E-Book Overview
Microalgae have been largely cultured and commercialized as food and feed additives, and their potential as source of high-added value compounds is well known. But, in contrast to the large number of genetically modified bacteria, yeast and even higher plants, only a few species of microalgae have been genetically transformed with efficiency. Initial difficulties in the expression of foreign genes in microalgae have been progressively overcome, and powerful molecular tools for their genetic engineering are now on hand. A considerable collection of promoters and selectable marker genes and an increasing number of genomic or cDNA sequences have become available in recent years. More work is needed to transform new species of microalgae, specially those that have commercial value, so that it would be possible to increase the productivity of traditional compounds or synthesize novel ones. Silencing transgenes remains as an important limitation for stable expression of foreign genes. This problem is not unique to microalgae since it has also been observed in plants, animals and fungi. A better understanding of the mechanisms that control the regulation of gene expression in eukaryotes is therefore needed.
In this book a group of outstanding researchers working on different areas of microalgae biotechnology offer a global vision of the genetic manipulation of microalgae and their applications.
E-Book Content
Transgenic Microalgae as Green Cell Factories
ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY Editorial Board: NATHAN BACK, State University ofNew York at Buffalo IRUN R. COHEN, The Weizmann Institute ofScience ABEL LAJTHA, N.S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research JOHN D. LAMBRIS, University of Pennsylvania RODOLFO PAOLETTI, University of Milan Recent Volumes in this Series Volume 60 BREAST CANCER CHEMOSENSITIVITY Edited by Dihua Yu and Mien-Chie Hung Volume 609 HOT TOPICS IN INFECTION AND IMMUNITY EN CHILDREN VI Edited by Adam Finn and Andrew J. Pollard Volume 610 TARGET THERAPIES IN CANCER Edited by Francesco Colotta and Alberto Mantovani Volume 611 PEPTIDES FOR YOUTH Edited by Susan Del Valle, Emanuel Escher, and William D. Lubell Volume 612 RELAXIN AND RELATED PEPTIDES Edited by Alexander I. Agoulnik Volume 613 RECENT ADVANCES ESTTO RETESfAL DEGENERATION Edited by Joe G. Hollyfield, Matthew M. LaVail, and Robert E. Anderson Volume 614 OXYGEN TRANSPORT TO TISSUE XXIX Edited by Kyung A. Kang Volume 615 PROGRAMMED CELL DEATH IN CANCER PROGRESSION AND THERAPY Edited by Roya Khosravi-Far and Eileen White Volume 616 TRANSGENIC MICRO ALGAE AS GREEN CELL FACTORIES Edited by Rosa Leon, Aurora Gavan, and Emilio Fernandez A Continuation Order Plan is available for this series. A continuation order will bring delivery of each new volume immediately upon publication. Volumes are billed only upon actual shipment. For further information please contact the publisher.
Transgenic Microalgae as Green Cell Factories Edited by Rosa Le6n, Ph.D. Departamento de Quimicay Ciencia de Materiales, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, Huelva, Spain Aurora Galvan, Ph.D. Departamento de Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain Emilio Fernandez, Ph.D. Departamanto de Bioquimica y Biologia Molecular, Campus de Rabanales, Universidad de Cordoba, Cordoba, Spain
Springer Science+Business Media, LCC Landes Bioscience
springer Science+Business Media, LLC Landes Bioscience
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