Genetic transformation of the dinoflagellate chloroplast

Nimmo, Isabel C.; Barbrook, Adrian C.; Lassadi, Imen; Chen, Jit Ern; Geisler, Katrin; Smith, Alison G.; Aranda, Manuel; Purton, Saul; Waller, Ross F.; Nisbet, R Ellen R.; Howe, Christopher J.

Abstract

Coral reefs are some of the most important and ecologically diverse marine environments. At the base of the reef ecosystem are dinoflagellate algae, which live symbiotically within coral cells. Efforts to understand the relationship between alga and coral have been greatly hampered by the lack of an appropriate dinoflagellate genetic transformation technology. By making use of the plasmid-like fragmented chloroplast genome, we have introduced novel genetic material into the dinoflagellate chloroplast genome. We have shown that the introduced genes are expressed and confer the expected phenotypes. Genetically modified cultures have been grown for 1 year with subculturing, maintaining the introduced genes and phenotypes. This indicates that cells continue to divide after transformation and that the transformation is stable. This is the first report of stable chloroplast transformation in dinoflagellate algae.

Citation

Nimmo, I. C., Barbrook, A. C., Lassadi, I., Chen, J. E., Geisler, K., Smith, A. G., …Howe, C. J. (2019). Genetic transformation of the dinoflagellate chloroplast. eLife, 8, Article e45292. https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.45292

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 6, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Jul 18, 2019
• Publication Date: Jul 18, 2019
• Deposit Date: Jun 12, 2020
• Publicly Available Date: Jun 18, 2020
• Journal: eLife
• Electronic ISSN: 2050-084X
• Publisher: eLife Sciences Publications
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 8
• Article Number: e45292
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/elife.45292
• Keywords: General Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology; General Immunology and Microbiology; General Neuroscience; General Medicine
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/4633381
• Publisher URL: https://elifesciences.org/articles/45292