Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jorge Guio, Maria Teresa Bes, Monica Balsera, Laura Calvo-Begueria, Emma Sevilla, Maria Luisa Peleato, Maria F. Fillat
Summary: FurA is a multifunctional regulator in cyanobacteria that can develop disulfide reductase activity due to lack of a structural zinc ion. The interaction between FurA and the type m thioredoxin TrxA was confirmed through in vitro and in vivo studies, suggesting TrxA as a redox partner that modulates FurA performance in facilitating interactions with different ligands.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Benjamin L. Springstein, Dennis J. Nurnberg, Christian Woehle, Julia Weissenbach, Marius L. Theune, Andreas O. Helbig, Iris Maldener, Tal Dagan, Karina Stucken
Summary: Filament-forming proteins play crucial roles in cellular processes such as cell division and growth. Two novel coiled-coil-rich proteins in the filament-forming cyanobacterium Anabaena assemble into heteropolymers and function in maintaining the multicellular shape. Their function is achieved through cooperation with other proteins to stabilize the cell shape.
Article
Microbiology
T. V. Divya, Celin Acharya
Summary: In this study, we discovered a protein called AzuR that negatively regulates the metallothionein NmtA in cyanobacteria. We demonstrated that AzuR binds to the regulatory element of NmtA and that the presence of metal ions can disrupt this binding. Overexpression of AzuR in cyanobacteria increased their sensitivity to cadmium.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Akanksha Srivastava, Subhankar Biswas, Sandhya Yadav, Arvind Kumar, Hema Rajaram, Vaibhav Srivastava, Yogesh Mishra
Summary: Photosynthetic organisms, such as cyanobacteria, are negatively affected by cadmium (Cd) exposure, leading to the production of intracellular ROS and decreased photosynthetic performance. Cd exposure inactivates PSII reaction centers, disrupting energy transfer processes and decreasing linear electron flow efficiency. However, it induces an increase in PSI-based cyclic electron flow as a protective response against Cd-induced PSII damage in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ryo Nagao, Makio Yokono, Yoshifumi Ueno, Takehiro Suzuki, Koji Kato, Ka-Ho Kato, Naoki Tsuboshita, Tian-Yi Jiang, Naoshi Dohmae, Jian-Ren Shen, Shigeki Ehira, Seiji Akimoto
Summary: IsiAs are proteins expressed in cyanobacteria under iron-deficient conditions, surrounding the photosystem I trimer with a ring formation. The study found that the PSI-IsiA1 supercomplex is present in the wild-type under iron-replete conditions, while IsiA2 and IsiA3 bind to PSI monomer in the ΔisiA1 mutant under iron-deficient conditions. These findings provide insights into the multiple-expression system of the IsiA family in this cyanobacterium.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Shota Shimizu, Haruya Ogawa, Naoki Tsuboshita, Takehiro Suzuki, Koji Kato, Yoshiki Nakajima, Naoshi Dohmae, Jian-Ren Shen, Ryo Nagao
Summary: In this study, we successfully purified PSI-monomer-PBS and PSI-dimer-PBS supercomplexes from iron-deficient cyanobacterium. This suggests that the binding between CpcL and PSI becomes tighter under iron deficiency, resulting in the formation of these two supercomplexes.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Li Wang, Tian-Cai Niu, Ana Valladares, Gui-Ming Lin, Ju-Yuan Zhang, Antonia Herrero, Wen-Li Chen, Cheng-Cai Zhang
Summary: This study investigates the regulation of FtsZ during heterocyst differentiation, revealing that the interaction between PatD and FtsZ interferes with FtsZ assembly, affecting cell division and differentiation processes.
ENVIRONMENTAL MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Chao Li, He Zhang, Yaru Du, Wei Zhang, Xudong Xu
Summary: The gene patU, particularly the patU3 variant in filamentous cyanobacteria, is crucial for both heterocyst patterning and cell size control. The N-terminal 16-amino-acid sequence of PatU3 is essential for its interaction with the cell division protein Ftn6 and for determining cell size. Furthermore, certain peptides within this sequence can restore cell size in a patU3 deletion mutant, suggesting a potential role in intercellular coordination in cyanobacteria.
JOURNAL OF BACTERIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ryo Nagao, Makio Yokono, Yoshifumi Ueno, Yoshiki Nakajima, Takehiro Suzuki, Ka-Ho Kato, Naoki Tsuboshita, Naoshi Dohmae, Jian-Ren Shen, Shigeki Ehira, Seiji Akimoto
Summary: Heterocysts are formed in filamentous heterocystous cyanobacteria under nitrogen-starvation conditions and have a lower amount of photosystem II (PSII) complexes compared to vegetative cells. Investigations on heterocysts have shown almost no PSII complexes but the presence of PSI complexes in the thylakoids. Analysis of fluorescence spectra and excitation-energy-relaxation processes in heterocysts revealed differences in fluorescence characteristics of PSII and PSI compared to vegetative thylakoids.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOENERGETICS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Giulia Trentin, Francesca Piazza, Marta Carletti, Boris Zorin, Inna Khozin-Goldberg, Alberto Bertucco, Eleonora Sforza
Summary: Two diazotrophic cyanobacteria were cultivated to produce cyanophycin under nitrogen fixing conditions. Nostoc sp. showed higher efficiency in accumulating cyanophycin and fixing atmospheric nitrogen. The operating conditions were optimized, with nitrogen availability and/or pH playing a major role in biomass production and phosphorus limitation maximizing cyanophycin accumulation.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Olga A. Koksharova, Ivan O. Butenko, Olga V. Pobeguts, Nina A. Safronova, Vadim M. Govorun
Summary: The study demonstrates that BMAA treatment results in imbalance of energy and metabolite levels in diazotrophic cyanobacterial cells, leading to upregulation of stress-activated proteins and affecting the expression of nitrogenase subunits involved in nitrogen fixation. These findings provide new insights into the ecological impact of BMAA on microalgal communities.
Article
Microbiology
Qin-Xue Sun, Min Huang, Ju-Yuan Zhang, Xiaoli Zeng, Cheng-Cai Zhang
Summary: This study identified a two-component signaling system, composed of CdgK and CdgS, that regulates cell size in cyanobacteria. The GGDEF domain of CdgS was found to be essential in cell size control. This research provides insights into the mechanisms of cell size regulation in cyanobacteria.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
KusumikaSinha Roy, Srijoni Bannerjee, Tanishka Hazra, Debabrata Das, Soumya Pandit, Dibyajit Lahiri, Moupriya Nag, Rina Rani Ray, Tanmay Sarkar, M. Moovendhan, M. Kavisri
Summary: Cyanobacterial exopolysaccharides have potential applications in industry due to their ability to modify water properties. This study investigated the effects of physicochemical parameters on biomass and exopolysaccharide production using Anabaena sp. PCC7120. Optimum values of sodium nitrate concentration, pH, and temperature were determined, resulting in a biomass concentration of 1.58 g/L. The extracted exopolysaccharide showed high flocculating efficiency with Chlorella sorokiniana and the leftover biomass had potential as fodder and for biofuel production.
BIOMASS CONVERSION AND BIOREFINERY
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Frederic Deschoenmaeker, Shoko Mihara, Tatsuya Niwa, Hideki Taguchi, Ken-Ichi Wakabayashi, Masakazu Toyoshima, Hiroshi Shimizu, Toru Hisabori
Summary: Deletion of ntrC in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 did not alter cell structure or metabolic pathways, but led to changes in specific proteins and metabolites. Loss of ntrC resulted in disrupted nitrogen metabolism, redox imbalance, and altered metabolite levels, indicating a direct regulatory role in enzyme activity.
JOURNAL OF BIOCHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Loknath Samanta, Karin Stensjo, Peter Lindblad, Jyotirmoy Bhattacharya
Summary: This study investigates the tolerance of filamentous cyanobacteria to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and finds that different strains have different levels of tolerance, which is important for the selection and use of strains in biotechnological applications.
ARCHIVES OF MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Azat Gabdulkhakov, Ilya Kolyadenko, Paulo Oliveira, Paula Tamagnini, Alisa Mikhaylina, Svetlana Tishchenko
Summary: This study investigated the role of the Arg240 residue in the two-domain laccase from Streptomyces griseoflavus Ac-993, with X-ray structural analysis and kinetic characterization of two mutants providing support for the involvement of this residue in protonation events during the reductive cleavage of dioxygen to water.
JOURNAL OF BIOMOLECULAR STRUCTURE & DYNAMICS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Angela Brito, Mariana Rocha, Jan Kastovsky, Jorge Vieira, Cristina P. Vieira, Vitor Ramos, Manuel Correia, Marina Santos, Rita Mota, Jessica Roque, Joao Pissarra, Paula Melo, Paula Tamagnini
Summary: The new terrestrial cyanobacterial species Oculatella lusitanica exhibits distinctive characteristics and can mitigate the negative impact of salt stress on plants, as well as activate plant defense mechanisms under non-stress conditions.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYCOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Steven J. Biller, Maria del Carmen Munoz-Marin, Steeve Lima, Jorge Matinha-Cardoso, Paula Tamagnini, Paulo Oliveira
Summary: Cyanobacteria are a diverse group of bacteria that produce extracellular vesicles, with their specific functional roles still largely unknown. This paper provides a detailed protocol for isolating, concentrating, and purifying cyanobacterial extracellular vesicles, along with successful methodologies and challenges. By discussing methodologies for quantifying and characterizing vesicle samples, the study aims to encourage further research in this area.
JOVE-JOURNAL OF VISUALIZED EXPERIMENTS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Steeve Lima, Jorge Matinha-Cardoso, Joaquin Giner-Lamia, Narciso Couto, Catarina C. Pacheco, Francisco J. Florencio, Phillip C. Wright, Paula Tamagnini, Paulo Oliveira
Summary: Metal homeostasis is crucial for cell metabolism. Bacteria release extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a response to high copper concentrations to transport copper, along with activating detoxification systems.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jorge Matinha-Cardoso, Filipe Coutinho, Steeve Lima, Ana Eufrasio, Antonio Paulo Carvalho, Aires Oliva-Teles, Jose Bessa, Paula Tamagnini, Claudia R. Serra, Paulo Oliveira
Summary: Aquaculture is rapidly growing to meet consumer demands. A new study tested the use of cyanobacterial extracellular vesicles as a novel nanocarrier system for fish, showing potential for biotechnological applications in carrying proteins/enzymes to improve fish health.
MICROBIAL BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Teresa P. Martins, Nathaniel R. . Glasser, Duncan J. Kountz, Paulo Oliveira, Emily P. . Balskus, Pedro N. Leao
Summary: The biosynthesis of nocuolin A, a cytotoxic cyanobacterial metabolite, was investigated. It was found that the carbon skeleton of nocuolin A is assembled from two medium-chain fatty acids, hexanoic and octanoic acids, and the 3-hydroxypropanoyl moiety originates from methionine. The study provides insight into the unusual biosynthetic chemistry of nocuolin A.
ACS CHEMICAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jelena Spasic, Paulo Oliveira, Catarina Pacheco, Robert Kourist, Paula Tamagnini
Summary: Cyanobacteria have the potential for industrially relevant redox reactions due to their ability to use light as an energy source and water as an electron donor. By modifying the electron flow, the efficiency of biotransformation in cyanobacteria can be significantly improved.
JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Jorge Matinha-Cardoso, Tamara Santos, Hugo Pereira, Joao Varela, Paula Tamagnini, Rita Mota
Summary: In recent years, the large-scale cultivation and commercialization of microalgae/cyanobacteria biomasses have become a worldwide trend, mainly directed to the animal and human nutrition markets due to their outstanding nutritional value. Crocosphaera chwakensis CCY0110 is a marine unicellular cyanobacterium that produces a promising and versatile extracellular carbohydrate polymer (Cyanoflan). Therefore, envisaging a biorefinery approach with a multi-product stream (zero-waste), C. chwakensis biomass was cultivated at pilot-scale and its nutritional composition was evaluated.
ALGAL RESEARCH-BIOMASS BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Rita Mota, Raquel T. Lima, Carlos Flores, Juliana F. Silva, Beatriz Cruz, Barbara Alves, Marta T. Pinto, Alessandra Adessi, Sara B. Pereira, Roberto De Philippis, Paula Soares, Paula Tamagnini
Summary: Cancer is a major cause of death worldwide, and there is a need for effective and affordable anticancer agents. The extracellular carbohydrate polymer of a Synechocystis Delta sigF mutant has been found to exhibit strong antitumor activity by inducing apoptosis. In this study, variants of the polymer were tested in a human melanoma cell line and showed enhanced antitumor activity. Furthermore, the polymers were also effective in reducing tumor growth in vivo. These findings contribute to the design and evaluation of cyanobacterial extracellular polymers for biomedical applications.
Article
Microbiology
Rafaela A. Santos, Claudia Cardoso, Neide Pedrosa, Gabriela Goncalves, Jorge Matinha-Cardoso, Filipe Coutinho, Antonio P. Carvalho, Paula Tamagnini, Aires Oliva-Teles, Paulo Oliveira, Claudia R. Serra
Summary: Disease outbreaks in aquaculture can lead to significant economic losses. Lipopolysaccharides (LPS), important components of Gram-negative bacteria, have been found to cause mortality in zebrafish larvae. Differences in LPS structure among bacterial species may contribute to variations in mortality rates.
Review
Microbiology
Amaranta Kahn, Paulo Oliveira, Marine Cuau, Pedro N. Leao
Summary: Fatty acids are important molecules in bioenergetics and industry. Cyanobacteria, a group of prokaryotes, utilize oxygenic photosynthesis to generate various biomolecules including fatty acids. They can also import exogenous free fatty acids and incorporate them into biosynthetic pathways. This review summarizes the mechanisms and regulation of free fatty acid transport into cyanobacterial cells, their activation and utilization in the synthesis of fatty acid-containing biomolecules, and the recycling of free fatty acids derived from these molecules. It also discusses engineering efforts to optimize biofuel production through cyanobacterial fatty acid-associated pathways.
FEMS MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Giovanni Davide Barone, Michal Hubacek, Lenny Malihan-Yap, Hanna C. Grimm, Lauri Nikkanen, Catarina C. Pacheco, Paula Tamagnini, Yagut Allahverdiyeva, Robert Kourist
Summary: It has been found that the addition of exogenous carbon source D-glucose can accelerate NAD(P)H redox reactions and increase the activity of ene-reductase YqjM in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, leading to higher production of biofuels and catalysis in heterologous electron consuming processes.
BIOTECHNOLOGY FOR BIOFUELS AND BIOPRODUCTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Francesco Mascia, Sara B. Pereira, Catarina C. Pacheco, Paulo Oliveira, Jennifer Solarczek, Anett Schallmey, Robert Kourist, Veronique Alphand, Paula Tamagnini
Summary: This study achieved the light-driven selective hydroxylation of testosterone using the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 expressing the heterologous CYP450 monooxygenase. The reaction conditions were optimized, resulting in higher specific activity compared to using E. coli. The engineered Synechocystis chassis demonstrated higher efficiency and sustainability in testosterone hydroxylation compared to biocatalysis with heterotrophic microorganisms or chemical synthesis.