Cloning and characterization of the phytoene desaturase (pds) gene — a key enzyme for carotenoids synthesis in Dunaliella (Chlorophyta)

The unicellular green alga Dunaliella is outstanding for its ability of massive accumulation of carotenoids. To elucidate the carotenoids synthesis pathway in this alga, phytoene desaturase ( pds ) gene cDNA together with its DNA sequences were isolated and their structures and functions analyzed. The full-length pds cDNA of 2290 bp (GenBank Accession No. DQ243892) was deduced from RACE results, including untranslated 21 bp 5′-and 520 bp 3′-flanking regions and an open reading frame of 582 amino acids, coding a protein of 64.196 kDa. The DNA sequence of 2908 bp (GenBank Accession No. DQ845248) including five introns was obtained. The fifth intron was uncompleted and complex, including two bases’ perfect repeats (GT) 10 and large different-sized repeats within the last 400 bp. The Southern blot hybridization result demonstrated that this gene occurred as a single copy in this species, and the quantitative RT-PCR result showed that the transcription of this gene was constitutive. The evolutional significance of pds was discussed.