Description of a novel extremophile green algae, Chlamydomonas pacifica, and its potential as a biotechnology host

We present the comprehensive characterization of a newly identified microalga, Chlamydomonas pacifica, originally isolated from a soil sample in San Diego, CA, USA. This species showcases remarkable biological versatility, including a broad pH range tolerance (6-11.5), high thermal tolerance (up to 42{degrees}C), and salinity resilience (up to 2% NaCl). Its amenability to genetic manipulation and sexual reproduction via mating, particularly between the two opposing strains CC-5697 & CC-5699, now publicly available through the Chlamydomonas Resource Center, underscores its potential as a biotechnological chassis. The biological assessment of C. pacifica revealed versatile metabolic capabilities, including diverse nitrogen assimilation capability, motility and phototaxis. Genomic and transcriptomic analyses identified 17,829 genes within a 121 Mb genome, featuring a GC content of 61%. The codon usage of C. pacifica closely mirrors that of C. reinhardtii, indicating a conserved genetic architecture that supports a trend in codon preference with minor variations. Phylogenetic analyses position C. pacifica within the core-Reinhardtinia clade yet distinct from known Volvocales species. The lipidomic data revealed an abundance of triacylglycerols (TAGs), promising for biofuel applications and lipids for health-related benefits. Our investigation lays the groundwork for exploiting C. pacifica in biotechnological applications, from biofuel generation to synthesizing biodegradable plastics, positioning it as a versatile host for future bioengineering endeavors. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=117 SRC="FIGDIR/small/611117v2_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (44K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@1ead226org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@18af631org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@291c2borg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@f860ac_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG Graphical Abstract C_FIG