sze Shin Low
- Biosensor National Special Laboratory, Key Laboratory for Biomedical Engineering of Education Ministry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, PR China
| | - Pau Loke Show
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia
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Larrea-Álvarez M, Purton S. The Chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as a Testbed for Engineering Nitrogen Fixation into Plants. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:8806. [PMID: 34445505 PMCID: PMC8395883 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic organisms such as plants are unable to utilise nitrogen gas (N2) directly as a source of this essential element and are dependent either on its biological conversion to ammonium by diazotrophic prokaryotes, or its supply as chemically synthesised nitrate fertiliser. The idea of genetically engineering crops with the capacity to fix N2 by introduction of the bacterial nitrogenase enzyme has long been discussed. However, the expression of an active nitrogenase must overcome several major challenges: the coordinated expression of multiple genes to assemble an enzyme complex containing several different metal cluster co-factors; the supply of sufficient ATP and reductant to the enzyme; the enzyme's sensitivity to oxygen; and the intracellular accumulation of ammonium. The chloroplast of plant cells represents an attractive location for nitrogenase expression, but engineering the organelle's genome is not yet feasible in most crop species. However, the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii represents a simple model for photosynthetic eukaryotes with a genetically tractable chloroplast. In this review, we discuss the main advantages, and limitations, of this microalga as a testbed for producing such a complex multi-subunit enzyme. Furthermore, we suggest that a minimal set of six transgenes are necessary for chloroplast-localised synthesis of an 'Fe-only' nitrogenase, and from this set we demonstrate the stable expression and accumulation of the homocitrate synthase, NifV, under aerobic conditions. Arguably, further studies in C. reinhardtii aimed at testing expression and function of the full gene set would provide the groundwork for a concerted future effort to create nitrogen-fixing crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Larrea-Álvarez
- School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay-Tech University Hacienda San José, Urcuquí-Imbabura 100650, Ecuador;
- Algal Research Group, Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Saul Purton
- Algal Research Group, Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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A Simple Technology for Generating Marker-Free Chloroplast Transformants of the Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2317:293-304. [PMID: 34028777 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1472-3_17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The availability of routine methods for the genetic engineering of the chloroplast genome of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is allowing researchers to explore the use of this microalga as a phototrophic cell platform for synthesis of high value recombinant proteins and metabolites. However, the established method for delivering transforming DNA into the algal chloroplast involves microparticle bombardment using an expensive "gene gun". Furthermore, selection of transformant lines most commonly involves the use of a bacterial antibiotic resistance gene. In this chapter, we describe a simple and cheap delivery method in which cell-DNA suspensions are agitated with glass beads: a method that is more commonly used for nuclear transformation of Chlamydomonas. We also describe the use of plasmid expression vectors that target transgenes to a neutral site within the chloroplast genome between psbH and trnE2, and employ psbH as the selectable marker-thereby avoiding issues of unwanted antibiotic resistance genes in the resulting transgenic lines. Finally, we highlight a feature in our latest vectors in which the presence of a novel tRNA gene on the plasmid results in recognition within the chloroplast of UGA stop codons in transgenes as tryptophan codons. This feature simplifies the cloning of transgenes that are normally toxic to E. coli, serves as a biocontainment strategy restricting the functional escape of transgenes from the algal chloroplast to environmental microorganisms, and offers a simple system of temperature-regulated translation of transgenes.
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13
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CRISPR/Cas technology promotes the various application of Dunaliella salina system. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:8621-8630. [PMID: 32918585 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-020-10892-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Dunaliella salina (D. salina) has been widely applied in various fields because of its inherent advantages, such as the study of halotolerant mechanism, wastewater treatment, recombinant proteins expression, biofuel production, preparation of natural materials, and others. However, owing to the existence of low yield or in the laboratory exploration stage, D. salina system has been greatly restricted for practical production of various components. In past decade, significant progresses have been achieved for research of D. salina in these fields. Among them, D. salina as a novel expression system demonstrated a bright prospect, especially for large-scale production of foreign proteins, like the vaccines, antibodies, and other therapeutic proteins. Due to the low efficiency, application of traditional regulation tools is also greatly limited for exploration of D. salina system. The emergence of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas system offers a precise editing tool to overcome the obstacles of D. salina system. This review not only comprehensively summarizes the recent progresses of D. salina in domain of gene engineering but also gives a deep analysis of problems and deficiencies in different fields of D. salina. Moreover, further prospects of CRISPR/Cas system and its significant challenges have been discussed in various aspects of D. salina. It provides a great referencing value for speeding up the maturity of D. salina system, and also supplies practical guiding significance to expand the new application fields for D. salina. KEY POINTS: • The review provides recent research progresses of various applications of D. salina. • The problems and deficiencies in different fields of D. salina were deeply analyzed. • The further prospects of CRISPR/Cas technology in D. salina system were predicted. • CRISPR/Cas system will promote the new application fields and maturity for D. salina.
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Rosales-Mendoza S, García-Silva I, González-Ortega O, Sandoval-Vargas JM, Malla A, Vimolmangkang S. The Potential of Algal Biotechnology to Produce Antiviral Compounds and Biopharmaceuticals. Molecules 2020; 25:E4049. [PMID: 32899754 PMCID: PMC7571207 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has led to an unprecedented pandemic, which demands urgent development of antiviral drugs and antibodies; as well as prophylactic approaches, namely vaccines. Algae biotechnology has much to offer in this scenario given the diversity of such organisms, which are a valuable source of antiviral and anti-inflammatory compounds that can also be used to produce vaccines and antibodies. Antivirals with possible activity against SARS-CoV-2 are summarized, based on previously reported activity against Coronaviruses or other enveloped or respiratory viruses. Moreover, the potential of algae-derived anti-inflammatory compounds to treat severe cases of COVID-19 is contemplated. The scenario of producing biopharmaceuticals in recombinant algae is presented and the cases of algae-made vaccines targeting viral diseases is highlighted as valuable references for the development of anti-SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Successful cases in the production of functional antibodies are described. Perspectives on how specific algae species and genetic engineering techniques can be applied for the production of anti-viral compounds antibodies and vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Rosales-Mendoza
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, San Luis Potosí 78210, Mexico; (I.G.-S.); (O.G.-O.); (J.M.S.-V.)
- Sección de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud y Biomedicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Sierra Leona 550, Lomas 2. Sección, San Luis Potosí 78210, Mexico
| | - Ileana García-Silva
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, San Luis Potosí 78210, Mexico; (I.G.-S.); (O.G.-O.); (J.M.S.-V.)
- Sección de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud y Biomedicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Sierra Leona 550, Lomas 2. Sección, San Luis Potosí 78210, Mexico
| | - Omar González-Ortega
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, San Luis Potosí 78210, Mexico; (I.G.-S.); (O.G.-O.); (J.M.S.-V.)
| | - José M. Sandoval-Vargas
- Laboratorio de Biofarmacéuticos Recombinantes, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Dr. Manuel Nava 6, San Luis Potosí 78210, Mexico; (I.G.-S.); (O.G.-O.); (J.M.S.-V.)
- Sección de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud y Biomedicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Sierra Leona 550, Lomas 2. Sección, San Luis Potosí 78210, Mexico
| | - Ashwini Malla
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Sornkanok Vimolmangkang
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand;
- Research Unit for Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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Kumar G, Shekh A, Jakhu S, Sharma Y, Kapoor R, Sharma TR. Bioengineering of Microalgae: Recent Advances, Perspectives, and Regulatory Challenges for Industrial Application. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:914. [PMID: 33014997 PMCID: PMC7494788 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Microalgae, due to their complex metabolic capacity, are being continuously explored for nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and other industrially important bioactives. However, suboptimal yield and productivity of the bioactive of interest in local and robust wild-type strains are of perennial concerns for their industrial applications. To overcome such limitations, strain improvement through genetic engineering could play a decisive role. Though the advanced tools for genetic engineering have emerged at a greater pace, they still remain underused for microalgae as compared to other microorganisms. Pertaining to this, we reviewed the progress made so far in the development of molecular tools and techniques, and their deployment for microalgae strain improvement through genetic engineering. The recent availability of genome sequences and other omics datasets form diverse microalgae species have remarkable potential to guide strategic momentum in microalgae strain improvement program. This review focuses on the recent and significant improvements in the omics resources, mutant libraries, and high throughput screening methodologies helpful to augment research in the model and non-model microalgae. Authors have also summarized the case studies on genetically engineered microalgae and highlight the opportunities and challenges that are emerging from the current progress in the application of genome-editing to facilitate microalgal strain improvement. Toward the end, the regulatory and biosafety issues in the use of genetically engineered microalgae in commercial applications are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulshan Kumar
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Ajam Shekh
- Plant Cell Biotechnology Department, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, India
| | - Sunaina Jakhu
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Yogesh Sharma
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Ritu Kapoor
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Tilak Raj Sharma
- Division of Crop Science, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India
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Jo SW, Do JM, Na H, Hong JW, Kim IS, Yoon HS. Assessment of biomass potentials of microalgal communities in open pond raceways using mass cultivation. PeerJ 2020; 8:e9418. [PMID: 32742771 PMCID: PMC7369025 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.9418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Metagenome studies have provided us with insights into the complex interactions of microorganisms with their environments and hosts. Few studies have focused on microalgae-associated metagenomes, and no study has addressed aquatic microalgae and their bacterial communities in open pond raceways (OPRs). This study explored the possibility of using microalgal biomasses from OPRs for biodiesel and biofertilizer production. The fatty acid profiles of the biomasses and the physical and chemical properties of derived fuels were evaluated. In addition, the phenotype-based environmental adaptation ability of soybean plants was assessed. The growth rate, biomass, and lipid productivity of microalgae were also examined during mass cultivation from April to November 2017. Metagenomics analysis using MiSeq identified ∼127 eukaryotic phylotypes following mass cultivation with (OPR 1) or without (OPR 3) a semitransparent film. Of these, ∼80 phylotypes were found in both OPRs, while 23 and 24 phylotypes were identified in OPRs 1 and 3, respectively. The phylotypes belonged to various genera, such as Desmodesmus, Pseudopediastrum, Tetradesmus, and Chlorella, of which, the dominant microalgal species was Desmodesmus sp. On average, OPRs 1 and 3 produced ∼8.6 and 9.9 g m−2 d−1 (0.307 and 0.309 DW L−1) of total biomass, respectively, of which 14.0 and 13.3 wt% respectively, was lipid content. Fatty acid profiling revealed that total saturated fatty acids (mainly C16:0) of biodiesel obtained from the microalgal biomasses in OPRs 1 and 3 were 34.93% and 32.85%, respectively; total monounsaturated fatty acids (C16:1 and C18:1) were 32.40% and 31.64%, respectively; and polyunsaturated fatty acids (including C18:3) were 32.68% and 35.50%, respectively. Fuel properties determined by empirical equations were within the limits of biodiesel standards ASTM D6751 and EN 14214. Culture solutions with or without microalgal biomasses enhanced the environmental adaptation ability of soybean plants, increasing their seed production. Therefore, microalgal biomass produced through mass cultivation is excellent feedstock for producing high-quality biodiesel and biofertilizer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Woo Jo
- Department of Energy Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Jeong-Mi Do
- Department of Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.,School of Life Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Ho Na
- Department of Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.,School of Life Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Ji Won Hong
- Department of Hydrogen and Renewable Energy, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Il-Sup Kim
- Advanced Bio-resource Research Center, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
| | - Ho-Sung Yoon
- Department of Energy Science, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.,Department of Biology, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.,School of Life Sciences, BK21 Plus KNU Creative BioResearch Group, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea.,Advanced Bio-resource Research Center, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, South Korea
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Larrea-Alvarez M, Purton S. Multigenic engineering of the chloroplast genome in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. MICROBIOLOGY (READING, ENGLAND) 2020; 166:510-515. [PMID: 32250732 PMCID: PMC7376270 DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.000910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The chloroplast of microalgae such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii represents an attractive chassis for light-driven production of novel recombinant proteins and metabolites. Methods for the introduction and expression of transgenes in the chloroplast genome (=plastome) of C. reinhardtii are well-established and over 100 different proteins have been successfully produced. However, in almost all reported cases the complexity of the genetic engineering is low, and typically involves introduction into the plastome of just a single transgene together with a selectable marker. In order to exploit fully the potential of the algal chassis it is necessary to establish methods for multigenic engineering in which many transgenes can be stably incorporated into the plastome. This would allow the synthesis of multi-subunit proteins and the introduction into the chloroplast of whole new metabolic pathways. In this short communication we report a proof-of-concept study involving both a combinatorial and serial approach, with the goal of synthesizing five different test proteins in the C. reinhardtii chloroplast. Analysis of the various transgenic lines confirmed the successful integration of the transgenes and accumulation of the gene products. However, the work also highlights an issue of genetic instability when using the same untranslated region for each of the transgenes. Our findings therefore help to define appropriate strategies for robust multigenic engineering of the algal chloroplast.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Larrea-Alvarez
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
- Present address: School of Biological Sciences and Engineering. Yachay-Tech University Hacienda San José, Urcuquí-Imbabura, Ecuador
| | - Saul Purton
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
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