title: High-efficiency homologous recombination in the oil-producing alga Nannochloropsis sp.
abstract: Algae have reemerged as potential next-generation feedstocks for biofuels, but strain improvement and progress in algal biology research have been limited by the lack of advanced molecular tools for most eukaryotic microalgae. Here we describe the development of an efficient transformation method for Nannochloropsis sp., a fast-growing, unicellular alga capable of accumulating large amounts of oil. Moreover, we provide additional evidence that Nannochloropsis is haploid, and we demonstrate that insertion of transformation constructs into the nuclear genome can occur by high-efficiency homologous recombination. As examples, we generated knockouts of the genes encoding nitrate reductase and nitrite reductase, resulting in strains that were unable to grow on nitrate and nitrate/nitrite, respectively. The application of homologous recombination in this industrially relevant alga has the potential to rapidly advance algal functional genomics and biotechnology.
authors: Aurora Algae, Inc, Hayward, CA 94545, USA.
authors: Oliver
authors: O
authors: Kilian
authors: Christina S E
authors: CS
authors: Benemann
authors: Krishna K
authors: KK
authors: Niyogi
authors: Bertrand
authors: B
authors: Vick
mesh_terms: D001483:Base Sequence; D056804:Biofuels; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods; D055786:Gene Knockout Techniques; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques; D005818:Genetic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D059765:Homologous Recombination / Q000235:genetics*; D007218:Industrial Microbiology / Q000379:methods*; D058086:Microalgae / Q000235:genetics*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009565:Nitrate Reductases / Q000235:genetics; D009572:Nitrite Reductases / Q000235:genetics; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D058009:Stramenopiles / Q000235:genetics*; D014170:Transformation, Genetic / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D056804:Biofuels; D017931:DNA Primers; D009565:Nitrate Reductases; D009572:Nitrite Reductases