Cell wall amidase AmiC1 is required for cellular communication and heterocyst development in the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120 but not for filament integrity.

ABSTRACT: Filamentous cyanobacteria of the order Nostocales display typical properties of multicellular organisms. In response to nitrogen starvation, some vegetative cells differentiate into heterocysts, where fixation of N(2) takes place. Heterocysts provide a micro-oxic compartment to protect nitrogenase from the oxygen produced by the vegetative cells. Differentiation involves fundamental remodeling of the gram-negative cell wall by deposition of a thick envelope and by formation of a neck-like structure at the contact site to the vegetative cells. Cell wall-hydrolyzing enzymes, like cell wall amidases, are involved in peptidoglycan maturation and turnover in unicellular bacteria. Recently, we showed that mutation of the amidase homologue amiC2 gene in Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133 distorts fila

SUBMITTER: Berendt S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3457231 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature