Recently, chloroplast transformation in H. pluvialis using the C. reinhardtii aadA expression cassette [12] was also reported. However, robust nuclear transformation and successful genetic engineering have not been demonstrated in this valuable algae species, due to lack of suitable shuttle vectors and adequate transformation frequencies. We present here a novel transformation and expression vector for high efficiency transformation and simultaneous expression of two additional transgenes in H. pluvialis. Based on an endogenous dominant marker, the vector also permits the production of safe transgenic algae strains that do not contain foreign DNA sequences