Enhancing fatty acid and omega-3 production in Schizochytrium sp. using developed safe-harboring expression system

Background: Schizochytrium, a group of eukaryotic marine protists, is an oleaginous strain, making it a highly promising candidate for the production of lipid-derived products such as biofuels and omega-3 fatty acids. However, the insufficient advancement of genetic engineering tools has hindered further advancements. Therefore, the development and application of genetic engineering tools for lipid enhancement are crucial for industrial production.

Results: Transgene expression in Schizochytrium often encounters challenges such as instability due to positional effects. To overcome this, we developed a safe-harbor transgene expression system. Initially, the sfGFP gene was integrated randomly, and high-expressing transformants were identified using fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Notably, HRsite 2, located approximately 3.2 kb upstream of cytochrome c, demonstrated enhanced sfGFP expression and homologous recombination efficiency. We then introduced the 3-ketoacyl-ACP reductase (KR) gene at HRsite 2, resulting in improved lipid and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) production. Transformants with KR at HRsite 2 exhibited stable growth, increased glucose utilization, and a higher lipid content compared to those with randomly integrated transgenes. Notably, these transformants showed a 25% increase in DHA content compared to the wild-type strain.

Conclusion: This study successfully established a robust homologous recombination system in Schizochytrium sp. by identifying a reliable safe harbor site for gene integration. The targeted expression of the KR gene at this site not only enhanced DHA production but also maintained growth and glucose consumption rates, validating the efficacy of the safe-harbor approach. This advancement in synthetic biology and metabolic engineering paves the way for more efficient biotechnological applications in Schizochytrium sp.