Method for transforming stramenopile

Abstract

A method for transforming a stramenopile includes transferring a foreign gene into the stramenopile which is a microorganism belonging to the class Labyrinthula, more specifically, to a genus Labyrinthula, Altornia, Aplanochytrium, Schizochytrium, Aurantiochytrium, Thraustochytrium, Ulkenia , etc. The foreign gene, which is a gene relating to tolerance against an antibiotic, a colorimetric protein and/or a fatty acid desaturase (Δ5 desaturase gene, Δ12 desaturase gene and/or ω3 desaturase gene), is transferred by using the electroporation or gene-gun technique.

1 . A method for modifying the fatty acid composition of stramenopiles,
 comprising:   introducing a heterogenous fatty acid desaturase gene into stramenopiles selected from the group consisting of  Schizochytrium  sp. M-8 strain (FERM P-19755),  Thraustochytrium aureum  ATCC 34304 , Thraustochytrium  sp. ATCC 26185 , Schizochytrium  sp. AL1Ac,  Schizochytrium aggregatum  ATCC 28209 , Ulkenia  sp. ATCC 28207 , Schizochytrium  sp. SEK210 (NBRC 102615),  Schizochytrium  sp. SEK345 (NBRC 102616), and  Botryochytrium radiatum  SEK353 (NBRC 104107), wherein said heterogenous fatty acid desaturase gene is cloned in an expression vector; and   expressing the fatty acid desaturase.   
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the fatty acid desaturase is a desaturase. 
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the desaturase is a Δ5 desaturase, a Δ12 desaturase, or an ω3 desaturase. 
     
     
         4 . A method for highly accumulating an unsaturated fatty acid in stramenopiles, comprising the method of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4 , wherein the unsaturated fatty acid is an unsaturated fatty acid of 18 to 22 carbon atoms.