title: In vivo localization studies in the stramenopile alga Nannochloropsis oceanica.
abstract: The tiny eustigmatophyte Nannochloropsis sp. recently emerged as a promising model organism for biotechnology as it possesses a considerably high cellular oil content interesting for biodiesel production. Furthermore, the alga was shown to be genetically well accessible providing powerful tools for biotechnological engineering as well as basic research. Nannochloropsis sp. can be transformed very efficiently taking advantage of homologous recombination, however, so far it remained unclear whether these organisms are also suitable model systems for in vivo protein localization studies due to their small cell size. Here we present, to our knowledge, the first protein localization studies based on the expression of chimeric fluorescent fusion proteins in the genus Nannochloropsis using N. oceanica CCMP1779 as a model organism. Besides expressing a cytosolic green fluorescent protein (GFP), the reporter could be directed into subcellular structures such as the mitochondria, the endoplasmic reticulum and secretory pathway as well as the complex plastid including the periplastidal compartment and the stroma via fusion of specific N-terminal targeting sequences. These results expand the potential of N. oceanica as a model system in biotechnology as well as cellular biology for which now an almost complete molecular tool set exists.
authors: LOEWE Centre for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-Universität Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
authors: Daniel
authors: D
authors: Moog
authors: Laboratory for Cell Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
authors: Simone
authors: S
authors: Stork
authors: Laboratory for Cell Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
authors: Sven
authors: S
authors: Reislöhner
authors: LOEWE Centre for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-Universität Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str, D-35043 Marburg, Germany; Laboratory for Cell Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany.
authors: Christopher
authors: C
authors: Grosche
authors: LOEWE Centre for Synthetic Microbiology (SYNMIKRO), Philipps-Universität Marburg, Hans-Meerwein-Str, D-35043 Marburg, Germany; Laboratory for Cell Biology, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Karl-von-Frisch Str. 8, D-35043 Marburg, Germany. Electronic address: maier@staff.uni-marburg.de.
authors: Uwe-G
authors: UG
authors: Maier
mesh_terms: D020418:Algal Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*; D017930:Genes, Reporter; D005827:Genetics, Microbial / Q000379:methods*; D008164:Luminescent Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060847:Metabolic Engineering / Q000379:methods*; D021381:Protein Transport; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D058009:Stramenopiles / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020418:Algal Proteins; D008164:Luminescent Proteins; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
keywords: Stramenopiles; complex plastids; in vivo localization; protein targeting.; protein transport