Name : [in Japanese]
Location : [in Japanese]
Date : January 18, 2017 - January 19, 2017
Pages 25-26
The green microalga Botryococcus braunii produces large amounts of liquid hydrocarbons that are promising as an alternative to petroleum. To better understand the mechanism of hydrocarbon accumulation in the alga, genes responsible for biosynthesis of the precursors for terpenes and epoxidation of squalene were isolated and characterized. The alga possessed multiple isogenes coding for 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate synthase that catalyzes the first reaction step of the methylerythritol phosphate pathway for biosynthesis of the universal precursors of terpenes. Furthermore, a totally five of isogenes homologous to squalene epoxidase were also isolated. These genes may be used as tools to regulate triterpene hydrocarbon productions by the alga once technology for genetic engineering of this alga is established.
