Project description:To identify the mechanisms of the adaptation to terrestrial ecosystems, an RNA-seq based transcriptome analysis was conducted on a desiccation resistant cyanobacterium, Nostoc sp. MG11.
Project description:Change in gene expression for a wild-type (Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133) and hmpD-deletion strain (UCD 543) of Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133 over the time course of hormogonium development This study is further descirbed in Risser, D.D. and Meeks, J.C. 2013. Comparative transcriptomics with a motility deficient mutant leads to identification of a novel polysaccharide secretion system in Nostoc punctiforme. Molecular Microbiology
Project description:Change in gene expression for a wild-type (Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133) and hmpD-deletion strain (UCD 543) of Nostoc punctiforme ATCC 29133 over the time course of hormogonium development This study is further descirbed in Risser, D.D. and Meeks, J.C. 2013. Comparative transcriptomics with a motility deficient mutant leads to identification of a novel polysaccharide secretion system in Nostoc punctiforme. Molecular Microbiology Total RNA from 3 biological replicates at each time point from 0 to 24 hours after hormogonium induction was converted to cDNA, dye-labled and hybridized to nimblegen 12x135k array slides
Project description:Transcriptomic analyses using high-throughput methods have revealed abundant antisense transcription in bacteria. Most frequently, antisense transcription is due to the overlap of mRNAs with long 5’ regions or 3’ ends that extend beyond the coding sequence. In addition, antisense RNAs that do not contain any coding sequence are also observed. Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 is a filamentous cyanobacterium that, under nitrogen limitation, behaves as a multicellular organism with division of labor among two different cell types that depend on each other, the vegetative CO2-fixing cells and the nitrogen-fixing heterocysts. Differentiation of heterocysts depends on the global nitrogen regulator NtcA and requires the specific regulator HetR. To identify antisense RNAs potentially involved in heterocyst differentiation we performed an RNA-Seq analysis of cells subjected to nitrogen limitation (either at 9 or 24 hours after nitrogen removal) and analyzed the results in combination with a genome-wide set of nitrogen-regulated transcriptional start sites and a prediction of transcriptional terminators. Our analysis resulted in the definition of a transcriptional map including more than 4,000 transcripts, 65% of them in antisense orientation to other transcripts. In addition to overlapping mRNAs we identified nitrogen-regulated non-coding antisense RNAs transcribed from NtcA-dependent or HetR-dependent promoters.
Project description:Plant-cyanobacteria symbiosis is considered one of the pivotal events in the history of life. In this symbiosis, the cyanobacterium provides to the plant fixed nitrogen compounds and plant hormones and, in return, the plant provides to the cyanobacterium fixed carbon. Despite the large knowledge in the physiology and ecology of plant-cyanobacteria symbioses, little is known about the molecular mechanisms involved in the crosstalk between partners. It has been shown recently that Nostoc punctiforme is able to stablish an endophytic symbiosis with Oryza sativa. This finding opens a door to explore this symbiotic interaction as a sustainable alternative to nitrogen fertilization of paddy fields. However, molecular mechanisms behind Oryza-Nostoc endosymbiosis are still not clarified. To gain further insights, an LC-MS/MS based label-free quantitative technique was used to evaluate the differential proteomics under N. punctiforme treatment vs. control plants at 1 day and 7 days. Differential expression profiling reveals a significant number of proteins to be down-regulated or missing in both partners, while others were more abundant or only expressed when both partners were in contact. In N. punctiforme, the differential protein expression was primarily connected to primary metabolism, signal transduction and perception, transport of substances and photosynthesis. In O. sativa, the differential protein expression was connected to a wide range of biological functions regulating carbon and nitrogen metabolism and response to biotic and abiotic stresses.