Recombinant microalgae cells producing novel oils
AssigneeSolazyme, Inc.
InventorsScott Franklin, Aravind Somanchi, Karen Espina, George Rudenko, Penelope Chua
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Abstract
Disclosed herein are obligate heterotrophic microalgae cells containing an exogenous gene. In some embodiments the gene is a sucrose utilization gene, and further disclosed are methods of manufacturing triglyceride oils using sugar cane or sugar beets as a feedstock in a heterotrophic fermentation. In other embodiments the feedstock is depolymerized cellulosic material. Also disclosed are cells that produce medium chain fatty acids at levels not produced in non-recombinant cells of the same species and genus.
Claims18
A cell of the genus Prototheca comprising one or more exogenous gene, wherein the exogenous gene is a sucrose invertase gene, a fatty acyl-ACP (acyl carrier protein) thioesterase gene, a fatty acyl-CoA/aldehyde reductase gene, a fatty acyl-CoA reductase gene or a fatty aldehyde decarbonylase gene and is integrated into a nuclear chromosome of the cell, and wherein the sucrose invertase gene encodes a sucrose invertase having a catalytic activity of hydrolyzing sucrose to glucose and fructose, the fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase gene encodes a fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase having a catalytic activity of hydrolyzing a fatty acyl-ACP substrate, the fatty acyl-CoA/aldehyde reductase gene encodes a fatty acyl-CoA/aldehyde reductase having a catalytic activity of reducing a fatty acyl-CoA molecule to a primary alcohol, the fatty acyl-CoA reductase gene encodes a fatty acyl-CoA reductase having a catalytic activity of reducing a fatty acyl-CoA molecule to an aldehyde, and the fatty aldehyde decarbonylase gene encodes a fatty aldehyde decarbonylase having a catalytic activity of converting a fatty aldehyde to an alkane or alkene.
A cell of the genus Prototheca comprising an exogenous fatty acyl-ACP (acyl carrier protein) thioesterase gene and a lipid profile of at least 4% C8-C14, wherein the fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase gene encodes a fatty acyl-ACP thioesterase having a catalytic activity of hydrolyzing a fatty acyl-ACP substrate, and wherein the lipid profile has one or more of the following attributes:
- (i) the amount of C8 is at least 0.3%;
- (ii) the amount of C10 is at least 2%;
- (iii) the amount of C12 is at least 2%;
- or
- (iv) the amount of C14 is at least 4%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.