Cyanophycin Synthesis Optimizes Nitrogen Utilization in the Unicellular Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803.

ABSTRACT: Cyanophycin is a carbon/nitrogen storage polymer widely distributed in most cyanobacterial strains and in a few heterotrophic bacteria. It is a nonribosomal polypeptide consisting of equimolar amounts of aspartate and arginine. Here, we focused on the physiological function and cell biology of cyanophycin in the unicellular nondiazotrophic cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. To study the cellular localization of the cyanophycin-synthesizing enzyme CphA during cyanophycin synthesis and degradation, we fused it to green fluorescent protein. When CphA was inactive, it localized diffusely in the cytoplasm. When cyanophycin synthesis was triggered, CphA first aggregated into foci and later localized on the surface of cyanophycin granules. In the corresponding cell extracts,

SUBMITTER: Watzer B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6182900 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature