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Canini D, Ceschi E, Perozeni F. Toward the Exploitation of Sustainable Green Factory: Biotechnology Use of Nannochloropsis spp. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:292. [PMID: 38785776 PMCID: PMC11117969 DOI: 10.3390/biology13050292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024]
Abstract
Securing food, energy, and raw materials for a growing population is one of the most significant challenges of our century. Algae play a central role as an alternative to plants. Wastewater and flue gas can secure nutrients and CO2 for carbon fixation. Unfortunately, algae domestication is necessary to enhance biomass production and reduce cultivation costs. Nannochloropsis spp. have increased in popularity among microalgae due to their ability to accumulate high amounts of lipids, including PUFAs. Recently, the interest in the use of Nannochloropsis spp. as a green bio-factory for producing high-value products increased proportionally to the advances of synthetic biology and genetic tools in these species. In this review, we summarized the state of the art of current nuclear genetic manipulation techniques and a few examples of their application. The industrial use of Nannochloropsis spp. has not been feasible yet, but genetic tools can finally lead to exploiting this full-of-potential microalga.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Federico Perozeni
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, 37134 Verona, Italy; (D.C.); (E.C.)
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2
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Ye Y, Liu M, Yu L, Sun H, Liu J. Nannochloropsis as an Emerging Algal Chassis for Light-Driven Synthesis of Lipids and High-Value Products. Mar Drugs 2024; 22:54. [PMID: 38393025 PMCID: PMC10890015 DOI: 10.3390/md22020054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In light of the escalating global energy crisis, microalgae have emerged as highly promising producers of biofuel and high-value products. Among these microalgae, Nannochloropsis has received significant attention due to its capacity to generate not only triacylglycerol (TAG) but also eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and valuable carotenoids. Recent advancements in genetic tools and the field of synthetic biology have revolutionized Nannochloropsis into a powerful biofactory. This comprehensive review provides an initial overview of the current state of cultivation and utilization of the Nannochloropsis genus. Subsequently, our review examines the metabolic pathways governing lipids and carotenoids, emphasizing strategies to enhance oil production and optimize carbon flux redirection toward target products. Additionally, we summarize the utilization of advanced genetic manipulation techniques in Nannochloropsis. Together, the insights presented in this review highlight the immense potential of Nannochloropsis as a valuable model for biofuels and synthetic biology. By effectively integrating genetic tools and metabolic engineering, the realization of this potential becomes increasingly feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Ye
- Laboratory for Algae Biotechnology & Innovation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; (Y.Y.); (M.L.); (L.Y.)
| | - Meijing Liu
- Laboratory for Algae Biotechnology & Innovation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; (Y.Y.); (M.L.); (L.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, Center for Algae Innovation & Engineering Research, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
| | - Lihua Yu
- Laboratory for Algae Biotechnology & Innovation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; (Y.Y.); (M.L.); (L.Y.)
| | - Han Sun
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Laboratory for Algae Biotechnology & Innovation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; (Y.Y.); (M.L.); (L.Y.)
- Key Laboratory of Poyang Lake Environment and Resource Utilization, Ministry of Education, Center for Algae Innovation & Engineering Research, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330031, China
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Kuo EY, Yang RY, Chin YY, Chien YL, Chen YC, Wei CY, Kao LJ, Chang YH, Li YJ, Chen TY, Lee TM. Multi-omics approaches and genetic engineering of metabolism for improved biorefinery and wastewater treatment in microalgae. Biotechnol J 2022; 17:e2100603. [PMID: 35467782 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202100603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2021] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Microalgae, a group of photosynthetic microorganisms rich in diverse and novel bioactive metabolites, have been explored for the production of biofuels, high value-added compounds as food and feeds, and pharmaceutical chemicals as agents with therapeutic benefits. This article reviews the development of omics resources and genetic engineering techniques including gene transformation methodologies, mutagenesis, and genome-editing tools in microalgae biorefinery and wastewater treatment. The introduction of these enlisted techniques has simplified the understanding of complex metabolic pathways undergoing microalgal cells. The multiomics approach of the integrated omics datasets, big data analysis, and machine learning for the discovery of objective traits and genes responsible for metabolic pathways was reviewed. Recent advances and limitations of multiomics analysis and genetic bioengineering technology to facilitate the improvement of microalgae as the dual role of wastewater treatment and biorefinery feedstock production are discussed. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva YuHua Kuo
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan.,Frontier Center for Ocean Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
| | - Ru-Yin Yang
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
| | - Yuan Yu Chin
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Lin Chien
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan.,Frontier Center for Ocean Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
| | - Yu Chu Chen
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
| | - Cheng-Yu Wei
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
| | - Li-Jung Kao
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Hua Chang
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Jia Li
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
| | - Te-Yuan Chen
- Doctoral Degree Program in Marine Biotechnology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
| | - Tse-Min Lee
- Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan.,Frontier Center for Ocean Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan.,Doctoral Degree Program in Marine Biotechnology, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung, 804, Taiwan
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Wei PJ, Pang ZZ, Jiang LJ, Tan D, Su Y, Zheng CH. Promoter Prediction in Nannochloropsis Based on Densely Connected Convolutional Neural Networks. Methods 2022; 204:38-46. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2022.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
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Ryu AJ, Jeong BR, Kang NK, Jeon S, Sohn MG, Yun HJ, Lim JM, Jeong SW, Park YI, Jeong WJ, Park S, Chang YK, Jeong KJ. Safe-Harboring based novel genetic toolkit for Nannochloropsis salina CCMP1776: Efficient overexpression of transgene via CRISPR/Cas9-Mediated Knock-in at the transcriptional hotspot. BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY 2021; 340:125676. [PMID: 34365302 DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2021.125676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2021] [Revised: 07/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Transgene expression in microalgae can be hampered by transgene silencing and unstable expression due to position effects. To overcome this, "safe harboring" transgene expression system was established for Nannochloropsis. Initially, transformants were obtained expressing a sfGFP reporter, followed by screening for high expression of sfGFP with fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS). 'T1' transcriptional hotspot was identified from a mutant showing best expression of sfGFP, but did not affect growth or lipid contents. By using a Cas9 editor strain, FAD12 gene, encoding Δ12-fatty acid desaturase (FAD12), was successfully knocked-in at the T1 locus, resulting in significantly higher expression of FAD12 than those of random integration. Importantly, the "safe harbored" FAD12 transformants showed four-fold higher production of linoleic acid (LA), the product of FAD12, leading to 1.5-fold increase in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). This safe harboring principle provide excellent proof of the concept for successful genetic/metabolic engineering of microalgae and other organisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ae Jin Ryu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Advanced Biomass R&D Center (ABC), KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong-Ryool Jeong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea; Single-Cell Center, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Qingdao, Shandong 266101, China
| | - Nam Kyu Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Advanced Biomass R&D Center (ABC), KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Carl. R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL, USA
| | - Seungjib Jeon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Advanced Biomass R&D Center (ABC), KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Gi Sohn
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyo Jin Yun
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Min Lim
- Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Seok Won Jeong
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Youn-Il Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, 99 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Won Joong Jeong
- Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Sunghoon Park
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan 44919, Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Keun Chang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Advanced Biomass R&D Center (ABC), KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Jun Jeong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Institute for the BioCentury, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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Ding XT, Fan Y, Jiang EY, Shi XY, Krautter E, Hu GR, Li FL. Expression of the Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene in Nannochloropsis oceanica regulates intracellular oxygen balance under high-light. JOURNAL OF PHOTOCHEMISTRY AND PHOTOBIOLOGY B-BIOLOGY 2021; 221:112237. [PMID: 34116318 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphotobiol.2021.112237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Nannochloropsis oceanica is widely used as a model photosynthetic chassis to produce fatty acids and carotenoid pigments. However, intense light typically causes excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and photorespiration in microalgal cells, which results in decreased cell growth rate and unsaturated fatty acid content. In this study, the Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene (vgb) was introduced into N. oceanica cells and expressed by using the light-harvesting complex promoter and its signal peptide. Compared with wild type (WT), the growth rate of transformants increased by 7.4%-18.5%, and the eicosapentaenoic acid content in an optimal transformant increased by 21.0%. Correspondingly, the intracellular ROS levels decreased by 56.9%-70.0%, and the catalase content in transformants was about 1.8 times that of WT. The photorespiration level of transformants was reduced by the measurement and calculation of the dissolved oxygen concentration under the condition of light-dark transition. The expression level of the key genes related to the photorespiration pathway in transformants was more than 80% lower than that in WT. These results indicated that Vitreoscilla hemoglobin could improve microalgal growth by reducing ROS damage and modulating photorespiration under stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ting Ding
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China; Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China,; Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Yong Fan
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China; Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China,; Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Er-Ying Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China; Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China,; Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiao-Yi Shi
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China; Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China,; Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
| | | | - Guang-Rong Hu
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China; Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China,; Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China
| | - Fu-Li Li
- Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Synthetic Biology, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao 266101, China; Shandong Energy Institute, Qingdao 266101, China,; Qingdao New Energy Shandong Laboratory, Qingdao 266101, China.
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7
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Wang Q, Gong Y, He Y, Xin Y, Lv N, Du X, Li Y, Jeong BR, Xu J. Genome engineering of Nannochloropsis with hundred-kilobase fragment deletions by Cas9 cleavages. THE PLANT JOURNAL : FOR CELL AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2021; 106:1148-1162. [PMID: 33719095 DOI: 10.1111/tpj.15227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Industrial microalgae are promising photosynthetic cell factories, yet tools for large-scale targeted genome engineering are limited. Here for the model industrial oleaginous microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica, we established a method to precisely and serially delete large genome fragments of ~100 kb from its 30.01 Mb nuclear genome. We started by identifying the 'non-essential' chromosomal regions (i.e. low expression region or LER) based on minimal gene expression under N-replete and N-depleted conditions. The largest such LER (LER1) is ~98 kb in size, located near the telomere of the 502.09-kb-long Chromosome 30 (Chr 30). We deleted 81 kb and further distal and proximal deletions of up to 110 kb (21.9% of Chr 30) in LER1 by dual targeting the boundaries with the episome-based CRISPR/Cas9 system. The telomere-deletion mutants showed normal telomeres consisting of CCCTAA repeats, revealing telomere regeneration capability after losing the distal part of Chr 30. Interestingly, the deletions caused no significant alteration in growth, lipid production or photosynthesis (transcript-abundance change for < 3% genes under N depletion). We also achieved double-deletion of both LER1 and LER2 (from Chr 9) that total ~214 kb at maximum, which can result in slightly higher growth rate and biomass productivity than the wild-type. Therefore, loss of the large, yet 'non-essential' regions does not necessarily sacrifice important traits. Such serial targeted deletions of large genomic regions had not been previously reported in microalgae, and will accelerate crafting minimal genomes as chassis for photosynthetic production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qintao Wang
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics and Shandong Institute of Energy Research, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Qingdao National Laboratory of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yanhai Gong
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics and Shandong Institute of Energy Research, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Qingdao National Laboratory of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yuehui He
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics and Shandong Institute of Energy Research, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Qingdao National Laboratory of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yi Xin
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics and Shandong Institute of Energy Research, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Qingdao National Laboratory of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Nana Lv
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics and Shandong Institute of Energy Research, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Qingdao National Laboratory of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Xuefeng Du
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics and Shandong Institute of Energy Research, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Qingdao National Laboratory of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yun Li
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics and Shandong Institute of Energy Research, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Qingdao National Laboratory of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Byeong-Ryool Jeong
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics and Shandong Institute of Energy Research, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology, Ulsan, 44919, Korea
| | - Jian Xu
- Single-Cell Center, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Shandong Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics and Shandong Institute of Energy Research, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, China
- Qingdao National Laboratory of Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
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Wang K, Gao Z, Wang Y, Meng C, Li J, Qin S, Cui Y. The chloroplast genetic engineering of a unicellular green alga Chlorella vulgaris with two foreign peptides co-expression. ALGAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2021.102214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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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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Han X, Song X, Li F, Lu Y. Improving lipid productivity by engineering a control-knob gene in the oleaginous microalga Nannochloropsis oceanica. Metab Eng Commun 2020; 11:e00142. [PMID: 32995270 PMCID: PMC7516279 DOI: 10.1016/j.mec.2020.e00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Revised: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Nannochloropsis spp. are promising industrial microalgae for scalable oil production and the lipid production can be boosted by nutrient starvation and high irradiance. However, these stimuli halt growth, thereby decreasing overall productivity. In this study, we created transgenic N. oceanica where AtDXS gene encoding 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase (DXS) derived from Arabidopsis thaliana was overexpressed in vivo. Compared with the wild type (WT), engineered Nannochloropsis showed a higher CO2 absorption capacity and produced more biomass, lipids, and carbohydrates with more robust growth in either preferred conditions or various stressed conditions (low light, high light, nitrogen starvation, and trace element depletion). Specifically, relative to the WT, lipid production increased by ~68.6% in nitrogen depletion (~1.08 g L−1) and ~110.6% in high light (~1.15 g L−1) in the transgenic strains. As for neutral lipid (triacylglycerol, TAG), the engineered strains produced ~93.2% more in nitrogen depletion (~0.77 g L−1) and ~148.6% more in high light (~0.80 g L−1) than the WT. These values exceed available records in engineered industrial microalgae. Therefore, engineering control-knob genes could modify multiple biological processes simultaneously and enable efficient carbon partitioning to lipid biosynthesis with elevated biomass productivity. It could be further exploited for simultaneous enhancement of growth property and oil productivity in more industrial microalgae. An oil-rich strain Nannochloropsis AtDXSoe3 was genetically created. AtDXSoe3 produces ~110.6% more total lipids than wild-type stain. AtDXSoe3 produces ~148.6% more neutral lipid than wild-type stain. AtDXSoe3 exceeds documented engineered microalgae in oil production. Crucial algal traits could be improved by engineering a single ‘control knob’ gene.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Han
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, College of Oceanology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan Province, China
| | - Xiaojin Song
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Energy Genetics, CAS Key Laboratory of Biofuels, Qingdao Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Shandong Engineering Laboratory of Single Cell Oil, Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266101, Shandong, China
| | - Falan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, College of Oceanology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan Province, China
| | - Yandu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, College of Oceanology, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, Hainan Province, China
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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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12
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Ryu AJ, Kang NK, Jeon S, Hur DH, Lee EM, Lee DY, Jeong BR, Chang YK, Jeong KJ. Development and characterization of a Nannochloropsis mutant with simultaneously enhanced growth and lipid production. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2020; 13:38. [PMID: 32158502 PMCID: PMC7057510 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-020-01681-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The necessity to develop high lipid-producing microalgae is emphasized for the commercialization of microalgal biomass, which is environmentally friendly and sustainable. Nannochloropsis are one of the best industrial microalgae and have been widely studied for their lipids, including high-value polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Many reports on the genetic and biological engineering of Nannochloropsis to improve their growth and lipid contents have been published. RESULTS We performed insertional mutagenesis in Nannochloropsis salina, and screened mutants with high lipid contents using fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS). We isolated a mutant, Mut68, which showed improved growth and a concomitant increase in lipid contents. Mut68 exhibited 53% faster growth rate and 34% higher fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) contents after incubation for 8 days, resulting in a 75% increase in FAME productivity compared to that in the wild type (WT). By sequencing the whole genome, we identified the disrupted gene in Mut68 that encoded trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P) synthase (TPS). TPS is composed of two domains: TPS domain and T6P phosphatase (TPP) domain, which catalyze the initial formation of T6P and dephosphorylation to trehalose, respectively. Mut68 was disrupted at the TPP domain in the C-terminal half, which was confirmed by metabolic analyses revealing a great reduction in the trehalose content in Mut68. Consistent with the unaffected N-terminal TPS domain, Mut68 showed moderate increase in T6P that is known for regulation of sugar metabolism, growth, and lipid biosynthesis. Interestingly, the metabolic analyses also revealed a significant increase in stress-related amino acids, including proline and glutamine, which may further contribute to the Mut68 phenotypes. CONCLUSION We have successfully isolated an insertional mutant showing improved growth and lipid production. Moreover, we identified the disrupted gene encoding TPS. Consistent with the disrupted TPP domain, metabolic analyses revealed a moderate increase in T6P and greatly reduced trehalose. Herein, we provide an excellent proof of concept that the selection of insertional mutations via FACS can be employed for the isolation of mutants with improved growth and lipid production. In addition, trehalose and genes encoding TPS will provide novel targets for chemical and genetic engineering, in other microalgae and organisms as well as Nannochloropsis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ae Jin Ryu
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Advanced Biomass R&D Center (ABC), KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Nam Kyu Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Present Address: Carl. R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL USA
| | - Seungjib Jeon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Advanced Biomass R&D Center (ABC), KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Dong Hoon Hur
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Mi Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Do Yup Lee
- Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826 Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong-ryool Jeong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Present Address: School of Energy and Chemical Engineering, Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST), Ulsan, 44919 Korea
- Present Address: Single-Cell Center, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT), Qingdao, 266101 Shandong China
| | - Yong Keun Chang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Advanced Biomass R&D Center (ABC), KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Ki Jun Jeong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Institute for the BioCentury, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
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13
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Ng I, Keskin BB, Tan S. A Critical Review of Genome Editing and Synthetic Biology Applications in Metabolic Engineering of Microalgae and Cyanobacteria. Biotechnol J 2020; 15:e1900228. [DOI: 10.1002/biot.201900228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- I‐Son Ng
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Cheng Kung University Tainan 701 Taiwan
| | - Batuhan Birol Keskin
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Cheng Kung University Tainan 701 Taiwan
| | - Shih‐I Tan
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Cheng Kung University Tainan 701 Taiwan
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14
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Novel endogenous promoters for genetic engineering of the marine microalga Nannochloropsis gaditana CCMP526. ALGAL RES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2019.101708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
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Osorio H, Jara C, Fuenzalida K, Rey-Jurado E, Vásquez M. High-efficiency nuclear transformation of the microalgae Nannochloropsis oceanica using Tn5 Transposome for the generation of altered lipid accumulation phenotypes. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:134. [PMID: 31168324 PMCID: PMC6545213 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1475-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Accepted: 05/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND One of the major problems in the production of lipids for biotechnological purposes using microalgae is maintaining a high productivity of these molecules without reducing cellular biomass. High production rates are usually obtained by cultivating microalgae under different stress conditions. However, many of these changes usually result in lower biomass productivity. Therefore, the optimization of the culture conditions and genetic modification techniques in these organisms is needed to generate robust new strains for profitable economic use. RESULTS In this work, we describe a new strategy for random mutation of genomic DNA in the microalgae Nannochloropsis oceanica by insertion of a Transposome complex Tn5. This complex contains an antibiotic-resistance cassette commanded by a CMV viral promoter that allows high efficiency of transformation and the generation of mutants. This strategy, complemented with a large-scale identification and selection system for mutants, such as flow cytometry with cell selection, allowed us to obtain clonal cultures of mutants with altered phenotypes in the accumulation of intracellular lipids. The characterization of some of these mutants uncovered new genes that are likely to be involved in the regulation of lipid synthesis, revealing possible cellular responses that influence the intracellular homeostasis of lipids. CONCLUSION The strategies proposed here are easy to implement in different types of microalgae and provide a promising scenario for improving biotechnological applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hector Osorio
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O´Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carol Jara
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O´Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
| | - Karen Fuenzalida
- Departamento de Fisiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O´Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
| | - Emma Rey-Jurado
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O´Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mónica Vásquez
- Departamento de Genética Molecular y Microbiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O´Higgins 340, Santiago, Chile
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Koh HG, Kang NK, Jeon S, Shin SE, Jeong BR, Chang YK. Heterologous synthesis of chlorophyll b in Nannochloropsis salina enhances growth and lipid production by increasing photosynthetic efficiency. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2019; 12:122. [PMID: 31114631 PMCID: PMC6515666 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-019-1462-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/04/2019] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chlorophylls play important roles in photosynthesis, and thus are critical for growth and related metabolic pathways in photosynthetic organisms. They are particularly important in microalgae, emerging as the next generation feedstock for biomass and biofuels. Nannochloropsis are industrial microalgae for these purposes, but are peculiar in that they lack accessory chlorophylls. In addition, the localization of heterologous proteins to the chloroplast of Nannochloropsis has not been fully studied, due to the secondary plastid surrounded by four membranes. This study addressed questions of correct localization and functional benefits of heterologous expression of chlorophyllide a oxygenase from Chlamydomonas (CrCAO) in Nannochloropsis. RESULTS We cloned CrCAO from Chlamydomonas, which catalyzes oxidation of Chla producing Chlb, and overexpressed it in N. salina to reveal effects of the heterologous Chlb for photosynthesis, growth, and lipid production. For correct localization of CrCAO into the secondary plastid in N. salina, we added the signal-recognition sequence and the transit peptide (cloned from an endogenous chloroplast-localized protein) to the N terminus of CrCAO. We obtained two transformants that expressed CrCAO and produced Chlb. They showed improved growth under medium light (90 μmol/m2/s) conditions, and their photosynthetic efficiency was increased compared to WT. They also showed increased expression of certain photosynthetic proteins, accompanied by an increased maximum electron-transfer rate up to 15.8% and quantum yields up to 17%, likely supporting the faster growth. This improved growth resulted in increased biomass production, and more importantly lipid productivity particularly with medium light. CONCLUSIONS We demonstrated beneficial effects of heterologous expression of CrCAO in Chlb-less organism N. salina, where the newly produced Chlb enhanced photosynthesis and growth. Accordingly, transformants showed improved production of biomass and lipids, important traits of microalgae from the industrial perspectives. Our transformants are the first Nannochloropsis cells that produced Chlb in the whole evolutionary path. We also succeeded in delivering a heterologous protein into the secondary plastid for the first time in Nannochloropsis. Taken together, our data showed that manipulation of photosynthetic pigments, including Chlb, can be employed in genetic improvements of microalgae for production of biofuels and other biomaterials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Gi Koh
- Advanced Biomass R&D Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Nam Kyu Kang
- Advanced Biomass R&D Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Present Address: Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL USA
| | - Seungjib Jeon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Eun Shin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Present Address: LG Chem, 188 Munji-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34122 Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong-ryool Jeong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Keun Chang
- Advanced Biomass R&D Center, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
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17
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Poliner E, Farré EM, Benning C. Advanced genetic tools enable synthetic biology in the oleaginous microalgae Nannochloropsis sp. PLANT CELL REPORTS 2018; 37:1383-1399. [PMID: 29511798 DOI: 10.1007/s00299-018-2270-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2017] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Nannochloropsis is a genus of fast-growing microalgae that are regularly used for biotechnology applications. Nannochloropsis species have a high triacylglycerol content and their polar lipids are rich in the omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid, eicosapentaenoic acid. Placed in the heterokont lineage, the Nannochloropsis genus has a complex evolutionary history. Genome sequences are available for several species, and a number of transcriptomic datasets have been produced, making this genus a facile model for comparative genomics. There is a growing interest in Nannochloropsis species as models for the study of microalga lipid metabolism and as a chassis for synthetic biology. Recently, techniques for gene stacking, and targeted gene disruption and repression in the Nannochloropsis genus have been developed. These tools enable gene-specific, mechanistic studies and have already allowed the engineering of improved Nannochloropsis strains with superior growth, or greater bioproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Poliner
- Cell and Molecular Biology Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Eva M Farré
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Christoph Benning
- MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Department of Plant Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA.
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18
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Koh HG, Kang NK, Kim EK, Jeon S, Shin SE, Lee B, Chang YK. Advanced multigene expression system for Nannochloropsis salina using 2A self-cleaving peptides. J Biotechnol 2018; 278:39-47. [PMID: 29715488 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiotec.2018.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 04/25/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Even though there has been much interest in genetic engineering of microalgae, its progress has been slow due to the difficulty and limitation of available techniques. Currently, genetic modification in most microalgal strains is confined to single gene transformation. Here, a multigene expression system for the oleaginous model strain Nannochloropsis salina was developed with glycine-serine-glycine spacer linked 2A self-cleaving peptides (2A) for the first time. An efficiency test of the four most widely used 2As revealed that two different types of 2As T2A and E2A have the best performance in N. salina with a maximum cleavage rate of nearly 45%. The system was able to express the linked sequence of the selection marker shble and the fluorescence protein sfCherry with intact functions. Because 2A enabled multigene expression in the single cassette form, the use of 2A also reduced the vector size, which along with the stronger promoter resulted in a 9-fold increase in the transformation efficiency. Furthermore, confirmative screening accuracy of more than 90% was observed. Hence, the 2A applied vector system is expected to be beneficial in microalgal research field because it enables multigene expression as well as offering improved transformation and screening efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyun Gi Koh
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Nam Kyu Kang
- Advanced Biomass R&D Center (ABC), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Eun Kyung Kim
- Advanced Biomass R&D Center (ABC), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Seungjib Jeon
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Sung-Eun Shin
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Bongsoo Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
| | - Yong Keun Chang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea; Advanced Biomass R&D Center (ABC), Daejeon 34141, Republic of Korea.
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Jagadevan S, Banerjee A, Banerjee C, Guria C, Tiwari R, Baweja M, Shukla P. Recent developments in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering in microalgae towards biofuel production. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2018; 11:185. [PMID: 29988523 PMCID: PMC6026345 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-018-1181-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
In the wake of the uprising global energy crisis, microalgae have emerged as an alternate feedstock for biofuel production. In addition, microalgae bear immense potential as bio-cell factories in terms of producing key chemicals, recombinant proteins, enzymes, lipid, hydrogen and alcohol. Abstraction of such high-value products (algal biorefinery approach) facilitates to make microalgae-based renewable energy an economically viable option. Synthetic biology is an emerging field that harmoniously blends science and engineering to help design and construct novel biological systems, with an aim to achieve rationally formulated objectives. However, resources and tools used for such nuclear manipulation, construction of synthetic gene network and genome-scale reconstruction of microalgae are limited. Herein, we present recent developments in the upcoming field of microalgae employed as a model system for synthetic biology applications and highlight the importance of genome-scale reconstruction models and kinetic models, to maximize the metabolic output by understanding the intricacies of algal growth. This review also examines the role played by microalgae as biorefineries, microalgal culture conditions and various operating parameters that need to be optimized to yield biofuel that can be economically competitive with fossil fuels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sheeja Jagadevan
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, Jharkhand 826004 India
| | - Avik Banerjee
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, Jharkhand 826004 India
| | - Chiranjib Banerjee
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, Jharkhand 826004 India
| | - Chandan Guria
- Department of Environmental Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology (Indian School of Mines), Dhanbad, Jharkhand 826004 India
| | - Rameshwar Tiwari
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 124001 India
- Enzyme and Microbial Biochemistry Lab, Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Hauz-Khas, New Delhi 110016 India
| | - Mehak Baweja
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 124001 India
| | - Pratyoosh Shukla
- Enzyme Technology and Protein Bioinformatics Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak, Haryana 124001 India
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Poliner E, Pulman JA, Zienkiewicz K, Childs K, Benning C, Farré EM. A toolkit for Nannochloropsis oceanica CCMP1779 enables gene stacking and genetic engineering of the eicosapentaenoic acid pathway for enhanced long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acid production. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2018; 16:298-309. [PMID: 28605577 PMCID: PMC5785352 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.12772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2017] [Revised: 05/05/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Nannochloropsis oceanica is an oleaginous microalga rich in ω3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFAs) content, in the form of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). We identified the enzymes involved in LC-PUFA biosynthesis in N. oceanica CCMP1779 and generated multigene expression vectors aiming at increasing LC-PUFA content in vivo. We isolated the cDNAs encoding four fatty acid desaturases (FAD) and determined their function by heterologous expression in S. cerevisiae. To increase the expression of multiple fatty acid desaturases in N. oceanica CCMP1779, we developed a genetic engineering toolkit that includes an endogenous bidirectional promoter and optimized peptide bond skipping 2A peptides. The toolkit also includes multiple epitopes for tagged fusion protein production and two antibiotic resistance genes. We applied this toolkit, towards building a gene stacking system for N. oceanica that consists of two vector series, pNOC-OX and pNOC-stacked. These tools for genetic engineering were employed to test the effects of the overproduction of one, two or three desaturase-encoding cDNAs in N. oceanica CCMP1779 and prove the feasibility of gene stacking in this genetically tractable oleaginous microalga. All FAD overexpressing lines had considerable increases in the proportion of LC-PUFAs, with the overexpression of Δ12 and Δ5 FAD encoding sequences leading to an increase in the final ω3 product, EPA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Poliner
- MSU‐DOE Plant Research LaboratoryMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
- Cell and Molecular Biology ProgramMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
| | - Jane A. Pulman
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
| | - Krzysztof Zienkiewicz
- MSU‐DOE Plant Research LaboratoryMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
- Department of Plant BiochemistryAlbrecht‐von‐Haller‐Institute for Plant SciencesGeorg‐August‐UniversityGottingenGermany
| | - Kevin Childs
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
| | - Christoph Benning
- MSU‐DOE Plant Research LaboratoryMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
| | - Eva M. Farré
- Department of Plant BiologyMichigan State UniversityEast LansingMIUSA
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21
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Jeon S, Lim JM, Lee HG, Shin SE, Kang NK, Park YI, Oh HM, Jeong WJ, Jeong BR, Chang YK. Current status and perspectives of genome editing technology for microalgae. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2017; 10:267. [PMID: 29163669 PMCID: PMC5686953 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-017-0957-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Genome editing techniques are critical for manipulating genes not only to investigate their functions in biology but also to improve traits for genetic engineering in biotechnology. Genome editing has been greatly facilitated by engineered nucleases, dubbed molecular scissors, including zinc-finger nuclease (ZFN), TAL effector endonuclease (TALEN) and clustered regularly interspaced palindromic sequences (CRISPR)/Cas9. In particular, CRISPR/Cas9 has revolutionized genome editing fields with its simplicity, efficiency and accuracy compared to previous nucleases. CRISPR/Cas9-induced genome editing is being used in numerous organisms including microalgae. Microalgae have been subjected to extensive genetic and biological engineering due to their great potential as sustainable biofuel and chemical feedstocks. However, progress in microalgal engineering is slow mainly due to a lack of a proper transformation toolbox, and the same problem also applies to genome editing techniques. Given these problems, there are a few reports on successful genome editing in microalgae. It is, thus, time to consider the problems and solutions of genome editing in microalgae as well as further applications of this exciting technology for other scientific and engineering purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungjib Jeon
- Advanced Biomass Research and Development Center (ABC), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Min Lim
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Hyung-Gwan Lee
- Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Sung-Eun Shin
- LG Chem, 188 Munji-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34122 Republic of Korea
| | - Nam Kyu Kang
- Advanced Biomass Research and Development Center (ABC), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Youn-Il Park
- Department of Biological Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134 Republic of Korea
| | - Hee-Mock Oh
- Cell Factory Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Joong Jeong
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125 Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong-ryool Jeong
- Advanced Biomass Research and Development Center (ABC), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Keun Chang
- Advanced Biomass Research and Development Center (ABC), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291 Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
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Kang NK, Kim EK, Kim YU, Lee B, Jeong WJ, Jeong BR, Chang YK. Increased lipid production by heterologous expression of AtWRI1 transcription factor in Nannochloropsis salina. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS 2017; 10:231. [PMID: 29046718 PMCID: PMC5635583 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-017-0919-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/30/2017] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Genetic engineering of microalgae is necessary to produce economically feasible strains for biofuel production. Current efforts are focused on the manipulation of individual metabolic genes, but the outcomes are not sufficiently stable and/or efficient for large-scale production of biofuels and other materials. Transcription factors (TFs) are emerging as good alternatives for engineering of microalgae, not only to increase production of biomaterials but to enhance stress tolerance. Here, we investigated an AP2 type TF Wrinkled1 in Arabidopsis (AtWRI1) known as a key regulator of lipid biosynthesis in plants, and applied it to industrial microalgae, Nannochloropsis salina. RESULTS We expressed AtWRI1 TF heterologously in N. salina, named NsAtWRI1, in an effort to re-enact its key regulatory function of lipid accumulation. Stable integration AtWRI1 was confirmed by RESDA PCR, and its expression was confirmed by Western blotting using the FLAG tag. Characterizations of transformants revealed that the neutral and total lipid contents were greater in NsAtWRI1 transformants than in WT under both normal and stress conditions from day 8. Especially, total lipid contents were 36.5 and 44.7% higher in NsAtWRI1 2-3 than in WT under normal and osmotic stress condition, respectively. FAME contents of NsAtWRI1 2-3 were also increased compared to WT. As a result, FAME yield of NsAtWRI1 2-3 was increased to 768 mg/L/day, which was 64% higher than that of WT under the normal condition. We identified candidates of AtWRI1-regulated genes by searching for the presence of the AW-box in promoter regions, among which lipid metabolic genes were further analyzed by qRT-PCR. Overall, qRT-PCR results on day 1 indicated that AtWRI1 down-regulated TAGL and DAGK, and up-regulated PPDK, LPL, LPGAT1, and PDH, resulting in enhanced lipid production in NsAtWRI1 transformants from early growth phase. CONCLUSION AtWRI1 TF regulated several genes involved in lipid synthesis in N. salina, resulting in enhancement of neutral lipid and FAME production. These findings suggest that heterologous expression of AtWRI1 TF can be utilized for efficient biofuel production in industrial microalgae.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nam Kyu Kang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Eun Kyung Kim
- Advanced Biomass R&D Center, 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Young Uk Kim
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Bongsoo Lee
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Won-Joong Jeong
- Plant Systems Engineering Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology (KRIBB), 125, Gwahak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong-ryool Jeong
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
| | - Yong Keun Chang
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, KAIST, 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
- Advanced Biomass R&D Center, 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon, 34141 Republic of Korea
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