A molecular toolkit for the green seaweed Ulva mutabilis

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Molecular Biology
• Plant Biotechnology

Background:

• Ulva mutabilis is a key marine primary producer and a valuable cultivated seaweed.
• Limited molecular tools hinder a comprehensive understanding of seaweed biology.
• Advancements in molecular tools are crucial for unlocking the potential of Ulva species.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a flexible and modular molecular cloning toolkit for Ulva mutabilis.
• To establish tools for gene characterization and functional genomics studies in Ulva.
• To facilitate the creation of gain-of-function lines for Ulva research.

Main Methods:

• Development of a Golden Gate cloning system-based toolkit.
• Creation of entry, destination, and expression vectors (125 entry, 26 destination, 107 expression).
• Characterization of endogenous promoters and evaluation of transit peptides for marker lines.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive molecular toolkit for Ulva mutabilis was successfully established.
• Endogenous regulatory sequences, including three promoters, were validated for transgene expression.
• High efficiency (50%-80%) of visual transgene expression was observed in transformants.

Conclusions:

• The developed molecular toolkit significantly advances research capabilities in Ulva mutabilis.
• It enables efficient gene characterization and the study of gain-of-function lines.
• This toolkit paves the way for large-scale functional genomics in green seaweeds.