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Characterization Of A Novel Glycerol-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (Gpd2) In The Alga Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Itzela A. Cruz Powell
Characterization Of A Novel Glycerol-3-Phosphate Dehydrogenase (Gpd2) In The Alga Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii, Itzela A. Cruz Powell
School of Biological Sciences: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research
The green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, like many eukaryotic microalgae, accumulates triacylglycerol (TAG) under certain environmental stresses, such as nitrogen deprivation. TAG is of interest because it is an essential precursor for biofuel production. Canonical glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenases catalyze the synthesis of glycerol-3-phosphate (G3P), a key precursor for glycerolipid and TAG synthesis in eukaryotes. The C. reinhardtii genome encodes six GPD homologs. Interestingly, GPD2 is a novel multidomain enzyme, consisting of a phosphatase motif fused to a G3P dehydrogenase domain. GPD2 expression is significantly up-regulated under nutrient deprivation or high salinity, coincidental with the accumulation of TAG or glycerol. Conversely, RNA-mediated …