title: Development of genetic transformation methodologies for an industrially-promising microalga: Scenedesmus almeriensis.
abstract: The development of the microalgal industry requires advances in every aspect of microalgal biotechnology. In this regard, the availability of genetic engineering tools for industrially-promising species is key. As Scenedesmus almeriensis has promise for industrial use, we describe here an Agrobacterium-based methodology that allows stable genetic transformation of it for the first time, thus opening the way to its genetic manipulation. Transformation was accomplished using two different antibiotic resistance genes [hygromicine phophotransferase (hpt) and Shble] and it is credited by PCR amplification of both hpt/Shble and GUS genes and by the β-glucuronidase activity of transformed cells. Nevertheless, the single 35S promoter seems unable to direct gene expression to a convenient level in S. almeriensis as suggested by the low GUS enzymatic activity. Temperature was critical for the transformation efficiency.
authors.affiliation: Grupo de investigación "Biotecnología de Productos Naturales" (BIO-279), CEIA3, BITAL, Universidad de Almería, CITE-II B, 04120, Almería, Spain.
authors.forename: Yasmeen
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Dautor
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Úbeda-Mínguez
authors.forename: Tarik
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chileh
authors.forename: Federico
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: García-Maroto
authors.forename: Diego López
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Alonso
mesh_terms: D060054:Agrobacterium / Q000235:genetics; D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D015870:Gene Expression; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D008967:Molecular Biology / Q000379:methods*; D044444:Scenedesmus / Q000235:genetics* / Q000528:radiation effects; D012641:Selection, Genetic; D013696:Temperature; D014170:Transformation, Genetic