LA JOLLA, Calif., April 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Scientists from the J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI), a
not-for-profit genomic research organization, published a paper
today outlining new synthetic biology methods to manipulate a type
of microalgae called diatoms. The researchers, led by first author
Bogumil Karas, Ph.D. and senior
author Philip Weyman, Ph.D.,
conclude that these new and efficient methods will enable better
understanding of diatom genetics and thus facilitate advances in
engineering these microoganisms to produce important products such
as biofuels and chemicals. The paper titled, "Designer diatom
episomes delivered by conjugation," was published April 21st in Nature
Communications.
Microalgae are some of the most abundant and important organisms
in aquatic ecosystems. They use light energy to produce lipids for
growth and other cellular functions. While they do this efficiently
enough for their own survival, they do not do this naturally at a
scale that enables lipid biofuel and chemical production that is
cost competitive with current fossil fuel prices.
While many researchers are working on ways to enhance diatoms
and increase lipid production, there have not been efficient tools
for large scale DNA delivery that can enable effective genetic
engineering methodology in diatoms like those that
exist for two main synthetic biology model organisms,
Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Saccharomyces
cerevisiae (yeast).
The JCVI-led team, some of whom are experts in diatom biology
and others with expertise in synthetic biology, set out to discover
and develop efficient genetic modification tools using episomes or
plasmids. They were initially looking for diatom DNA sequences that
allowed for plasmid replication but instead identified a yeast
plasmid that replicates in diatoms and functions like an artificial
chromosome.
The researchers then demonstrated that E. coli employs a
mating process called conjugation that can be used to transfer the
plasmid to the diatom. This is a very rapid and efficient genetic
transfer process. The team then observed that E. coli can
transfer plasmids into two genetically different diatom species,
P. tricornutum and T. pseudonana, and that the
plasmids replicate stably in both species.
In addition to the implications of their work in biotechnology
applications, the team also concluded that the research likely
sheds light into the evolution of diatoms and adds more evidence to
the notion that conjugation is an important influence on microbial
ecology in oceans.
"This technology is so easy to use and does not require any
expensive reagents or equipment. It really lowers the barriers to
genetic manipulation of algae so that any laboratory studying
diatoms can do this," said senior author Dr. Weyman.
Researchers from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography,
University of California, San Diego and
the National Center for Microscopy and Imaging Research, UC San
Diego also contributed to the work in this paper.
This research is supported by funds from the company, Synthetic
Genomics Inc., the United States Department of Energy and the
Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation.
About J. Craig Venter Institute
The JCVI is a
not-for-profit research institute in Rockville, MD and La
Jolla, CA dedicated to the advancement of the science of
genomics; the understanding of its implications for society; and
communication of those results to the scientific community, the
public, and policymakers. Founded by J.
Craig Venter, Ph.D., the JCVI is home to approximately 200
scientists and staff with expertise in human and evolutionary
biology, genetics, bioinformatics/informatics, information
technology, high-throughput DNA sequencing, genomic and
environmental policy research, and public education in science and
science policy. The JCVI is a 501 (c)(3) organization. For
additional information, please visit http://www.JCVI.org.
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SOURCE J. Craig Venter Institute (JCVI)