Survival Strategies in the Aquatic and Terrestrial World: The Impact of Second Messengers on Cyanobacterial Processes
Second messengers are intracellular substances regulated by specific external stimuli globally known as first messengers. Cells rely on second messengers to generate rapid responses to environmental changes and the importance of their roles is becoming increasingly realized in cellular signaling res...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2014-11-01
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| Series: | Life |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/4/4/745 |
| _version_ | 1828117516558270464 |
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| author | Marco Agostoni Beronda L. Montgomery |
| author_facet | Marco Agostoni Beronda L. Montgomery |
| author_sort | Marco Agostoni |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Second messengers are intracellular substances regulated by specific external stimuli globally known as first messengers. Cells rely on second messengers to generate rapid responses to environmental changes and the importance of their roles is becoming increasingly realized in cellular signaling research. Cyanobacteria are photooxygenic bacteria that inhabit most of Earth’s environments. The ability of cyanobacteria to survive in ecologically diverse habitats is due to their capacity to adapt and respond to environmental changes. This article reviews known second messenger-controlled physiological processes in cyanobacteria. Second messengers used in these systems include the element calcium (Ca2+), nucleotide-based guanosine tetraphosphate or pentaphosphate (ppGpp or pppGpp, represented as (p)ppGpp), cyclic adenosine 3’,5’-monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP), cyclic guanosine 3’,5’-monophosphate (cGMP), and cyclic dimeric AMP (c-di-AMP), and the gaseous nitric oxide (NO). The discussion focuses on processes central to cyanobacteria, such as nitrogen fixation, light perception, photosynthesis-related processes, and gliding motility. In addition, we address future research trajectories needed to better understand the signaling networks and cross talk in the signaling pathways of these molecules in cyanobacteria. Second messengers have significant potential to be adapted as technological tools and we highlight possible novel and practical applications based on our understanding of these molecules and the signaling networks that they control. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:15:54Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-6394a14250c04afc8b29faa8a7ee6cfd |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-1729 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T13:15:54Z |
| publishDate | 2014-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Life |
| spelling | doaj.art-6394a14250c04afc8b29faa8a7ee6cfd2022-12-22T04:22:24ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292014-11-014474576910.3390/life4040745life4040745Survival Strategies in the Aquatic and Terrestrial World: The Impact of Second Messengers on Cyanobacterial ProcessesMarco Agostoni0Beronda L. Montgomery1Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, 322 Plant Biology Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USACell and Molecular Biology Graduate Program, 322 Plant Biology Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USASecond messengers are intracellular substances regulated by specific external stimuli globally known as first messengers. Cells rely on second messengers to generate rapid responses to environmental changes and the importance of their roles is becoming increasingly realized in cellular signaling research. Cyanobacteria are photooxygenic bacteria that inhabit most of Earth’s environments. The ability of cyanobacteria to survive in ecologically diverse habitats is due to their capacity to adapt and respond to environmental changes. This article reviews known second messenger-controlled physiological processes in cyanobacteria. Second messengers used in these systems include the element calcium (Ca2+), nucleotide-based guanosine tetraphosphate or pentaphosphate (ppGpp or pppGpp, represented as (p)ppGpp), cyclic adenosine 3’,5’-monophosphate (cAMP), cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP), cyclic guanosine 3’,5’-monophosphate (cGMP), and cyclic dimeric AMP (c-di-AMP), and the gaseous nitric oxide (NO). The discussion focuses on processes central to cyanobacteria, such as nitrogen fixation, light perception, photosynthesis-related processes, and gliding motility. In addition, we address future research trajectories needed to better understand the signaling networks and cross talk in the signaling pathways of these molecules in cyanobacteria. Second messengers have significant potential to be adapted as technological tools and we highlight possible novel and practical applications based on our understanding of these molecules and the signaling networks that they control.http://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/4/4/745cyanobacteriasecond messengerCa2+(p)ppGppcAMPc-di-GMPcGMPnitric oxidec-di-AMP |
| spellingShingle | Marco Agostoni Beronda L. Montgomery Survival Strategies in the Aquatic and Terrestrial World: The Impact of Second Messengers on Cyanobacterial Processes Life cyanobacteria second messenger Ca2+ (p)ppGpp cAMP c-di-GMP cGMP nitric oxide c-di-AMP |
| title | Survival Strategies in the Aquatic and Terrestrial World: The Impact of Second Messengers on Cyanobacterial Processes |
| title_full | Survival Strategies in the Aquatic and Terrestrial World: The Impact of Second Messengers on Cyanobacterial Processes |
| title_fullStr | Survival Strategies in the Aquatic and Terrestrial World: The Impact of Second Messengers on Cyanobacterial Processes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Survival Strategies in the Aquatic and Terrestrial World: The Impact of Second Messengers on Cyanobacterial Processes |
| title_short | Survival Strategies in the Aquatic and Terrestrial World: The Impact of Second Messengers on Cyanobacterial Processes |
| title_sort | survival strategies in the aquatic and terrestrial world the impact of second messengers on cyanobacterial processes |
| topic | cyanobacteria second messenger Ca2+ (p)ppGpp cAMP c-di-GMP cGMP nitric oxide c-di-AMP |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/4/4/745 |
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