Timekeeping mechanism in prokaryotes: Cyanobacteria can anticipate the seasons
Plant Science Research WeeklyCyanobacteria, although short-lived, are sensitive to photoperiodic time measurement just as in eukaryotes. Jabbur et al. discuss the discovery of photoperiodism in prokaryotic cyanobacteria, Synechococcus elongatus and their ability to anticipate seasonal changes through light and dark cycles similar…
Cyanobacterial PSI assembly
The Plant Cell: In a NutshellDai, Song, Xu et al. identify Ycf51 as a photosystem I assembly factor in cyanobacteria
https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koad330
By Guo-Zheng Dai, Central China Normal University
Question: Background: While the mechanisms of photosystem II biogenesis and the auxiliary proteins involved are well…
A nitrogen-fixing algal organelle
Plant Science Research Weekly
Coale et al. provide an exciting peek into the evolution of a nitrogen-fixing organelle (called a nitroplast) in their studies of a tiny marine alga, Braarudosphaera bigelowii and its endosymbiont cyanobacterium, Candidatus Atelocyanobacterium thalassa (UCYN-A). Plant biologists are familiar with…
A CRISPRi library screen reveals growth-robustness tradeoffs in Synechocystis
The Plant Cell: In a NutshellMiao & Jahn et al. generated and screened a large CRISPRi-based library of Synechocystis in 11 different growth conditions to reveal growth-robustness tradeoffs and to discover genes with condition specific importance and additional functions.
https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koad208
By Rui…
Anchoring Membranes in Cyanobacteria
The Plant Cell: In a NutshellOstermeier et al. introduce AncM, a new factor for structuring the photosynthetic membrane system in cyanobacteria. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koab253
By Matthias Ostermeier, Steffen Heinz and Jörg Nickelsen at Molecular Plant Science at LMU Munich
Background: Cyanobacteria are…
Crosstalk Between Light Harvesting and Photoprotection Is Mediated by a Regulatory sRNA
The Plant Cell: In a NutshellZhan and Steglich et al. investigate the small RNA-mediated regulation of the photoprotective Orange Carotenoid Protein in cyanobacteria. https://bit.ly/3d3AqY0
By Jiao Zhan1,2, Wolfgang Hess3 and Diana Kirilovsky1
1 Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the…
Self-assembling organelles for CO2 fixation: stoichiometry and structural plasticity
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellSun et al. investigate how carboxysomes are constructed and regulated in cyanobacteria. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00787
By Luning Liu
Background: All cells are composed of well-defined compartments to encase enzymes and reactions to increase the efficiency of biological processes.…
Balancing photosystem activities: different mechanisms in plants and cyanobacteria
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellCalzadilla et al. investigate the mechanism underlying state transitions in cyanobacteria. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00159
By Pablo I. Calzadilla and Diana Kirilovsky, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell, CEA, CNRS, Université Paris-Sud, Université Paris-Saclay, Gif sur…
A thylakoid-located carbonic anhydrase regulates CO2 uptake in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (New Phytol)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe cyanobacterial CO2 concentrating mechanism (CCM) is dependent on a continuous supply of inorganic carbon (Ci) to rubisco inside carboxysomes in order to function optimally. CO2 uptake pathways are therefore of great importance for a full understanding of the cyanobacterial CCM. Sun et al demonstrate…