A widespread alternative squalene epoxidase participates in eukaryote steroid biosynthesis

Pollier, Jacob; Vancaester, Emmelien; Kuzhiumparambil, Unnikrishnan; Vickers, Claudia E.; Vandepoele, Klaas; Goossens, Alain; Fabris, Michele

doi:10.1038/s41564-018-0305-5

Cited by 63 publications

(77 citation statements)

References 58 publications

(80 reference statements)

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“…However, decades of foundational research on algal biochemistry and physiology (not reviewed here), may be leveraged to expedite the use of algae in biotechnology (Hildebrand et al, 2013). Efforts to progress the understanding of diverse algal traits has recently been bolstered by the advent of genome sequencing projects and functional genetic tools, revealing novel aspects of algal metabolism relevant to industrial applications (Moellering and Benning, 2010;Allen et al, 2011;Fabris et al, 2012;Kirst et al, 2012;Radakovits et al, 2012;Fabris et al, 2014;Abbriano et al, 2018;Luo et al, 2018;Pollier et al, 2019;Smith et al, 2019). Moreover, it is expected that knowledge on algal traits will be increasingly generated by the implementation of advanced synthetic and molecular biology approaches combined with phenomics.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging Technologies in Algal Biotechnology: Toward the Establishment of a Sustainable, Algae-Based Bioeconomy

et al. 2020

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Mankind has recognized the value of land plants as renewable sources of food, medicine, and materials for millennia. Throughout human history, agricultural methods were continuously modified and improved to meet the changing needs of civilization. Today, our rapidly growing population requires further innovation to address the practical limitations and serious environmental concerns associated with current industrial and agricultural practices. Microalgae are a diverse group of unicellular photosynthetic organisms that are emerging as next-generation resources with the potential to address urgent industrial and agricultural demands. The extensive biological diversity of algae can be leveraged to produce a wealth of valuable bioproducts, either naturally or via genetic manipulation. Microalgae additionally possess a set of intrinsic advantages, such as low production costs, no requirement for arable land, and the capacity to grow rapidly in both large-scale outdoor systems and scalable, fully contained photobioreactors. Here, we review technical advancements, novel fields of application, and products in the field of algal biotechnology to illustrate how algae could present high-tech, low-cost, and environmentally friendly solutions to many current and future needs of our society. We discuss how emerging technologies such as synthetic biology, highthroughput phenomics, and the application of internet of things (IoT) automation to algal manufacturing technology can advance the understanding of algal biology and, ultimately, drive the establishment of an algal-based bioeconomy.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emerging Technologies in Algal Biotechnology: Toward the Establishment of a Sustainable, Algae-Based Bioeconomy

et al. 2020

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“…Species-specific differences in sterol composition are likely related to evolution and diversification of sterol biosynthesis. Diatoms share a common core of early sterol biosynthetic enzymes that is unique to diatoms [15,24], and lineage-specific divergence likely occurs in downstream reactions (Jaramillo-Madrid et al, unpublished data). Typical C-22 desaturated sterols such as brassicasterol have been found in P. tricornutum, consistent with the presence of sterol 22-desaturase enzymes, whereas the same desaturases have not been detected in the centric diatoms T. pseudonana and C. muelleri (Jaramillo-Madrid et al, unpublished data).…”

Section: The Composition Of Sterol Types In Different Diatoms Is Not mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…To determine the tolerance of different levels of salinity on the growth of diatoms species, screening was carried out in 96-well plates. To adjust salinity of L1 medium different amounts of sodium chloride in artificial seawater were added: 0, 8,16,24,32,40,48 and 56 g L −1 . Other trace salts components remained the same.…”

Section: Assay For Salinity Tolerances Of Diatom Speciesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Levels of Diatom Minor Sterols Respond to Changes in Temperature and Salinity

Jaramillo-Madrid

Ashworth

Ralph

2020

JMSE

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Diatoms are a broadly distributed and evolutionarily diversified group of microalgae that produce a diverse range of sterol compounds. Sterols are triterpenoids that play essential roles in membrane-related processes in eukaryotic cells. Some sterol compounds possess bioactivities that promote human health and are currently used as nutraceuticals. The relationship between sterol diversity in diatoms and their acclimation to different environments is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the occurrence of different sterol types across twelve diatom species, as well as the effect of temperature reduction and changes in salinity on the sterol contents of three model diatom species. In the diatoms Thalassiosira pseudonana, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Chaetoceros muelleri, we found that changes in the relative contents of minor sterols accompanied shifts in temperature and salinity. This may be indicative of acquired adaptive traits in diatom metabolism.Environmental conditions such as salinity [16] and the availability of nutrients including nitrogen, phosphate and silicate appear to affect sterol production in some microalgae [17,18].Since sterols are involved in cellular processes that interact with environmental conditions, such as cellular signaling and membrane fluidity [2], the regulation of sterol content by diatom species might be sensitive to changes in the environment and growth conditions. It is not known whether the wide diversity of sterols compounds in diatoms respond to changes in temperature, as in plants, or whether they are involved in complex signaling functions such as cell death [19]. The presence of 23-methyl sterols, cyclopropyl sterols and 27-norsterols is thought to provide a defence mechanism against grazers, potentially interfering with the sterol metabolism of predatory organisms [20]. Furthermore, conditions like salinity have been reported to affect important cellular processes in diatoms such as biosilicification [21].In this study, we surveyed the sterol contents of twelve diatoms representing multiple clades and environments. We then evaluated the effects of a reduction in temperature and changes in salinity on the cell growth and sterol profiles of three commonly cultured mesophilic model diatoms: the centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, the pennate diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum and the chaetocerid diatom Chaetoceros muelleri.

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“…However, the absence of completely predictable reductions in the total phytosterol levels upon interference with enzymes involved in oxidosqualene biosynthesis indicates an important gap in our understanding of how early phytosterol biosynthesis is regulated. Indeed, recently, an alternative SQE has been identified in the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum , that belongs to the fatty acid hydroxylase superfamily instead of to the flavoprotein monooxygenases like the conventional SQEs (Pollier et al , 2019). This suggests that different enzymatic reactions in plant phytosterol biosynthesis can be mediated by a wider palette of enzymes than would be expected based on sequence homology to yeast and human sterol biosynthetic genes.…”

Section: Early Phytosterol Biosynthesis – 23-oxidosqualene As a Precmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet, the sqe1-5 mutant is hypersensitive to terbinafine (Pose et al, 2009). On the other hand, some organisms such as the diatom P. tricornutum are completely insensitive to terbinafine as they use alternative SQEs (Fabris et al, 2014; Pollier et al, 2019).…”

Section: Chemical Inhibitors Of Key Steps In the Plant Sterol Biosyntmentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of mutants and inhibitors to study sterol biosynthesis in plants

Vriese

Pollier

Goossens

et al. 2019

Preprint

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A widespread alternative squalene epoxidase participates in eukaryote steroid biosynthesis

Cited by 63 publications

References 58 publications

Emerging Technologies in Algal Biotechnology: Toward the Establishment of a Sustainable, Algae-Based Bioeconomy

Emerging Technologies in Algal Biotechnology: Toward the Establishment of a Sustainable, Algae-Based Bioeconomy

Levels of Diatom Minor Sterols Respond to Changes in Temperature and Salinity

The use of mutants and inhibitors to study sterol biosynthesis in plants

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