Protocol for the transformation and engineering of edible algae Arthrospira platensisto generate heterologous protein-expressing strains

Here, we present a protocol for harnessing the natural transformability of the edible algae Arthrospira platensis(common name: spirulina) to generate strains that express heterologous proteins. We describe the preparation of plasmids and the steps to grow A. platensis. We then detail the transformation and passage of the strains, followed by genomic DNA extraction and genotyping to assess integration of the gene of interest. This simple transformation protocol can be applied to genome manipulation of edible algae.