Expression of the Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene in Nannochloropsis oceanica regulates intracellular oxygen balance under high-light.

Nannochloropsis oceanica is widely used as a model photosynthetic chassis to produce fatty acids and carotenoid pigments. However, intense light typically causes excessive generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and photorespiration in microalgal cells, which results in decreased cell growth rate and unsaturated fatty acid content. In this study, the Vitreoscilla hemoglobin gene (vgb) was introduced into N.