Development of genetic transformation methodologies for an industrially-promising microalga: Scenedesmus almeriensis

• Published in: Biotechnology letters Vol. 36; no. 12; pp. 2551 - 2558
• Main Authors: Dautor, Yasmeen, Úbeda-Mínguez, Patricia, Chileh, Tarik, García-Maroto, Federico, Alonso, Diego López
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer-Verlag 01.12.2014; Springer Netherlands; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Agrobacterium - genetics; Algae; Antibiotic resistance; Applied Microbiology; Availability; Bacteria; beta-glucuronidase; Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biotechnology; Biotechnology - methods; Drug Resistance, Microbial; Enzymatic activity; enzyme activity; Gene Expression; Genes; Genetic engineering; genetic transformation; Genetics; industry; Life Sciences; Metabolic Engineering - methods; Microalgae; Microbiology; Molecular Biology - methods; Original Research Paper; polymerase chain reaction; Scenedesmus; Scenedesmus - genetics; Scenedesmus - radiation effects; Selection, Genetic; Temperature; Transformation, Genetic; Transformations; Algal biotransformation; Genetic transformation; Microalgal biotechnology
• ISSN: 0141-5492; 1573-6776
• DOI: 10.1007/s10529-014-1641-z

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.