Modified algae strain and method of triacylglycerol accumulation using said strain

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016160247-A1
Application number	US-201414906056-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 21, 2014
Priority date	Jul 19, 2013
Publication date	Jun 9, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

The present invention relates to a genetically engineered algae strain in which the expression of the CGI-58 gene or homologous gene thereof is silenced. The present invention further relates to a method of triacylglycerol accumulation using said genetically engineered diatom and/or diatom strain.

First claim

1 . Modified strain of a species belonging to the kingdom Chromalveolata, in which the activity of CGI-58 protein or one of its homologs has been modified in order to permit the accumulation of oil in the strain, advantageously accumulation of triacylglycerol.

2 . Modified strain according to claim 1 , wherein the strain is a genetically engineered strain of a species of the kingdom Chromalveolata, in which the expression of the CGI-58 gene or any homologous gene thereof is silenced or attenuated.

3 . Modified or genetically engineered strain according to claim 1 , which is a diatom strain.

4 . Modified or genetically engineered strain according to claim 3 , wherein the diatom is a pennate diatom.

5 . Modified or genetically engineered strain according to claim 3 , wherein the diatom is of the Phaeodactylum genus.

6 . Modified or genetically engineered strain according to claim 3 , wherein the diatom is Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

7 . Modified or genetically engineered strain according to claim 1 , which accumulates or contains at least 1.5 fold the triacylglycerol content of the corresponding wild type strain.

8 . Modified or genetically engineered organism or strain according to claim 7 , which accumulates or contains at least 4 fold the triacylglycerol content of the corresponding wild type strain.

9 . Method of preparation of a genetically engineered strain of the kingdom Chromalveolata as described in claim 2 comprising the transformation of said strain of the kingdom Chromalveolata with a vector expressing RNAi construction designed to target the expression of the CGI-58 gene or any homologous gene thereof.

10 . Method according to claim 9 , wherein the vector is introduced in the strain by particle bombardment or electroporation.

11 . Method for increasing accumulation of triacylglycerol in a strain belonging to the kingdom Chromalveolata, comprising the step of altering or silencing the expression of the CGI-58 gene or any homologous gene thereof in said organism.

12 . Method according to claim 11 , wherein the strain is cultured in a nitrogen-enriched medium.

13 . Method according to claim 11 , wherein the strain is cultured in a nitrogen-depleted medium.

14 . Use of A method for producing triacylglycerol, comprising producing the triacylglycerol from a modified or genetically engineered strain according to claims 1 .

Assignees

• Fermentalg
• Centre Nat Rech Scient
• Commisariat A L En Atomique Et Aux En Alternatives

Inventors

• Calleja Pierre
• Leterrier Marina
• Marechal Eric

Classifications

• C12N1/12

  Unicellular algae; Culture media therefor (as new plants A01H13/00) · CPC title

• C12N9/14

  Hydrolases (3) · CPC title

• C12N15/82

  for plant cells {, e.g. plant artificial chromosomes (PACs)} · CPC title

• C12N9/1029

  transferring groups other than amino-acyl groups (2.3.1) · CPC title

• C12P7/6463 Primary

  obtained from glyceride producing microorganisms, e.g. single cell oil · CPC title