Abstract
Chlorella is a popular microalga with robust physiological and biochemical characteristics, which can be cultured under various conditions. The exploration of the small RNA content of Chlorella could improve strategies for the enhancement of metabolite production from this microalga. In this study, stress was introduced to the Chlorella sorokiniana culture to produce high-value metabolites such as carotenoids and phenolic content. The small RNA transcriptome of C. sorokiniana was sequenced, focusing on microRNA (miRNA) content. From the analysis, 98 miRNAs were identified in cultures subjected to normal and stress conditions. The functional analysis result showed that the miRNA targets found were most often involved in the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, followed by protein metabolism, cell cycle, and porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism. Furthermore, the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites such as carotenoids, terpenoids, and lipids was found mostly in stress conditions. These results may help to improve our understanding of regulatory mechanisms of miRNA in the biological and metabolic process of Chlorella species. It is important and timely to determine the true potential of this microalga species and to support the potential for genetic engineering of microalgae as they receive increasing focus for their development as an alternative source of biofuel, food, and health supplements.
Highlights
Chlorella is known as one of the best microalgae for the production of high-value metabolites such as carotenoids and lipids [1,2]
Based on Qin et al [20], most of the well-studied and functionally known miRNAs are conserved and designated with identification numbers ranging from miR156 to miR408
The identified miRNAs are commonly found in a variety of terrestrial plants and nonflowering moss
Summary
Chlorella is known as one of the best microalgae for the production of high-value metabolites such as carotenoids and lipids [1,2]. Metabolic transition was identified in the accumulation of pigment, lipid, and starch in Chlorella species [7], there is still a lack of genetic information and differential expression of key metabolic pathways that hamper manipulation and improvement of these microalgae. This suggests that the factors and mechanisms responsible for the differences in metabolite deposition, which have not been elucidated completely, could aid in the development of new strategies to modulate carotenoid and lipid deposition and improve their commercial value
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