Production in Microalgae

University of Nebraska; Oregon State University Russel H. Meints 1/86 — 12/89 XK-5-05073-2

By the mid-1980s, SERI researchers became convinced that optimal lipid production in microalgae could be achieved only by genetic manipulation of the cells to produce the desired traits. The overall goal of the research performed by Dr. Meints for SERI was to develop an algal virus system as a tool for the genetic manipulation of microalgae with potential for liquid fuel production. Viral vector systems had been used successfully to transfer DNA into other cell types. Dr. Meints’ laboratory was preeminent in the field of algal viruses. The work performed from 1986 to 1989 was based on earlier studies from this laboratory on isolating and characterizing a unique group of viruses from symbiotic algae. Funding from SERI contributed to ongoing research on the algal viral system by Dr. Meints; much of this work was done in collaboration with Dr. James Van Etten, in the Department of Plant Pathology at the University of Nebraska. The list of publications at the end of this section includes articles produced before and after the period of the SERI subcontract. This information was included to give interested readers an overview of the work performed on this topic.