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Occhipinti PS, Russo N, Foti P, Zingale IM, Pino A, Romeo FV, Randazzo CL, Caggia C. Current challenges of microalgae applications: exploiting the potential of non-conventional microalgae species. JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE 2024; 104:3823-3833. [PMID: 37971887 DOI: 10.1002/jsfa.13136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2023] [Revised: 11/06/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The intensified attention to health, the growth of an elderly population, the changing lifestyles, and the medical discoveries have increased demand for natural and nutrient-rich foods, shaping the popularity of microalgae products. Microalgae thanks to their metabolic versatility represent a promising solution for a 'green' economy, exploiting non-arable land, non-potable water, capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) and solar energy. The interest in microalgae is justified by their high content of bioactive molecules, such as amino acids, peptides, proteins, carbohydrates, polysaccharides, polyunsaturated fatty acids (as ω-3 fatty acids), pigments (as β-carotene, astaxanthin, fucoxanthin, phycocyanin, zeaxanthin and lutein), or mineral elements. Such molecules are of interest for human and animal nutrition, cosmetic and biofuel production, for which microalgae are potential renewable sources. Microalgae, also, represent effective biological systems for treating a variety of wastewaters and can be used as a CO2 mitigation approach, helping to combat greenhouse gases and global warming emergencies. Recently a growing interest has focused on extremophilic microalgae species, which are easier to cultivate axenically and represent good candidates for open pond cultivation. In some cases, the cultivation and/or harvesting systems are still immature, but novel techniques appear as promising solutions to overcome such barriers. This review provides an overview on the actual microalgae cultivation systems and the current state of their biotechnological applications to obtain high value compounds or ingredients. Moreover, potential and future research opportunities for environment, human and animal benefits are pointed out. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nunziatina Russo
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- ProBioEtna srl, Spin off University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Paola Foti
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Irene Maria Zingale
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Alessandra Pino
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- ProBioEtna srl, Spin off University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Flora Valeria Romeo
- Consiglio per la Ricerca in Agricoltura e l'Analisi dell'Economia Agraria (CREA), Centro di Ricerca Olivicoltura, Frutticoltura e Agrumicoltura, Acireale, Italy
| | - Cinzia L Randazzo
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- ProBioEtna srl, Spin off University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- CERNUT, Interdepartmental Research Center in Nutraceuticals and Health Products, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Cinzia Caggia
- Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- ProBioEtna srl, Spin off University of Catania, Catania, Italy
- CERNUT, Interdepartmental Research Center in Nutraceuticals and Health Products, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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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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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: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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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Gu J, Xiao Y, Wu M, Wang A, Cui X, Xin Y, Paithoonrangsarid K, Lu Y. Artificial switches induce the bespoke production of functional compounds in marine microalgae Chlorella by neutralizing CO 2. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2023; 16:143. [PMID: 37759320 PMCID: PMC10537470 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-023-02381-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
To improve the CO2 tolerance of a marine microalga Chlorella sp. of which the production capacity has been demonstrated industrially, a mutant library was created and a strain hct53 was screened. Compared to the parental strain, hct53 shows a high CO2 capture capacity, while starch biosynthesis is compromised, with increases in health beneficial metabolites and antioxidant capacity. Global gene expression and genome-wide mutation distribution revealed that transcript choreography was concomitant with more active CO2 sequestration, an increase in the lipid synthesis, and a decrease in the starch and protein synthesis. These results suggest that artificial trait improvement via mutagenesis, couple with multiomics analysis, helps discover genetic switches that induce the bespoke conversion of carbon flow from "redundant metabolites" to valuable ones for functional food.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiahua Gu
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Yuan Xiao
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Mingcan Wu
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Aoqi Wang
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Xinyu Cui
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Yi Xin
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Kalyanee Paithoonrangsarid
- Biochemical Engineering and Systems Biology Research Group, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency, King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Yandu Lu
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Biology and Fisheries, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Hydrobiotechnology, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
- Haikou Technology Innovation Center for Research and Utilization of Algal Bioresources, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
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Gu X, Deng Y, Wang A, Gan Q, Xin Y, Paithoonrangsarid K, Lu Y. Engineering a marine microalga Chlorella sp. as the cell factory. BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS 2023; 16:133. [PMID: 37679828 PMCID: PMC10485975 DOI: 10.1186/s13068-023-02384-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023]
Abstract
The use of marine microalgae in industrial systems is attractive for converting CO2 into value-added products using saline water and sunlight. The plant nature and demonstrated industrial potential facilitate Chlorella spp. as excellent model organisms for both basic research and commercial application. However, the transformation method has not been developed in marine Chlorella spp., thus genetic engineering is hindered in exploiting the industrial potentialities of these strains. In this study, we provided a transformation protocol for the marine Chlorella strain MEM25, which showed robust characteristics, including high production of proteins and polyunsaturated fatty acids in multiple cultivation systems over various spatial-temporal scales. We showed that transformants could be obtained in a dramatically time-saving manner (comparable to Saccharomyces cerevisiae) with four functional proteins expressed properly. The transgenes are integrated into the genome and can be successfully inherited for more than two years. The development of a marine Chlorella transformation method, in combination with the complete genome, will greatly facilitate more comprehensive mechanism studies and provide possibilities to use this species as chassis for synthetic biology to produce value-added compounds with mutual advantage in neutralization of CO2 in commercial scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinping Gu
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Life and Aquaculture, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Ying Deng
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Life and Aquaculture, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Aoqi Wang
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Life and Aquaculture, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Qinhua Gan
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Life and Aquaculture, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Yi Xin
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Life and Aquaculture, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China
| | - Kalyanee Paithoonrangsarid
- Biochemical Engineering and Systems Biology Research Group, National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, National Science and Technology Development Agency at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, 10150, Thailand
| | - Yandu Lu
- Single-cell BioEngineering Group, State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in South China Sea, School of Marine Life and Aquaculture, Hainan University, Haikou, 570228, China.
- Hainan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tropical Hydrobiotechnology, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
- Haikou Technology Innovation Center for Research and Utilization of Algal Bioresources, Hainan University, Haikou, China.
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6
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Patel VK, Das A, Kumari R, Kajla S. Recent progress and challenges in CRISPR-Cas9 engineered algae and cyanobacteria. ALGAL RES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2023.103068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
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Van De Walle S, Broucke K, Baune MC, Terjung N, Van Royen G, Boukid F. Microalgae protein digestibility: How to crack open the black box? Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2023. [DOI: 10.1080/10408398.2023.2181754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon Van De Walle
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Melle, Belgium
| | - Keshia Broucke
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Melle, Belgium
| | | | - Nino Terjung
- German Institute of Food Technologies (DIL e.V.), Quakenbrück, Germany
| | - Geert Van Royen
- Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (ILVO), Melle, Belgium
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Aratboni HA, Rafiei N, Allaf MM, Abedini S, Rasheed RN, Seif A, Wang S, Ramirez JRM. Nanotechnology: An outstanding tool for increasing and better exploitation of microalgae valuable compounds. ALGAL RES 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2023.103019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
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9
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Kumari S, Lali AM, Prakash G. Development of chloroplast engineering tools for Asterarcys sp.: A resilient scenedesmaceae microalga. ALGAL RES 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2022.102770] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
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10
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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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11
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Magoni C, Bertacchi S, Giustra CM, Guzzetti L, Cozza R, Ferrari M, Torelli A, Marieschi M, Porro D, Branduardi P, Labra M. Could microalgae be a strategic choice for responding to the demand for omega-3 fatty acids? A European perspective. Trends Food Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tifs.2022.01.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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12
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Magnetic Immobilization and Growth of Nannochloropsis oceanica and Scenedasmus almeriensis. PLANTS 2021; 11:plants11010072. [PMID: 35009076 PMCID: PMC8747155 DOI: 10.3390/plants11010072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2021] [Revised: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Microalgae are used in industrial and pharmaceutical applications. Their performance on biological applications may be improved by their immobilization. This study presents a way of cell immobilization using microalgae carrying magnetic properties. Nannochloropsis oceanica and Scenedasmus almeriensis cells were treated enzymatically (cellulase) and mechanically (glass beads), generating protoplasts as a means of incorporation of magnetic nanoparticles. Scanning electron microscopy images verified the successful cell wall destruction for both of the examined microalgae cells. Subsequently, protoplasts were transformed with magnetic nanoparticles by a continuous electroporation method and then cultured on a magnetic surface. Regeneration of transformed protoplasts was optimized using various organic carbon and amino acid supplements. Both protoplast preparation methods demonstrated similar efficiency. Casamino acids, as source of amino acids, were the most efficient compound for N. oceanica protoplasts regeneration in enzymatic and mechanical treatment, while for S. almeriensis protoplasts regeneration, fructose, as source of organic carbon, was the most effective. Protoplasts transformation efficiency values with magnetic nanoparticles after enzymatic or mechanical treatments for N. oceanica and S. almeriensis were 17.8% and 10.7%, and 18.6% and 15.7%, respectively. Finally, selected magnetic cells were immobilized and grown on a vertical magnetic surface exposed to light and without any supplement.
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Vavitsas K, Kugler A, Satta A, Hatzinikolaou DG, Lindblad P, Fewer DP, Lindberg P, Toivari M, Stensjö K. Doing synthetic biology with photosynthetic microorganisms. PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM 2021; 173:624-638. [PMID: 33963557 DOI: 10.1111/ppl.13455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/06/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The use of photosynthetic microbes as synthetic biology hosts for the sustainable production of commodity chemicals and even fuels has received increasing attention over the last decade. The number of studies published, tools implemented, and resources made available for microalgae have increased beyond expectations during the last few years. However, the tools available for genetic engineering in these organisms still lag those available for the more commonly used heterotrophic host organisms. In this mini-review, we provide an overview of the photosynthetic microbes most commonly used in synthetic biology studies, namely cyanobacteria, chlorophytes, eustigmatophytes and diatoms. We provide basic information on the techniques and tools available for each model group of organisms, we outline the state-of-the-art, and we list the synthetic biology tools that have been successfully used. We specifically focus on the latest CRISPR developments, as we believe that precision editing and advanced genetic engineering tools will be pivotal to the advancement of the field. Finally, we discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of each group of organisms and examine the challenges that need to be overcome to achieve their synthetic biology potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Konstantinos Vavitsas
- Enzyme and Microbial Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou Campus, Athens, Greece
| | - Amit Kugler
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Alessandro Satta
- Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
- CSIRO Synthetic Biology Future Science Platform, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Dimitris G Hatzinikolaou
- Enzyme and Microbial Biotechnology Unit, Department of Biology, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Zografou Campus, Athens, Greece
| | - Peter Lindblad
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - David P Fewer
- Department of Microbiology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Pia Lindberg
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Mervi Toivari
- VTT, Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd, Espoo, Finland
| | - Karin Stensjö
- Microbial Chemistry, Department of Chemistry-Ångström Laboratory, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
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de Grahl I, Reumann S. Stramenopile microalgae as "green biofactories" for recombinant protein production. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:163. [PMID: 34453200 PMCID: PMC8397651 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03126-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Photoautotrophic microalgae have become intriguing hosts for recombinant protein production because they offer important advantages of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic expression systems. Advanced molecular tools have recently been established for the biotechnologically relevant group of stramenopile microalgae, particularly for several Nannochloropsis species and diatoms. Strategies for the selection of powerful genetic elements and for optimization of protein production have been reported. Much needed high-throughput techniques required for straight-forward identification and selection of the best expression constructs and transformants have become available and are discussed. The first recombinant proteins have already been produced successfully in stramenopile microalgae and include not only several subunit vaccines but also one antimicrobial peptide, a fish growth hormone, and an antibody. These research results offer interesting future applications in aquaculture and as biopharmaceuticals. In this review we highlight recent progress in genetic technology development for recombinant protein production in the most relevant Nannochloropsis species and diatoms. Diverse realistic biotechnological applications of these proteins are emphasized that have the potential to establish stramenopile algae as sustainable green factories for an economically competitive production of high-value biomolecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imke de Grahl
- Plant Biochemistry and Infection Biology, Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststr. 18, 22609, Hamburg, Germany.
| | - Sigrun Reumann
- Plant Biochemistry and Infection Biology, Institute of Plant Science and Microbiology, Universität Hamburg, Ohnhorststr. 18, 22609, Hamburg, Germany
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Lu Y, Gu X, Lin H, Melis A. Engineering microalgae: transition from empirical design to programmable cells. Crit Rev Biotechnol 2021; 41:1233-1256. [PMID: 34130561 DOI: 10.1080/07388551.2021.1917507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Domesticated microalgae hold great promise for the sustainable provision of various bioresources for human domestic and industrial consumption. Efforts to exploit their potential are far from being fully realized due to limitations in the know-how of microalgal engineering. The associated technologies are not as well developed as those for heterotrophic microbes, cyanobacteria, and plants. However, recent studies on microalgal metabolic engineering, genome editing, and synthetic biology have immensely helped to enhance transformation efficiencies and are bringing new insights into this field. Therefore, this article, summarizes recent developments in microalgal biotechnology and examines the prospects for generating specialty and commodity products through the processes of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology. After a brief examination of empirical engineering methods and vector design, this article focuses on quantitative transformation cassette design, elaborates on target editing methods and emerging digital design of algal cellular metabolism to arrive at high yields of valuable products. These advances have enabled a transition of manners in microalgal engineering from single-gene and enzyme-based metabolic engineering to systems-level precision engineering, from cells created with genetically modified (GM) tags to that without GM tags, and ultimately from proof of concept to tangible industrial applications. Finally, future trends are proposed in microalgal engineering, aiming to establish individualized transformation systems in newly identified species for strain-specific specialty and commodity products, while developing sophisticated universal toolkits in model algal species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yandu Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, College of Oceanology, Hainan University, Haikou, China.,Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
| | - Xinping Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Resource Utilization in the South China Sea, College of Oceanology, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Hanzhi Lin
- Institute of Marine & Environmental Technology, Center for Environmental Science, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
| | - Anastasios Melis
- Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA, USA
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16
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Rascón-Cruz Q, González-Barriga CD, Iglesias-Figueroa BF, Trejo-Muñoz JC, Siqueiros-Cendón T, Sinagawa-García SR, Arévalo-Gallegos S, Espinoza-Sánchez EA. Plastid transformation: Advances and challenges for its implementation in agricultural crops. ELECTRON J BIOTECHN 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejbt.2021.03.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
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17
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Cui Y, Wang K, Xu W, Wang Y, Gao Z, Cui H, Meng C, Qin S. Plastid Engineering of a Marine Alga, Nannochloropsis gaditana, for Co-Expression of Two Recombinant Peptides. JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2021; 57:569-576. [PMID: 33174215 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to establish a plastid transformation system for expressing recombinant proteins in Nannochloropsis gaditana. On the basis of the sequenced plastid genome, the homologous flanking region, 16S-trnI/trnA-23S, and the endogenous regulatory fragments containing the psbA promoter, rbcL promoter, rbcL terminator, and psbA terminator were amplified from N. gaditana as elements of a plastid transformation vector. Then, the herbicide-resistant gene (bar) was used as a selectable marker, regulated by the psbA promoter and rbcL terminator. Finally, two codon-optimized antimicrobial peptide-coding genes linked by endogenous ribosome binding site (RBS) in a polycistron were inserted into the constructed vector under the regulation of the rbcL promoter and psbA terminator. After microparticle bombardment, the positive clones were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and Southern and Western blotting were used to assess the co-expression of the two antimicrobial peptides from the plastid. Nannochloropsis gaditana showed the potential to express recombinant proteins for biotechnological applications, for example, for the development of oral vaccines in aquaculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- 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
| | - Kang Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, China
| | - Wenxin Xu
- Institute of Molecular Agriculture and Bioenergy, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, 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, China
| | - Hongli Cui
- Institute of Molecular Agriculture and Bioenergy, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, China
| | - Chunxiao Meng
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, 255049, 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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Mosey M, Douchi D, Knoshaug EP, Laurens LM. Methodological review of genetic engineering approaches for non-model algae. ALGAL RES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.algal.2021.102221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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20
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Synthetic Biology Approaches To Enhance Microalgal Productivity. Trends Biotechnol 2021; 39:1019-1036. [PMID: 33541719 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibtech.2020.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The major bottleneck in commercializing biofuels and other commodities produced by microalgae is the high cost associated with phototrophic cultivation. Improving microalgal productivities could be a solution to this problem. Synthetic biology methods have recently been used to engineer the downstream production pathways in several microalgal strains. However, engineering upstream photosynthetic and carbon fixation metabolism to enhance growth, productivity, and yield has barely been explored in microalgae. We describe strategies to improve the generation of reducing power from light, as well as to improve the assimilation of CO2 by either the native Calvin cycle or synthetic alternatives. Overall, we are optimistic that recent technological advances will prompt long-awaited breakthroughs in microalgal research.
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Jackson HO, Taunt HN, Mordaka PM, Smith AG, Purton S. The Algal Chloroplast as a Testbed for Synthetic Biology Designs Aimed at Radically Rewiring Plant Metabolism. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 2021; 12:708370. [PMID: 34630459 PMCID: PMC8497815 DOI: 10.3389/fpls.2021.708370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Sustainable and economically viable support for an ever-increasing global population requires a paradigm shift in agricultural productivity, including the application of biotechnology to generate future crop plants. Current genetic engineering approaches aimed at enhancing the photosynthetic efficiency or composition of the harvested tissues involve relatively simple manipulations of endogenous metabolism. However, radical rewiring of central metabolism using new-to-nature pathways, so-called "synthetic metabolism", may be needed to really bring about significant step changes. In many cases, this will require re-programming the metabolism of the chloroplast, or other plastids in non-green tissues, through a combination of chloroplast and nuclear engineering. However, current technologies for sophisticated chloroplast engineering ("transplastomics") of plants are limited to just a handful of species. Moreover, the testing of metabolic rewiring in the chloroplast of plant models is often impractical given their obligate phototrophy, the extended time needed to create stable non-chimeric transplastomic lines, and the technical challenges associated with regeneration of whole plants. In contrast, the unicellular green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a facultative heterotroph that allows for extensive modification of chloroplast function, including non-photosynthetic designs. Moreover, chloroplast engineering in C. reinhardtii is facile, with the ability to generate novel lines in a matter of weeks, and a well-defined molecular toolbox allows for rapid iterations of the "Design-Build-Test-Learn" (DBTL) cycle of modern synthetic biology approaches. The recent development of combinatorial DNA assembly pipelines for designing and building transgene clusters, simple methods for marker-free delivery of these clusters into the chloroplast genome, and the pre-existing wealth of knowledge regarding chloroplast gene expression and regulation in C. reinhardtii further adds to the versatility of transplastomics using this organism. Herein, we review the inherent advantages of the algal chloroplast as a simple and tractable testbed for metabolic engineering designs, which could then be implemented in higher plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry O. Jackson
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Henry N. Taunt
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Pawel M. Mordaka
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Alison G. Smith
- Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Saul Purton
- Department of Structural and Molecular Biology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Saul Purton
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Transmission of Engineered Plastids in Sugarcane, a C 4 Monocotyledonous Plant, Reveals that Sorting of Preprogrammed Progenitor Cells Produce Heteroplasmy. PLANTS 2020; 10:plants10010026. [PMID: 33374390 PMCID: PMC7830296 DOI: 10.3390/plants10010026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
We report here plastid transformation in sugarcane using biolistic transformation and embryogenesis-based regeneration approaches. Somatic embryos were developed from unfurled leaf sections, containing preprogrammed progenitor cells, to recover transformation events on antibiotic-containing regeneration medium. After developing a proficient regeneration system, the FLARE-S (fluorescent antibiotic resistance enzyme, spectinomycin and streptomycin) expression cassette that carries species-specific homologous sequence tails was used to transform plastids and track gene transmission and expression in sugarcane. Plants regenerated from streptomycin-resistant and genetically confirmed shoots were subjected to visual detection of the fluorescent enzyme using a fluorescent stereomicroscope, after genetic confirmation. The resultant heteroplasmic shoots remained to segregate on streptomycin-containing MS medium, referring to the unique pattern of division and sorting of cells in C4 monocotyledonous compared to C3 monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants since in sugarcane bundle sheath and mesophyll, cells are distinct and sort independently after division. Hence, the transformation of either mesophyll or bundle sheath cells will develop heteroplasmic transgenic plants, suggesting the transformation of both types of cells. Whilst developed transgenic sugarcane plants are heteroplasmic, and selection-based regeneration protocol envisaging the role of division and sorting of cells in the purification of transplastomic demands further improvement, the study has established many parameters that may open up exciting possibilities to express genes of agricultural or pharmaceutical importance in sugarcane.
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Kumar G, Shekh A, Jakhu S, Sharma Y, Kapoor R, Sharma TR. Bioengineering of Microalgae: Recent Advances, Perspectives, and Regulatory Challenges for Industrial Application. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2020; 8:914. [PMID: 33014997 PMCID: PMC7494788 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2020.00914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Microalgae, due to their complex metabolic capacity, are being continuously explored for nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, and other industrially important bioactives. However, suboptimal yield and productivity of the bioactive of interest in local and robust wild-type strains are of perennial concerns for their industrial applications. To overcome such limitations, strain improvement through genetic engineering could play a decisive role. Though the advanced tools for genetic engineering have emerged at a greater pace, they still remain underused for microalgae as compared to other microorganisms. Pertaining to this, we reviewed the progress made so far in the development of molecular tools and techniques, and their deployment for microalgae strain improvement through genetic engineering. The recent availability of genome sequences and other omics datasets form diverse microalgae species have remarkable potential to guide strategic momentum in microalgae strain improvement program. This review focuses on the recent and significant improvements in the omics resources, mutant libraries, and high throughput screening methodologies helpful to augment research in the model and non-model microalgae. Authors have also summarized the case studies on genetically engineered microalgae and highlight the opportunities and challenges that are emerging from the current progress in the application of genome-editing to facilitate microalgal strain improvement. Toward the end, the regulatory and biosafety issues in the use of genetically engineered microalgae in commercial applications are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gulshan Kumar
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Ajam Shekh
- Plant Cell Biotechnology Department, CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI), Mysuru, India
| | - Sunaina Jakhu
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Yogesh Sharma
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Ritu Kapoor
- Agricultural Biotechnology Division, National Agri-Food Biotechnology Institute (NABI), Sahibzada Ajit Singh Nagar, India
| | - Tilak Raj Sharma
- Division of Crop Science, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi, India
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Gutiérrez CL, Muñoz C, San Martín M, Cadoret JP, Henríquez V. Chloroplast Dual Divergent Promoter Plasmid for Heterologous Protein Expression in Tetraselmis suecica (Chlorophyceae, Chlorodendrales). JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY 2020; 56:1066-1076. [PMID: 32359200 DOI: 10.1111/jpy.13013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The eukaryotic green microalga Tetraselmis suecica is commonly used for aquaculture purposes because of its high stress tolerance and ease of culture in a wide spectrum of environments; they are therefore suitable candidates for biotechnology applications. To date, no data are available regarding chloroplast transformation vectors based on specific endogenous promoters and homologous targeting regions. We report on the identification of Tetraselmis suecica genes encoding the ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase large subunit protein, the photosystem II D1 protein and the ATP synthase CF1-beta subunit protein together with their untranslated regions (5'UTR, 3'UTR). The full-length ORFs of the putative genes with their regulatory sequences were obtained. We were also able to identify the downstream 3' end of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (23S) along with the 5S RNA end-to-end with the psbA gene on the complementary strand. The intergenic region between these genes appears to be a good target site for the integration of target proteins. Moreover, we identified a back-to-back promoter region among the rbcL and atpB genes. To assess the bidirectionality activities of both promoters, a dual reporter vector was constructed for Tetraselmis suecica transformation containing the cat and TurboGFP genes driven by the 5'rbcL/5'atpB divergent promoter. The vector included the 23S-5S and psbA nucleotide sequences as flanking regions. These flanking regions provided suitable insertion sites within the chloroplast genome for cassette integration via homologous recombination. Simultaneous expression of the chloramphenicol-resistant conferring gene and the gene coding for TurboGFP driven by 5'rbcL/5'atpB showed a potent natural bidirectional promoter as a reliable genetic tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla L Gutiérrez
- Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Carla Muñoz
- Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | - Margarita San Martín
- Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
| | | | - Vitalia Henríquez
- Laboratorio de Genética e Inmunología Molecular, Instituto de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Valparaíso, Chile
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25
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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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26
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Kim SY, Kim KW, Kwon YM, Kim JYH. mCherry Protein as an In Vivo Quantitative Reporter of Gene Expression in the Chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Mol Biotechnol 2020; 62:297-305. [PMID: 32185599 DOI: 10.1007/s12033-020-00249-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
Abstract
Microalgal chloroplasts have a substantial potential as a sustainable alternative to conventional hosts for recombinant protein production, due to their photosynthetic ability. However, realization of microalgal chloroplast as a platform for the production of recombinant proteins has suffered from difficulties in genetic manipulation and development of molecular tools, including reporter proteins. Here, we investigated the suitability of a fluorescent protein, mCherry, as a reporter for quantitative in vivo monitoring of gene expression in the chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. By analyzing cell growth, the fluorescence intensity of a mCherry-expressing strain, as well as auto-fluorescence, under different photoautotrophic culture conditions, we demonstrated a strong correlation between the fluorescence intensity of mCherry expressed in the chloroplast and its protein expression level. In addition, we found that the supply of CO2 and light energy can be an important factor for the synthesis of recombinant proteins in the microalgal chloroplast. Our results identified mCherry as a reliable and quantitative reporter for the study of gene expression in chloroplasts, which is essential for the biotechnological application of microalgal chloroplasts and for improved production of valuable recombinant proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sun Young Kim
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, 33662, South Korea
| | - Kyung Woo Kim
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, 33662, South Korea
| | - Yong Min Kwon
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, 33662, South Korea
| | - Jaoon Young Hwan Kim
- Department of Applied Research, National Marine Biodiversity Institute of Korea, Jangsan-ro 101-75, Seocheon-gun, Chungcheongnam-do, 33662, South Korea.
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Arévalo-Gallegos S, Varela-Rodríguez H, Lugo-Aguilar H, Siqueiros-Cendón TS, Iglesias-Figueroa BF, Espinoza-Sánchez EA, Aguado-Santacruz GA, Rascón-Cruz Q. Transient expression of a green fluorescent protein in tobacco and maize chloroplast. ELECTRON J BIOTECHN 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejbt.2020.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
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28
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Abstract
The green algae of Chlorella spp. are usually very small (about 3-6 μm), typically have solid and thick cell wall tissue; thus, neither the gene-gun method based on particle carrier nor the glass-bead transformation method is suitable enough. Selecting the proper, effective strategy has always attracted researcher's attention. Electroporation is currently the most widely used method for the transformation of algal species. The principle of electroporation is that the cell membrane produces tiny holes by high-voltage pulses, which lead to the introduction of exogenous DNA into cells. The method was proved by simple in principle and effective in introducing foreign genes in several Chlorella species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
- Department of Applied Biology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianhua Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Applied Biology, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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29
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Klinger CM, Richardson E. Small Genomes and Big Data: Adaptation of Plastid Genomics to the High-Throughput Era. Biomolecules 2019; 9:E299. [PMID: 31344945 PMCID: PMC6723049 DOI: 10.3390/biom9080299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Revised: 07/15/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Plastid genome sequences are becoming more readily available with the increase in high-throughput sequencing, and whole-organelle genetic data is available for algae and plants from across the diversity of photosynthetic eukaryotes. This has provided incredible opportunities for studying species which may not be amenable to in vivo study or genetic manipulation or may not yet have been cultured. Research into plastid genomes has pushed the limits of what can be deduced from genomic information, and in particular genomic information obtained from public databases. In this Review, we discuss how research into plastid genomes has benefitted enormously from the explosion of publicly available genome sequence. We describe two case studies in how using publicly available gene data has supported previously held hypotheses about plastid traits from lineage-restricted experiments across algal and plant diversity. We propose how this approach could be used across disciplines for inferring functional and biological characteristics from genomic approaches, including integration of new computational and bioinformatic approaches such as machine learning. We argue that the techniques developed to gain the maximum possible insight from plastid genomes can be applied across the eukaryotic tree of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christen M Klinger
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada
| | - Elisabeth Richardson
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2R3, Canada.
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30
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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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31
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Esland L, Larrea-Alvarez M, Purton S. Selectable Markers and Reporter Genes for Engineering the Chloroplast of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. BIOLOGY 2018; 7:E46. [PMID: 30309004 PMCID: PMC6315944 DOI: 10.3390/biology7040046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2018] [Revised: 10/02/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a model alga of increasing interest as a cell factory for the production of valuable compounds, including therapeutic proteins and bioactive metabolites. Expression of foreign genes in the chloroplast is particularly advantageous as: (i) accumulation of product in this sub-cellular compartment minimises potential toxicity to the rest of the cell; (ii) genes can integrate at specific loci of the chloroplast genome (plastome) by homologous recombination; (iii) the high ploidy of the plastome and the high-level expression of chloroplast genes can be exploited to achieve levels of recombinant protein as high as 5% total cell protein; (iv) the lack of any gene silencing mechanisms in the chloroplast ensures stable expression of transgenes. However, the generation of C. reinhardtii chloroplast transformants requires efficient methods of selection, and ideally methods for subsequent marker removal. Additionally, the use of reporter genes is critical to achieving a comprehensive understanding of gene expression, thereby informing experimental design for recombinant applications. This review discusses currently available selection and reporter systems for chloroplast engineering in C. reinhardtii, as well as those used for chloroplast engineering in higher plants and other microalgae, and looks to the future in terms of possible new markers and reporters that will further advance the C. reinhardtii chloroplast as an expression platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lola Esland
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, South Kensington Campus, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
| | - Marco Larrea-Alvarez
- School of Biological Sciences and Engineering, Yachay-Tech University, Hacienda San José, Urcuquí-Imbabura 100650, Ecuador.
| | - Saul Purton
- Institute of Structural & Molecular Biology, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK.
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