Analysis of gene expression in Aurantiochytrium limacinum

Thraustochytrids, eukaryotic single-cell protists belonging to Stramenopiles, live in marine and brackish water environments. They are heterotrophs that do not perform photosynthesis due to the lack of chloroplasts. Thraustochytrids, like other marine microbes, are considered to be a primary docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) producer in marine environments. Thraustochytrids have suitable properties for industrial production of DHA, i.e., they can be mass cultured using a Jar fermenter without sunlight, and they can accumulate large amounts of DHA in well-developed intracellular lipid droplets. Aurantiochytrium limacinum is a type strain of the thraustochytrid, and is widely used for research on DHA production. To better understand the lipid synthesis and accumulation mechanism in A. limacinum, we analyze mRNA expression of the microorganism.