Chromochloris zofingiensis, an oleaginous microalga, is a promising feedstock for the co-production of
triacylglycerol (TAG)-based
biodiesel and the high-value product
astaxanthin. To reveal the molecular mechanism of TAG and
astaxanthin biosynthesis during transitions of
sulfur nutritional status, namely
sulfur-
starvation (SS) and
sulfur-replenishment (SR), the physiological responses and the transcriptomic dynamics of C. zofingiensis were examined.
RESULTS: CONCLUSIONS: In this study, the time-resolved transcriptional analysis of C. zofingiensis under SS and SR conditions was reported for the first time to elucidate the regulatory roles of key
enzymes, including DGTT5, BKT1 and LCYb, in the underlying mechanisms of TAG and
astaxanthin accumulation.