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Rajput BK, Ikram SF, Tripathi BN. Harnessing the potential of microalgae for the production of monoclonal antibodies and other recombinant proteins. PROTOPLASMA 2024:10.1007/s00709-024-01967-6. [PMID: 38970700 DOI: 10.1007/s00709-024-01967-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have become indispensable tools in various fields, from research to therapeutics, diagnostics, and industries. However, their production, primarily in mammalian cell culture systems, is cost-intensive and resource-demanding. Microalgae, diverse photosynthetic microorganisms, are gaining attention as a favorable option for manufacturing mAbs and various other recombinant proteins. This review explores the potential of microalgae as a robust expression system for biomanufacturing high-value proteins. It also highlights the diversity of microalgae species suitable for recombinant protein. Nuclear and chloroplast genomes of some microalgae have been engineered to express mAbs and other valuable proteins. Codon optimization, vector construction, and other genetic engineering techniques have significantly improved recombinant protein expression in microalgae. These accomplishments demonstrate the potential of microalgae for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Microalgal biotechnology holds promise for revolutionizing the production of mAbs and other therapeutic proteins, offering a sustainable and cost-effective solution to address critical healthcare needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Balwinder Kaur Rajput
- Department of Biotechnology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, 484887, India
| | - Sana Fatima Ikram
- Department of Biotechnology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, 484887, India
| | - Bhumi Nath Tripathi
- Department of Biotechnology, Indira Gandhi National Tribal University, Amarkantak, Madhya Pradesh, 484887, India.
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2
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Kumar V, Barwal A, Sharma N, Mir DS, Kumar P, Kumar V. Therapeutic proteins: developments, progress, challenges, and future perspectives. 3 Biotech 2024; 14:112. [PMID: 38510462 PMCID: PMC10948735 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-024-03958-z] [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: 06/03/2023] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteins are considered magic molecules due to their enormous applications in the health sector. Over the past few decades, therapeutic proteins have emerged as a promising treatment option for various diseases, particularly cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and others. The formulation of protein-based therapies is a major area of research, however, a few factors still hinder the large-scale production of these therapeutic products, such as stability, heterogenicity, immunogenicity, high cost of production, etc. This review provides comprehensive information on various sources and production of therapeutic proteins. The review also summarizes the challenges currently faced by scientists while developing protein-based therapeutics, along with possible solutions. It can be concluded that these proteins can be used in combination with small molecular drugs to give synergistic benefits in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vimal Kumar
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
| | - Arti Barwal
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, Panjab University, South Campus, Sector-25, Chandigarh, 160014 India
| | - Nitin Sharma
- Department of Biotechnology, Chandigarh Group of Colleges, Mohali, Punjab 140307 India
| | - Danish Shafi Mir
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, 173229 India
| | - Vikas Kumar
- University Institute of Biotechnology, Chandigarh University, Gharuan, Mohali, Punjab 140413 India
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3
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Goold HD, Moseley JL, Lauersen KJ. The synthetic future of algal genomes. CELL GENOMICS 2024; 4:100505. [PMID: 38395701 PMCID: PMC10943592 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Algae are diverse organisms with significant biotechnological potential for resource circularity. Taking inspiration from fermentative microbes, engineering algal genomes holds promise to broadly expand their application ranges. Advances in genome sequencing with improvements in DNA synthesis and delivery techniques are enabling customized molecular tool development to confer advanced traits to algae. Efforts to redesign and rebuild entire genomes to create fit-for-purpose organisms currently being explored in heterotrophic prokaryotes and eukaryotic microbes could also be applied to photosynthetic algae. Future algal genome engineering will enhance yields of native products and permit the expression of complex biochemical pathways to produce novel metabolites from sustainable inputs. We present a historical perspective on advances in engineering algae, discuss the requisite genetic traits to enable algal genome optimization, take inspiration from whole-genome engineering efforts in other microbes for algal systems, and present candidate algal species in the context of these engineering goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh D Goold
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia; ARC Center of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Jeffrey L Moseley
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Division of Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Phycoil Biotechnology International, Inc., Fremont, CA 94538, USA
| | - Kyle J Lauersen
- Bioengineering Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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4
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Liu F, Zheng B, Zheng N, Alfaiz FA, Ali HE, Al Garalleh H, Assilzadeh H, Xia S. Smart nano generation of transgenic algae expressing white spot syndrome virus in shrimps for inner ear-oral infection treatments using the spotted hyena optimizer (SHO)-Long short-term memory algorithm. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 243:117519. [PMID: 37972807 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Nanotechnology offers a promising avenue to amplify the effectiveness and precision of using transgenic algae in managing WSSV in shrimp by possibly crafting nano-carriers for targeted therapeutic agent delivery or modifying algae cells at a molecular level. Leveraging the capabilities of nano-scale interventions, this study could explore innovative means to manipulate cellular processes, control biological interactions, and enhance treatment efficacy while minimizing undesirable impacts in aquatic environments. The White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) is a double-stranded DNA virus with a tail and rod form that belongs to theNimaviridaefamily. There is no workable way to manage this illness at the moment. This research proposes a new model based on the Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Spotted Hyena Optimizer (SHO) method to control the inner ear-oral infection, utilizing transgenic algae (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii). It is pretty tricky to modify the weight matrix in LSTM. The output will be more accurate if the weight of the neurons is exact. Histological examinations and nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing were performed on the challenged shrimp every 4 h to assess the degree of white spot disease. The SHO-LSTM has shown the highest accuracy and Roc value (98.12% and 0.93, respectively) and the lowest error values (MSE = 0.182 and MAE = 0.48). The hybrid optimized model improves the overall inner ear-oral linked neurological diseases detection ratio. Additionally, with the slightest technical complexity, it effectively controls the forecast factors required to anticipate the ENT. Algal cells were found to be particularly well-suited for inner ear-oral infections, and shrimps fed a transgenic line had the best survival ratio in WSSV infection studies, with 87% of the shrimp surviving. This shows that using this line would effectively stop the spread of WSSV in shrimp populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanli Liu
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China
| | - Bin Zheng
- Department of Rehabilitation Therapeutics, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 401120, China
| | - Nan Zheng
- School of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University, Hangzhou 310053, China
| | - Faiz Abdulaziz Alfaiz
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah, 11952, Saudi Arabia.
| | - H Elhosiny Ali
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, P.O. Box 9004, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hakim Al Garalleh
- Department of Mathematical Science, College of Engineering, University of Business and Technology, Dahban- Jeddah 21360, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hamid Assilzadeh
- Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, UTE University, Calle Rumipamba S/N and Bourgeois, Quito, Ecuador; Institute of Research and Development, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Viet Nam; School of Engineering & Technology, Duy Tan University, Da Nang, Viet Nam; Department of Biomaterials, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Chennai 600077, India
| | - Siwen Xia
- Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang, 325027, China.
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Chung KP, Loiacono FV, Neupert J, Wu M, Bock R. An RNA thermometer in the chloroplast genome of Chlamydomonas facilitates temperature-controlled gene expression. Nucleic Acids Res 2023; 51:11386-11400. [PMID: 37855670 PMCID: PMC10639063 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkad816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 09/01/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Riboregulators such as riboswitches and RNA thermometers provide simple, protein-independent tools to control gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. In bacteria, RNA thermometers regulate protein synthesis in response to temperature shifts. Thermometers outside of the bacterial world are rare, and in organellar genomes, no RNA thermometers have been identified to date. Here we report the discovery of an RNA thermometer in a chloroplast gene of the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The thermometer, residing in the 5' untranslated region of the psaA messenger RNA forms a hairpin-type secondary structure that masks the Shine-Dalgarno sequence at 25°C. At 40°C, melting of the secondary structure increases accessibility of the Shine-Dalgarno sequence to initiating ribosomes, thus enhancing protein synthesis. By targeted nucleotide substitutions and transfer of the thermometer into Escherichia coli, we show that the secondary structure is necessary and sufficient to confer the thermometer properties. We also demonstrate that the thermometer provides a valuable tool for inducible transgene expression from the Chlamydomonas plastid genome, in that a simple temperature shift of the algal culture can greatly increase recombinant protein yields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kin Pan Chung
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Department Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - F Vanessa Loiacono
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Department Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Juliane Neupert
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Department Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Mengting Wu
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Department Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
| | - Ralph Bock
- Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Department Organelle Biology, Biotechnology and Molecular Ecophysiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, D-14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany
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Ashraf F, Khan MA, Ahmed N, Umar M, Khan MI, Akram M, Bhatti R, Malik K. Development of transgenic algae strain expressing CTB-M2e fusion gene an approach towards the development of a universal edible vaccine in algae. J Biotechnol 2023; 374:31-37. [PMID: 37481211 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2023.07.004] [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: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Avian Influenza, the most studied virus, is of high concern due to its zoonotic pandemic potential. In recent years, several influenza vaccines have been used with the broad goal of managing and in certain cases, eliminating the disease. The matrix 2 extracellular domain (M2e), is one of the key targets of the universal influenza vaccine, a liner peptide that is conserved throughout all influenza A subtypes virus. Many recombinant influenza proteins have been expressed in yeast and plants for vaccine development. A remarkable development has been made in the field of biotechnology to explore the potential of microalga as an expression host. In this study, we designed a fusion gene code for M2e peptide and CTB protein as M2e's natural form has a low level of immunogenicity. The fusion gene was cloned in the Chloroplast transformation vector pSRSapI and expressed in the TN72 mutant strain of Chlamydomonas reinhardii. The expression of the targeted protein was confirmed by ECL western blot analysis. A GM1-ELISA was carried out to detect the affinity of fusion protein for GM1 monosialoganglioside and the significant P-value is lower than 0.05. Immunogenicity assay on chicken detected the anti-M2e bodies in chicken serum. This study gives evidence of therapeutic protein production through algae chloroplast and a stable, selection free and low cost oral delivery for universal vaccine against influenza A virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fareeha Ashraf
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Mohsin Ahmad Khan
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Nadeem Ahmed
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Umar
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Islam Khan
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Maham Akram
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Rashid Bhatti
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Kausar Malik
- Center of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan
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7
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Carrera-Pacheco SE, Hankamer B, Oey M. Environmental and nuclear influences on microalgal chloroplast gene expression. TRENDS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2023; 28:955-967. [PMID: 37080835 DOI: 10.1016/j.tplants.2023.03.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/18/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Microalgal chloroplasts, such as those of the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, are emerging as a new platform to produce recombinant proteins, including industrial enzymes, diagnostics, as well as animal and human therapeutics. Improving transgene expression and final recombinant protein yields, at laboratory and industrial scales, require optimization of both environmental and cellular factors. Most studies on C. reinhardtii have focused on optimization of cellular factors. Here, we review the regulatory influences of environmental factors, including light (cycle time, intensity, and quality), carbon source (CO2 and organic), and temperature. In particular, we summarize their influence via the redox state, cis-elements, and trans-factors on biomass and recombinant protein production to support the advancement of emerging large-scale light-driven biotechnology applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saskya E Carrera-Pacheco
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica (CENBIO), Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Eugenio Espejo, Universidad UTE, Quito 170527, Ecuador
| | - Ben Hankamer
- The University of Queensland, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, Australia.
| | - Melanie Oey
- The University of Queensland, Institute for Molecular Bioscience, 306 Carmody Road, St Lucia, Australia.
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8
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Taunt HN, Jackson HO, Gunnarsson ÍN, Pervaiz R, Purton S. Accelerating Chloroplast Engineering: A New System for Rapid Generation of Marker-Free Transplastomic Lines of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1967. [PMID: 37630526 PMCID: PMC10457852 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11081967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
'Marker-free' strategies for creating transgenic microorganisms avoid the issue of potential transmission of antibiotic resistance genes to other microorganisms. An already-established strategy for engineering the chloroplast genome (=plastome) of the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii involves the restoration of photosynthetic function using a recipient strain carrying a plastome mutation in a key photosynthesis gene. Selection for transformant colonies is carried out on minimal media, such that only those cells in which the mutated gene has been replaced with a wild-type copy carried on the transgenic DNA are capable of phototrophic growth. However, this approach can suffer from issues of efficiency due to the slow growth of C. reinhardtii on minimal media and the slow die-back of the untransformed lawn of cells when using mutant strains with a limited photosensitivity phenotype. Furthermore, such phototrophic rescue has tended to rely on existing mutants that are not necessarily ideal for transformation and targeted transgene insertion: Mutants carrying point mutations can easily revert, and those with deletions that do not extend to the intended transgene insertion site can give rise to a sub-population of rescued lines that lack the transgene. In order to improve and accelerate the transformation pipeline for C. reinhardtii, we have created a novel recipient line, HNT6, carrying an engineered deletion in exon 3 of psaA, which encodes one of the core subunits of photosystem I (PSI). Such PSI mutants are highly light-sensitive allowing faster recovery of transformant colonies by selecting for light-tolerance on acetate-containing media, rather than phototrophic growth on minimal media. The deletion extends to a site upstream of psaA-3 that serves as a neutral locus for transgene insertion, thereby ensuring that all of the recovered colonies are transformants containing the transgene. We demonstrate the application of HNT6 using a luciferase reporter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry N. Taunt
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Harry O. Jackson
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Ísarr N. Gunnarsson
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Rabbia Pervaiz
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, Lahore 53700, Pakistan
| | - Saul Purton
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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9
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Charoonnart P, Taunt HN, Yang L, Webb C, Robinson C, Saksmerprome V, Purton S. Transgenic Microalgae Expressing Double-Stranded RNA as Potential Feed Supplements for Controlling White Spot Syndrome in Shrimp Aquaculture. Microorganisms 2023; 11:1893. [PMID: 37630453 PMCID: PMC10459155 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11081893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Viral infection of farmed fish and shellfish represents a major issue within the aquaculture industry. One potential control strategy involves RNA interference of viral gene expression through the oral delivery of specific double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). In previous work, we have shown that recombinant dsRNA can be produced in the chloroplast of the edible microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and used to control disease in shrimp. Here, we report a significant improvement in antiviral dsRNA production and its use to protect shrimp against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV). A new strategy for dsRNA synthesis was developed that uses two convergent copies of the endogenous rrnS promoter to drive high-level transcription of both strands of the WSSV gene element in the chloroplast. Quantitative RT-PCR indicated that ~119 ng dsRNA was produced per liter of culture of the transgenic microalga. This represents an ~10-fold increase in dsRNA relative to our previous report. The engineered alga was assessed for its ability to prevent WSSV infection when fed to shrimp larvae prior to a challenge with the virus. The survival of shrimp given feed supplemented with dried alga containing the dsRNA was significantly enhanced (~69% survival) relative to a negative control (<10% survival). The findings suggest that this new dsRNA production platform could be employed as a low-cost, low-tech control method for aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patai Charoonnart
- Center of Excellence for Shrimp Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Centex Shrimp), Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (P.C.); (V.S.)
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Henry Nicholas Taunt
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Luyao Yang
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Conner Webb
- Centre for Molecular Processing, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Colin Robinson
- Centre for Molecular Processing, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Vanvimon Saksmerprome
- Center of Excellence for Shrimp Molecular Biology and Biotechnology (Centex Shrimp), Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; (P.C.); (V.S.)
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani 12120, Thailand
| | - Saul Purton
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London WC1E 6BT, UK
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Di Rocco G, Taunt HN, Berto M, Jackson HO, Piccinini D, Carletti A, Scurani G, Braidi N, Purton S. A PETase enzyme synthesised in the chloroplast of the microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is active against post-consumer plastics. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10028. [PMID: 37340047 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37227-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Polyethylene terephthalate hydrolases (PETases) are a newly discovered and industrially important class of enzymes that catalyze the enzymatic degradation of polyethylene terephatalate (PET), one of the most abundant plastics in the world. The greater enzymatic efficiencies of PETases compared to close relatives from the cutinase and lipase families have resulted in increasing research interest. Despite this, further characterization of PETases is essential, particularly regarding their possible activity against other kinds of plastic. In this study, we exploited for the first time the use of the microalgal chloroplast for more sustainable synthesis of a PETase enzyme. A photosynthetic-restoration strategy was used to generate a marker-free transformant line of the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in which the PETase from Ideonella sakaiensis was constitutively expressed in the chloroplast. Subsequently, the activity of the PETase against both PET and post-consumer plastics was investigated via atomic force microscopy, revealing evidence of degradation of the plastics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Di Rocco
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy.
| | - Henry N Taunt
- Algal Research Group, Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, UK
| | - Marcello Berto
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Harry O Jackson
- Algal Research Group, Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, UK
| | - Daniele Piccinini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Alan Carletti
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Giulia Scurani
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Niccolò Braidi
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, 41125, Modena, Italy
| | - Saul Purton
- Algal Research Group, Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, UK
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11
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Akram M, Khan MA, Ahmed N, Bhatti R, Pervaiz R, Malik K, Tahir S, Abbas R, Ashraf F, Ali Q. Cloning and expression of an anti-cancerous cytokine: human IL-29 gene in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. AMB Express 2023; 13:23. [PMID: 36840830 PMCID: PMC9968364 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-023-01530-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2022] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Green algae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, with low cultivation cost, absence of endotoxins and insusceptibility to human pathogens is emerging as a potential system for the future production of recombinant proteins. The recent development of molecular tools enabling recombinant protein expression in algae chloroplast has provided new research and advance opportunities for developing low-cost therapeutic proteins. In the present study, algae chloroplast expression system was evaluated for the recombinant production of an anti-cancerous therapeutic protein, Interleukin 29 (IL29). The IL29 gene was cloned into algae chloroplast expression vector (pSRSapI). After the transformation, the positive clones were screened for homoplasmy and the presence of the IL29 gene by spot test and PCR analysis, respectively. The expressed SDS-PAGE and western blotting assay characterized IL-29. The algae expressed IL-29 was biologically active in an anti-proliferating bioassay using HepG2 cells. The results suggest that the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii expression system is convenient, low-cost, eco-friendly, and safe to express IL29.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maham Akram
- grid.11173.350000 0001 0670 519XCentre for Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Mohsin Ahmad Khan
- Centre for Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Nadeem Ahmed
- grid.11173.350000 0001 0670 519XCentre for Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Rashid Bhatti
- Centre for Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, Pakistan.
| | - Rabbia Pervaiz
- grid.11173.350000 0001 0670 519XCentre for Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Kausar Malik
- grid.11173.350000 0001 0670 519XCentre for Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Saad Tahir
- grid.11173.350000 0001 0670 519XCentre for Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Rabia Abbas
- grid.11173.350000 0001 0670 519XCentre for Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Fareeha Ashraf
- grid.11173.350000 0001 0670 519XCentre for Excellence in Molecular Biology (CEMB), University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Bank Road Thokar Niaz Baig, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Qurban Ali
- Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Pakistan.
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12
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Vilatte A, Spencer-Milnes X, Jackson HO, Purton S, Parker B. Spray Drying Is a Viable Technology for the Preservation of Recombinant Proteins in Microalgae. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11020512. [PMID: 36838478 PMCID: PMC9967251 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11020512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Microalgae are promising host organisms for the production of encapsulated recombinant proteins such as vaccines. However, bottlenecks in bioprocess development, such as the drying stage, need to be addressed to ensure feasibility at scale. In this study, we investigated the potential of spray drying to produce a recombinant vaccine in microalgae. A transformant line of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii carrying a subunit vaccine against salmonid alphavirus was created via chloroplast engineering. The integrity of the recombinant protein after spray drying and its stability after 27 months storage at -80 °C, +4 °C and room temperature were assessed by immunoblotting. The protein withstood spray drying without significant losses. Long-term storage at +4 °C and room temperature resulted in 50% and 92% degradation, respectively. Optimizing spray drying and storage conditions should minimize degradation and favour short-term storage at positive temperatures. Using data on yield and productivity, the economics of spray drying- and freeze drying-based bioprocesses were compared. The drying stage corresponded to 41% of the total production cost. Process optimization, genetic engineering and new market strategies were identified as potential targets for cost reduction. Overall, this study successfully demonstrates the suitability of spray drying as a process option for recombinant protein production in microalgae at the industrial scale.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaëlle Vilatte
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Xenia Spencer-Milnes
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Harry Oliver Jackson
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Saul Purton
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Brenda Parker
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
- Correspondence:
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13
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Production of Recombinant Biopharmaceuticals in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PLANT BIOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/ijpb14010004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
This review aimed to present Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as an alternative for heterologous protein production, especially for biopharmaceuticals, and its general characteristics when compared with other expression systems. The need to produce heterologous proteins for industrial interest, therapeutic ends, and diagnostic kits has led to the development of recombinant microalgal technology. This technology presents some interesting features, such as rapid growth and low transgene dispersion compared to plants, the ability to fold complex proteins compared to bacteria, and low production costs compared to other expression systems, such as yeast and mammalian cells. Overall, C. reinhardtii heterologous protein expression is coming of age with several research groups focused on developing an optimal producer strain.
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14
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Pervaiz R, Khan MA, Raza FA, Ahmad S, Zafar AU, Ahmed N, Akram M. Expression of a mosquito larvicidal gene in chloroplast and nuclear compartments of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. J Biotechnol 2022; 360:182-191. [PMID: 36368638 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2022.11.004] [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: 05/19/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
As a part of the search for environment-friendly biocontrol of mosquito-borne diseases, mosquito larvicidal potential of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. jegathesan (Btj) Cry toxins is explored for toxins with increased toxicity. Safe delivery of the Cry toxins to mosquito larvae in aquatic habitats is a major concern. This is because in water bodies Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) protein formulations degrade by sunlight, can sink down and get adsorbed by the silt. So, because of its short persistence the toxin requires repeated applications at the given site. Therefore, an upcoming approach is incorporating the Bt toxins in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii) because it is a food of mosquito larvae in water and its molecular toolkit is well investigated for foreign gene expression. The present work aimed to compare the feasibility of C. reinhardtii chloroplast and nuclear compartments for stable expression of Cry11Ba toxin as this is the most toxic Btj protein to date, lethal to different mosquito species. With chloroplast expression of cry11Ba gene we were able to generate marker-free C. reinhardtii strain stably expressing Cry11Ba protein and demonstrating mortality against Aedes aegypti larvae. Moreover, for nuclear expression linking the cry11Ba gene to zeocin via foot and mouth disease virus (FMDV) 2A peptide resulted in the selection of transformants with increased cry11Ba mRNA expression levels by semi-quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR. Obtained results lay a foundation for the C. reinhardtii chloroplast expression system to be used for genetic engineering with Bt toxins which possess enhanced toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rabbia Pervaiz
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Road, Thokar Niaz Baig Sector-1, Lahore 53700, Pakistan.
| | - Mohsin Ahmad Khan
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Road, Thokar Niaz Baig Sector-1, Lahore 53700, Pakistan
| | - Faiz Ahmed Raza
- Health Research Institute, National Institute of Health (HRI-NIH), Research Centre, King Edward Medical University, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Sohail Ahmad
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Road, Thokar Niaz Baig Sector-1, Lahore 53700, Pakistan
| | - Ahmad Usman Zafar
- Qarshi University, 8-Km Thokar Niaz Baig, Canal Bank Road, Opposite Izmir Town, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - Nadeem Ahmed
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Road, Thokar Niaz Baig Sector-1, Lahore 53700, Pakistan
| | - Maham Akram
- Centre of Excellence in Molecular Biology, University of the Punjab, 87-West Canal Road, Thokar Niaz Baig Sector-1, Lahore 53700, Pakistan
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15
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Dehghani J, Movafeghi A, Mathieu-Rivet E, Mati-Baouche N, Calbo S, Lerouge P, Bardor M. Microalgae as an Efficient Vehicle for the Production and Targeted Delivery of Therapeutic Glycoproteins against SARS-CoV-2 Variants. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20110657. [PMID: 36354980 PMCID: PMC9698596 DOI: 10.3390/md20110657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2022] [Revised: 10/18/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome–Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) can infect various human organs, including the respiratory, circulatory, nervous, and gastrointestinal ones. The virus is internalized into human cells by binding to the human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor through its spike protein (S-glycoprotein). As S-glycoprotein is required for the attachment and entry into the human target cells, it is the primary mediator of SARS-CoV-2 infectivity. Currently, this glycoprotein has received considerable attention as a key component for the development of antiviral vaccines or biologics against SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, since the ACE2 receptor constitutes the main entry route for the SARS-CoV-2 virus, its soluble form could be considered as a promising approach for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 infection (COVID-19). Both S-glycoprotein and ACE2 are highly glycosylated molecules containing 22 and 7 consensus N-glycosylation sites, respectively. The N-glycan structures attached to these specific sites are required for the folding, conformation, recycling, and biological activity of both glycoproteins. Thus far, recombinant S-glycoprotein and ACE2 have been produced primarily in mammalian cells, which is an expensive process. Therefore, benefiting from a cheaper cell-based biofactory would be a good value added to the development of cost-effective recombinant vaccines and biopharmaceuticals directed against COVID-19. To this end, efficient protein synthesis machinery and the ability to properly impose post-translational modifications make microalgae an eco-friendly platform for the production of pharmaceutical glycoproteins. Notably, several microalgae (e.g., Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, Dunaliella bardawil, and Chlorella species) are already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as safe human food. Because microalgal cells contain a rigid cell wall that could act as a natural encapsulation to protect the recombinant proteins from the aggressive environment of the stomach, this feature could be used for the rapid production and edible targeted delivery of S-glycoprotein and soluble ACE2 for the treatment/inhibition of SARS-CoV-2. Herein, we have reviewed the pathogenesis mechanism of SARS-CoV-2 and then highlighted the potential of microalgae for the treatment/inhibition of COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaber Dehghani
- Université de Rouen Normandie, Laboratoire GlycoMEV UR 4358, SFR Normandie Végétal FED 4277, Innovation Chimie Carnot, F-76000 Rouen, France
| | - Ali Movafeghi
- Department of Plant, Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Tabriz, Tabriz 5166616471, Iran
| | - Elodie Mathieu-Rivet
- Université de Rouen Normandie, Laboratoire GlycoMEV UR 4358, SFR Normandie Végétal FED 4277, Innovation Chimie Carnot, F-76000 Rouen, France
| | - Narimane Mati-Baouche
- Université de Rouen Normandie, Laboratoire GlycoMEV UR 4358, SFR Normandie Végétal FED 4277, Innovation Chimie Carnot, F-76000 Rouen, France
| | - Sébastien Calbo
- Université de Rouen Normandie, Inserm U1234, F-76000 Rouen, France
| | - Patrice Lerouge
- Université de Rouen Normandie, Laboratoire GlycoMEV UR 4358, SFR Normandie Végétal FED 4277, Innovation Chimie Carnot, F-76000 Rouen, France
| | - Muriel Bardor
- Université de Rouen Normandie, Laboratoire GlycoMEV UR 4358, SFR Normandie Végétal FED 4277, Innovation Chimie Carnot, F-76000 Rouen, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-2-35-14-67-51
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16
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Lee W, Matthews A, Moore D. Safety Evaluation of a Novel Algal Feed Additive for Poultry Production. Avian Dis 2022; 66:1-11. [PMID: 36214407 DOI: 10.1637/aviandiseases-d-22-00043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Feed additives are critical components for poultry health and the economic viability of antibiotic-free poultry production. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the safety of a novel algal-derived feed additive, a dried biomass powder produced from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii strain crAL082, modified to express an N-acetylmuramoyl-L-alanine amidase (EC 3.5.1.28) and a lysozyme-type enzyme (EC 3.2.1.17). A 42-day oral toxicity study showed that the crAL082 dried biomass powder was fully tolerated by broiler chicken based on the lack of detrimental effects found in performance, mortality, hematology, blood clinical chemistry, and histopathologic results compared with those of a nontreated control group, resulting in a "No Observed Adverse Effect Level" of 5000 ppm, the highest dose tested. The study demonstrates the first-ever safety result of a C. reinhardtii microalgae dried biomass powder used as a feed additive in broiler chickens. Furthermore, safety is shown for the two additional enzymes expressed within the C. reinhardtii crAL082 strain and ingested by the birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiluo Lee
- Axitan Ltd., Ground Floor Offices, Whittle Way, SG1 2FS, Stevenage, United Kingdom,
| | | | - Daniel Moore
- Colorado Quality Research, Inc., Wellington, CO 80549
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17
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Jackson HO, Taunt HN, Mordaka PM, Kumari S, Smith AG, Purton S. CpPosNeg: A positive-negative selection strategy allowing multiple cycles of marker-free engineering of the Chlamydomonas plastome. Biotechnol J 2022; 17:e2200088. [PMID: 35509114 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202200088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 04/19/2022] [Accepted: 04/23/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The chloroplast represents an attractive compartment for light-driven biosynthesis of recombinant products, and advanced synthetic biology tools are available for engineering the chloroplast genome ( = plastome) of several algal and plant species. However, producing commercial lines will likely require several plastome manipulations. This presents issues with respect to selectable markers, since there are a limited number available, they can be used only once in a serial engineering strategy, and it is undesirable to retain marker genes for antibiotic resistance in the final transplastome. To address these problems, we have designed a rapid iterative selection system, known as CpPosNeg, for the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that allows creation of marker-free transformants starting from wild-type strains. The system employs a dual marker encoding a fusion protein of E. coli aminoglycoside adenyltransferase (AadA: conferring spectinomycin resistance) and a variant of E. coli cytosine deaminase (CodA: conferring sensitivity to 5-fluorocytosine). Initial selection on spectinomycin allows stable transformants to be established and driven to homoplasmy. Subsequent selection on 5-fluorocytosine results in rapid loss of the dual marker through intramolecular recombination between the 3'UTR of the marker and the 3'UTR of the introduced transgene. We demonstrate the versatility of the CpPosNeg system by serial introduction of reporter genes into the plastome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry O Jackson
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Henry N Taunt
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, UK
| | - Paweł M Mordaka
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Sujata Kumari
- DBT-ICT Centre for Energy Biosciences, Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai, India
| | - Alison G Smith
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Saul Purton
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, UK
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18
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Ma K, Deng L, Wu H, Fan J. Towards green biomanufacturing of high-value recombinant proteins using promising cell factory: Chlamydomonas reinhardtii chloroplast. BIORESOUR BIOPROCESS 2022; 9:83. [PMID: 38647750 PMCID: PMC10992328 DOI: 10.1186/s40643-022-00568-6] [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: 06/09/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Microalgae are cosmopolitan organisms in nature with short life cycles, playing a tremendous role in reducing the pressure of industrial carbon emissions. Besides, microalgae have the unique advantages of being photoautotrophic and harboring both prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems, becoming a popular host for recombinant proteins. Currently, numerous advanced molecular tools related to microalgal transgenesis have been explored and established, especially for the model species Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii hereafter). The development of genetic tools and the emergence of new strategies further increase the feasibility of developing C. reinhardtii chloroplasts as green factories, and the strong genetic operability of C. reinhardtii endows it with enormous potential as a synthetic biology platform. At present, C. reinhardtii chloroplasts could successfully produce plenty of recombinant proteins, including antigens, antibodies, antimicrobial peptides, protein hormones and enzymes. However, additional techniques and toolkits for chloroplasts need to be developed to achieve efficient and markerless editing of plastid genomes. Mining novel genetic elements and selectable markers will be more intensively studied in the future, and more factors affecting protein expression are urged to be explored. This review focuses on the latest technological progress of selectable markers for Chlamydomonas chloroplast genetic engineering and the factors that affect the efficiency of chloroplast protein expression. Furthermore, urgent challenges and prospects for future development are pointed out.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China
| | - Haizhen Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Applied Biology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jianhua Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, 130 Meilong Road, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Applied Biology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, 200237, People's Republic of China.
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shihezi University, Shihezi, 832003, People's Republic of China.
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19
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Hoqani UA, León R, Purton S. Over-expression of a cyanobacterial gene for 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase in the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii perturbs chlorophyll: carotenoid ratios. JOURNAL OF KING SAUD UNIVERSITY. SCIENCE 2022; 34:None. [PMID: 35923766 PMCID: PMC9329130 DOI: 10.1016/j.jksus.2022.102141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Terpenoids are a diverse class of naturally occurring compounds consisting of more than 50,000 structurally different molecules and are found in all living organisms. Many terpenoid compounds, in particular those isolated from plants, have applications in various commercial sectors including medicine, agriculture and cosmetics. However, these high value terpenoids are produced in relatively small quantities in their natural hosts and their chemical synthesis for large scale production is costly and complicated. Therefore, there is much focus on producing these compounds in novel biological hosts using metabolic engineering technologies. As a photosynthetic system, the unicellular green alga C. reinhardtii is of particular interest as the most well-studied model alga with well-established molecular tools for genetic manipulation. However, the direct manipulation of terpenoid biosynthetic pathways in C. reinhardtii necessitates a thorough understanding of the basic terpenoid metabolism. To gain a better understanding of the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway that leads to terpenoid biosynthesis in the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii, hence this study has investigated the effect of over-expressing 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate synthase (DXS) on plastidic downstream terpenoids. We produced marker-free chloroplast transformants of C. reinhardtii lines that express an additional cyanobacterial gene for DXS. The analysis of terpenoid content for the transgenic line demonstrates that overexpressing DXS resulted in a two-fold decrease in the chlorophyll levels while carotenoid levels showed variable changes: zeaxanthin and antherxanthin levels increased several-fold, lutein levels dropped to approximately half, but β-carotene and violaxanthin did not show a significant change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umaima Al Hoqani
- Applied Biology Section, Applied Sciences Department, Higher College of Technology, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Al-Khuwair 133, Oman
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
| | - Rosa León
- Lab Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Dpto Química, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, Avda Fuerzas Armadas s/n, 21007 Huelva, Spain
| | - Saul Purton
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, United Kingdom
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20
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Bolaños-Martínez OC, Mahendran G, Rosales-Mendoza S, Vimolmangkang S. Current Status and Perspective on the Use of Viral-Based Vectors in Eukaryotic Microalgae. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20070434. [PMID: 35877728 PMCID: PMC9318342 DOI: 10.3390/md20070434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
During the last two decades, microalgae have attracted increasing interest, both commercially and scientifically. Commercial potential involves utilizing valuable natural compounds, including carotenoids, polysaccharides, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, which are widely applicable in food, biofuel, and pharmaceutical industries. Conversely, scientific potential focuses on bioreactors for producing recombinant proteins and developing viable technologies to significantly increase the yield and harvest periods. Here, viral-based vectors and transient expression strategies have significantly contributed to improving plant biotechnology. We present an updated outlook covering microalgal biotechnology for pharmaceutical application, transformation techniques for generating recombinant proteins, and genetic engineering tactics for viral-based vector construction. Challenges in industrial application 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 10330, Thailand; (O.C.B.-M.); (G.M.)
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - Ganesan Mahendran
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (O.C.B.-M.); (G.M.)
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
| | - 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;
- Sección de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud y Biomedicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, Av. Sierra Leona 550, Lomas 2a Sección, San Luis Potosí 78210, Mexico
| | - Sornkanok Vimolmangkang
- Department of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Botany, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand; (O.C.B.-M.); (G.M.)
- Center of Excellence in Plant-Produced Pharmaceuticals, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +662-218-8358
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21
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Overcoming Poor Transgene Expression in the Wild-Type Chlamydomonas Chloroplast: Creation of Highly Mosquitocidal Strains of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10061087. [PMID: 35744605 PMCID: PMC9229432 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10061087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2022] [Revised: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
High-level expression of transgenes in the chloroplast of wild-type Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (C. reinhardtii) remains challenging for many genes (e.g., the cry toxin genes from Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis). The bottleneck is presumed to be post-transcriptional and mediated by the 5′ element and the coding region. Using 5′ elements from highly expressed photosynthesis genes such as atpA did not improve the outcome with cry11A regardless of the promoter. However, when we employed the 5′ UTR from mature rps4 mRNA with clean fusions to promoters, production of the rCry11A protein became largely promoter-dependent. The best results were obtained with the native 16S rrn promoter (−91 to −1). When it was fused to the mature 5′ rps4 UTR, rCry11A protein levels were ~50% higher than was obtained with the inducible system, or ~0.6% of total protein. This level was sufficient to visualize the 73-kDa rCry11A protein on Coomassie-stained gels of total algal protein. In addition, analysis of the expression of these transgenes by RT-PCR indicated that RNA levels roughly correlated with protein production. Live cell bioassays using the best strains as food for 3rd instar Aedes aegypti larvae showed that most larvae were killed even when the cell concentration was as low as 2 × 104 cells/mL. Finally, the results indicate that these highly toxic strains are also quite stable, and thus represent a key milestone in using C. reinhardtii for mosquito control.
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22
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Abdallah MN, Wellman GB, Overmans S, Lauersen KJ. Combinatorial Engineering Enables Photoautotrophic Growth in High Cell Density Phosphite-Buffered Media to Support Engineered Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Bio-Production Concepts. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:885840. [PMID: 35633717 PMCID: PMC9141048 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.885840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has emerged as a powerful green cell factory for metabolic engineering of sustainable products created from the photosynthetic lifestyle of this microalga. Advances in nuclear genome modification and transgene expression are allowing robust engineering strategies to be demonstrated in this host. However, commonly used lab strains are not equipped with features to enable their broader implementation in non-sterile conditions and high-cell density concepts. Here, we used combinatorial chloroplast and nuclear genome engineering to augment the metabolism of the C. reinhardtii strain UVM4 with publicly available genetic tools to enable the use of inorganic phosphite and nitrate as sole sources of phosphorous and nitrogen, respectively. We present recipes to create phosphite-buffered media solutions that enable high cell density algal cultivation. We then combined previously reported engineering strategies to produce the heterologous sesquiterpenoid patchoulol to high titers from our engineered green cell factories and show these products are possible to produce in non-sterile conditions. Our work presents a straightforward means to generate C. reinhardtii strains for broader application in bio-processes for the sustainable generation of products from green microalgae.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kyle J. Lauersen
- Bioengineering Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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23
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Abdallah MN, Wellman GB, Overmans S, Lauersen KJ. Combinatorial Engineering Enables Photoautotrophic Growth in High Cell Density Phosphite-Buffered Media to Support Engineered Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Bio-Production Concepts. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:885840. [PMID: 35633717 DOI: 10.1101/2022.02.28.482248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has emerged as a powerful green cell factory for metabolic engineering of sustainable products created from the photosynthetic lifestyle of this microalga. Advances in nuclear genome modification and transgene expression are allowing robust engineering strategies to be demonstrated in this host. However, commonly used lab strains are not equipped with features to enable their broader implementation in non-sterile conditions and high-cell density concepts. Here, we used combinatorial chloroplast and nuclear genome engineering to augment the metabolism of the C. reinhardtii strain UVM4 with publicly available genetic tools to enable the use of inorganic phosphite and nitrate as sole sources of phosphorous and nitrogen, respectively. We present recipes to create phosphite-buffered media solutions that enable high cell density algal cultivation. We then combined previously reported engineering strategies to produce the heterologous sesquiterpenoid patchoulol to high titers from our engineered green cell factories and show these products are possible to produce in non-sterile conditions. Our work presents a straightforward means to generate C. reinhardtii strains for broader application in bio-processes for the sustainable generation of products from green microalgae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Malak N Abdallah
- Bioengineering Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gordon B Wellman
- Bioengineering Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sebastian Overmans
- Bioengineering Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kyle J Lauersen
- Bioengineering Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
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Grama SB, Liu Z, Li J. Emerging Trends in Genetic Engineering of Microalgae for Commercial Applications. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:285. [PMID: 35621936 PMCID: PMC9143385 DOI: 10.3390/md20050285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, microalgal biotechnology has received increasing interests in producing valuable, sustainable and environmentally friendly bioproducts. The development of economically viable production processes entails resolving certain limitations of microalgal biotechnology, and fast evolving genetic engineering technologies have emerged as new tools to overcome these limitations. This review provides a synopsis of recent progress, current trends and emerging approaches of genetic engineering of microalgae for commercial applications, including production of pharmaceutical protein, lipid, carotenoids and biohydrogen, etc. Photochemistry improvement in microalgae and CO2 sequestration by microalgae via genetic engineering were also discussed since these subjects are closely entangled with commercial production of the above mentioned products. Although genetic engineering of microalgae is proved to be very effective in boosting performance of production in laboratory conditions, only limited success was achieved to be applicable to industry so far. With genetic engineering technologies advancing rapidly and intensive investigations going on, more bioproducts are expected to be produced by genetically modified microalgae and even much more to be prospected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samir B. Grama
- Laboratory of Natural Substances, Biomolecules and Biotechnological Applications, University of Oum El Bouaghi, Oum El Bouaghi 04000, Algeria;
| | - Zhiyuan Liu
- College of Marine Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China;
| | - Jian Li
- College of Agricultural Sciences, Panzhihua University, Panzhihua 617000, China
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Harnessing the Algal Chloroplast for Heterologous Protein Production. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10040743. [PMID: 35456794 PMCID: PMC9025058 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10040743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Photosynthetic microbes are gaining increasing attention as heterologous hosts for the light-driven, low-cost production of high-value recombinant proteins. Recent advances in the manipulation of unicellular algal genomes offer the opportunity to establish engineered strains as safe and viable alternatives to conventional heterotrophic expression systems, including for their use in the feed, food, and biopharmaceutical industries. Due to the relatively small size of their genomes, algal chloroplasts are excellent targets for synthetic biology approaches, and are convenient subcellular sites for the compartmentalized accumulation and storage of products. Different classes of recombinant proteins, including enzymes and peptides with therapeutical applications, have been successfully expressed in the plastid of the model organism Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, and of a few other species, highlighting the emerging potential of transplastomic algal biotechnology. In this review, we provide a unified view on the state-of-the-art tools that are available to introduce protein-encoding transgenes in microalgal plastids, and discuss the main (bio)technological bottlenecks that still need to be addressed to develop robust and sustainable green cell biofactories.
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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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Gutiérrez S, Lauersen KJ. Gene Delivery Technologies with Applications in Microalgal Genetic Engineering. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:265. [PMID: 33810286 PMCID: PMC8067306 DOI: 10.3390/biology10040265] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2021] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Microalgae and cyanobacteria are photosynthetic microbes that can be grown with the simple inputs of water, carbon dioxide, (sun)light, and trace elements. Their engineering holds the promise of tailored bio-molecule production using sustainable, environmentally friendly waste carbon inputs. Although algal engineering examples are beginning to show maturity, severe limitations remain in the transformation of multigene expression cassettes into model species and DNA delivery into non-model hosts. This review highlights common and emerging DNA delivery methods used for other organisms that may find future applications in algal engineering.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyle J. Lauersen
- Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia;
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Jackson HO, Taunt HN, Mordaka PM, Smith AG, Purton S. The Algal Chloroplast as a Testbed for Synthetic Biology Designs Aimed at Radically Rewiring Plant Metabolism. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:708370. [PMID: 34630459 PMCID: PMC8497815 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.708370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable and economically viable support for an ever-increasing global population requires a paradigm shift in agricultural productivity, including the application of biotechnology to generate future crop plants. Current genetic engineering approaches aimed at enhancing the photosynthetic efficiency or composition of the harvested tissues involve relatively simple manipulations of endogenous metabolism. However, radical rewiring of central metabolism using new-to-nature pathways, so-called "synthetic metabolism", may be needed to really bring about significant step changes. In many cases, this will require re-programming the metabolism of the chloroplast, or other plastids in non-green tissues, through a combination of chloroplast and nuclear engineering. However, current technologies for sophisticated chloroplast engineering ("transplastomics") of plants are limited to just a handful of species. Moreover, the testing of metabolic rewiring in the chloroplast of plant models is often impractical given their obligate phototrophy, the extended time needed to create stable non-chimeric transplastomic lines, and the technical challenges associated with regeneration of whole plants. In contrast, the unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a facultative heterotroph that allows for extensive modification of chloroplast function, including non-photosynthetic designs. Moreover, chloroplast engineering in C. reinhardtii is facile, with the ability to generate novel lines in a matter of weeks, and a well-defined molecular toolbox allows for rapid iterations of the "Design-Build-Test-Learn" (DBTL) cycle of modern synthetic biology approaches. The recent development of combinatorial DNA assembly pipelines for designing and building transgene clusters, simple methods for marker-free delivery of these clusters into the chloroplast genome, and the pre-existing wealth of knowledge regarding chloroplast gene expression and regulation in C. reinhardtii further adds to the versatility of transplastomics using this organism. Herein, we review the inherent advantages of the algal chloroplast as a simple and tractable testbed for metabolic engineering designs, which could then be implemented in higher plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry O. Jackson
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Henry N. Taunt
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pawel M. Mordaka
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alison G. Smith
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Saul Purton
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Saul Purton
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Kato Y, Hasunuma T. Metabolic Engineering for Carotenoid Production Using Eukaryotic Microalgae and Prokaryotic Cyanobacteria. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1261:121-135. [PMID: 33783735 DOI: 10.1007/978-981-15-7360-6_10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Eukaryotic microalgae and prokaryotic cyanobacteria are diverse photosynthetic organisms that produce various useful compounds. Due to their rapid growth and efficient biomass production from carbon dioxide and solar energy, microalgae and cyanobacteria are expected to become cost-effective, sustainable bioresources in the future. These organisms also abundantly produce various carotenoids, but further improvement in carotenoid productivity is needed for a successful commercialization. Metabolic engineering via genetic manipulation and mutational breeding is a powerful tool for generating carotenoid-rich strains. This chapter focuses on carotenoid production in microalgae and cyanobacteria, as well as strategies and potential target genes for metabolic engineering. Recent achievements in metabolic engineering that improved carotenoid production in microalgae and cyanobacteria are also reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Kato
- Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University, Kobe-city, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Tomohisa Hasunuma
- Graduate School of Science, Technology and Innovation, Kobe University, Kobe-city, Hyogo, Japan.
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Macedo-Osorio KS, Martínez-Antonio A, Badillo-Corona JA. Pas de Trois: An Overview of Penta-, Tetra-, and Octo-Tricopeptide Repeat Proteins From Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Their Role in Chloroplast Gene Expression. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:775366. [PMID: 34868174 PMCID: PMC8635915 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.775366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Penta-, Tetra-, and Octo-tricopeptide repeat (PPR, TPR, and OPR) proteins are nucleus-encoded proteins composed of tandem repeats of 35, 34, and 38-40 amino acids, respectively. They form helix-turn-helix structures that interact with mRNA or other proteins and participate in RNA stabilization, processing, maturation, and act as translation enhancers of chloroplast and mitochondrial mRNAs. These helical repeat proteins are unevenly present in plants and algae. While PPR proteins are more abundant in plants than in algae, OPR proteins are more abundant in algae. In Arabidopsis, maize, and rice there have been 450, 661, and 477 PPR proteins identified, respectively, which contrasts with only 14 PPR proteins identified in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Likewise, more than 120 OPR proteins members have been predicted from the nuclear genome of C. reinhardtii and only one has been identified in Arabidopsis thaliana. Due to their abundance in land plants, PPR proteins have been largely characterized making it possible to elucidate their RNA-binding code. This has even allowed researchers to generate engineered PPR proteins with defined affinity to a particular target, which has served as the basis to develop tools for gene expression in biotechnological applications. However, fine elucidation of the helical repeat proteins code in Chlamydomonas is a pending task. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the role PPR, TPR, and OPR proteins play in chloroplast gene expression in the green algae C. reinhardtii, pointing to relevant similarities and differences with their counterparts in plants. We also recapitulate on how these proteins have been engineered and shown to serve as mRNA regulatory factors for biotechnological applications in plants and how this could be used as a starting point for applications in algae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla S. Macedo-Osorio
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, México City, México
- Biological Engineering Laboratory, Genetic Engineering Department, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional-Unidad Irapuato, Irapuato, México
- División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco, México City, México
- *Correspondence: Karla S. Macedo-Osorio,
| | - Agustino Martínez-Antonio
- Biological Engineering Laboratory, Genetic Engineering Department, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional-Unidad Irapuato, Irapuato, México
| | - Jesús A. Badillo-Corona
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, México City, México
- Jesús A. Badillo-Corona,
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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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Newkirk GM, de Allende P, Jinkerson RE, Giraldo JP. Nanotechnology Approaches for Chloroplast Biotechnology Advancements. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:691295. [PMID: 34381480 PMCID: PMC8351593 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.691295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
Photosynthetic organisms are sources of sustainable foods, renewable biofuels, novel biopharmaceuticals, and next-generation biomaterials essential for modern society. Efforts to improve the yield, variety, and sustainability of products dependent on chloroplasts are limited by the need for biotechnological approaches for high-throughput chloroplast transformation, monitoring chloroplast function, and engineering photosynthesis across diverse plant species. The use of nanotechnology has emerged as a novel approach to overcome some of these limitations. Nanotechnology is enabling advances in the targeted delivery of chemicals and genetic elements to chloroplasts, nanosensors for chloroplast biomolecules, and nanotherapeutics for enhancing chloroplast performance. Nanotechnology-mediated delivery of DNA to the chloroplast has the potential to revolutionize chloroplast synthetic biology by allowing transgenes, or even synthesized DNA libraries, to be delivered to a variety of photosynthetic species. Crop yield improvements could be enabled by nanomaterials that enhance photosynthesis, increase tolerance to stresses, and act as nanosensors for biomolecules associated with chloroplast function. Engineering isolated chloroplasts through nanotechnology and synthetic biology approaches are leading to a new generation of plant-based biomaterials able to self-repair using abundant CO2 and water sources and are powered by renewable sunlight energy. Current knowledge gaps of nanotechnology-enabled approaches for chloroplast biotechnology include precise mechanisms for entry into plant cells and organelles, limited understanding about nanoparticle-based chloroplast transformations, and the translation of lab-based nanotechnology tools to the agricultural field with crop plants. Future research in chloroplast biotechnology mediated by the merging of synthetic biology and nanotechnology approaches can yield tools for precise control and monitoring of chloroplast function in vivo and ex vivo across diverse plant species, allowing increased plant productivity and turning plants into widely available sustainable technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory M. Newkirk
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Pedro de Allende
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Robert E. Jinkerson
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
| | - Juan Pablo Giraldo
- Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Juan Pablo Giraldo,
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Ho SH, Zhang C, Tao F, Zhang C, Chen WH. Microalgal Torrefaction for Solid Biofuel Production. Trends Biotechnol 2020; 38:1023-1033. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.02.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Wang K, Cui Y, Wang Y, Gao Z, Liu T, Meng C, Qin S. Chloroplast Genetic Engineering of a Unicellular Green Alga Haematococcus pluvialis with Expression of an Antimicrobial Peptide. MARINE BIOTECHNOLOGY (NEW YORK, N.Y.) 2020; 22:572-580. [PMID: 32535692 DOI: 10.1007/s10126-020-09978-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to express an antimicrobial peptide in the chloroplast to further develop the plastid engineering of H. pluvialis. Homologous targeting of the 16S-trnI/trnA-23S region and four endogenous regulatory elements, including the psbA promoter, rbcL promoter, rbcL terminator, and psbA terminator in H. pluvialis, were performed to construct a chloroplast transformation vector for H. pluvialis. The expression of codon-optimized antimicrobial peptide piscidin-4 gene (ant1) and selection marker gene (bar, biolaphos resistance gene) in the chloroplast of H. pluvialis was controlled by the rbcL promoter and psbA promoter, respectively. Upon biolistic transformation and selection with phosphinothricin, integration and expression of ant1 in the chloroplast genome were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), southern blotting, and western blotting. Using this method, we successfully expressed antimicrobial peptide piscidin-4 in H. pluvialis. Hence, our results showed H. pluvialis promises as a platform for expressing recombinant proteins for biotechnological applications, which will further contribute to promoting genetic engineering improvement of this strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, Shandong Province, China
| | - Yulin Cui
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Biological Resource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, China
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Yinchu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Biological Resource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, China
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Zhengquan Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, Shandong Province, China
| | - Tianzhong Liu
- Microalgal Biotechnology Group, CAS key Laboratory of Biofuels and Shandong Laboratory of Energy Genetics, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and bioprocess technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
| | - Chunxiao Meng
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, Shandong Province, China.
| | - Song Qin
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Biological Resource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, China.
- Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China.
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Johansson S, Stephenson P, Edwards R, Yoshida K, Moore C, Terauchi R, Zubkov M, Terry M, Bibby T. Isolation and molecular characterisation of Dunaliella tertiolecta with truncated light-harvesting antenna for enhanced photosynthetic efficiency. ALGAL RES 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2020.101917] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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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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38
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Kim SY, Kim KW, Kwon YM, Kim JYH. mCherry Protein as an In Vivo Quantitative Reporter of Gene Expression in the Chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Mol Biotechnol 2020; 62:297-305. [PMID: 32185599 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-020-00249-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Microalgal chloroplasts have a substantial potential as a sustainable alternative to conventional hosts for recombinant protein production, due to their photosynthetic ability. However, realization of microalgal chloroplast as a platform for the production of recombinant proteins has suffered from difficulties in genetic manipulation and development of molecular tools, including reporter proteins. Here, we investigated the suitability of a fluorescent protein, mCherry, as a reporter for quantitative in vivo monitoring of gene expression in the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. By analyzing cell growth, the fluorescence intensity of a mCherry-expressing strain, as well as auto-fluorescence, under different photoautotrophic culture conditions, we demonstrated a strong correlation between the fluorescence intensity of mCherry expressed in the chloroplast and its protein expression level. In addition, we found that the supply of CO2 and light energy can be an important factor for the synthesis of recombinant proteins in the microalgal chloroplast. Our results identified mCherry as a reliable and quantitative reporter for the study of gene expression in chloroplasts, which is essential for the biotechnological application of microalgal chloroplasts and for improved production of valuable recombinant proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Young Kim
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, 33662, South Korea
| | - Kyung Woo Kim
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, 33662, South Korea
| | - Yong Min Kwon
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, 33662, South Korea
| | - Jaoon Young Hwan Kim
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, 33662, South Korea.
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39
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Towards a new avenue for producing therapeutic proteins: Microalgae as a tempting green biofactory. Biotechnol Adv 2020; 40:107499. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biotechadv.2019.107499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
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40
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Rosales-Mendoza S, Solís-Andrade KI, Márquez-Escobar VA, González-Ortega O, Bañuelos-Hernandez B. Current advances in the algae-made biopharmaceuticals field. Expert Opin Biol Ther 2020; 20:751-766. [DOI: 10.1080/14712598.2020.1739643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Rosales-Mendoza
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
- Sección de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud y Biomedicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Karla I. Solís-Andrade
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
- Sección de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud y Biomedicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Verónica A. Márquez-Escobar
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
- Sección de Biotecnología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud y Biomedicina, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
| | - Omar González-Ortega
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México
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Changko S, Rajakumar PD, Young REB, Purton S. The phosphite oxidoreductase gene, ptxD as a bio-contained chloroplast marker and crop-protection tool for algal biotechnology using Chlamydomonas. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2020; 104:675-686. [PMID: 31788712 PMCID: PMC6943410 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-019-10258-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2019] [Revised: 09/10/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Edible microalgae have potential as low-cost cell factories for the production and oral delivery of recombinant proteins such as vaccines, anti-bacterials and gut-active enzymes that are beneficial to farmed animals including livestock, poultry and fish. However, a major economic and technical problem associated with large-scale cultivation of microalgae, even in closed photobioreactors, is invasion by contaminating microorganisms. Avoiding this requires costly media sterilisation, aseptic techniques during set-up and implementation of 'crop-protection' strategies during cultivation. Here, we report a strain improvement approach in which the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is engineered to allow oxidation of phosphite to its bio-available form: phosphate. We have designed a synthetic version of the bacterial gene (ptxD)-encoding phosphite oxidoreductase such that it is highly expressed in the chloroplast but has a Trp→Opal codon reassignment for bio-containment of the transgene. Under mixotrophic conditions, the growth rate of the engineered alga is unaffected when phosphate is replaced with phosphite in the medium. Furthermore, under non-sterile conditions, growth of contaminating microorganisms is severely impeded in phosphite medium. This, therefore, offers the possibility of producing algal biomass under non-sterile conditions. The ptxD gene can also serve as a dominant marker for genetic engineering of any C. reinhardtii strain, thereby avoiding the use of antibiotic resistance genes as markers and allowing the 'retro-fitting' of existing engineered strains. As a proof of concept, we demonstrate the application of our ptxD technology to a strain expressing a subunit vaccine targeting a major viral pathogen of farmed fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saowalak Changko
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Priscilla D Rajakumar
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Rosanna E B Young
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Saul Purton
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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Siddiqui A, Wei Z, Boehm M, Ahmad N. Engineering microalgae through chloroplast transformation to produce high‐value industrial products. Biotechnol Appl Biochem 2020; 67:30-40. [DOI: 10.1002/bab.1823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2019] [Accepted: 09/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayesha Siddiqui
- Agricultural Biotechnology DivisionNational Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) Faisalabad Pakistan
| | - Zhengyi Wei
- Institute of Agricultural BiotechnologyJilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences Changchun Jilin Province People's Republic of China
| | - Marko Boehm
- Botanical InstituteChristian‐Albrechts‐University Kiel Germany
| | - Niaz Ahmad
- Agricultural Biotechnology DivisionNational Institute for Biotechnology & Genetic Engineering (NIBGE) Faisalabad Pakistan
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43
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Stoffels L, Finlan A, Mannall G, Purton S, Parker B. Downstream Processing of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii TN72 for Recombinant Protein Recovery. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2019; 7:383. [PMID: 31867315 PMCID: PMC6908742 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2019.00383] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2019] [Accepted: 11/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is under development as a production host for recombinant proteins and whole-cell therapeutics. In particular, the cell wall-reduced strain TN72 is used as a model organism for protein expression and algal synthetic biology. However, the bioprocessing characteristics of TN72 and other C. reinhardtii strains have yet to be examined. Here we use a TN72 strain expressing a protein-based antibiotic (Pal) to study the scale-up of cell harvest and product recovery. Cell harvest was examined with 100L cultures in two intermittent-discharge continuous-flow disc-stack centrifuges at flow rates of 150–250 L.h−1, as well as with an ultra scale-down (USD) mimic of the centrifuges. Solids recovery exceeded 99.5% and the loss of product to the supernatant was below 2–3%. TN72 is intact following the high shear conditions of the feed zone, however discharge from both disc-stack centrifuges resulted in full cell breakage and in the case of Pal, partial degradation in the subsequent hours. We demonstrated that shake flask cultivation and the USD centrifuge technique can be used to predict the pilot-scale clarification efficiency and product release at the centrifuge inlet for TN72, but not the cell breakage on discharge. This study outlines a number of challenges for scale-up of recombinant protein production in the microalgal host in particular for whole cell therapeutics, but also opportunities for the bioprocessing of intracellular products from TN72.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Stoffels
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Bernard Katz Building, University College London, London, United Kingdom.,Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Arran Finlan
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Bernard Katz Building, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gareth Mannall
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Bernard Katz Building, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Saul Purton
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Brenda Parker
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Bernard Katz Building, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Aguilera-Sáez LM, Abreu AC, Camacho-Rodríguez J, González-López CV, Del Carmen Cerón-García M, Fernández I. NMR Metabolomics as an Effective Tool To Unravel the Effect of Light Intensity and Temperature on the Composition of the Marine Microalgae Isochrysis galbana. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2019; 67:3879-3889. [PMID: 30920825 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b06840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
NMR spectroscopy coupled with multivariate data analysis techniques was applied to obtain meaningful information about nontargeted metabolic changes on Isochrysis galbana upon acclimation to different environmental conditions at indoor lab-scale. The effects of temperature (from 15 to 30 °C) and incident irradiance (from 250 to 1600 μmol m-2 s-1) at a constant dilution rate of 0.3 h-1 were evaluated. High irradiances stimulated a decrease of chlorophyll a, fucoxanthin and amino acids content, and the conversion of polar fatty acids (PLs, GLs, DGDGs, SGDGs) to neutral fatty acids (saturated and unsaturated). High temperatures together with high irradiances decreased PUFAs concentration, including omega-3 fatty acids. Under low irradiance and temperature organic osmolytes (homarine, DMSP, GBT, and glycerol), and sugars (glucose, trehalose, and galactose) were also reduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Manuel Aguilera-Sáez
- Department of Chemistry and Physics and Department of Chemical Engineering, Research Centre CIAIMBITAL , University of Almería , Ctra. Sacramento, s/n, 04120 , Almería ( Spain )
| | - Ana Cristina Abreu
- Department of Chemistry and Physics and Department of Chemical Engineering, Research Centre CIAIMBITAL , University of Almería , Ctra. Sacramento, s/n, 04120 , Almería ( Spain )
| | - Javier Camacho-Rodríguez
- Department of Chemistry and Physics and Department of Chemical Engineering, Research Centre CIAIMBITAL , University of Almería , Ctra. Sacramento, s/n, 04120 , Almería ( Spain )
| | - Cynthia Victoria González-López
- Department of Chemistry and Physics and Department of Chemical Engineering, Research Centre CIAIMBITAL , University of Almería , Ctra. Sacramento, s/n, 04120 , Almería ( Spain )
| | - María Del Carmen Cerón-García
- Department of Chemistry and Physics and Department of Chemical Engineering, Research Centre CIAIMBITAL , University of Almería , Ctra. Sacramento, s/n, 04120 , Almería ( Spain )
| | - Ignacio Fernández
- Department of Chemistry and Physics and Department of Chemical Engineering, Research Centre CIAIMBITAL , University of Almería , Ctra. Sacramento, s/n, 04120 , Almería ( Spain )
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45
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Charoonnart P, Worakajit N, Zedler JAZ, Meetam M, Robinson C, Saksmerprome V. Generation of microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii expressing shrimp antiviral dsRNA without supplementation of antibiotics. Sci Rep 2019; 9:3164. [PMID: 30816201 PMCID: PMC6395707 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-39539-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA interference (RNAi) is an effective way of combating shrimp viruses by using sequence-specific double-stranded (dsRNA) designed to knock down key viral genes. The aim of this study was to use microalgae expressing antiviral dsRNA as a sustainable feed supplement for shrimp offering viral protection. In this proof of concept, we engineered the chloroplast genome of the green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for the expression of a dsRNA cassette targeting a shrimp yellow head viral gene. We used a previously described chloroplast transformation approach that allows for the generation of stable, marker-free C. reinhardtii transformants without the supplementation of antibiotics. The generated dsRNA-expressing microalgal strain was then used in a shrimp feeding trial to evaluate the efficiency of the algal RNAi-based vaccine against the virus. Shrimps treated with dsRNA-expressed algal cells prior to YHV infection had 50% survival at 8 day-post infection (dpi), whereas 84.1% mortality was observed in control groups exposed to the YHV virus. RT-PCR using viral specific primers revealed a lower infection rate in dsRNA-expressing algae treated shrimp (55.6 ± 11.1%) compared to control groups (88.9 ± 11.1% and 100.0 ± 0.0%, respectively). Our results are promising for using microalgae as a novel, sustainable alternative as a nutritious, anti-viral protective feedstock in shrimp aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patai Charoonnart
- Center of Excellence for Shrimp Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) Thailand Science Park, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand
| | - Nichakorn Worakajit
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Julie A Z Zedler
- Centre for Molecular Processing, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
- Copenhagen Plant Science Centre, Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 1871, Frederiksberg C, Denmark
| | - Metha Meetam
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Colin Robinson
- Centre for Molecular Processing, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, CT2 7NJ, UK
| | - Vanvimon Saksmerprome
- Center of Excellence for Shrimp Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Mahidol University, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC) Thailand Science Park, Pathumthani, 12120, Thailand.
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46
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Chen H, Li T, Wang Q. Ten years of algal biofuel and bioproducts: gains and pains. PLANTA 2019; 249:195-219. [PMID: 30603791 DOI: 10.1007/s00425-018-3066-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
It has been proposed that future efforts should focus on basic studies, biotechnology studies and synthetic biology studies related to algal biofuels and various high-value bioproducts for the economically viable production of algal biof uels. In recognition of diminishing fossil fuel reserves and the worsening environment, microalgal biofuel has been proposed as a renewable energy source with great potential. Algal biofuel thus became one of the hottest topics in renewable energy research in the new century, especially over the past decade. Between 2007 and 2017, research related to microalgal biofuels experienced a dramatic, three-stage development, rising, growing exponentially, and then declining rapidly due to overheating of the subject. However, biofuel-driven algal biotechnology and bioproducts research has been thriving since 2010. To clarify the gains (and pains) of the past decade and detail prospects for the future, this review summarizes the extensive scientific progress and substantial technical advances in algal biofuel over the past decade, covering basic biology, applied research, as well as the production of value-added natural products. Even after 10 years of hard work and billions of dollars in investments, its unacceptably high cost remains the ultimate bottleneck for the industrialization of algal biofuel. To maximize the total research benefits, both economically and socially, it has been proposed that future efforts should focus on basic studies to characterize oilgae, on biotechnology studies into various high-value bioproducts. Moreover, the development of synthetic biology provides new possibilities for the economically viable production of biofuels via the directional manufacture of microalgal bioproducts in algal cell factories.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Chen
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 South Donghu Rd., Wuhan, 430072, Hubei Province, China
- Donghu Experimental Station of Lake Ecosystems, State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology of China, Institute of Hydrobiology, The Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, China
| | - Tianpei Li
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 South Donghu Rd., Wuhan, 430072, Hubei Province, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China
| | - Qiang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 7 South Donghu Rd., Wuhan, 430072, Hubei Province, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China.
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47
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Khatiwada B, Kautto L, Sunna A, Sun A, Nevalainen H. Nuclear transformation of the versatile microalga Euglena gracilis. ALGAL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2018.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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48
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Kwon YM, Kim KW, Choi TY, Kim SY, Kim JYH. Manipulation of the microalgal chloroplast by genetic engineering for biotechnological utilization as a green biofactory. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2018; 34:183. [PMID: 30478596 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-018-2567-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The chloroplast is an essential organelle in microalgae for conducting photosynthesis, thus enabling the photoautotrophic growth of microalgae. In addition to photosynthesis, the chloroplast is capable of various biochemical processes for the synthesis of proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and terpenoids. Due to these attractive characteristics, there has been increasing interest in the biotechnological utilization of microalgal chloroplast as a sustainable alternative to the conventional production platforms used in industrial biotechnology. Since the first demonstration of microalgal chloroplast transformation, significant development has occurred over recent decades in the manipulation of microalgal chloroplasts through genetic engineering. In the present review, we describe the advantages of the microalgal chloroplast as a production platform for various bioproducts, including recombinant proteins and high-value metabolites, features of chloroplast genetic systems, and the development of transformation methods, which represent important factors for gene expression in the chloroplast. Furthermore, we address the expression of various recombinant proteins in the microalgal chloroplast through genetic engineering, including reporters, biopharmaceutical proteins, and industrial enzymes. Finally, we present many efforts and achievements in the production of high-value metabolites in the microalgal chloroplast through metabolic engineering. Based on these efforts and advances, the microalgal chloroplast represents an economically viable and sustainable platform for biotechnological applications in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Min Kwon
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon, Chungcheongnamdo, 33662, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung Woo Kim
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon, Chungcheongnamdo, 33662, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Young Choi
- Department of Genetic Resources Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon, Chungcheongnamdo, 33662, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Young Kim
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon, Chungcheongnamdo, 33662, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaoon Young Hwan Kim
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon, Chungcheongnamdo, 33662, Republic of Korea.
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49
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Young R, Purton S. CITRIC: cold-inducible translational readthrough in the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using a novel temperature-sensitive transfer RNA. Microb Cell Fact 2018; 17:186. [PMID: 30474564 PMCID: PMC6260665 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-018-1033-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Accepted: 11/16/2018] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The chloroplast of eukaryotic microalgae such as Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a potential platform for metabolic engineering and the production of recombinant proteins. In industrial biotechnology, inducible expression is often used so that the translation or function of the heterologous protein does not interfere with biomass accumulation during the growth stage. However, the existing systems used in bacterial or fungal platforms do not transfer well to the microalgal chloroplast. We sought to develop a simple inducible expression system for the microalgal chloroplast, exploiting an unused stop codon (TGA) in the plastid genome. We have previously shown that this codon can be translated as tryptophan when we introduce into the chloroplast genome a trnWUCA gene encoding a plastidial transfer RNA with a modified anticodon sequence, UCA. Results A mutated version of our trnWUCA gene was developed that encodes a temperature-sensitive variant of the tRNA. This allows transgenes that have been modified to contain one or more internal TGA codons to be translated differentially according to the culture temperature, with a gradient of recombinant protein accumulation from 35 °C (low/off) to 15 °C (high). We have named this the CITRIC system, an acronym for cold-inducible translational readthrough in chloroplasts. The exact induction behaviour can be tailored by altering the number of TGA codons within the transgene. Conclusions CITRIC adds to the suite of genetic engineering tools available for the microalgal chloroplast, allowing a greater degree of control over the timing of heterologous protein expression. It could also be used as a heat-repressible system for studying the function of essential native genes in the chloroplast. The genetic components of CITRIC are entirely plastid-based, so no engineering of the nuclear genome is required. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12934-018-1033-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosanna Young
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.,Department of Medicine, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Saul Purton
- Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London, WC1E 6BT, UK.
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50
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Benedetti M, Vecchi V, Barera S, Dall’Osto L. Biomass from microalgae: the potential of domestication towards sustainable biofactories. Microb Cell Fact 2018; 17:173. [PMID: 30414618 PMCID: PMC6230293 DOI: 10.1186/s12934-018-1019-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 103] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/31/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Interest in bulk biomass from microalgae, for the extraction of high-value nutraceuticals, bio-products, animal feed and as a source of renewable fuels, is high. Advantages of microalgal vs. plant biomass production include higher yield, use of non-arable land, recovery of nutrients from wastewater, efficient carbon capture and faster development of new domesticated strains. Moreover, adaptation to a wide range of environmental conditions evolved a great genetic diversity within this polyphyletic group, making microalgae a rich source of interesting and useful metabolites. Microalgae have the potential to satisfy many global demands; however, realization of this potential requires a decrease of the current production costs. Average productivity of the most common industrial strains is far lower than maximal theoretical estimations, suggesting that identification of factors limiting biomass yield and removing bottlenecks are pivotal in domestication strategies aimed to make algal-derived bio-products profitable on the industrial scale. In particular, the light-to-biomass conversion efficiency represents a major constraint to finally fill the gap between theoretical and industrial productivity. In this respect, recent results suggest that significant yield enhancement is feasible. Full realization of this potential requires further advances in cultivation techniques, together with genetic manipulation of both algal physiology and metabolic networks, to maximize the efficiency with which solar energy is converted into biomass and bio-products. In this review, we draft the molecular events of photosynthesis which regulate the conversion of light into biomass, and discuss how these can be targeted to enhance productivity through mutagenesis, strain selection or genetic engineering. We outline major successes reached, and promising strategies to achieving significant contributions to future microalgae-based biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Benedetti
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie, Università di Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Valeria Vecchi
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie, Università di Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Simone Barera
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie, Università di Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
| | - Luca Dall’Osto
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie, Università di Verona, Strada Le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy
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