Recombinant Algae Having High Biomass and Lipid Productivity
The invention provides a recombinant photosynthetic organism that has been genetically modified in a gene encoding a protein kinase-like protein. The recombinant organism exhibits higher biomass productivity and higher lipid productivity versus a corresponding control algal organism not having the genetic modification. The recombinant organism is therefore useful in applications requiring biomass and/or lipid productivity, e.g., in the production of biofuels or other lipidic matter. Methods of using the organism and biomass containing or produced by the organism are also provided.
1 . A recombinant photosynthetic organism comprising a deletion, disruption, or inactivation of:
a gene encoding a cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain comprising a nucleic acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2; or
a gene encoding a cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain having at least 80% sequence identity to the polypeptide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1;
wherein the recombinant photosynthetic organism exhibits higher biomass productivity and higher lipid productivity versus a corresponding control organism not having the deletion, disruption, or inactivation.
2 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the gene encoding the cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain encodes a polypeptide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1.
3 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the gene encoding the cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain encodes a polypeptide sequence having at least 95% sequence identity to the polypeptide of SEQ ID NO: 1.
4 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of any one of claim 1 wherein the organism is a Chlorophyte alga.
5 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 4 wherein the organism is of the Class Trebouxiophyceae.
6 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the deletion, disruption, or inactivation is to a regulatory sequence of the gene encoding the cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain.
7 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 6 wherein the regulatory sequence is a promoter.
8 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the deletion, disruption, or inactivation comprises a deletion of one or more amino acids of the encoded cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain.
9 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the deletion, disruption, or inactivation comprises a disruption by an insertion in the gene encoding the cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain.
10 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 9 wherein the insertion comprises insertion of a stop codon in a sequence encoding the cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain.
11 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the organism has at least 20% higher lipid productivity versus a control photosynthetic organism.
12 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 11 wherein the organism has at least 30% higher lipid productivity versus a control organism.
13 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the organism has at least 35% higher biomass productivity per unit time versus the corresponding control organism.
14 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the recombinant organism has a FAME/TOC ratio of at least 0.4 after two days of cultivation.
15 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the recombinant organism has higher biomass productivity under nitrogen deficient conditions.
16 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the recombinant organism has higher total organic carbon production under nitrogen deficient conditions.
17 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 from a family selected from the group consisting of: Oocystaceae, Chlorellaceae, and Eustigmatophyceae.
18 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 17 wherein the recombinant organism is an alga of a genus selected from the group consisting of: Chlorella, Parachlorella, Picochlorum, Tetraselmis , and Oocystis.
19 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 18 wherein the recombinant photosynthetic organism is an alga is from the genus Oocystis.
20 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 1 wherein the gene encoding the cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain has a nucleic acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to any one of SEQ ID NO: 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10.
21 . A biomass product comprising the photosynthetic organism of claim 1 .
22 . A recombinant photosynthetic organism comprising a genetic modification to:
a gene encoding a cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain that has a polypeptide sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 1; or
a gene encoding a cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain having a nucleic acid sequence having at least 90% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2; and
wherein the recombinant photosynthetic organism exhibits higher biomass productivity and higher lipid productivity versus a corresponding control photosynthetic organism not having the genetic modification.
23 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 22 wherein the genetic modification is a deletion, disruption, or inactivation.
24 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 22 wherein the recombinant alga has at least 25% higher lipid productivity versus a control algae.
25 . The recombinant photosynthetic organism of claim 22 wherein the recombinant alga has at least 35% higher biomass productivity per unit time versus the corresponding control photosynthetic cell or organism.
26 . A method of producing a composition containing lipids comprising performing a genetic modification in a photosynthetic organism to:
a gene encoding a cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain having a polypeptide sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 1; or
a gene encoding a cryptochrome/photolyase FAD-binding domain having a nucleic acid sequence having at least 80% sequence identity to SEQ ID NO: 2;
wherein the recombinant photosynthetic organism exhibits higher biomass productivity and higher lipid productivity versus a corresponding control photosynthetic organism not having the genetic modification; and
cultivating the organism, and thereby producing a composition containing lipids.