RT Journal Article
T1 The Bacterial Phytoene Desaturase-Encoding Gene (CRTI) is an Efficient Selectable Marker for the Genetic Transformation of Eukaryotic Microalgae
A1 Molina Márquez, Ana María
A1 Vila Spinola, Marta
A1 Vigara Fernández, Javier
A1 Borrero, Ana
A1 León Bañares, Rosa María
AB Genetic manipulation shows great promise to further boost the productivity ofmicroalgae-based compounds. However, selection of microalgal transformants depends mainlyon the use of antibiotics, which have raised concerns about their potential impacts on human healthand the environment. We propose the use of a synthetic phytoene desaturase-encoding gene (CRTIop)as a selectable marker and the bleaching herbicide norflurazon as a selective agent for the genetictransformation of microalgae. Bacterial phytoene desaturase (CRTI), which, unlike plant and algaephytoene desaturase (PDS), is not sensitive to norflurazon, catalyzes the conversion of the colorlesscarotenoid phytoene into lycopene. Although the expression of CRTI has been described to increasethe carotenoid content in plant cells, its use as a selectable marker has never been testedin algae or inplants. In this study, a version of the CRTI gene adapted to the codon usage of Chlamydomonas has beensynthesized, and its suitability to be used as selectable marker has been shown. The microalgae weretransformed by the glass bead agitation method and selected in the presence of norflurazon. Averagetransformation efficiencies of 550 colonies µg−1 DNA were obtained. All the transformants testedhad incorporated the CRTIop gene in their genomes and were able to synthesize colored carotenoids.
PB MDPI
SN 2218-1989
YR 2019
FD 2019-03
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10272/16115
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10272/16115
LA eng
NO Molina-Márquez, A., Vila, M., Vigara, J., Borrero, A., & León, R. (2019). The Bacterial Phytoene Desaturase-Encoding Gene (CRTI) is an Efficient Selectable Marker for the Genetic Transformation of Eukaryotic Microalgae. Metabolites, 9(3), 49. https://doi.org/10.3390/metabo9030049
NO This research was funded by the Spanish Agencia Estatal de Investigación[AGL2016-74866-C32R-AEI/FEDER] and the EU-INTERREG Program [INTERREG VA POCTEP-055ALGARED_PLUS_5E].
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Huelva
RD 31 may 2026