The protein Compromised Hydrolysis of Triacylglycerols 7 (CHT7) acts as a repressor of cellular quiescence in Chlamydomonas.

ABSTRACT: Microalgae are prolific photosynthetic organisms that have the potential to sustainably produce high-value chemical feedstocks. However, an industry based on microalgal biomass still is faced with challenges. For example, microalgae tend to accumulate valuable compounds, such as triacylglycerols, only under stress conditions that limit growth. To investigate the fundamental mechanisms at the base of this conundrum--the inverse relationship between biomass production and storage compound accumulation-we applied a combination of cell biological and genetic approaches. Conceptually, nutrient deprivation, which commonly is used to induce the accumulation of triacylglycerol in microalgae, leads to a state of cellular quiescence defined by a halt of cell divisions that is reversible upon nutrien

SUBMITTER: Tsai CH 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4226073 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature