(BBSRC DTP) Optimising metabolism in response to the environment for biofuel and high-value chemical production in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a widely used model algal species which has enormous potential for biotechnological applications both as a platform strain, and as a model to direct more efficient use of commercially relevant strains. At present however, our ability to exploit this species of unicellular alga for biofuel production or the generation of high-value biochemicals is limited by our limited understanding of its physiology and metabolism. For example, cells can under some conditions accumulate high levels of lipids useful for biofuels or food products, but the signals triggering that accumulation are not understood, making production difficult to control or optimise.

In this project, the student will be given high level training in algal physiology, biochemistry (including proteomics and metabolomics) and metabolic modelling. Combining these skills, they will undertake a detailed study of the physiological responses of C. reinhardtii to a range of environmental conditions. C. reinhardtii cell cultures will be grown in a range of different conditions including both highly regulated environments in controlled environment chambers and naturally fluctuating conditions. The impact of different cultivation conditions on growth and photosynthesis will be established and the partitioning of fixed carbon into different metabolic pathways assayed using metabolomic approaches. The ability of cells to acclimate to different environments will be assayed in terms of the impact on the cell proteome. Metabolic modelling will be used in order to identify candidate regulatory processes which may be involved in directing metabolic fluxes under different conditions.

This project will provide the student with a broad interdisciplinary training, giving them high level skills in a range of techniques needed to pursue a career in academic or industrial biotechnology research.