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Torres-Tiji Y, Sethuram H, Gupta A, McCauley J, Dutra-Molino JV, Pathania R, Saxton L, Kang K, Hillson NJ, Mayfield SP. Bioinformatic Prediction and High Throughput In Vivo Screening to Identify Cis-Regulatory Elements for the Development of Algal Synthetic Promoters. ACS Synth Biol 2024; 13:2150-2165. [PMID: 38986010 PMCID: PMC11264317 DOI: 10.1021/acssynbio.4c00199] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/24/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Algae biotechnology holds immense promise for revolutionizing the bioeconomy through the sustainable and scalable production of various bioproducts. However, their development has been hindered by the lack of advanced genetic tools. This study introduces a synthetic biology approach to develop such tools, focusing on the construction and testing of synthetic promoters. By analyzing conserved DNA motifs within the promoter regions of highly expressed genes across six different algal species, we identified cis-regulatory elements (CREs) associated with high transcriptional activity. Combining the algorithms POWRS, STREME, and PhyloGibbs, we predicted 1511 CREs and inserted them into a minimal synthetic promoter sequence in 1, 2, or 3 copies, resulting in 4533 distinct synthetic promoters. These promoters were evaluated in vivo for their capacity to drive the expression of a transgene in a high-throughput manner through next-generation sequencing post antibiotic selection and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. To validate our approach, we sequenced hundreds of transgenic lines showing high levels of GFP expression. Further, we individually tested 14 identified promoters, revealing substantial increases in GFP expression─up to nine times higher than the baseline synthetic promoter, with five matching or even surpassing the performance of the native AR1 promoter. As a result of this study, we identified a catalog of CREs that can now be used to build superior synthetic algal promoters. More importantly, here we present a validated pipeline to generate building blocks for innovative synthetic genetic tools applicable to any algal species with a sequenced genome and transcriptome data set.
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Affiliation(s)
- Y. Torres-Tiji
- Division
of Biological Sciences, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - H. Sethuram
- Division
of Biological Sciences, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - A. Gupta
- Division
of Biological Sciences, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - J. McCauley
- Biological
Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- DOE
Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - J.-V. Dutra-Molino
- Division
of Biological Sciences, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - R. Pathania
- Division
of Biological Sciences, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - L. Saxton
- Division
of Biological Sciences, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - K. Kang
- Division
of Biological Sciences, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - N. J. Hillson
- Biological
Systems & Engineering Division, Lawrence
Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California 94720, United States
- DOE
Agile BioFoundry, Emeryville, California 94608, United States
| | - S. P. Mayfield
- Division
of Biological Sciences, University of California
San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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2
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Lihanova Y, Nagel R, Jakob T, Sasso S. Characterization of activating cis-regulatory elements from the histone genes of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2024; 119:525-539. [PMID: 38693717 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.16781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/03/2024]
Abstract
Regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes is controlled by cis-regulatory modules (CRMs). A major class of CRMs are enhancers which are composed of activating cis-regulatory elements (CREs) responsible for upregulating transcription. To date, most enhancers and activating CREs have been studied in angiosperms; in contrast, our knowledge about these key regulators of gene expression in green algae is limited. In this study, we aimed at characterizing putative activating CREs/CRMs from the histone genes of the unicellular model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. To test the activity of four candidates, reporter constructs consisting of a tetramerized CRE, an established promoter, and a gene for the mCerulean3 fluorescent protein were incorporated into the nuclear genome of C. reinhardtii, and their activity was quantified by flow cytometry. Two tested candidates, Eupstr and Ehist cons, significantly upregulated gene expression and were characterized in detail. Eupstr, which originates from highly expressed genes of C. reinhardtii, is an orientation-independent CRE capable of activating both the RBCS2 and β2-tubulin promoters. Ehist cons, which is a CRM from histone genes of angiosperms, upregulates the β2-tubulin promoter in C. reinhardtii over a distance of at least 1.5 kb. The octamer motif present in Ehist cons was identified in C. reinhardtii and the related green algae Chlamydomonas incerta, Chlamydomonas schloesseri, and Edaphochlamys debaryana, demonstrating its high evolutionary conservation. The results of this investigation expand our knowledge about the regulation of gene expression in green algae. Furthermore, the characterized activating CREs/CRMs can be applied as valuable genetic tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuliia Lihanova
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Raimund Nagel
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Torsten Jakob
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Severin Sasso
- Department of Plant Physiology, Institute of Biology, Leipzig University, Leipzig, Germany
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Miklau M, Burn SJ, Eckerstorfer M, Dolezel M, Greiter A, Heissenberger A, Hörtenhuber S, Zollitsch W, Hagen K. Horizon scanning of potential environmental applications of terrestrial animals, fish, algae and microorganisms produced by genetic modification, including the use of new genomic techniques. Front Genome Ed 2024; 6:1376927. [PMID: 38938511 PMCID: PMC11208717 DOI: 10.3389/fgeed.2024.1376927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
With scientific progress and the development of new genomic techniques (NGTs), the spectrum of organisms modified for various purposes is rapidly expanding and includes a wide range of taxonomic groups. An improved understanding of which newly developed products may be introduced into the market and released into the environment in the near and more distant future is of particular interest for policymakers, regulatory authorities, and risk assessors. To address this information need, we conducted a horizon scanning (HS) of potential environmental applications in four groups of organisms: terrestrial animals (excluding insects and applications with gene drives), fish, algae and microorganisms. We applied a formal scoping review methodology comprising a structured search of the scientific literature followed by eligibility screening, complemented by a survey of grey literature, and regulatory websites and databases. In all four groups of organisms we identified a broad range of potential applications in stages of basic as well as advanced research, and a limited number of applications which are on, or ready to be placed on, the market. Research on GM animals including fish is focused on farmed animals and primarily targets traits which increase performance, influence reproduction, or convey resistance against diseases. GM algae identified in the HS were all unicellular, with more than half of the articles concerning biofuel production. GM algae applications for use in the environment include biocontrol and bioremediation, which are also the main applications identified for GM microorganisms. From a risk assessor's perspective these potential applications entail a multitude of possible pathways to harm. The current limited level of experience and limited amount of available scientific information could constitute a significant challenge in the near future, for which risk assessors and competent authorities urgently need to prepare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Miklau
- Department of Landuse and Biosafety, Environment Agency Austria, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sarah-Joe Burn
- Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Michael Eckerstorfer
- Department of Landuse and Biosafety, Environment Agency Austria, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marion Dolezel
- Department of Landuse and Biosafety, Environment Agency Austria, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anita Greiter
- Department of Landuse and Biosafety, Environment Agency Austria, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Stefan Hörtenhuber
- Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Werner Zollitsch
- Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kristin Hagen
- Federal Agency for Nature Conservation, Division Assessment Synthetic Biology/Enforcement Genetic Engineering Act, Bonn, Germany
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Trujillo E, Monreal-Escalante E, Angulo C. Microalgae-made human vaccines and therapeutics: A decade of advances. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2400091. [PMID: 38719615 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202400091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/05/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/05/2024]
Abstract
Microalgal emergence is a promising platform with two-decade historical background for producing vaccines and biopharmaceuticals. During that period, microalgal-based vaccines have reported successful production for various diseases. Thus, species selection is important for genetic transformation and delivery methods that have been developed. Although many vaccine prototypes have been produced for infectious and non-infectious diseases, fewer studies have reached immunological and immunoprotective evaluations. Microalgae-made vaccines for Staphylococcus aureus, malaria, influenza, human papilloma, and Zika viruses have been explored in their capacity to induce humoral or cellular immune responses and protective efficacies against experimental challenges. Therefore, specific pathogen antigens and immune system role are important and addressed in controlling these infections. Regarding non-communicable diseases, these vaccines have been investigated for breast cancer; microalgal-produced therapeutic molecules and microalgal-made interferon-α have been explored for hypertension and potential applications in treating viral infections and cancer, respectively. Thus, conducting immunological trials is emphasized, discussing the promising results observed in terms of immunogenicity, desired immune response for controlling affections, and challenges for achieving the desired protection levels. The potential advantages and hurdles associated with this innovative approach are highlighted, underlining the relevance of assessing immune responses in preclinical and clinical trials to validate the efficacy of these biopharmaceuticals. The promising future of this healthcare technology is also envisaged.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Trujillo
- Immunology & Vaccinology Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S., México
| | - Elizabeth Monreal-Escalante
- Immunology & Vaccinology Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S., México
- CONAHCYT-Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S., México
| | - Carlos Angulo
- Immunology & Vaccinology Group, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. (CIBNOR), Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, B.C.S., México
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Wang Y, Hu Y, Mo J, Yan Wong T, Liu J, Alessandro P, Zhong Tang B, Wang WX, Yan N. Bioprospecting of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii for boosting biofuel-related products production based on novel aggregation-induced emission active extracellular polymeric substances nanoprobes. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2024; 399:130636. [PMID: 38548032 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2024.130636] [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: 01/21/2024] [Revised: 03/24/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Biofuel production from microalgae has been greatly restricted by low biomass productivity and long-term photosynthetic efficacy. Here, a novel strategy for selecting high-growing, stress-resistant algal strains with high photosynthetic capacity was proposed based on biocompatible extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) probes with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties. Specifically, AIE active EPS probes were synthesized for in-situ long-term monitoring of the EPS productivity at different algal growth stages. By coupling the AIE-based fluorescent techniques, algal cells were classified into four diverse populations based on their chlorophyll and EPS signals. Mechanistic studies on the sorted algal cells revealed their remarkable stress resistance and high expression of cell division, biopolymer production and photosynthesis-related genes. The sorted and subcultured algal cells consistently exhibited relatively higher growth rates and photosynthetic capacities, resulting in an increased (1.2 to 1.8-fold) algal biomass production, chlorophyll, and lipids. This study can potentially open new strategies to boost microalgal-based biofuel production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Wang
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Source Apportionment and Control of Aquatic Pollution, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China
| | - Yubing Hu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Imperial College London, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Jiezhang Mo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Disaster Prediction and Prevention, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, China
| | - Tin Yan Wong
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China
| | - Jingjing Liu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing 210016, China
| | - Parodi Alessandro
- Scientific Center for Translation Medicine, Sirius University of Science and Technology,354340 Sochi, Russia
| | - Ben Zhong Tang
- School of Science and Engineering, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen (CUHK-Shenzhen), Guangdong 518172, China
| | - Wen-Xiong Wang
- School of Energy and Environment and State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon, Hong Kong 999077, China; Research Centre for the Oceans and Human Health, City University of Hong Kong, Shenzhen Research Institute, Shenzhen 518057, China.
| | - Neng Yan
- State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Source Apportionment and Control of Aquatic Pollution, School of Environmental Studies, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan 430074, China.
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Cutolo EA, Caferri R, Campitiello R, Cutolo M. The Clinical Promise of Microalgae in Rheumatoid Arthritis: From Natural Compounds to Recombinant Therapeutics. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:630. [PMID: 38132951 PMCID: PMC10745133 DOI: 10.3390/md21120630] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an invalidating chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by joint inflammation and progressive bone damage. Dietary intervention is an important component in the treatment of RA to mitigate oxidative stress, a major pathogenic driver of the disease. Alongside traditional sources of antioxidants, microalgae-a diverse group of photosynthetic prokaryotes and eukaryotes-are emerging as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory food supplements. Several species accumulate therapeutic metabolites-mainly lipids and pigments-which interfere in the pro-inflammatory pathways involved in RA and other chronic inflammatory conditions. The advancement of the clinical uses of microalgae requires the continuous exploration of phytoplankton biodiversity and chemodiversity, followed by the domestication of wild strains into reliable producers of said metabolites. In addition, the tractability of microalgal genomes offers unprecedented possibilities to establish photosynthetic microbes as light-driven biofactories of heterologous immunotherapeutics. Here, we review the evidence-based anti-inflammatory mechanisms of microalgal metabolites and provide a detailed coverage of the genetic engineering strategies to enhance the yields of endogenous compounds and to develop innovative bioproducts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Andrea Cutolo
- Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Bioenergy, Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Roberto Caferri
- Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Bioenergy, Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Rosanna Campitiello
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 6, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (R.C.)
| | - Maurizio Cutolo
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 6, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (R.C.)
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Milito A, Aschern M, McQuillan JL, Yang JS. Challenges and advances towards the rational design of microalgal synthetic promoters in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2023; 74:3833-3850. [PMID: 37025006 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/erad100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Microalgae hold enormous potential to provide a safe and sustainable source of high-value compounds, acting as carbon-fixing biofactories that could help to mitigate rapidly progressing climate change. Bioengineering microalgal strains will be key to optimizing and modifying their metabolic outputs, and to render them competitive with established industrial biotechnology hosts, such as bacteria or yeast. To achieve this, precise and tuneable control over transgene expression will be essential, which would require the development and rational design of synthetic promoters as a key strategy. Among green microalgae, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii represents the reference species for bioengineering and synthetic biology; however, the repertoire of functional synthetic promoters for this species, and for microalgae generally, is limited in comparison to other commercial chassis, emphasizing the need to expand the current microalgal gene expression toolbox. Here, we discuss state-of-the-art promoter analyses, and highlight areas of research required to advance synthetic promoter development in C. reinhardtii. In particular, we exemplify high-throughput studies performed in other model systems that could be applicable to microalgae, and propose novel approaches to interrogating algal promoters. We lastly outline the major limitations hindering microalgal promoter development, while providing novel suggestions and perspectives for how to overcome them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfonsina Milito
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Moritz Aschern
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Josie L McQuillan
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Sheffield, Mappin Street, Sheffield, S1 3JD, UK
| | - Jae-Seong Yang
- Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics (CRAG), CSIC-IRTA-UAB-UB, Campus UAB, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
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Banerjee A, Ward V. Production of recombinant and therapeutic proteins in microalgae. Curr Opin Biotechnol 2022; 78:102784. [PMID: 36095993 DOI: 10.1016/j.copbio.2022.102784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Microalgae is emerging as a promising platform for the production of recombinant proteins of therapeutic importance. Since microalgae are safe for oral consumption and some microalgal species can form extracellular vesicles, they can potentially be used as edible vaccines or drug-delivery vehicles in addition to their status as naturally rich sources of nutraceutical bioproducts. This article focuses on recent advances in the field of recombinant protein production in microalgae, and developments toward the use of microalgae as a vehicle for drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anirban Banerjee
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada
| | - Valerie Ward
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario N2L 3G1, Canada.
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