Characterization of type I and type II diacylglycerol acyltransferases from the emerging model alga Chlorella zofingiensis reveals their functional complementarity and engineering potential.

Our study represents a pioneering work on the characterization of both type I and type II C. zofingiensis DGATs by systematically integrating functional complementation, in vitro enzymatic assay, subcellular localization, yeast one-hybrid assay and overexpression in yeast and oleaginous alga. These results (1) update the gene models of C. zofingiensis DGATs, (2) shed light on the mechanism of oleaginousness in which CzDGAT1A and CzDGTT5, have functional complementarity and probably work in collaboration at ER contributing to the abundance and complexity of TAG, and (3) provide engineering targets for future trait improvement via rational manipulation of this alga as well as other industrially relevant ones.