Isolation of a new member of group 3 late embryogenesis abundant protein gene from a halotolerant green alga by a functional expression screening with cyanobacterial cells.

By a functional expression screening with cyanobacterial cells, a new member of group 3 late embryogenesis abundant protein genes (designated cw80lea3) was isolated from the cDNA library of halotolerant green alga Chlamydomonas sp. strain W80. The principle of the screening method was based on the acquisition of NaCl salt-tolerance of the fresh water cyanobacterial cells carrying the halotolerant algal gene. The expression of cw80lea3 gene in the C. W80 cells was induced by salt- and cold-stresses, but not by abscisic acid treatment.