Research Projects

The neutral lipid triacylglycerol (TAG) is ideal for biodiesel production, as algae can produce a variety of value-added compounds, including polyunsaturated fatty acids, high-quality protein, and carotenoids. Algae can co-produce these compounds with oils, potentially reducing the cost of algal biodiesel production. Carotenoids, tetraterpenes synthesized by plants and microorganisms, have linear and cyclic structures, with secondary ketocarotenoid astaxanthin being a powerful natural antioxidant. The concomitant accumulation of TAG and astaxanthin makes it feasible to use algae for integrated production of these compounds. Algae have the capacity to synthesize TAG up to 50% of dry weight under various trophic conditions, making them a promising feedstock for biodiesel production. CrBKT (β-carotene ketolase) is a key enzyme for generating ketocarotenoids, with a productivity of up to 4.3 mg/L/day. Overexpression of CrBKT can convert up to 50% of native carotenoids into astaxanthin and over 70% into other ketocarotenoids. However, cultivation of Haematococcus lacustris requires two cell stage cultivation, increasing production costs and overall productivity. To increase the production of astaxanthine and lipid, genetically engineered algal strains are proposed. This proposal aims to generate gene knockoutmutants targeting the lycopene epsilon cyclase encoding gene (LCYE) for using whole lycopene towards β carotene biosynthesis. The use of CRISPR/Cas9 is believed to accelerate lipid and carotenoids-producing algal strain construction and introduce multiple genetic modifications simultaneously.