Cited by 67Algal biology and biofuel productionLipid metabolism and biosynthesisMicrobial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction

Exploring a blue-light-sensing transcription factor to double the peak productivity of oil in Nannochloropsis oceanica

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Zhang, Peng, Xin, Yi, He, Yuehui, Tang, Xianfeng, Shen, Chen, Wang, Qintao, Lv, Nana, Li, Yun +2 more·2022·Nature Communications

Abstract

Oleaginous microalgae can produce triacylglycerol (TAG) under stress, yet the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. Here, we show that, in Nannochloropsis oceanica, a bZIP-family regulator NobZIP77 represses the transcription of a type-2 diacylgycerol acyltransferase encoding gene NoDGAT2B under nitrogen-repletion (N+), while nitrogen-depletion (N−) relieves such inhibition and activates NoDGAT2B expression and synthesis of TAG preferably from C16:1. Intriguingly, NobZIP77 is a sensor of blue light (BL), which reduces binding of NobZIP77 to the NoDGAT2B-promoter, unleashes NoDGAT2B and elevates TAG under N−. Under N+ and white light, NobZIP77 knockout fully preserves cell growth rate and nearly triples TAG productivity. Moreover, exposing the NobZIP77-knockout line to BL under N− can double the peak productivity of TAG. These results underscore the potential of coupling light quality to oil synthesis in feedstock or bioprocess development.

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  1. [6]Zienkiewicz K Du ZY Ma W Vollheyde K Benning C Stress-induced neutral lipid biosynthesis in microalgae—molecular, cellular and physiological insights BBA-Mol. Cell Biol. L. 2016 1861 1269 1281 26883557
  2. [26]Chai G Poplar PdC3H17 and PdC3H18 are direct targets of PdMYB3 and PdMYB21, and positively regulate secondary wall formation in Arabidopsis and poplar N. Phytol. 2014 203 520 534 24786865

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Authors
Zhang, P., Xin, Y., He, Y., Tang, X., Shen, C., Wang, Q., Lv, N., Li, Y., Hu, Q., & Xu, J.
Affiliations
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
  • Shenzhen University (CN)
Corresponding author
Xu, Jian
Venue
Nature Communications
Published
2022-03-29
Volume
13
Issue
1
Pages
1664-1664
ISSN
2041-1723 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W4221029076
Cited by
67
References
57
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 17 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 3
FWCI
2.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Nature Communications (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • National Natural Science Foundation of China (31800071, 31425002, 31900074, 31600059, 2018YFA0902500, 31900047)
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDPB18)
  • Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR201709180185)
  • National Key Research and Development Program of China (XDPB18, 31900074, 31900047, 31600059, 2018YFA0902500, 2018M642716, ZR2019BC016, 31800071, ZR201709180185, 31425002)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Energy › Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment › Algal biology and biofuel production
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Biochemistry › Lipid metabolism and biosynthesis
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Molecular Biology › Microbial Metabolic Engineering and Bioproduction
Keywords
Nannochloropsis oceanica, bZIP transcription factors, blue light sensing, triglyceride synthesis, diacylglycerol acyltransferase, nitrogen starvation, oleaginous microalgae, light quality, oil productivity, promoter binding, knockout mutants
MeSH terms
Nitrogen, Transcription Factors, Triglycerides, Stramenopiles, Microalgae

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