Abstract
Recombinant proteins are widely used for industrial, nutritional, and medical applications. Green microalgae have attracted considerable attention recently as a biomanufacturing platform for the production of recombinant proteins for a number of reasons. These photosynthetic eukaryotic microorganisms are safe, scalable, easy to genetically modify through transformation, mutagenesis, or breeding, and inexpensive to grow. Many microalgae species are genetically transformable, but the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is the most widely used host for recombinant protein expression. An extensive suite of molecular genetic tools has been developed for C. reinhardtii over the last 25 years, including a fully sequenced genome, well-established methods for transformation, mutagenesis and breeding, and transformation vectors for high levels of recombinant protein accumulation and secretion. Here, we review recent successes in the development of C. reinhardtii as a biomanufacturing host for recombinant proteins, including antibodies and immunotoxins, hormones, industrial enzymes, an orally-active colostral protein for gastrointestinal health, and subunit vaccines. In addition, we review the biomanufacturing potential of other green algae from the genera Dunaliella and Chlorella.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported the by the Department of Energy (DE-EE0003373), the California Energy Commission (CILMSF #500-10-039) and Triton Algae Innovations. We thank Elizabeth Specht and Miller Tran for reviewing and editing the manuscript. Stephen Mayfield and Beth Rasala are founders of Triton Algae Innovations, a company that may potentially benefit from the commercialization of green algae for the production of recombinant proteins.
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Rasala, B.A., Mayfield, S.P. Photosynthetic biomanufacturing in green algae; production of recombinant proteins for industrial, nutritional, and medical uses. Photosynth Res 123, 227–239 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-014-9994-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-014-9994-7