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Liu M, Yu L, Zheng J, Shao S, Pan Y, Hu H, Shen L, Wang W, Zhou W, Liu J. Turning the industrially relevant marine alga Nannochloropsis red: one move for multifaceted benefits. THE NEW PHYTOLOGIST 2024. [PMID: 39253772 DOI: 10.1111/nph.20114] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/20/2024] [Indexed: 09/11/2024]
Abstract
Nannochloropsis oceanica is an industrially relevant marine microalga rich in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, a valuable ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid), yet the algal production potential remains to be unlocked. Here we engineered N. oceanica to synthesize the high-value carotenoid astaxanthin independent of high-light (HL) induction for achieving multifaceted benefits. By screening β-carotenoid ketolases and hydroxylases of various origins, and strategically manipulating compartmentalization, fusion patterns, and linkers of the enzyme pair, a remarkable 133-fold increase in astaxanthin content was achieved in N. oceanica. Iterative metabolic engineering efforts led to further increases in astaxanthin synthesis up to 7.3 mg g-1, the highest reported for microalgae under nonstress conditions. Astaxanthin was found in the photosystem components and allowed the alga HL resistance and augmented EPA production. Besides, we achieved co-production of astaxanthin and EPA by the engineered alga through a fed-batch cultivation approach. Our findings unveil the untapped potential of N. oceanica as a robust, light-driven chassis for constitutive astaxanthin synthesis and provide feasible strategies for the concurrent production of multiple high-value biochemicals from CO2, thereby paving the way for sustainable biotechnological applications of this alga.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meijing Liu
- Engineering Research Center of Watershed Carbon Neutrality of Ministry of Education, and Center for Algae Innovation & Engineering Research, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
- Laboratory for Algae Biotechnology & Innovation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Lihua Yu
- Laboratory for Algae Biotechnology & Innovation, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China
| | - Jie Zheng
- Engineering Research Center of Watershed Carbon Neutrality of Ministry of Education, and Center for Algae Innovation & Engineering Research, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Shengxi Shao
- Engineering Research Center of Watershed Carbon Neutrality of Ministry of Education, and Center for Algae Innovation & Engineering Research, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Yufang Pan
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Hanhua Hu
- Key Laboratory of Algal Biology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Lili Shen
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wenda Wang
- Photosynthesis Research Center, Key Laboratory of Photobiology, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100093, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Science, Yuquan Road, Shijingshan District, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Wenguang Zhou
- Engineering Research Center of Watershed Carbon Neutrality of Ministry of Education, and Center for Algae Innovation & Engineering Research, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
| | - Jin Liu
- Engineering Research Center of Watershed Carbon Neutrality of Ministry of Education, and Center for Algae Innovation & Engineering Research, School of Resources and Environment, Nanchang University, Nanchang, 330031, China
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Fujiwara T, Hirooka S, Yamashita S, Yagisawa F, Miyagishima SY. Development of a rapamycin-inducible protein-knockdown system in the unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae. PLANT PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 196:77-94. [PMID: 38833589 PMCID: PMC11376382 DOI: 10.1093/plphys/kiae316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
An inducible protein-knockdown system is highly effective for investigating the functions of proteins and mechanisms essential for the survival and growth of organisms. However, this technique is not available in photosynthetic eukaryotes. The unicellular red alga Cyanidioschyzon merolae possesses a very simple cellular and genomic architecture and is genetically tractable but lacks RNA interference machinery. In this study, we developed a protein-knockdown system in this alga. The constitutive system utilizes the destabilizing activity of the FK506-binding protein 12 (FKBP12)-rapamycin-binding (FRB) domain of human target of rapamycin kinase or its derivatives to knock down target proteins. In the inducible system, rapamycin treatment induces the heterodimerization of the human FRB domain fused to the target proteins with the human FKBP fused to S-phase kinase-associated protein 1 or Cullin 1, subunits of the SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase. This results in the rapid degradation of the target proteins through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. With this system, we successfully degraded endogenous essential proteins such as the chloroplast division protein dynamin-related protein 5B and E2 transcription factor, a regulator of the G1/S transition, within 2 to 3 h after rapamycin administration, enabling the assessment of resulting phenotypes. This rapamycin-inducible protein-knockdown system contributes to the functional analysis of genes whose disruption leads to lethality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takayuki Fujiwara
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
- Department of Genetics, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Shunsuke Hirooka
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Shota Yamashita
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
| | - Fumi Yagisawa
- Research Facility Center, University of the Ryukyus, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
| | - Shin-Ya Miyagishima
- Department of Gene Function and Phenomics, National Institute of Genetics, Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
- Department of Genetics, Graduate University for Advanced Studies (SOKENDAI), Shizuoka 411-8540, Japan
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Goold HD, Moseley JL, Lauersen KJ. The synthetic future of algal genomes. CELL GENOMICS 2024; 4:100505. [PMID: 38395701 PMCID: PMC10943592 DOI: 10.1016/j.xgen.2024.100505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
Algae are diverse organisms with significant biotechnological potential for resource circularity. Taking inspiration from fermentative microbes, engineering algal genomes holds promise to broadly expand their application ranges. Advances in genome sequencing with improvements in DNA synthesis and delivery techniques are enabling customized molecular tool development to confer advanced traits to algae. Efforts to redesign and rebuild entire genomes to create fit-for-purpose organisms currently being explored in heterotrophic prokaryotes and eukaryotic microbes could also be applied to photosynthetic algae. Future algal genome engineering will enhance yields of native products and permit the expression of complex biochemical pathways to produce novel metabolites from sustainable inputs. We present a historical perspective on advances in engineering algae, discuss the requisite genetic traits to enable algal genome optimization, take inspiration from whole-genome engineering efforts in other microbes for algal systems, and present candidate algal species in the context of these engineering goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugh D Goold
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia; ARC Center of Excellence in Synthetic Biology, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia; School of Natural Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW 2109, Australia
| | - Jeffrey L Moseley
- California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Division of Environmental Genomics and Systems Biology, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Phycoil Biotechnology International, Inc., Fremont, CA 94538, USA
| | - Kyle J Lauersen
- Bioengineering Program, Biological and Environmental Sciences and Engineering Division, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal 23955-6900, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
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Cutolo EA, Caferri R, Campitiello R, Cutolo M. The Clinical Promise of Microalgae in Rheumatoid Arthritis: From Natural Compounds to Recombinant Therapeutics. Mar Drugs 2023; 21:630. [PMID: 38132951 PMCID: PMC10745133 DOI: 10.3390/md21120630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an invalidating chronic autoimmune disorder characterized by joint inflammation and progressive bone damage. Dietary intervention is an important component in the treatment of RA to mitigate oxidative stress, a major pathogenic driver of the disease. Alongside traditional sources of antioxidants, microalgae-a diverse group of photosynthetic prokaryotes and eukaryotes-are emerging as anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory food supplements. Several species accumulate therapeutic metabolites-mainly lipids and pigments-which interfere in the pro-inflammatory pathways involved in RA and other chronic inflammatory conditions. The advancement of the clinical uses of microalgae requires the continuous exploration of phytoplankton biodiversity and chemodiversity, followed by the domestication of wild strains into reliable producers of said metabolites. In addition, the tractability of microalgal genomes offers unprecedented possibilities to establish photosynthetic microbes as light-driven biofactories of heterologous immunotherapeutics. Here, we review the evidence-based anti-inflammatory mechanisms of microalgal metabolites and provide a detailed coverage of the genetic engineering strategies to enhance the yields of endogenous compounds and to develop innovative bioproducts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo Andrea Cutolo
- Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Bioenergy, Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Roberto Caferri
- Laboratory of Photosynthesis and Bioenergy, Department of Biotechnology, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 15, 37134 Verona, Italy;
| | - Rosanna Campitiello
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 6, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (R.C.)
| | - Maurizio Cutolo
- Research Laboratory and Academic Division of Clinical Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, IRCCS San Martino Polyclinic Hospital, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 6, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (R.C.)
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