Modeling heterologous protein production in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum

Production of protein in different organisms has attracted interest since the first biotechnological production of insulin. Efforts had been made throughout the years to study several organisms like bacteria and yeast to produce exogenous proteins with commercial interest. During the last decades microalgae have attracted the attention as platform of production of complex proteins. For instance, diatoms can absorb CO2 and accumulate lipids more efficiently compared to other microalgae. However, diatoms are still not well understood and even though there have been many publications regarding their potential, there are still not as well characterized as other unicellular organisms. Therefore, the intern will be studying the accumulation of protein by building up a mathematical model, to analyze opportunities of improvement for proteins in the model diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum. This will be done using an enhanced reporter protein that emits fluorescence and facilitates the study of protein accumulation in a single cell.

Faculty Supervisor:

Isabel Desgagné-Penix

Student:

Partner:

Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Education

University:

Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Program: