Article
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Jilong Zhao, Yunlong Ge, Keqing Liu, Yasuyo Yamaoka, Di Zhang, Zhanyou Chi, Mahinur Akkaya, Fantao Kong
Summary: Under standard growth conditions, overexpressing MYB1 in Chlamydomonas increased lipid accumulation, starch and protein content, and biomass production. This provides a promising genetic engineering tool for biofuel production in microalgae.
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ru Chen, Yasuyo Yamaoka, Yanbin Feng, Zhanyou Chi, Song Xue, Fantao Kong
Summary: Lipid transporters play a synergistic role in oil accumulation in microalgae under normal conditions, but their effects under stress conditions are unclear. In this study, the co-expression of fatty acid transporters (FAX1 and FAX2) and ABC transporter (ABCA2) in the green microalga Chlamydomonas was found to significantly increase the TAG content, as well as membrane lipids, starch, and biomass. The overexpression also upregulated genes involved in TAG, fatty acid, and starch biosynthesis, and caused changes in photosynthesis activity and ROS levels during nitrogen deprivation. This strategy could be applied to other microalgae for the production of FA-derived energy-rich compounds.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiaosong Gu, Li Cao, Xiaoying Wu, Yanhua Li, Qiang Hu, Danxiang Han
Summary: This study identified galactosyl hydrolases (CrGH) in lipid bodies of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and found that deficiency of CrGH led to an increase in MGDG and DGDG content and a decrease in TAG content under high light stress conditions. The up-regulation of CrGH under high light stress suggests its involvement in the conversion of photosynthetic membranes to TAGs, revealing a new paradigm for lipid metabolism in microalgae.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhongquan Jiang, Yutong Sun, Huize Guan, Danqing Sun, Shu Fang, Xuening Ma, Zhongyang Wang, Zhen Li, Chunhua Zhang, Ying Ge
Summary: The study found that when exposed to low concentrations of As(V), Chlamydomonas reinhardtii accumulated starch and produced more extracellular polysaccharides, while under high concentrations of As(V), the cells redirected carbon flux and transformed lipids into polysaccharides, indicating the critical involvement of polysaccharides in As(V) resistance in C. reinhardtii.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yi-Ying Lee, Rudolph Park, Stephen M. Miller, Yantao Li
Summary: Genetic compensation is proposed as a mechanism to explain phenotypic differences between gene knockouts and knockdowns. This study demonstrates examples of genetic compensation in microalgae and suggests its physiological relevance in TAG biosynthesis under stress. These findings provide guidance for future genetic engineering and mutant characterization efforts.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhen Zhu, Huijiao Cao, Xu Li, Junfeng Rong, Xupeng Cao, Jing Tian
Summary: The engineered strain of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, named P3-GAPDH, overexpressing chloroplast type glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (cGAPDH), showed enhanced Calvin cycle, promoting carbon conversion and subsequent energy storage compounds accumulation, indicating high carbon conversion ability.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhiyang Zhai, Hui Liu, John Shanklin
Summary: The study found that by inserting OLE1-GFP into the GBSS1 gene of Arabidopsis, leaf oil content can be significantly increased. Further experiments showed that stacking other lipogenic factors can further enhance oil content.
Article
Plant Sciences
Adeline Courseaux, Oceane George, Philippe Deschamps, Coralie Bompard, Thierry Duchene, David Dauvillee
Summary: In this article, the characterization of BE isoforms in the genome of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and their role in starch synthesis were studied. It was found that BE2 and BE3 isoforms are involved in starch synthesis, with BE3 being critical for both transitory and storage starch metabolism. The differences between the C. reinhardtii be2 and be3 mutants were proposed to be due to functional redundancy, enzymatic regulation, or alterations in the composition of multimeric enzyme complexes.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Nisha Chouhan, Elsinraju Devadasu, Ranay Mohan Yadav, Rajagopal Subramanyam
Summary: In this study, we investigated the lipid metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii cells under high light conditions. We found that a mutant strain, pgr5, had inhibited growth and increased lipid content compared to the wild-type strain. Further analysis revealed that pgr5 cells exhibited increased autophagy and triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation, likely due to the upregulation of DGAT and PDAT enzymes. Our findings highlight the role of reactive oxygen species and autophagy in lipid production in microalgae.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Qiulan Luo, Hui Zhu, Chaogang Wang, Yajun Li, Xianghui Zou, Zhangli Hu
Summary: The Prp19 protein in microalgae plays an important role in negatively regulating lipid enrichment and cell size.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
E. Hounslow, C. A. Evans, J. Pandhal, T. Sydney, N. Couto, T. K. Pham, D. James Gilmour, P. C. Wright
Summary: Physiological and proteomic changes between two green alga strains, C. reinhardtii and C. nivalis, under salinity stress were characterized. Results showed that C. nivalis accumulated more carbohydrates and fatty acids under salt stress compared to C. reinhardtii. The differences in protein abundance provided insights into the mechanism by which salt stress promotes fatty acid accumulation in C. nivalis.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tomokazu Kurita, Masako Iwai, Keishi Moroi, Kumiko Okazaki, Seiji Nomura, Fumihiko Saito, Shinichiro Maeda, Akihide Takami, Atsushi Sakamoto, Hiroyuki Ohta, Tetsushi Sakuma, Takashi Yamamoto
Summary: Algal lipids, produced through photosynthesis and carbon dioxide assimilation, are expected to be the basis for sustainable fuels. However, the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in outdoor culture is restricted. Recent research has discovered that plasmids containing yeast centromere and autonomous replication sequence can behave as episomes in Nannochloropsis species. This study aims to develop a genome editing system that allows the removal of expression vectors after introducing mutations, thereby creating mutated Nannochloropsis without any transgenes.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Qiulan Luo, Xianghui Zou, Chaogang Wang, Yajun Li, Zhangli Hu
Summary: The study revealed the important roles of three cullins (CrCULs) in lipid metabolism in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Among them, CrCUL2 and CrCUL4 were identified as regulators for lipid accumulation. These findings provide valuable insights into lipid biosynthesis in microalgae.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Song Zou, Yuanchen Lu, Haiyan Ma, Yanhua Li, Guanqun Chen, Danxiang Han, Qiang Hu
Summary: This study demonstrated the biochemical and biological functions of CrGPATer in green algae, as well as its potential as a genetic engineering target in functional lipid manufacturing.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Ru Chen, Miao Yang, Mengjie Li, Hao Zhang, Han Lu, Xiaotan Dou, Shiqi Feng, Song Xue, Chenba Zhu, Zhanyou Chi, Fantao Kong
Summary: This study demonstrates that co-overexpression of chloroplast and endoplasmic reticulum-localized fatty acid transporters in Chlamydomonas enhances lipid accumulation and metabolism, particularly the remobilization of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The findings suggest a potential strategy for increasing the production of energy-rich and value-added compounds in microalgae.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Bin Wang, Xianhai Zhao, Yunjun Zhao, John Shanklin, Qiao Zhao, Chang-Jun Liu
Summary: This study reveals that SnRK1 negatively regulates phenylpropanoid biosynthesis by controlling the degradation of PAL through KFB proteins. KFBPALs act as regulatory components of the SnRK1 signaling network, transcriptionally regulated by SnRK1, and mediate the proteasomal degradation of PAL in response to cellular carbon availability.
Article
Plant Sciences
Teresa J. Clark, Jorg Schwender
Summary: The upregulation of triacylglycerols (TAGs) in plant tissues can enhance the energy density and biomass yield of bioenergy crops. A mathematical model was used to simulate the effects of TAG synthesis on energy content and biosynthesis demands. It was found that TAG has higher energy content and biosynthetic demands compared to sucrose. The model also predicted possible rates of TAG accumulation under different environmental conditions.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yingqi Cai, Zhiyang Zhai, Jantana Blanford, Hui Liu, Hai Shi, Jorg Schwender, Changcheng Xu, John Shanklin
Summary: The study demonstrated that PAP2 can stimulate a cycle of fatty acid synthesis and degradation, mitigating negative effects of high TAG accumulation on plant growth. By combining PAP2 with TAG-promoting factors, carbon assimilation, fatty acid synthesis, and allocation to TAGs can be enhanced for optimized plant growth and storage lipid accumulation.
Article
Plant Sciences
Cathleen Kuczynski, Sean McCorkle, Jantana Keereetaweep, John Shanklin, Jorg Schwender
Summary: The translation discusses the role of the transcription factor WRINKLED1 (WRI1) as a regulator of fatty acid synthesis in Arabidopsis thaliana and other species. A combination of phylogenetic analysis and experimental validation was used to identify potential gene targets controlled by WRI1. The study reveals a conserved regulatory blueprint in glycolysis and fatty acid biosynthesis, suggesting the coordinated control of these metabolic pathways by WRI1.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Yuanxue Liang, Xiao-Hong Yu, Sanket Anaokar, Hai Shi, William B. Dahl, Yingqi Cai, Guangbin Luo, Jin Chai, Yuanheng Cai, Almudena Molla-Morales, Fredy Altpeter, Evan Ernst, Jorg Schwender, Robert A. Martienssen, John Shanklin
Summary: Expression of specific genes in duckweed can increase triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation, providing a new opportunity for biofuel and lipidic bioproduct production. These findings lay the foundation for optimizing TAG accumulation in duckweed and have the potential to greatly increase oil yield compared to soybean and oil palm.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhiyang Zhai, Jantana K. Blanford, Yingqi Cai, Jing Sun, Hui Liu, Hai Shi, Jorg Schwender, John Shanklin
Summary: CDK8 plays a crucial role in lipid synthesis regulation. It promotes lipid synthesis by activating WRINKLED1 through its interaction with GEMINIVIRUS REP INTERACTING KINASE1. However, KIN10 can degrade CDK8 and inhibit lipid synthesis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jin Chai, Gongrui Guo, Sean M. McSweeney, John Shanklin, Qun Liu
Summary: AlkB enables diverse microorganisms to use alkanes as their sole carbon and energy source by orienting the alkane to its active site and performing selective terminal C-H bond hydroxylation.
NATURE STRUCTURAL & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Buntora Pasaribu, Kenneth Acosta, Anthony Aylward, Yuanxue Liang, Bradley W. Abramson, Kelly Colt, Nolan T. Hartwick, John Shanklin, Todd P. Michael, Eric Lam
Summary: More than 15 families of aquatic plants use developmental switching strategy to produce dormant propagules called turions in response to environmental stress. However, the molecular details of turion biology are not well-understood due to challenges in isolating high-quality nucleic acids. In this study, a new protocol was developed to isolate high-quality transcripts and perform RNA-seq analysis of mature turions from Spirodela polyrhiza. Comparison of turion transcriptomes with actively growing leaf-like tissue revealed pathways related to stress tolerance, starch and lipid metabolism, and dormancy. The study also identified key genes involved in turion formation and germination, as well as epigenetic changes in turion tissue formation. Similarities between turions and seeds suggest the retooling of key regulators for seed maturation and germination in turion biology.
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Jorg Schwender
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Changxu Pang, Jin Chai, Ping Zhu, John Shanklin, Qun Liu
Summary: A cryo-electron microscopy structure of a ZIP-family transporter from Bordetella bronchiseptica reveals its inhibition mechanism and negative regulation of zinc uptake through sensing intracellular zinc ion levels.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Saroj Kumar Sah, Jilian Fan, Jantana Blanford, John Shanklin, Changcheng Xu
Summary: This review summarizes the role of PDAT in lipid remodeling and lipid homeostasis, with particular emphasis on its function in response to abiotic stress or perturbations in lipid metabolism.
PLANT AND CELL PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Correction
Plant Sciences
Xiao-Hong Yu, Yuanheng Cai, Jantana Keereetaweep, Kenneth Wei, Jin Chai, Elen Deng, Hui Liu, John Shanklin
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiao-Hong Yu, Yuanheng Cai, Jantana Keereetaweep, Kenneth Wei, Jin Chai, Elen Deng, Hui Liu, John Shanklin
Summary: The study indicates that BADC1 and BADC3 mediate ricinoleic acid-dependent inhibition of FA synthesis, and reducing their expression levels in plants can increase FA synthesis rate and yield.