Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40238798›Full record

ArticlePloS one2025

Engineering the green algae Chlamydomonas incerta for recombinant protein production.

Kalisa Kang, Évellin do Espirito Santo, Crisandra Jade Diaz, Aaron Oliver, Lisa Saxton, Lauren May, Stephen Mayfield, João Vitor Dutra Molino

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Kalisa KangDepartment of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-1939-8129
Évellin do Espirito SantoDepartment of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Crisandra Jade DiazDepartment of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Aaron OliverCenter for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0410-8284
Lisa SaxtonDepartment of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
Lauren MayBiological Sciences Department, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, California, United States of America.
Stephen MayfieldDepartment of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.
João Vitor Dutra MolinoDepartment of Molecular Biology, School of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2475-9807

Funding

U of Calif, San Diego Neuroscience Microscopy ImagingP30NS047101 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI GLEESON, JOSEPH G, ZHENG, BINHAI · 2003 to 2022
$9.0M
Elyra 7 Microscope with Lattice SIM2S10OD030505 · OD · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO · PI ZHENG, BINHAI · 2022 to 2022
$600k
NIH HHS S10 OD030505NINDS NIH HHS P30 NS047101
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Chlamydomonas incerta, a genetically close relative of the model green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, shows significant potential as a host for recombinant protein expression. Because of the close genetic relationship between C. incerta and C. reinhardtii, this species offers an additional reference point for advancing our understanding of photosynthetic organisms, and also provides a potential new candidate for biotechnological applications. This study investigates C. incerta's capacity to express three recombinant proteins: the fluorescent protein mCherry, the hemicellulose-degrading enzyme xylanase, and the plastic-degrading enzyme PHL7. We have also examined the capacity to target protein expression to various cellular compartments in this alga, including the cytosol, secretory pathway, cytoplasmic membrane, and cell wall. When compared directly with C. reinhardtii, C. incerta exhibited a distinct but notable capacity for recombinant protein production. Cellular transformation with a vector encoding mCherry revealed that C. incerta produced approximately 3.5 times higher fluorescence levels and a 3.7-fold increase in immunoblot intensity compared to C. reinhardtii. For xylanase expression and secretion, both C. incerta and C. reinhardtii showed similar secretion capacities and enzymatic activities, with comparable xylan degradation rates, highlighting the industrial applicability of xylanase expression in microalgae. Finally, C. incerta showed comparable PHL7 activity levels to C. reinhardtii, as demonstrated by the in vitro degradation of a polyester polyurethane suspension, Impranil® DLN. Finally, we also explored the potential of cellular fusion for the generation of genetic hybrids between C. incerta and C. reinhardtii as a means to enhance phenotypic diversity and augment genetic variation. We were able to generate genetic fusion that could exchange both the recombinant protein genes, as well as associated selectable marker genes into recombinant offspring. These findings emphasize C. incerta's potential as a robust platform for recombinant protein production, and as a powerful tool for gaining a better understanding of microalgal biology.

Indexed as

ChlamydomonasGenetic EngineeringRecombinant ProteinsChlamydomonas reinhardtiiEndo-1,4-beta XylanasesLuminescent ProteinsRed Fluorescent ProteinEndo-1,4-beta XylanasesLuminescent ProteinsRecombinant ProteinsRed Fluorescent Protein

Identifiers

PMID40238798
PMCPMC12002436

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.