Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is a molecular chaperone highly conserved across the species from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. Hsp90 is essential for cell viability under all growth conditions and is proposed to act as a hub of the signaling network and protein homeostasis of the eukaryotic cells. By interacting with various client proteins, Hsp90 is involved in diverse physiological processes such...

The effect of sulfur limitation on the partitioning of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur was investigated in Dunaliella salina. D. salina was able to adapt to 6 microM sulfate; under these conditions, the cells showed reduced growth and photosynthetic rates. Whereas intracellular sulfate was depleted, phosphate, nitrate, and ammonium increased. Amino acids showed a general increase, and alanine beca...

The cryptomonads are a group of unicellular algae that acquired photosynthesis through the engulfment of a red algal cell, a process called secondary endosymbiosis. Here, we present the complete plastid genome sequence of the secondarily nonphotosynthetic species Cryptomonas paramecium CCAP977/2a. The approximately 78 kilobase pair (Kbp) C. paramecium genome contains 82 predicted protein genes,...

In studies of the outstanding salt tolerance of the unicellular green alga Dunaliella salina, we isolated a cDNA for a salt-inducible mRNA encoding a protein homologous to plant beta-ketoacyl-coenzyme A (CoA) synthases (Kcs). These microsomal enzymes catalyze the condensation of malonyl-CoA with acyl-CoA, the first and rate-limiting step in fatty acid elongation. Kcs activity, localized to a D....

We studied exopolysaccharides (EPSs) produced by Halomonas ventosae and Halomonas anticariensis, two novel species of halophilic bacteria. Under optimum environmental and nutritional conditions, H. ventosae strains Al12(T) and Al16 excreted 28.35 mg and 28.95 mg of EPS per 100 ml of culture medium (34.55 and 38.6 mg of EPS per gram of dry cell weight) respectively. The molecular masses of the p...

Oleaginous microalgae of the Nannochloropsis genus are considered excellent candidates for biofuels and value-added products owing to their high biomass productivity and lipid content. Here, we report the first overexpression and detection of a heterologous sfCherry fluorescent protein in Nannochloropsis salina in order to develop a transformation toolbox for future genetic improvements. Partic...

A transaminase from Halomonas elongata and four mutants generated by an in silico-based design were recombinantly produced in E. coli, purified and applied to the amination of mono-substituted aromatic carbonyl-derivatives. While benzaldehyde derivatives were excellent substrates, only NO2-acetophenones were transformed into the (S)-amine with a high enantioselectivity. The different behaviour ...

A mathematical modeling of microalgae biomass is an essential step to optimize the biomass and lipid production rate and to reduce the cost of microalgal biodiesel production system. In the present study, kinetic studies were carried out to describe the growth and neutral lipid production of two marine microalgae Chlorella salina and Nannochloropsis oculata under the nitrogen-repleted and -depl...