Synechocystis: A model system for expanding the study of cyanobacterial circadian rhythms
The study of circadian rhythms in bacteria was transformed by studies of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. However, in a number of respects S. elongatus is atypical, and while those unusual characteristics were helpful for rapid progress in the past, another commonly used cyanobacterial sp...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Physiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.1085959/full |
| _version_ | 1828071970042806272 |
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| author | Chi Zhao Yao Xu Bo Wang Carl Hirschie Johnson |
| author_facet | Chi Zhao Yao Xu Bo Wang Carl Hirschie Johnson |
| author_sort | Chi Zhao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study of circadian rhythms in bacteria was transformed by studies of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. However, in a number of respects S. elongatus is atypical, and while those unusual characteristics were helpful for rapid progress in the past, another commonly used cyanobacterial species, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, may be more representative and therefore more productive for future insights into bacterial clock mechanisms. In the past, circadian studies of Synechocystis have suffered from not having an excellent reporter of circadian gene expression, but we introduce here a new luminescence reporter that rivals the reporters that have been used so successfully in S. elongatus. Using this new system, we generate for the first time in Synechocystis circadian period mutants resulting from point mutations. The temperature compensation and dark-pulse resetting that mediates entrainment to the environment is characterized. Moreover, we analyse the complex organization of clock genes in Synechocystis and identify which genes are essential for circadian rhythmicity and adaptive fitness for entrainment and optimal phase alignment to environmental cycles (and which genes are not). These developments will provide impetus for new approaches towards understanding daily timekeeping mechanisms in bacteria. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T01:00:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-659a43cffdd84cc5a4fd2cb813ba8de8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-042X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T01:00:50Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Physiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-659a43cffdd84cc5a4fd2cb813ba8de82023-01-04T16:00:43ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Physiology1664-042X2023-01-011310.3389/fphys.2022.10859591085959Synechocystis: A model system for expanding the study of cyanobacterial circadian rhythmsChi Zhao0Yao Xu1Bo Wang2Carl Hirschie Johnson3Department of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United StatesDepartment of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United StatesDepartment of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United StatesDepartment of Biological Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United StatesThe study of circadian rhythms in bacteria was transformed by studies of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. However, in a number of respects S. elongatus is atypical, and while those unusual characteristics were helpful for rapid progress in the past, another commonly used cyanobacterial species, Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, may be more representative and therefore more productive for future insights into bacterial clock mechanisms. In the past, circadian studies of Synechocystis have suffered from not having an excellent reporter of circadian gene expression, but we introduce here a new luminescence reporter that rivals the reporters that have been used so successfully in S. elongatus. Using this new system, we generate for the first time in Synechocystis circadian period mutants resulting from point mutations. The temperature compensation and dark-pulse resetting that mediates entrainment to the environment is characterized. Moreover, we analyse the complex organization of clock genes in Synechocystis and identify which genes are essential for circadian rhythmicity and adaptive fitness for entrainment and optimal phase alignment to environmental cycles (and which genes are not). These developments will provide impetus for new approaches towards understanding daily timekeeping mechanisms in bacteria.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.1085959/fullcircadiancyanobacteriasynechocystissynechococcus elongatusbiological clocks |
| spellingShingle | Chi Zhao Yao Xu Bo Wang Carl Hirschie Johnson Synechocystis: A model system for expanding the study of cyanobacterial circadian rhythms Frontiers in Physiology circadian cyanobacteria synechocystis synechococcus elongatus biological clocks |
| title | Synechocystis: A model system for expanding the study of cyanobacterial circadian rhythms |
| title_full | Synechocystis: A model system for expanding the study of cyanobacterial circadian rhythms |
| title_fullStr | Synechocystis: A model system for expanding the study of cyanobacterial circadian rhythms |
| title_full_unstemmed | Synechocystis: A model system for expanding the study of cyanobacterial circadian rhythms |
| title_short | Synechocystis: A model system for expanding the study of cyanobacterial circadian rhythms |
| title_sort | synechocystis a model system for expanding the study of cyanobacterial circadian rhythms |
| topic | circadian cyanobacteria synechocystis synechococcus elongatus biological clocks |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphys.2022.1085959/full |
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