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Identification of the Channelrhodopsin Genes in the Green and Cryptophytic Algae from the White and Black Seas

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Abstract

Due to the unique capability of modulating cell membrane potential upon photoactivation, channelrhodopsins of green (Chlorophyta) and cryptophytic (Cryptophyta) algae are widely employed in optogenetics, a modern method of light-dependent regulation of biological processes. To enable the search for new genes perspective for optogenetics, we have developed the PCR tests for the presence of genes of the cation and anion channelrhodopsins. Six isolates of green algae Haematococcus and Bracteacoccus from the White Sea region and 2 specimens of Rhodomonas sp. (Cryptophyta) from the regions of White and Black Seas were analyzed. Using our PCR test we have demonstrated the known Haematococcus rhodopsin genes and have discovered novel rhodopsin genes in the genus of Bracteacoccus. Two distantly homologous genes of anion channelrhodopsins were also identified in the cryptophytic Rhodomonas sp. from the White and Black Seas. These results indicate that the developed PCR tests might be useful tool for a broad-range screening of the Chlorophyta and Cryptophyta algae to identify unique channelrhodopsin genes.

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Abbreviations

ACR:

anion channelrhodopsin

CCR:

cation channelrhodopsin

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Acknowledgments

The authors express their gratitude to A. N. Khanaichenko (Institute of Biology of Southern Seas, Russian Academy of Sciences) and to T. A. Fedorenko (Lomonosov Moscow State University) for providing cultures and recommendations of their cultivation. The support of the scientific and educational school of LMSU “Molecular technologies of living systems and synthetic biology” is appreciated.

Funding

This work was financially supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation, agreement 075-15-2021-1396.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Biology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, 119991, Moscow, Russia

    Olga V. Karpova, Elizaveta N. Vinogradova & Elena S. Lobakova

  2. Kurchatov Institute National Research Center, 123182, Moscow, Russia

    Elizaveta N. Vinogradova

Authors
  1. Olga V. Karpova
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  2. Elizaveta N. Vinogradova
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  3. Elena S. Lobakova
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Contributions

E. S. Lobakova, O. V. Karpova – concept of the study and supervision; E. N. Vinogradova, O. V. Karpova – conducting experiments; E. S. Lobakova, O. V. Karpova, and E. N. Vinogradova – discussion of the results of the study; O. V. Karpova – writing the manuscript; E. S. Lobakova, E. N. Vinogradova – editing the paper.

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Correspondence to Olga V. Karpova.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest in financial or any other sphere. This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Karpova, O.V., Vinogradova, E.N. & Lobakova, E.S. Identification of the Channelrhodopsin Genes in the Green and Cryptophytic Algae from the White and Black Seas. Biochemistry Moscow 87, 1187–1198 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0006297922100121

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0006297922100121

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