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Functional Genomics and Evolution of Photosynthetic Systems pp 103–118Cite as

Recent Functional Genomics Studies in Marine Synechococcus

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Part of the book series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration ((AIPH,volume 33))

Summary

Marine Synechoccocus are major contributors to global primary productivity. Genomics and metagenomics have revealed high levels of gene content diversity in these cyanobacteria, partly due to horizontal gene transfer. These differences would be extremely important for ecological niche adaptation. Functional genomics studies using microarrays are now revealing how gene expression in marine cyanobacteria is responding to common environmental stresses such as nutrient deprivation, metal stress, and even the presence of other microbes. Many genes highly expressed under environmental stresses seem to be clade – or even strain-specific, which may change our view of how microbes adapt to new environmental conditions.

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Abbreviations

amt1 :

ammonium transporter

apcF :

gene encoding light-harvesting phycobilisome core ­component-allophycocyanin subunit

chlB :

gene encoding light-independent protochlorophyllide reductase subunit

Fur:

Ferric uptake regulator, a transcription factor controlling iron uptake

gltS :

gene encoding monocomponent sodium-dependent glutamate permease

nirA :

gene encoding nitrite reductase

NtcA:

transcription factor that is key element for nitrogen control

petF2 :

gene encoding ferredoxin

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Acknowledgments

Much of the microarray work summarized here was a collaboration with a number of scientists including Ian Paulsen, Bianca Brahamsha, Qinhu Ren, Sasha Tetu, Kathy Phillipy, Aaron Johnson, Chris Dupont, Rhona Stuart, Vera Tai, Rob Herman, Lori Crumbliss, Ed Thomas, Zhengchang Su, and Ying Xu. This chapter borrows liberally from their work and collective insights into Synechococcus biology. In addition I would like to thank DOE and NSF for providing funding that led to the sequencing and analysis of the genomes of strains WH8102, CC9902, CC9605 (DOE-JGI) and CC9311 (JCVI) and their use in microarray studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego (UCSD), 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, 92093-0202, CA, USA

    Brian Palenik

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  1. Brian Palenik
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Correspondence to Brian Palenik .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Microbiology & Molecular Genetics, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, 74075, Oklahoma, USA

    Robert Burnap

  2. School of Life Sciences &, Center for Bioenergy & Photosynthesis, Arizona State University, Tempe, 85287-4501, Arizona, USA

    Wim Vermaas

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Palenik, B. (2012). Recent Functional Genomics Studies in Marine Synechococcus . In: Burnap, R., Vermaas, W. (eds) Functional Genomics and Evolution of Photosynthetic Systems. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, vol 33. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1533-2_4

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