Project description:Cyanobacteria Prochlorococcus marinus subsp. pastoris str. CCMP1986 (MED4) and Prochlorococcus marinus str. MIT 9313 (MIT9313) are oceanic oxygenic phototrophs, where MED4 is abundant in surface waters (~0-50 meters) and MIT9313 is abundant at depths of ~100 meters. To explore nitrogen-regulated changes in gene expression in these Prochlorococcus ecotypes, log phase cultures of MED4 and MIT9313 were transferred to either nitrogen-replete (800 uM ammonium) or medium lacking supplemental nitrogen. Samples were taken over a time series in order to characterize changes in physiology and gene expression during increasing nitrogen starvation. The two ecotypes' molecular responses to different nitrogen sources were also assessed by comparing gene expression of log phase cultures growing in ammonium vs. urea and cyanate (MED4), and vs. urea and nitrite (MIT9313).
