Process for obtaining a strain of microalgae porphyridium cruentum producing lambda carrageenan

Abstract

A process is presented for obtaining a lambda carrageenan-producing strain of the microalga Porphyridium cruentum through metabolic engineering. This process involves the development of a pPC-CarLam expression vector that includes Chondrus crispus sequences for obtaining the galactosyltransferase (GALT) and sulfotransferase (ST) enzymes, which are necessary for lambda carrageenan biosynthesis. The process comprises the development of this vector; cultivation and preparation of the microalga P. cruentum; transformation of P. cruentum during the growth phase; selection, subculture, and propagation of transformed colonies in liquid medium; obtaining exopolysaccharides to confirm the production of recombinant strains; and verification of lambda carrageenan production.