Genetic modification of Dunaliella salina for the production of beta-carotene

• Grant number: 23/09238-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: March 15, 2024
• End date: March 14, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Food Science and Technology - Food Science
• Principal Investigator: João Carlos Monteiro de Carvalho
• Grantee: Évellin do Espírito Santo
• Supervisor: Stephen Mayfield
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas (FCF). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: University of California, San Diego (UC San Diego), United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 22/07026-4 - Genetic modification in the production of betacarotene by Dunaliella salina, BP.DR

Abstract

Microalgae arouse technological and industrial interest, as they produce components of high added value, being fully used in the form of extracts, or purified compounds, in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic formulations, among others. Dunaliella salina is the main carotenoid-producing microalgae. Obtaining biomass with higher levels of carotenoids reduces the cost of production, as there is a need to process a smaller amount of biomass to obtain the pigments. This microalgae is promising in the field of genetic engineering. Therefore, the objective of this project is to knock out the gene that encodes the enzyme lycopene e-cyclase in the chloroplast genome using the CRISPR/CAS9 technique.