Project description:Cyanobacteria fix atmospheric CO2 to biomass and through metabolic engineering can also act as photosynthetic cell factories for sustainable productions of fuels and chemicals. The Calvin cycle is the primary pathway for CO2 fixation in cyanobacteria, algae and C3 plants, and several studies have shown that overexpression of a cyanobacterial Calvin cycle enzyme, bifunctional sedoheptulose-1,7-bisphosphatase/fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase (hereafter BiBPase), enhances CO2 fixation in both plants and algae, although its impact on cyanobacteria has not yet been rigorously studied. Here, we show that overexpression of BiBPase enhanced growth, cell size, and photosynthetic O2 evolution of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 in an environment with elevated CO2 concentration. Biochemical analysis, immunodetection, and proteomic analysis revealed that overexpression of BiBPase considerably elevated the cellular activities of two rate-limiting enzymes in the Calvin cycle, namely ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO) and aldolase, while it repressed several enzymes involved in the respiratory carbon metabolism (e.g. glycolysis and the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway) including glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Concomitantly, the content of glycogen was significantly reduced while the extracellular carbohydrate content increased. These results indicate that overexpression of BiBPase leads to global reprogramming of carbon metabolism in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, promoting photosynthetic carbon fixation and repressing the respiratory carbon catabolism, while altering carbohydrate partitioning.
Project description:Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPc) is an essential enzyme in plants. A photosynthetic form is present both as dimer and tetramer in C4 and CAM metabolism. Additionally, non-photosynthetic PEPcs are also present. The single, non-photosynthetic PEPc of the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechococcus PCC 7002 (Synechococcus), involved in the TCA cycle, was examined. Using size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), we observed that PEPc in Synechococcus exists as both a dimer and a tetramer. This is the first demonstration of two different oligomerization states of a non-photosynthetic PEPc. High concentration of Mg2+, the substrate PEP and a combination of low concentration of Mg2+ and HCO3- induced the tetramer form of the carboxylase. Using SEC-SAXS analysis, we showed that the oligomerization state of the carboxylase is concentration dependent and that, among the available crystal structures of PEPc, the scattering profile of PEPc of Synechococcus agrees best with the structure of PEPc from Escherichia coli. In addition, the kinetics of the tetramer purified in presence of Mg2+ using SEC, and of the mixed population purified in presence of Mg2+ using a Strep-tagged column were examined. Moreover, the enzyme showed interesting allosteric regulation, being activated by succinate and inhibited by glutamine, and not affected by either malate, 2-oxoglutarate, aspartic acid or citric acid.
Project description:The nifJ gene codes for pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR), which reduces ferredoxin during fermentative catabolism of pyruvate to acetyl-coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA). A nifJ knockout mutant was constructed that lacks one of two pathways for the oxidation of pyruvate in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7002. Remarkably, the photoautotrophic growth rate of this mutant increased by 20% relative to the wild-type (WT) rate under conditions of light-dark cycling. This result is attributed to an increase in the quantum yield of photosystem II (PSII) charge separation as measured by photosynthetic electron turnover efficiency determined using fast-repetition-rate fluorometry (F(v)/F(m)). During autofermentation, the excretion of acetate and lactate products by nifJ mutant cells decreased 2-fold and 1.2-fold, respectively. Although nifJ cells displayed higher in vitro hydrogenase activity than WT cells, H(2) production in vivo was 1.3-fold lower than the WT level. Inhibition of acetate-CoA ligase and pyruvate dehydrogenase complex by glycerol eliminated acetate production, with a resulting loss of reductant and a 3-fold decrease in H(2) production by nifJ cells compared to WT cells. Continuous electrochemical detection of dissolved H(2) revealed two temporally resolved phases of H(2) production during autofermentation, a minor first phase and a major second phase. The first phase was attributed to reduction of ferredoxin, because its level decreased 2-fold in nifJ cells. The second phase was attributed to glycolytic NADH production and decreased 20% in nifJ cells. Measurement of the intracellular NADH/NAD(+) ratio revealed that the reductant generated by PFOR contributing to the first phase of H(2) production was not in equilibrium with bulk NADH/NAD(+) and that the second phase corresponded to the equilibrium NADH-mediated process.
Project description:Cyanobacterial regulation of gene expression must contend with a genome organization that lacks apparent functional context, as the majority of cellular processes and metabolic pathways are encoded by genes found at disparate locations across the genome and relatively few transcription factors exist. In this study, global transcript abundance data from the model cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 grown under 42 different conditions was analyzed using Context-Likelihood of Relatedness (CLR). The resulting network, organized into 11 modules, provided insight into transcriptional network topology as well as grouping genes by function and linking their response to specific environmental variables. When used in conjunction with genome sequences, the network allowed identification and expansion of novel potential targets of both DNA binding proteins and sRNA regulators. These results offer a new perspective into the multi-level regulation that governs cellular adaptations of the fast-growing physiologically robust cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 to changing environmental variables. It also provides a methodological high-throughput approach to studying multi-scale regulatory mechanisms that operate in cyanobacteria. Finally, it provides valuable context for integrating systems-level data to enhance gene grouping based on annotated function, especially in organisms where traditional context analyses cannot be implemented due to lack of operon-based functional organization.
Project description:Successful implementation of modified cyanobacteria as hosts for industrial applications requires the development of a cyanobacterial chassis. The cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 embodies key attributes for an industrial host, including a fast growth rate and high salt, light, and temperature tolerances. This study addresses key limitations in the advancement of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 as an industrial chassis.Tools for genome integration were developed and characterized, including several putative neutral sites for genome integration. The minimum homology arm length for genome integration in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 was determined to be approximately 250 bp. Three fluorescent protein reporters (hGFP, Ypet, and mOrange) were characterized for gene expression, microscopy, and flow cytometry applications in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002. Of these three proteins, the yellow fluorescent protein (Ypet) had the best optical properties for minimal interference with the native photosynthetic pigments and for detection using standard microscopy and flow cytometry optics. Twenty-five native promoters were characterized as tools for recombinant gene expression in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 based on previous RNA-seq results. This characterization included comparisons of protein and mRNA levels as well as expression under both continuous and diurnal light conditions. Promoters A2520 and A2579 were found to have strong expression in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 while promoters A1930, A1961, A2531, and A2813 had moderate expression. Promoters A2520 and A2813 showed more than twofold increases in gene expression under light conditions compared to dark, suggesting these promoters may be useful tools for engineering diurnal regulation.The genome integration, fluorescent protein, and promoter tools developed in this study will help to advance Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 as a cyanobacterial chassis. The long minimum homology arm length for Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 genome integration indicates native exonuclease activity or a low efficiency of homologous recombination. Low correlation between transcript and protein levels in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 suggests that transcriptomic data are poor selection criteria for promoter tool development. Lastly, the conventional strategy of using promoters from photosynthetic operons as strong promoter tools is debunked, as promoters from hypothetical proteins (A2520 and A2579) were found to have much higher expression levels.
Project description:The cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. Pasteur culture collection 7002 was genetically engineered to synthesize biofuel-compatible medium-chain fatty acids (FAs) during photoautotrophic growth. Expression of a heterologous lauroyl-acyl carrier protein (C12:0-ACP) thioesterase with concurrent deletion of the endogenous putative acyl-ACP synthetase led to secretion of transesterifiable C12:0 FA in CO2-supplemented batch cultures. When grown at steady state over a range of light intensities in a light-emitting diode turbidostat photobioreactor, the C12-secreting mutant exhibited a modest reduction in growth rate and increased O2 evolution relative to the wild-type (WT). Inhibition of (i) glycogen synthesis by deletion of the glgC-encoded ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) and (ii) protein synthesis by nitrogen deprivation were investigated as potential mechanisms for metabolite redistribution to increase FA synthesis. Deletion of AGPase led to a 10-fold decrease in reducing carbohydrates and secretion of organic acids during nitrogen deprivation consistent with an energy spilling phenotype. When the carbohydrate-deficient background (ΔglgC) was modified for C12 secretion, no increase in C12 was achieved during nutrient replete growth, and no C12 was recovered from any strain upon nitrogen deprivation under the conditions used. At steady state, the growth rate of the ΔglgC strain saturated at a lower light intensity than the WT, but O2 evolution was not compromised and became increasingly decoupled from growth rate with rising irradiance. Photophysiological properties of the ΔglgC strain suggest energy dissipation from photosystem II and reconfiguration of electron flow at the level of the plastoquinone pool.
Project description:BackgroundInorganic polyphosphate bodies (PPB) have recently been linked to a variety of functions in mammalian cells. To improve the yield of PPB from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 and characterize its form, in this study, a recombinant plasmid containing a polyphosphate kinase (ppk) gene was generated and transformed into Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002.ResultsPPB separated by Sephadex G-100 was characterized and added to polarized human intestinal epithelial (Caco-2) cells, and the absorption effect was assessed. The ppk gene was stably expressed by induction with 1 μM nickel, and the resulting PPB yield from Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 cells increased by 89.66%. Transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering analyses showed that PPB from these cells were nanosized, ranging from a few to approximately 100 nanometres in diameter. PPB can be taken up by Caco-2 cells and are mainly distributed around lipid droplets.ConclusionsWe determined that PPB can be overproduced in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 and that the resulting PPB were well absorbed by Caco-2 cells. Microalgae provide a promising "cell factory" for PPB production.
Project description:Cyanobacteria are valuable organisms for studying the physiology of photosynthesis and carbon fixation as well as metabolic engineering for the production of fuels and chemicals. This work describes a novel counter selection method for the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 based on organic acid toxicity. The organic acids acrylate, 3-hydroxypropionate, and propionate were shown to be inhibitory towards PCC 7002 and other cyanobacteria at low concentrations. Inhibition was overcome by a loss of function mutation in the gene acsA. Loss of AcsA function was used as a basis for an acrylate counter selection method. DNA fragments of interest were inserted into the acsA locus and strains harboring the insertion were isolated on selective medium containing acrylate. This methodology was also used to introduce DNA fragments into a pseudogene, glpK. Application of this method will allow for more advanced genetics and engineering studies in PCC 7002 including the construction of markerless gene deletions and insertions. The acrylate counter-selection could be applied to other cyanobacterial species where AcsA activity confers acrylate sensitivity (e.g. Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803).
Project description:Microbial free fatty acids (FFAs) have been proposed as a potential feedstock for renewable energy. The ability to directly convert carbon dioxide into FFAs makes cyanobacteria ideal hosts for renewable FFA production. Previous metabolic engineering efforts using the cyanobacterial hosts Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 have demonstrated this direct conversion of carbon dioxide into FFAs; however, FFA yields in these hosts are limited by the negative impact of FFA production on the host cell physiology. This work investigates the use of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 as a cyanobacterial host for FFA production. In comparison to S. elongatus PCC 7942, Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 strains produced and excreted FFAs at similar concentrations but without the detrimental effects on host physiology. The enhanced tolerance to FFA production with Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 was found to be temperature-dependent, with physiological effects such as reduced photosynthetic yield and decreased photosynthetic pigments observed at higher temperatures. Additional genetic manipulations were targeted for increased FFA production, including thioesterases and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO). Overexpression of non-native RuBisCO subunits (rbcLS) from a psbAI promoter resulted in more than a threefold increase in FFA production, with excreted FFA concentrations reaching >130?mg/L. This work illustrates the importance of host strain selection for cyanobacterial biofuel production and demonstrates that the FFA tolerance of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 can allow for high yields of excreted FFA.