Transcriptome analysis reveals regulation of gene expression during photoacclimation to high irradiance levels in Dunaliella salina (Chlorophyceae)

The unicellular green alga Dunaliella salina is an attractive model organism for studying photoacclimation responses. Changes in irradiance levels during cell growth affect the organization and structure of the photosystem and the pigments composition. We sequenced the RNA of D. salina to investigate the transcriptomic response of the organism after transitioning from normal light conditions to higher light intensity. Specific transcripts encoding for enzymes involved in photosynthesis were down-regulated, whereas genes involved in the metabolism of carotenoid and triacylglycerol were up-regulated. Genes encoding for photoprotective enzymes related to reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and to the xanthophyll cycle were also up-regulated at higher irradiance levels. The present transcriptomic study would assist in the comprehensive understanding of photoacclimation mechanisms of D. salina. Overall design: 9 biological samples, each condition in triplicates. Please note that the microalgae Dunaliella Salina used in our study was conserved at Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. It has been identified, and its related research results have been published in Algal Research (Zheng, Zhenbing, et al. 'The enhancement of the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway maybe involved in resolving imbalance between photosystem I and II in Dunaliella salina.' Algal Research 26(2017).)