Viridos, Inc.

Synthetic Genomics, Inc.

Sarah Potts

Eric R Moellering

Saheed Imam

Luke Peach

John Verruto

Imad Ajjawi

Roberto Spreafico

William F Lambert

Randor R Radakovits

Fedor I Kuzminov

Ryan Kalb

Jessica Greiner

The invention involves the provision of recombinant algal mutants that have a genetic modification to a nucleic acid sequence encoding a trehalose biosynthetic enzyme, and/or a genetic modification to a nucleic acid encoding an RNA binding domain And in some embodiments either of these algal mutants can further have a genetic mutation to a nucleic acid sequence encoding an SGI1 polypeptide. Attenuation of one, two, or all three of these genes results in a mutant organism with increased lipid productivity. It was also discovered that one, two, three, or more genetic mutations can be accumulated or 'stacked' in a particular mutant cell or organism to result in further increases in the production of lipid products. The lipid products of these mutants are useful as biofuels or for other specialty chemical products.

Recombinant algae having high lipid productivity

The invention involves the provision of recombinant algal mutants that have a genetic modification to a nucleic acid sequence encoding a trehalose biosynthetic enzyme, and/or a genetic modification to a nucleic acid encoding an RNA binding domain. And in some embodiments either of these algal mutants can further have a genetic mutation to a nucleic acid sequence encoding an SGI1 polypeptide. Attenuation of one, two, or all three of these genes results in a mutant organism with increased lipid productivity. It was also discovered that one, two, three, or more genetic mutations can be accumulated or 'stacked' in a particular mutant cell or organism to result in further increases in the production of lipid products. The lipid products of these mutants are useful as biofuels or for other specialty chemical products.

Mutant photosynthetic organisms having reduced chlorophyll and increased photosynthetic efficiency are provided. The mutant strains have mutated or attenuated: chloroplastic SRP54 gene and SGI1 gene; chloroplastic SRP54 gene and SGI2 gene; chloroplastic SRP54 gene, SGI1, and SGI2 genes are disclosed. The mutant photosynthetic organisms exhibit increased productivity with respect to wild-type strains. Also provided are mutant photosynthetic organisms having mutated or attenuated cytosolic SRP54 genes. Provided herein are methods of producing biomass and other products such as lipids using strains having mutations in an SRP54 gene, SGI1, SGI2 genes, a combination of SGI1/SRP54, and a combination of SGI2 and SRP54 genes. Also included are constructs and methods for attenuating or disrupting SRP54, SGI1, and SGI2 genes.

Genetic modulation of photosynthetic organisms for improved growth

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San Diego, CA, United States of America

Sarah Potts