Intron-mediated enhancement of transgene expression in the oleaginous diatom Fistulifera solaris towards bisabolene production

Microalgae have been widely recognized as promising hosts for production of various valuable compounds. However, low expression or silencing transgenes in most microalgae species hindered their broader implementation biotechnological applications. In many eukaryotes, intron mediated enhancement (IME) gene by inclusion introns heterologous sequences has resulted a significant increase transgene expression. This phenomenon found broad range eukaryotic organisms including animals, plants, yeasts, and more recently green microalgae. no investigation conducted diatoms. Here, we present findings IME the oleaginous diatom, Fistulifera solaris. Inclusion native glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) into bleomycin-resistance (shble) mRNA level shble, leading to resistance selection. We tested this plant sesquiterpene synthase construct (AgBS), approximately double that non-intron containing cassettes. The AgBS lead accumulation (E)-α-bisabolene, indicating precursors were amenable manipulation available cytoplasm diatom. To best our knowledge, is first study investigate effect