Transcriptome analysis of the red marine alga Gracilaria vermiculophylla grown under different light intensities

Light plays a vital role in seaweed growth by influencing photosynthesis and signaling metabolic processes. Seaweeds are subjected to various dynamic light conditions because of environmental factors such as weather and tidal changes. Despite the knowledge of the effects of light intensity on red algal growth, the gene expression patterns regulating growth under fluctuating light conditions remain unclear. After investigating whether varying light intensity affects growth rates in the economically important red alga Gracilaria vermiculohylla , a comprehensive gene expression analysis using RNA-Seq was performed to determine whether these differences were due to changes in the transcriptome. Under high-light conditions, G. vermiculophylla showed upregulation of nitrogen and carbon metabolism genes such as nitrate reductase and carbonic anhydrase crucial for growth and biomass production. This study provides insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the growth responses of red marine algae to varying light intensities. The identified genes and their functions could be used to guide genetic engineering approaches to enhance red algal productivity in aquaculture.