Factors Controlling Floc Formation and Structure in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803.

ABSTRACT: Motile strains of the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 readily aggregate into flocs, or floating multicellular assemblages, when grown in liquid culture. As described here, we used confocal imaging to probe the structure of these flocs, and we developed a quantitative assay for floc formation based on fluorescence imaging of 6-well plates. The flocs are formed from strands of linked cells, sometimes packed into dense clusters but also containing voids with very few cells. Cells within the dense clusters show signs of nutrient stress, as judged by the subcellular distribution of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-tagged Vipp1 protein. We analyzed the effects on flocculation of a series of mutations that alter piliation and motility, including Δhfq, ΔpilB1, ΔpilT1, a

SUBMITTER: Conradi FD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6755745 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature