Green Algae Mutant Resisting High-Intensity Light Damage
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Solution Overview
Problem
Green algae used for biomass fuel production are damaged by high-intensity light during outdoor summer cultivation, leading to reduced biomass productivity.
Innovation Solution
Development of a green algae mutant with reduced expression levels of a protein containing a response regulatory domain and a WD40 domain, specifically the LRS2 protein, which enhances high-intensity light resistance, allowing for improved growth and lipid productivity under intense light conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If green algae are cultured outdoors under high-intensity light during summer, then biomass productivity can be increased, but the algae are damaged by photoinhibition resulting in reduced growth
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies parameter changes by modifying the expression level of the LRS2 protein through genetic engineering. The patent identifies that reducing LRS2 protein expression (changing the biological parameter) enables algae to tolerate high-intensity light conditions, thus resolving the contradiction between productivity under high light and resistance to photoinhibition damage
2Use of energy by moving object
If light intensity is increased beyond the light saturation point, then more photons are available for photosynthesis, but the photosynthetic rate decreases due to photoinhibition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the biological parameter of LRS2 protein expression level to enable the algae to utilize high photon flux without suffering photoinhibition. By reducing LRS2 expression, the algae can maintain high photosynthetic rates even when photon absorption capacity exceeds normal saturation points
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The mutant green algae exhibit enhanced resistance to high-intensity light, resulting in increased productivity of lipids suitable for biofuel production during summer outdoor cultivation.
Implementation Method 1
Photosynthetic organisms that undergo oxygen-generating photosynthesis comprise 2 photochemical systems PSI and PSII. The photochemical reaction in PSII is initiated when chlorophyll a molecules in the PSII reaction center are excited and electrons are transferred to the initial electron acceptor (QA).
Implementation Method 2
In order to avoid generation of an excess amount of reduction power, photosynthetic organisms have a mechanism of converting excess light energy into heat energy (NPQ: non-photochemical quenching).
Data Source
AI summary
While green algae are expected to serve as raw materials of biomass fuels, they are damaged by high-intensity light when subjected to mass-culture outdoors in summer, and biomass productivity is deteriorated as a consequence. In order to overcome such a drawback, the present invention provides a high-intensity light resistant green algae mutant that can be subjected to outdoor culture in summer. Specifically, the present invention relates to such green algae mutant, wherein functions or expression levels of a protein having a response regulatory domain at the N-terminus and a WD40 domain at the C-terminus are lower than those in a wild-type strain, and wherein said green algae mutant grows faster than a wild-type strain when cultured at a light intensity of 1,000, 1,500, or 2,000 μmol photons m−2 s−1 measured as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR).