Seaweed produce antioxidants to counteract environmental stresses, and these antioxidant genes are regarded as important defense strategies for marine algae. In this study, the expression of Pyropia yezoensis (Bangiales, Rhodophyta) ascorbate peroxidase (PyAPX) and manganese-superoxide dismutase (PyMnSOD) was examined by qRT-PCR in P. yezoensis blades under abiotic stress conditions. Furthermore, the functional relevance of these genes was explored by overexpressing them in Chlamydomonas. A comparison of the different expression levels of PyAPX and PyMnSOD after exposure to each stress revealed that both genes were induced by high salt and UVB exposure, being increased approximately 3-fold after 12 h. The expression of the PyAPX and PyMnSOD genes also increased following exposure to H2O2. When these two genes were overexpressed in Chlamydomonas, the cells had a higher growth rate than control cells under conditions of hydrogen peroxide-induced oxidative stress, increased salinity, and UV exposure. These data suggest that Chlamydomonas is a suitable model for studying the function of stress genes, and that PyAPX and PyMnSOD genes are involved in the adaptation and defense against stresses that alter metabolism.
Keywords: Chlamydomonas reinardtii; MnSOD; Pyropia yezoensis; abiotic stress tolerance; ascorbate peroxidase; transformation.