Abstract: Mutant photosynthetic algae having increased biomass productivity are provided. The mutants have attenuated expression of violaxanthin chlorophyll a binding proteins (VCP) or fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c binding proteins (FCP), reduced chlorophyll, higher apparent ETR(II), little to no reduction in Pmax per cell, and decreased NPQ over a wide range of light intensities. Provided herein are constructs for attenuating or disrupting VCP or FCP genes. Also provided are methods of culturing VCP or FCP mutants for the production of biomass or other products.

Abstract: Mutant photosynthetic microorganisms having reduced chlorophyll and increased photosynthetic efficiency are provided. The mutants have a locked in high light-acclimated phenotype, in which many of the photosynthetic parameters characteristic of high light acclimated wild type cells are found in the LIHLA mutants when acclimated to low light, such as reduced chlorophyll, reduced NPQ, higher qP, higher Ek, higher Pmax per unit chlorophyll with little to no reduction in Pmax per cell, and higher rates of electron transport through photosystem II over a wide range of light intensities. Provided herein are constructs for attenuating or disrupting genes are provided for generating mutants having the LIHLA phenotype. Also provided are methods of culturing LIHLA mutants for the production of biomass or other products.

Abstract: Mutant photosynthetic algae having increased biomass productivity are provided. The mutants have attenuated expression of violaxanthin chlorophyll a binding proteins (VCP) or fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c binding proteins (FCP), reduced chlorophyll, higher apparent ETR(II), little to no reduction in Pmax per cell, and decreased NPQ over a wide range of light intensities. Provided herein are constructs for attenuating or disrupting VCP or FCP genes. Also provided are methods of culturing VCP or FCP mutants for the production of biomass or other products.

Abstract: Methods, processes, and systems for the production of lipids and starch from modified algae are disclosed. In one embodiment, the modified algae over-expresses isoamylase and accumulates much higher amounts of starch than unmodified algae. In some embodiments, the modified algae comprises one or more copies of an isoamylase expression construct. In one embodiment, the modified algae is a sta7 Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutant with a starchless phenotype that has been complemented with one or more copies of the wild-type genomic STA7 isoamylase gene construct. The complemented, modified algae accumulates much greater amount of starch than an unmodified algae and may be used to produce large amounts of starch and/or lipids.

Abstract: Mutant photosynthetic microorganisms having reduced chlorophyll and increased photosynthetic efficiency are provided. The mutants have a locked in high light-acclimated phenotype, in which many of the photosynthetic parameters characteristic of high light acclimated wild type cells are found in the LIHLA mutants when acclimated to low light, such as reduced chlorophyll, reduced NPQ, higher qP, higher Ek, higher Pmax per unit chlorophyll with little to no reduction in Pmax per cell, and higher rates of electron transport through photosystem II over a wide range of light intensities. Provided herein are constructs for attenuating or disrupting genes are provided for generating mutants having the LIHLA phenotype. Also provided are methods of culturing LIHLA mutants for the production of biomass or other products.

Abstract: Methods, processes, and systems for the production of lipids and starch from modified algae are disclosed. In one embodiment, the modified algae over-expresses isoamylase and accumulates much higher amounts of starch than unmodified algae. In some embodiments, the modified algae comprises one or more copies of an isoamylase expression construct. In one embodiment, the modified algae is a sta7 Chlamydomonas reinhardtii mutant with a starchless phenotype that has been complemented with one or more copies of the wild-type genomic STA7 isoamylase gene construct. The complemented, modified algae accumulates much greater amount of starch than an unmodified algae and may be used to produce large amounts of starch and/or lipids.