Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Kateryna Kukil, Elias Englund, Nick Crang, Elton P. Hudson, Pia Lindberg
Summary: In this study, phenylalanine resistant mutant strains of the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 were generated by laboratory evolution. The mutant strains were able to secrete phenylalanine and showed potential for production of trans-cinnamic acid and para-coumaric acid. The PRM8 strain demonstrated the highest specific production of these compounds.
METABOLIC ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Chen Xu, Bing Wang, Lin Yang, Lucas Zhongming Hu, Lanxing Yi, Yaxuan Wang, Shenglan Chen, Andrew Emili, Cuihong Wan
Summary: In this study, using co-fractionation coupled with LC-MS/MS, the researchers identified 291 multi-protein complexes and 24,092 protein-protein interactions in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. These interactions reveal the roles of photosynthesis in various physiological processes and highlight the differences in protein functions between bacteria and higher plants.
GENOMICS PROTEOMICS & BIOINFORMATICS
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Ian Sofian Yunus, Zhixuan Wang, Pachara Sattayawat, Jonathan Muller, Fessehaye W. Zemichael, Klaus Hellgardt, Patrik R. Jones
Summary: The study focused on improving the productivity of 1-octanol by enhancing enzyme efficiency and optimizing environmental conditions. By adjusting the inducer concentration and light intensity, the researchers were able to increase the 1-octanol productivity significantly, reaching a carbon partitioning rate of 35% and a titer of 526 mg/L within 12 days.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Jin Ding, Nils Schuergers, Heike Baehre, Annegret Wilde
Summary: This study discovered functional CARF-domain effector and ring nuclease proteins in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. The Csx1 homolog, SyCsx1, is a strict cytosine-specific RNase that depends on cyclic tetraadenylate (cA4). Another CARF-domain protein similar to Csm6 effectors, SyCsm6, does not have RNase activity but can degrade cOAs and attenuate SyCsx1 RNase activity. This research suggests that the CRISPR systems in Synechocystis have a multi-layered cA4-mediated defense mechanism.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Parveen Akhtar, Avratanu Biswas, Fanny Balog-Vig, Ildiko Domonkos, Laszlo Kovacs, Petar H. Lambrev
Summary: Cyanobacterial mutants with monomeric PSI show changes in the composition and abundance of phycobilisomes and in the excitation energy transfer to PSII and PSI. The oligomeric state of PSI impacts the excitation energy flow in Synechocystis.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiang Li, Chunling Xue, Hui Chen, Huafeng Zhang, Qiang Wang
Summary: This study discovered a small antisense RNA gene (ThfR) that interacts with the thf1 gene, regulating photosynthesis under nitrogen starvation or high-light stress, and enhancing the growth ability of cyanobacteria under high-light stress.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lucas Gewehr, Benedikt Junglas, Ruven Jilly, Johannes Franz, Wenyu Eva Zhu, Tobias Weidner, Mischa Bonn, Carsten Sachse, Dirk Schneider
Summary: The dynamin-like protein SynDLP in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 forms ordered oligomers and interacts with negatively charged thylakoid membrane lipids independently of nucleotides. The structural characteristics of SynDLP suggest it to be a bacterial ancestor of eukaryotic dynamin.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Eleftheria-Angeliki Valsami, Angeliki Pateraki, Anastasios Melis, Demetrios F. Ghanotakis
Summary: This study investigated various cultivation conditions for heterologous beta-phellandrene production by Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, finding that immobilized cells in calcium alginate beads resulted in higher production compared to suspended cultures. Additionally, extreme conditions of pH 10.5 and 600 mM NaCl proved to be conducive for cell growth and beta-phellandrene production, offering new approaches for sustainable production of terpenoids.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vetaka Tharasirivat, Saowarath Jantaro
Summary: The overexpression of the RuBisCO gene can increase cyanobacterial biomass and improve biocompound production. We successfully constructed two strains of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 that overexpressed the rbc gene, resulting in faster growth compared to the wild type strain. The increased biomass of these strains led to higher production of polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) under nutrient-deprived conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gang Ruan, Wujuan Mi, Xuwang Yin, Gaofei Song, Yonghong Bi
Summary: This study investigated the physiological response of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to cadmium stress and identified the toxicity targets and response mechanisms. Cadmium was found to damage the cell's photosynthesis and ultrastructure. The study also identified the target sites of cadmium and revealed that the upregulation of the ABC transporter pathway and its protein expression contributed to the response mechanism to cadmium toxicity.
Article
Plant Sciences
Shoki Ito, Atsuko Watanabe, Takashi Osanai
Summary: This study biochemically characterized the L-aspartate oxidase from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and determined its role in NADP+ biosynthesis under photoautotrophic conditions. The results provide important insights into the regulatory mechanism of cyanobacterial NADP+ biosynthesis.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xinyu Hu, Tianyuan Zhang, Kai Ji, Ke Luo, Li Wang, Wenli Chen
Summary: This study investigated the response of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to MV-induced oxidative stress using transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. Results showed that oxidative stress was strongest at 6 hours, with the highest proportion of upregulated genes and metabolites involved in ten metabolic pathways. Photosynthesis positively regulated the response, while environmental information processing was inhibited by MV.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Sang-Hyeok Cho, Yujin Jeong, Seong-Joo Hong, Hookeun Lee, Hyung-Kyoon Choi, Dong-Myung Kim, Choul-Gyun Lee, Suhyung Cho, Byung-Kwan Cho
Summary: This study elucidated the inhibitory mechanisms of photosynthesis in cyanobacteria under high-light and low-temperature stress conditions, highlighting the differences in response mechanisms between the two stress conditions. Through multiomics data analysis and construction of genome-wide transcription unit architecture, factors affecting photosynthesis at transcription, posttranscription, and translation levels were identified, providing pivotal information for future cyanobacterial cell factories development.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Raquel Garcia-Canas, Joaquin Giner-Lamia, Francisco J. Florencio, Luis Lopez-Maury
Summary: The study reveals the involvement of proteins PetR and PetP in regulating the soluble electron carrier in cells. Transcriptomic analysis shows that the PetRP system specifically regulates four genes (petE, petJ, slr0601, and slr0602), with their presence potentially representing an early adaptation to decreased iron bioavailability following the GOE.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Matthias Ostermeier, Steffen Heinz, Julia Hamm, Jure Zabret, Anna Rast, Andreas Klingl, Marc M. Nowaczyk, Joerg Nickelsen
Summary: Thylakoids are specialized internal membrane systems that house photosynthetic electron transport machinery in cyanobacteria and chloroplasts. The proteins AncM and CurT have antagonistic roles in shaping thylakoid ultrastructure.
Review
Fisheries
Anthony Moreira, Sonia Cruz, Ruben Marques, Paulo Cartaxana
Summary: Green macroalgae currently represent a small fraction of global seaweed production, with red and brown macroalgae dominating the aquaculture industry. However, there is a growing trend in the cultivation and diversification of green macroalgae, particularly in Asia. Interest in green seaweeds in aquaculture is increasing in emerging western markets due to their unique characteristics and potential applications.
REVIEWS IN AQUACULTURE
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Paulo Cartaxana, Diana Lopes, Begona Martinez, Patricia Martins, Sonia Cruz
Summary: Elysia crispata is a sea slug that can steal and retain chloroplasts, but individuals unable to retain chloroplasts experience impaired development.
Review
Plant Sciences
Yuwei Mao, Ella Catherall, Aranzazu Diaz-Ramos, George R. L. Greiff, Stavros Azinas, Laura Gunn, Alistair J. McCormick
Summary: Rubisco catalyses the first rate-limiting step in CO2 fixation and is responsible for the majority of organic carbon in the biosphere. The small subunit plays a crucial role in regulating the size of the Rubisco pool and the overall catalytic efficiency, making it a potential target for engineering to enhance Rubisco performance.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ricardo Calado, Renato Mamede, Sonia Cruz, Miguel C. Leal
Summary: From 1990 to 2019, a total of 15,442 New Marine Natural Products from Invertebrates (NMNPIs) were reported. The 2010s was the most productive decade, with the highest number of NMNPIs recorded. Sponges and cnidarians were the main contributors, and the tropical areas of the Pacific Ocean had the highest yield. The Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot was the most relevant area for NMNPIs discovery in the 2010s, surpassing previous top areas like the Sea of Japan and the Caribbean Islands. China's exclusive economic zone played a significant role, surpassing Japan's contribution.
Article
Biology
Diana Lopes, Sonia Cruz, Patricia Martins, Sonia Ferreira, Claudia Nunes, Pedro Domingues, Paulo Cartaxana
Summary: This study investigates the impact of kleptoplast photosynthesis on mucus production in the tropical sea slug Elysia crispata. The findings suggest that photosynthesis is crucial for mucus production in kleptoplast-bearing sea slugs.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Rodrigo Garcia-Rodriguez, Antonio J. Riquelme, Matthew Cowley, Karen Valadez-Villalobos, Gerko Oskam, Laurence J. Bennett, Matthew J. Wolf, Lidia Contreras-Bernal, Petra J. Cameron, Alison B. Walker, Juan A. Anta
Summary: A combination of experimental studies and drift-diffusion modeling is used to investigate the appearance of inverted hysteresis in perovskite solar cells. The influence of different parameters on hysteresis behavior is examined, and a drift-diffusion model is used to simulate the experimental trends. It is shown that the accumulation and depletion of ionic charge at the interfaces modify carrier transport and injection/recombination processes, leading to hysteresis.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Felisa Rey, Paulo Cartaxana, Susana Aveiro, Michael Greenacre, Tania Melo, Pedro Domingues, M. Rosario Domingues, Sonia Cruz
Summary: A study on the sea slug Elysia timida revealed that light intensity influences the degradation of stolen chloroplasts (kleptoplasts), with older kleptoplasts being targeted for degradation. The lipidome of E. timida showed differences under different light treatments, indicating a light-driven remodelling of the lipidome.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR AND CELL BIOLOGY OF LIPIDS
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Sonia Cruz, Paulo Cartaxana
Summary: This article examines the mystery of how certain sacoglossan sea slugs can retain and utilize functional algal chloroplasts in their bodies for an extended period of time, without the support of the algal nucleus.
Article
Physics, Applied
Will Clarke, Matthew V. Cowley, Matthew J. Wolf, Petra Cameron, Alison Walker, Giles Richardson
Summary: By analyzing a drift-diffusion model of a planar three-layer perovskite solar cell using asymptotic techniques, we uncover the cause of inverted hysteresis and obtain a simple approximate model that shows excellent agreement with numerical simulations. This provides fundamental insights into the phenomenon and reconciles the alternative explanations found in the literature.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Maurice Mager, Hugo Pineda Hernandez, Fabian Brandenburg, Luis Lopez-Maury, Alistair J. McCormick, Dennis J. Nuernberg, Tim Orthwein, David A. Russo, Angelo Joshua Victoria, Xiaoran Wang, Julie A. Z. Zedler, Filipe Branco dos Santos, Nicolas M. Schmelling
Summary: In recent years, many new synthetic biology tools have been developed for use in cyanobacteria. However, the reported characterizations of these tools often cannot be reproduced, which greatly limits comparability of results and applicability. This study assessed the reproducibility of a standard microbiological experiment in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and found significant differences in spectrophotometer measurements and growth rates between laboratories. These findings highlight the need for additional reporting requirements of growth conditions for phototrophic organisms beyond light intensity and CO2 supply.
ACS SYNTHETIC BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ana C. R. Resende, Rui Pereira, Claudia Nunes, Sonia Cruz, Ricardo Calado, Paulo Cartaxana
Summary: This study investigated the photosynthetic pigments and carbohydrates of Fucus vesiculosus from six locations in the Ria de Aveiro coastal lagoon. Despite differences in environmental factors, the photosynthetic performance, pigment, and carbohydrate concentrations were similar between locations. The concentration of total carbohydrates averaged 418 mg g(-1) dw, with fucose being the second most abundant neutral sugar. Fucoxanthin concentrations were higher than most brown macroalgae, suggesting the potential for valuable bioactive compounds.
Article
Plant Sciences
Felisa Rey, Paulo Cartaxana, Sonia Cruz, Tania Melo, M. Rosario Domingues
Summary: Marine algae are important sources of high-value compounds. This study focused on the lipidome and pigment profile of Acetabularia acetabulum, a macroscopic green single-celled alga. Analysis identified 16 polar lipid classes and 191 lipid species, as well as carotenoids and chlorophylls. The lipid extracts showed high antioxidant activity.
JOURNAL OF PHYCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Xochitl G. Vital, Nuno Simoes, Sonia Cruz, Maite Mascaro
Summary: This study analyzed three populations of the solar-powered sea slug Elysia crispata on reefs in the southern Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean. The results showed that the abundance and size of the sea slugs were related to locality, time of the day, and depth.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Samuel R. Pering, Petra J. Cameron
Summary: In this study, the effect of ion substitution at multiple sites on the activation energy for iodide diffusion was evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results show that crystal lattice substitutions have a significant effect on the activation energy.
MATERIALS ADVANCES
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Tomasz Zielinski, Johnny Hay, Andrew Romanowski, Anja Nenninger, Alistair McCormick, Andrew J. Millar
Summary: Practical delivery of Findable, Accessible, Reusable and Interoperable principles for research data management requires expertise, time resource, (meta)data standards and formats, software tools and public repositories. SynBio2Easy, a tool presented in this paper, streamlines and automates operations on Synthetic Biology Open Language (SBOL) designs using Microsoft Excel(R) tables as metadata inputs.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kecheng Long, Shaozhen Huang, Han Wang, Anbang Wang, Yuejiao Chen, Zhijian Liu, Yu Zhang, Zhibin Wu, Weikun Wang, Libao Chen
Summary: This study proposes a low-cost Li foil surface-reconstruction strategy using a mechanochemistry reaction between fumed silica and Li to achieve dendrite-free Li metal anode. The reconstructed surface enhances the electrode dynamics and constructs an anionphilic interface, leading to significantly improved low-temperature and cycling performance of Li metal batteries while maintaining high energy density and stable cycle performance.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Changchun Ye, Zhenghui Pan, Qinghua Zhang, Fang Yin, Yanan Wang, Yifei Li, Guangxu Chen, Jia Li, Yongcai Qiu, Geoffrey I. N. Waterhouse, Lin Gu, Zhang Lin, Lin Guo
Summary: A facile synthesis route for heterostructured metal oxides via quenching-induced structural transformation was developed. Multiple quenching triggered the transformation from NiMoO4 to NiFe2O4, creating a novel heterostructure, and the pre-quenching generated disordered defect structure can promote subsequent quenching regulation.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yang Liu, Xufei An, Ke Yang, Jiabin Ma, Jinshuo Mi, Danfeng Zhang, Xing Cheng, Yuhang Li, Yuetao Ma, Ming Liu, Feiyu Kang, Yan-Bing He
Summary: The lack of understanding of ion transport in the cathode of PVDF-based solid-state lithium metal batteries limits their performance. The use of carbon-coated Li1.4Al0.4Ti1.6(PO4)3 nanowires as a cathode filler improves the diffusion of ions in the thick cathode, leading to enhanced battery performance and stability.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zixing Wang, Kang Luo, Jian-Fang Wu, Peng Gao, Kexuan Wang, Shi Chen, Jian Tu, Xiulin Fan, Jilei Liu
Summary: This study improves the performance limitations of potassium-ion batteries at extreme temperatures by regulating the ion-solvent-coordinated structure, leading to enhanced cycling performance and capacity retention.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Shan Jiang, Ruyue Wang, Minghua Li, Runnan Yu, Fuzhi Wang, Zhan'ao Tan
Summary: This study developed a synergistic electrical and light management strategy to maximize the voltage output in monolithic perovskite/organic tandem solar cells. By optimizing the interface contact and regulating the donor/acceptor ratio, the fabricated cells achieved remarkable power conversion efficiency and high open-circuit voltage.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2024)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Gwanho Kim, Jae Won Lee, Kaiying Zhao, Taebin Kim, Woojoong Kim, Jin Woo Oh, Kyuho Lee, Jihye Jang, Guangtao Zan, Jong Woong Park, Seokyeong Lee, Yeonji Kim, Wei Jiang, Shengyou Li, Cheolmin Park
Summary: In this study, a new type of complementary energy harvester that can simultaneously generate moisture-induced and triboelectric power is introduced. This device exhibits high resilience, high energy output, and potential applications in emergency guidance systems.
ENERGY & ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2024)
