Genetic manipulation of microalgae for the production of bioproducts

Abstract

Microalgae have been used during the past four decades in the Bio-industries for the production of high added value products and development of useful approaches with environmental applications. The fast growing rate, simple growth requirements and using sunlight as the major source of energy are the key factors for usage of algae. In the past 15 years, a considerable progress has been made regarding the use of microalgae for production of proteins, nutraceuticals, food supplements, molecular tags for diagnostics and fixation of greenhouse gases. Nevertheless, genetic manipulation of microalgae still remains a fairly un-explored area which could boost the production of bioproducts. It is anticipated that in the near future use of microalgae will revolutionize its applications in diverse industries. The aim of this work is to present a critical review on potential of microalgae for the production of high-added value molecules, their practical applications, and the role of genetic engineering in its utilization as a unique niche in industry. In addition, current challenges within synthetic biology approaches are discussed.

Nourseothricin N-acetyl transferase (NAT), a new selectable marker for nuclear gene expression in Chlamydomonas

“…The ability to generate transgenic cells is crucial for genetic engineering widely used in basic research as well as in biotechnological applications. As a model organism, C. reinhardtii is widely used for exploration of basic cellular processes such as cilia biogenesis and photosynthesis and for producing commercially valuable products as a cell factory [1–3]. Although a few selectable markers have been developed in this organism, few of them have been widely used.…”

“…Chlamydomonas reinhardtii ( C. reinhardtii), a unicellular green alga, is a widely used model organism for basic scientific research as well as biotechnological applications [1]. Generation of transgenic strains plays a critical role in our deeper understanding of molecular mechanisms involved in various cellular processes and genetic engineering for producing valuable products [2, 3].…”

“…Because of low efficiency of transformation, a selectable marker is usually needed for selection of transgenic strains. Currently, there are three types of selections used in nuclear transformation of C. reinhardtii : auxotrophy rescue, herbicide resistance and antibiotic resistance [1–3]. Auxotrophy rescue involves using parental strains with mutations thus limiting its application.…”

“…It is likely due to high dose application of herbicide, poor transformation efficiency and/or other reasons. Six antibiotics have been used in C. reinhardtii for selection of transgenic strains transformed with corresponding selectable markers [1, 3]. The antibiotics used include paromomycin, zeocin, spectinomycin, hygromycin B, kanamycin and tetracycline.…”

Microalgal Derivatives as Potential Nutraceutical and Food Supplements for Human Health: A Focus on Cancer Prevention and Interception

“…In parallel, due to their fast generation time and ability to grow in extreme environments (i.e., resisting high levels of environmental stress) microalgae are probably subjected to the increasing rate of molecular evolution [30,31,32]. Moreover, these microorganisms can be easily manipulated genetically, thus enhancing their interest for industrial purposes [33,34].…”