Developing Molecular Genetic Tools for Labyrinthulomycetes
For this project, we are developing genetic engineering tools in labyrinthulomycetes.
Following are links to data and results for the main goals of this project.
1) to assess a range of antibiotics as selectable markers and fluorescent proteins (FPs) as reporters,
2) to develop gene expression constructs
…composed of regulatory elements (promoters and terminators) that function broadly across labyrinthulomycetes,
…and to evaluate how stringently codon biases must be matched to permit strong expression of encoded proteins,
3) to identify the most efficient and widely applicable method(s) for transforming DNA into a diverse array of labyrinthulomycetes, and
4) to support future work by taking initial steps in developing the CRISPR/Cas9 system as a standard tool for both forward and reverse genetic work in labyrinthulomycetes.
Leveraging the fact that transformation has been achieved for a few thraustochytrids of biotechnological interest, we have focused our efforts on developing transformation tools and protocols across a wide taxonomic breadth of labyrinthulomycetes, focusing initially on three representatives each of the labyrinthulids, aplanochytrids, and oblongichytrids.