Acronym NA
Category
Marine Biotechnology
Title Downsizing light harvesting antennae to scale up production potential and valorization from cultivation of marine microalgae Programme National Programme
Instrument (FP6)
Contact Type (FP7)
Strand (Interreg)
NA
Theme (FP7)
Activity Area (FP6)
Regional Area (Interreg)
Action (COST)
NA
Specific Programme (FP7)
NA
Funding source National Coordinator Atle M. Bones Coordinator email NA
Coordinator institution
NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology (Norway)
Institutions involved
NA
Start year 2017 End year 2021 Funding (€) € 831,579 Website https://prosjektbanken.forskningsradet.no/en/project/FORISS/267474?Kilde=FORISS&distribution=Ar&chart=bar&calcType=funding&Sprak=no&sortBy=date&sortOrder=desc&resultCount=30&offset=150&ProgAkt.3=HAVBRUK2-Stort+program+for+havbruksforskning&source=FORISS&projectId=267800 Summary The aim of the project is to generate marine microalgae strains suitable for industrial production of commercially valuable products, by creating algal strains with increased solar-to-biomass energy conversion efficiency of photosynthesis in high-density mass cultures. We will use the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to create strains with a Truncated (smaller) Light-harvesting Antenna (TLA strains), a property that will lead to improved rates of growth and biomass productivity. To achieve this goal, we will apply targeted genome editing (CRISPR/Cas9 technology) to disrupt genes encoding proteins suspected to be crucial for the incorporation and assembly of the light-harvesting antenna complexes. Putative TLA strains will be subjected to physiological and biochemical analyses to test and validate their superior photosynthetic performance and productivity. The project results indicate that the photosynthetic system in marine diatoms is different from that of plants/green algae. This is of immense importance for the development of algal strains usable for commercial production. Our results also contribute to understanding why diatoms are so dominant and successful in marine environments. An incredibly efficient light-capturing system linked to a responsive system for both light adaptation and nutrient uptake gives diatoms efficient growth and great competitiveness. Diatoms have an enormous capacity to adapt to environmental conditions. They can store carbon for future use even in nutrient-deficient conditions and can utilize all energy for growth in nutrient-rich conditions. They are perfect in a sea of changing conditions.
Keywords
Genetic;
Engineering;
Algae;
Marine Region
76
Not associated to marine areas
0
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