Thermosynechococcus switches the direction of phototaxis by a c-di-GMP-dependent process with high spatial resolution.

ABSTRACT: Many cyanobacteria, which use light as an energy source via photosynthesis, show directional movement towards or away from a light source. However, the molecular and cell biological mechanisms for switching the direction of movement remain unclear. Here, we visualized type IV pilus-dependent cell movement in the rod-shaped thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus vulcanus using optical microscopy at physiological temperature and light conditions. Positive and negative phototaxis were controlled on a short time scale of 1 min. The cells smoothly moved over solid surfaces towards green light, but the direction was switched to backward movement when we applied additional blue light illumination. The switching was mediated by three photoreceptors, SesA, SesB, and SesC, which have

SUBMITTER: Nakane D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9090330 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature