Genetic transformation of mediated by HIV-TAT peptide.

Scientific interest in microalgal species is growing and, genetic transformation has definitely opened more avenues, in the ongoing research on microphytes. In the present study, we have attempted to transform by mobilizing double-stranded linear Transfer DNA (T-DNA) comprised of () gene cassette and II (II) gene cassette non-covalently bound to TAT peptide, into cells treated with Triton X-100. The transformed cells when examined under fluorescent microscope, exhibited green fluorescence in comparison to the untransformed cells. The transformed cells were further screened, and the surviving colonies were sub-cultured, on BG11 medium fortified with Hygromycin. The surviving colonies were confirmed for the presence of integrated T-DNA by Polymerase Chain Reaction with and II gene-specific primers. This methodology has potential to substitute the existing tedious transformation methodologies and ease the future studies in microalgae.