​Microalgae—which are major contributors to global photosynthesis and primary productivity—serve as promising chassis cells in synthetic biology.In a study published in Plant Communications, researchersfrom the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have unraveled the distribution pattern and dynamic changes in DNA N6-methyladenine (6mA) a...

​The genetic talents of a marine microalga are now unlocked, to produce medium-chain triacylglycerols, which is a kind of plant oil with a variety of health benefits, according to a study led by researchers from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS).This study was published in Plant Physiology on August 30.A mechanistic model o...

Microalgae, algae that cannot be seen by the naked eye, absorb carbon dioxide and produce oils that can be used as biofuels. These biofuels, which can be carbon negative, offer promise as an alternative to conventional fossil fuels. However, the biological processes that allow these microalgae to produce oils are not fully understood.Now, a research team led by Prof. XU Jian from the Qingdao In...

Microalgae are "simple" organisms of single cells, yet they pack a mighty potential punch when it comes to helping humanity achieve carbon neutrality, according to researchers from the Qingdao Institute of Bioenergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Their metabolic activities play fundamental roles in global carbon cycling and convert carbon dioxide in...

By combining the‘chassis’ of an oil-producing microalgae with genes from a Cuphea plant, scientists from Single-Cell Center, Qingdao Institute of BioEnergy and Bioprocess Technology (QIBEBT) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) can turn the algae into a microbial cell factory that can produce various oils with different properties.The study was published in Metabolic Engineering onApril 3...

[Summary] A single-celled algae hasundergone genome surgery to remove non-essential parts. This can lead to a most efficient cellular factory for producing sustainable biofuels from sunlight and carbon dioxide.Researchers have stripped hundred-kilobase genomefroma type of oil-producingmicroalgae, knocking out genes non-essential for it to function. By doing so, they have created a "genome scalp...

Industrial oil-producing microalgae can use light energy to convert carbon dioxide and water into oils on a large scale. Therefore, it is a potential solution for the sustainable supply of food, nutrition and fuel for human society.To promote resource sharing and research cooperation for the synthetic biology and molecular breeding of industrial oil-producing microalgae, an international team l...

DNA only persists through replication-naturally or synthetically. While humans need the genetic material to be reproduced in order to replace old or damaged cells, the ability to replicate DNA in a la...

The rapid elevation of atmospheric carbon dioxide level has led to global warm and ocean acidification. Microalgae, which together account for nearly 40% of global carbon dioxide fixation on Earth, ha...

Molecules of triacylglycerol (TAG), formed by attaching three molecules of fatty acid (FA) to a glycerol backbone, are the main constituents of vegetable oil in plants and fats in animals and humans. ...