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Tufan-Cetin O, Cetin H. Use of micro and macroalgae extracts for the control of vector mosquitoes. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16187. [PMID: 37842039 PMCID: PMC10569164 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 10/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Mosquitoes are one of the most dangerous vectors of human diseases such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, and Zika virus. Controlling these vectors is a challenging responsibility for public health authorities worldwide. In recent years, the use of products derived from living organisms has emerged as a promising approach for mosquito control. Among these living organisms, algae are of great interest due to their larvicidal properties. Some algal species provide nutritious food for larvae, while others produce allelochemicals that are toxic to mosquito larvae. In this article, we reviewed the existing literature on the larvicidal potential of extracts of micro- and macroalgae, transgenic microalgae, and nanoparticles of algae on mosquitoes and their underlying mechanisms. The results of many publications show that the toxic effects of micro- and macroalgae on mosquitoes vary according to the type of extraction, solvents, mosquito species, exposure time, larval stage, and algal components. A few studies suggest that the components of algae that have toxic effects on mosquitoes show through synergistic interaction between components, inhibition of feeding, damage to gut membrane cells, and inhibition of digestive and detoxification enzymes. In conclusion, algae extracts, transgenic microalgae, and nanoparticles of algae have shown significant larvicidal activity against mosquitoes, making them potential candidates for the development of new mosquito control products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ozge Tufan-Cetin
- Department of Environmental Protection Technology, Vocational School of Technical Sciences, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Türkiye
| | - Huseyin Cetin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Türkiye
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2
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Wang K, Chu J, Hu Z, Qin S, Cui Y. Using bait microalga as an oral delivery vehicle of antimicrobial peptide for controlling Vibrio infection in mussels. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2023; 136:108713. [PMID: 36990258 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2023.108713] [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: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
In shellfish aquaculture, antibiotics are commonly used to address Vibrio infections. However, antibiotic abuse has increased the risk of environment pollution, which has also raised food safety concerns. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are considered safe and sustainable alternatives to antibiotics. Hence, in this study, we aimed to develop a transgenic Tetraselmis subcordiformis line harboring AMP-PisL9K22WK for reducing the use of antibiotics in mussel aquaculture. Toward this, pisL9K22WK was assembled into nuclear expression vectors of T. subcordiformis. Post particle bombardment, several stable transgenic lines were selected after 6 months of herbicide resistance culture. Subsequently, Vibrio-infected mussels (Mytilus sp.) were orally fed transgenic T. subcordiformis to test the efficacy of this drug delivery system. The results showed that the transgenic line as an oral antimicrobial agent significantly improved the resistance of mussels to Vibrio. The growth rate of the mussels fed transgenic T. subcordiformis was considerably higher than that of mussels fed wild-type algae (10.35% versus 2.44%). In addition, the possibility of using the lyophilized powder of the transgenic line as drug delivery system was also evaluated; however, compared to that observed after feeding with live cells, the lyophilized powder did not improve the low growth rate caused by Vibrio infection, suggesting that fresh microalgae are more beneficial for the delivery of the PisL9K22WK to mussels than the lyophilized powder. In summary, this is a promising step toward the development of safe and environment-friendly antimicrobial baits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Biological Resource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, Shandong Province, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jinling Chu
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Biological Resource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, Shandong Province, China
| | - Zhangli Hu
- College of Life Sciences and Oceanography, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, 518061, China
| | - Song Qin
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Biological Resource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, Shandong Province, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Yulin Cui
- Key Laboratory of Coastal Biology and Biological Resource Utilization, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai, 264003, Shandong Province, China; School of Pharmacy (School of Enology), Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, 264003, Shandong Province, China.
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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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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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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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Fei X, Zhang Y, Ding L, Xiao S, Xie X, Li Y, Deng X. Development of an RNAi-based microalgal larvicide for the control of Aedes aegypti. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:387. [PMID: 34362429 PMCID: PMC8344188 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-04885-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Mosquito-borne diseases affect over half of the human population globally. Multiple studies have shown that chemical insecticides are ineffective because of resistance. Therefore, environmentally safe mosquito population control tools need to be developed. Ribonucleic acid interference (RNAi) is a reverse genetic mechanism recently introduced as a new pest control tool. This technique represents a new class of biorational technology that could combat the increased global incidence of insecticide resistance. The technique has the potential of becoming a critical component of integrated vector control programs. METHODS A 3-hydroxykynurenine transaminase (3-HKT) RNAi expression plasmid was constructed, generated and transformed into Chlamydomonas and Chlorella algae. The transgenic algae were then used to feed Ae. aegypti mosquito larvae. The feeding experiments were conducted on a small and large scale with 10 and about 300 larvae, respectively. The mortality rate of the larvae was calculated over 30 days. In addition, histological examination of the insect tissues was performed to examine the extent of tissue damage. RESULTS The integumentary system and midguts of larvae fed with transgenic Chlamydomonas were severely damaged. The mortality rate of the larvae fed with transgenic Chlamydomonas ranged from 60 to 100% in small-scale tests. The survival rate of adult mosquitoes was 0.0% in a large-scale feeding experiment when the larvae were fed with transgenic Chlamydomonas. Moreover, when the larvae were fed with transgenic Chlorella, the mortality rate ranged from 6.7% to 43% compared to that fed wild-type Chlorella. CONCLUSIONS 3HKT RNAi transgenic algae are in some scales lethal to Ae. aegypti. The findings of this study indicate that technology based on microalgae RNAi may provide a new way to control mosquito populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaowen Fei
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571101, China
| | - Yang Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571101, China
| | - Lili Ding
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571101, China
| | - Sha Xiao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Hainan Medical College, Haikou, 571101, China
| | - Xiaoqing Xie
- Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science, Haikou, 571101, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Functional Components Research and Utilization of Marine Bio-Resources, Haikou, 571101, China
| | - Yajun Li
- Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science, Haikou, 571101, China
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Functional Components Research and Utilization of Marine Bio-Resources, Haikou, 571101, China
| | - Xiaodong Deng
- Institute of Tropical Bioscience and Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Tropical Agricultural Science, Haikou, 571101, China.
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory for Functional Components Research and Utilization of Marine Bio-Resources, Haikou, 571101, China.
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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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Zhang LL, Hu XH, Wu SQ, Batool K, Chowdhury M, Lin Y, Zhang J, Gill SS, Guan X, Yu XQ. Aedes aegypti Galectin Competes with Cry11Aa for Binding to ALP1 To Modulate Cry Toxicity. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2018; 66:13435-13443. [PMID: 30556692 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.8b04665] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The key step for the toxicity of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) is the interaction between toxins and putative receptors; thus, many studies focus on identification of new toxin receptors and engineering of toxins with higher affinity/specificity for receptors. In the larvae of Aedes aegypti, galectin-14 was one of the genes upregulated by Bti treatment. RNAi knockdown expression of galectin-14 and feeding recombinant galectin-14-thioredoxin fusion protein significantly affected survival of Ae. aegypti larvae treated with Bti toxins. Recombinant galectin-14 protein bound to brush border membrane vesicles (BBMVs) of Ae. aegypti larvae, ALP1 and APN2, and galectin-14 and Cry11Aa bound to BBMVs with a similarly high affinity. Competitive binding results showed that galectin-14 competed with Cry11Aa for binding to BBMVs and ALP1 to prevent effective binding of toxin to receptors. These novel findings demonstrated that midgut proteins other than receptors play an important role in modulating the toxicity of Cry toxins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Ling Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops and School of Life Science , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002 , China
- Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics , University of Missouri - Kansas City , Kansas City , Missouri 64110 , United States
| | - Xiao-Hua Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops and School of Life Science , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002 , China
| | - Song-Qing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops and School of Life Science , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002 , China
| | - Khadija Batool
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops and School of Life Science , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002 , China
| | - Munmun Chowdhury
- Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics , University of Missouri - Kansas City , Kansas City , Missouri 64110 , United States
| | - Yi Lin
- Department of Bioengineering & Biotechnology, College of Chemical Engineering , Huaqiao University , Xiamen 361021 , China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics , University of Missouri - Kansas City , Kansas City , Missouri 64110 , United States
| | - Sarjeet S Gill
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology , University of California , Riverside , California 92521 , United States
| | - Xiong Guan
- State Key Laboratory of Ecological Pest Control for Fujian and Taiwan Crops and School of Life Science , Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University , Fuzhou 350002 , China
| | - Xiao-Qiang Yu
- Division of Cell Biology and Biophysics , University of Missouri - Kansas City , Kansas City , Missouri 64110 , United States
- Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Insect Development Regulation and Application Research, Institute of Insect Science and Technology, and School of Life Sciences , South China Normal University , Guangzhou 510631 , China
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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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Macedo-Osorio KS, Pérez-España VH, Garibay-Orijel C, Guzmán-Zapata D, Durán-Figueroa NV, Badillo-Corona JA. Intercistronic expression elements (IEE) from the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii can be used for the expression of foreign genes in synthetic operons. PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2018; 98:303-317. [PMID: 30225747 DOI: 10.1007/s11103-018-0776-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2018] [Accepted: 08/31/2018] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Two intercistronic regions were identified as functional intercistronic expression elements (IEE) for the simultaneous expression of aphA-6 and gfp in a synthetic operon in the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii. Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a biflagellate photosynthetic microalga, has been widely used in basic and applied science. Already three decades ago, Chlamydomonas had its chloroplast genome transformed and to this day constitutes the only alga routinely used in transplastomic technology. Despite the fact that over a 100 foreign genes have been expressed from the chloroplast genome, little has been done to address the challenge of expressing multiple genes in the form of operons, a development that is needed and crucial to push forward metabolic engineering and synthetic biology in this organism. Here, we studied five intercistronic regions and investigated if they can be used as intercistronic expression elements (IEE) in synthetic operons to drive the expression of foreign genes in the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii. The intercistronic regions were those from the psbB-psbT, psbN-psbH, psaC-petL, petL-trnN and tscA-chlN chloroplast operons, and the foreign genes were the aminoglycoside 3'-phosphotransferase (aphA-6), which confers resistance to kanamycin, and the green fluorescent protein gene (gfp). While all the intercistronic regions yielded lines that were resistant to kanamycin, only two (obtained with intercistronic regions from psbN-psbH and tscA-chlN) were identified as functional IEEs, yielding lines in which the second cistron (gfp) was translated and generated GFP. The IEEs we have identified could be useful for the stacking of genes for metabolic engineering or synthetic biology circuits in the chloroplast of C. reinhardtii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karla S Macedo-Osorio
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio la Laguna Ticoman, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Víctor H Pérez-España
- Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Hidalgo, Escuela Superior de Apan, Carretera Apan Calpulalpan km 8, Col. Chimalpa-Tlalayote, Apan, Hidalgo, Mexico
| | - Claudio Garibay-Orijel
- Labcitec, Camino a Atzacoalco 99, Col. Constitución de la República, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Daniel Guzmán-Zapata
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio la Laguna Ticoman, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Noé V Durán-Figueroa
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio la Laguna Ticoman, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jesús A Badillo-Corona
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Unidad Profesional Interdisciplinaria de Biotecnología, Av. Acueducto SN, Col. Barrio la Laguna Ticoman, Mexico City, Mexico.
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Kang S, Odom OW, Malone CL, Thangamani S, Herrin DL. Expression of a Synthetic Gene for the Major Cytotoxin (Cyt1Aa) of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis in the Chloroplast of Wild-Type Chlamydomonas. BIOLOGY 2018; 7:biology7020029. [PMID: 29738473 PMCID: PMC6022862 DOI: 10.3390/biology7020029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 04/30/2018] [Accepted: 05/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii (Chlamydomonas) strains that are toxic to mosquito larvae because they express chloroplast transgenes that are based on the mosquitocidal proteins of Bacillus thuringiensis subsp. israelensis (Bti) could be very useful in mosquito control. Chlamydomonas has several advantages for this approach, including genetic controls not generally available with industrial algae. The Bti toxin is produced by sporulating bacteria and has been used for mosquito control for >30 years without creating highly resistant mosquito populations. The suite of toxins is four main proteins: three Cry proteins and the cytotoxic Cyt1Aa (27 kDa). Cyt1Aa is not very toxic to mosquitoes by itself, but it prevents the development of resistance. The production of Cyt1Aa in other microbes, however, has been challenging due to its affinity for certain membrane phospholipids. Here we report on the production of recombinant Cyt1Aa (rCyt1A) in the chloroplast of photosynthetic Chlamydomonas at levels of at least 0.3% total protein. Live cell bioassays demonstrated toxicity of the rCyt1Aa Chlamydomonas to larvae of Aedes aegypti. We also expressed the chloroplast cyt1Aa gene in a wild-type Chlamydomonas strain (21 gr) that can grow on nitrate. These results have implications for developing a Chlamydomonas strain that will be toxic to mosquito larvae but will not induce strongly resistant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Obed W Odom
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Candice L Malone
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
| | - Saravanan Thangamani
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA.
| | - David L Herrin
- Pond Life Technologies LLC, Cedar Park, TX 78613, USA.
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712, USA.
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Taunt HN, Stoffels L, Purton S. Green biologics: The algal chloroplast as a platform for making biopharmaceuticals. Bioengineered 2017; 9:48-54. [PMID: 28892417 PMCID: PMC5972929 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2017.1377867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Most commercial production of recombinant pharmaceutical proteins involves the use of mammalian cell lines, E. coli or yeast as the expression host. However, recent work has demonstrated the potential of eukaryotic microalgae as platforms for light-driven synthesis of such proteins. Expression in the algal chloroplast is particularly attractive since this organelle contains a minimal genome suitable for rapid engineering using synthetic biology approaches; with transgenes precisely targeted to specific genomic loci and amenable to high-level, regulated and stable expression. Furthermore, proteins can be tightly contained and bio-encapsulated in the chloroplast allowing accumulation of proteins otherwise toxic to the host, and opening up possibilities for low-cost, oral delivery of biologics. In this commentary we illustrate the technology with recent examples of hormones, protein antibiotics and immunotoxins successfully produced in the algal chloroplast, and highlight possible future applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry N Taunt
- a Algenuity, Eden Laboratory , Stewartby , United Kingdom
| | - Laura Stoffels
- b Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology , University College London , Gower Street , London , United Kingdom
| | - Saul Purton
- b Algal Research Group, Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology , University College London , Gower Street , London , United Kingdom
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