Alpha-tubulin promoter from Chlorella vulgaris allows genetic transformation of green coccoid microalga

Microalgae have become a feasible platform for high-value recombinant protein production. Although diverse sets of genetic tools for microalgae transformation have been developed, some critical elements, such as endogenous promoters, need to be improved for increasing transgene expression levels aft...

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Main Authors: Raquel Fernández-Rodríguez, Giovanni Garro-Monge, Maritza Guerrero-Barrantes, Olman Gómez-Espinoza
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica 2020-05-01
Series:Tecnología en Marcha
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Online Access:https://revistas.tec.ac.cr/index.php/tec_marcha/article/view/4155
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author Raquel Fernández-Rodríguez
Giovanni Garro-Monge
Maritza Guerrero-Barrantes
Olman Gómez-Espinoza
author_facet Raquel Fernández-Rodríguez
Giovanni Garro-Monge
Maritza Guerrero-Barrantes
Olman Gómez-Espinoza
author_sort Raquel Fernández-Rodríguez
collection DOAJ
description Microalgae have become a feasible platform for high-value recombinant protein production. Although diverse sets of genetic tools for microalgae transformation have been developed, some critical elements, such as endogenous promoters, need to be improved for increasing transgene expression levels after genetic transformation. This work aims to evaluate a sequence from the 5′ upstream region of the alpha-tubulin gene from Chlorella vulgarisas a promoter for the expression of an antibiotic resistant gene in Chlorella sorokiniana. Using in silicoanalysis it was possible to identify a proximal promoter corresponding to 281 nucleotides upstream of the ATG start codon, which possessed 9 potential cis-regulatory element, including TATA Box and CAAT Box. The proximal promoter sequencewas used to drive the expression of a streptomycin-resistance gene (aada), previous optimization of its codon usage. The codon optimization of the aadasequence allowed it to obtain a GC content of 69.8% (compared to 53% of the original sequence), which increases its similarity with Chlorellasp. genomes (67.2%). Both genetic elements were cloned into the pUC57-Kan vector and transformed into C. sorokiniana cells by electroporation. The microalgae transgenic colonies were identified through culture in selective medium and PCR. Our results proved the capacity of the Chlorella vulgaris alpha-tubulin promoter to express a foreign antibiotic-resistance gene in C. sorokinianacells. Research of endogenous promoting sequences is essential in order to accomplish an efficient heterologous gene expression, especially in microalgae used for industrial production like those from Chlorella genus.
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spelling doaj-art-7d78da5316d540eb904a09450f8fad402025-08-20T02:07:12ZengInstituto Tecnológico de Costa RicaTecnología en Marcha0379-39822215-32412020-05-01ág. 273610.18845/tm.v33i2.41553544Alpha-tubulin promoter from Chlorella vulgaris allows genetic transformation of green coccoid microalgaRaquel Fernández-RodríguezGiovanni Garro-Mongehttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7578-1938Maritza Guerrero-BarrantesOlman Gómez-Espinozahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8878-078XMicroalgae have become a feasible platform for high-value recombinant protein production. Although diverse sets of genetic tools for microalgae transformation have been developed, some critical elements, such as endogenous promoters, need to be improved for increasing transgene expression levels after genetic transformation. This work aims to evaluate a sequence from the 5′ upstream region of the alpha-tubulin gene from Chlorella vulgarisas a promoter for the expression of an antibiotic resistant gene in Chlorella sorokiniana. Using in silicoanalysis it was possible to identify a proximal promoter corresponding to 281 nucleotides upstream of the ATG start codon, which possessed 9 potential cis-regulatory element, including TATA Box and CAAT Box. The proximal promoter sequencewas used to drive the expression of a streptomycin-resistance gene (aada), previous optimization of its codon usage. The codon optimization of the aadasequence allowed it to obtain a GC content of 69.8% (compared to 53% of the original sequence), which increases its similarity with Chlorellasp. genomes (67.2%). Both genetic elements were cloned into the pUC57-Kan vector and transformed into C. sorokiniana cells by electroporation. The microalgae transgenic colonies were identified through culture in selective medium and PCR. Our results proved the capacity of the Chlorella vulgaris alpha-tubulin promoter to express a foreign antibiotic-resistance gene in C. sorokinianacells. Research of endogenous promoting sequences is essential in order to accomplish an efficient heterologous gene expression, especially in microalgae used for industrial production like those from Chlorella genus.https://revistas.tec.ac.cr/index.php/tec_marcha/article/view/4155electroporationkazusastreptomycintransgenictata-box
spellingShingle Raquel Fernández-Rodríguez
Giovanni Garro-Monge
Maritza Guerrero-Barrantes
Olman Gómez-Espinoza
Alpha-tubulin promoter from Chlorella vulgaris allows genetic transformation of green coccoid microalga
Tecnología en Marcha
electroporation
kazusa
streptomycin
transgenic
tata-box
title Alpha-tubulin promoter from Chlorella vulgaris allows genetic transformation of green coccoid microalga
title_full Alpha-tubulin promoter from Chlorella vulgaris allows genetic transformation of green coccoid microalga
title_fullStr Alpha-tubulin promoter from Chlorella vulgaris allows genetic transformation of green coccoid microalga
title_full_unstemmed Alpha-tubulin promoter from Chlorella vulgaris allows genetic transformation of green coccoid microalga
title_short Alpha-tubulin promoter from Chlorella vulgaris allows genetic transformation of green coccoid microalga
title_sort alpha tubulin promoter from chlorella vulgaris allows genetic transformation of green coccoid microalga
topic electroporation
kazusa
streptomycin
transgenic
tata-box
url https://revistas.tec.ac.cr/index.php/tec_marcha/article/view/4155
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