Changes in sulfate transport characteristics and protein composition of Anacystis nidulans R2 during sulfur deprivation

The sulfate assimilation and reduction of marine microalgae and the regulation of illumination

To examine the sulfate assimilation and reduction process and the regulation of illumination, diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum and dinoflagellate Amphidinium carterae were selected for continuous simulation incubation under different photon flux densities (PFDs) (54, 108 and 162 μmol photons m-2 s-1), and concentration variations of related sulfur compounds sulfate, dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), dimethylsulfide (DMS) and acrylic acid (AA) in the culture system were observed. The optimal PFD for the growth of two microalgae was 108 μmol photons m-2 s-1. However, the maximum sulfate absorption occurred at 162 μmol photons m-2 s-1 for P. tricornutum and at 54 μmol photons m-2 s-1 for A. carterae. With the increase of PFD, the release of DMSP by P. tricornutum decreased while A. carterae increased. The largest release amount of DMS was 0.59 ± 0.05 fmol cells-1 for P. tricornutum and 2.61 ± 0.89 fmol cells-1 for A. carterae under their optimum growth light condition. The sulfate uptake of P. tricornutum was inhibited by the addition of amino acids, cysteine had a greater inhibitory effect than methionine, and the absorption process was controlled by light. The intermediate products of sulfur metabolism had an up-control effect on the sulfate uptake process of P. tricornutum. However, the addition of amino acids had no obvious effect on the sulfate absorption of A. carterae.

Disentangling the Impact of Sulfur Limitation on Exopolysaccharide and Functionality of Alr2882 by In Silico Approaches in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120

The wide applications, uniqueness, and high quality of cyanobacterial exopolysaccharides (EPSs) have attracted many biotechnologists. Despite it, the inducers and molecular determinants of EPS biosynthesis in cyanobacteria are lesser known. Although, studies revealed that environmental cues especially C/N ratio as the prime modulator, the factors like light, temperature, moisture, and nutrient availability, etc. have been overlooked. Due to this, the possibilities to modify cyanobacterial system for achieving higher quantity of EPS either by modifying growth medium or metabolic engineering are restricted to few optimisations. Therefore, the present work describes the impact of sulfate limitations on the EPS production and compositions in the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. Increased EPS production with enhanced expression of alr2882 was observed in lower sulfate supplementations; however, FTIR analysis depicted an altered composition of supramolecule. Furthermore, in silico analysis of Alr2882 depicted the presence of ExoD domain and three transmembrane regions, thereby indicating its membrane localisation and role in the EPS production. Additionally, the phylogeny and multiple sequence alignment showed vertical inheritance of exoD and conservation among cyanobacteria. The meta-threading template-based modelling and ab initio full atomic relaxation by LOMET and ModRefiner servers, respectively, also exhibited helical topology of Alr2882, with nine α-helices arranged antiparallel to the preceding one. Moreover, post-translational modifications predicted in Alr2882 indicated high order of molecular regulation underlining EPS production in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. This study provides a foundation for understanding the EPS biosynthesis mechanism under sulfur limitation and the possible role of ExoD in cyanobacteria.

The relationship between sulfur metabolism and tolerance of hexavalent chromium in Scenedesmus acutus (Spheropleales): Role of ATP sulfurylase

Sulfur availability and the end products of its metabolism, cysteine, glutathione and phytochelatins, play an important role in heavy metal tolerance, chromium included. Sulfate and chromate not only compete for the transporters but also for assimilation enzymes and chromium tolerance in various organisms has been associated to differences in this pathway. We investigated the mechanisms of Cr(VI)-tolerance increase induced by S-starvation focusing on the role of ATP sulfurylase (ATS) in two strains of Scenedesmus acutus with different chromium sensitivity. S-starvation enhances the defence potential by increasing sulfate uptake/assimilation and decreasing chromium uptake, thus suggesting a change in the transport system. We isolated two isoforms of the enzyme, SaATS1 and SaATS2, with different sensitivity to sulfur availability, and analysed them in S-sufficient and S-replete condition both in standard and in chromium supplemented medium. SaATS2 expression is different in the two strains and presumably marks a different sulfur perception/exploitation in the Cr-tolerant. Its induction and silencing are compatible with a role in the transient tolerance increase induced by S-starvation. This enzyme can however hardly be responsible for the large cysteine production of the Cr-tolerant strain after starvation, suggesting that cytosolic rather than chloroplastic cysteine production is differently regulated in the two strains.

Involvement of the oscA gene in the sulphur starvation response and in Cr(VI) resistance in Pseudomonas corrugata 28

Pseudomonas corrugata28 is a Cr(VI)-hyper-resistant bacterium. A Cr(VI)-sensitive mutant was obtained by insertional mutagenesis using EZ-Tn5<R6Kγori/KAN-2>Tnp. The mutant strain was impaired in a gene, here namedoscA(organosulphurcompounds), which encoded a hypothetical small protein of unknown function. The gene was located upstream of a gene cluster that encodes the components of the sulphate ABC transporter, and it formed a transcriptional unit withsbp, which encoded the periplasmic binding protein of the transporter. TheoscA–sbptranscriptional unit was strongly and quickly overexpressed after chromate exposure, suggesting the involvement ofoscAin chromate resistance, which was further confirmed by means of a complementation experiment. Phenotype MicroArray (PM) analysis made it possible to assay 1536 phenotypes and also indicated that theoscAgene was involved in the utilization of organosulphur compounds as a sole source of sulphur. This is believed to be the first evidence thatoscAplays a role in activating a sulphur starvation response, which is required to cope with oxidative stress induced by chromate.

A network of genes regulated by light in cyanobacteria

Oxygenic photosynthetic organisms require light for their growth and development. However, exposure to high light is detrimental to them. Using time series microarray data from a model cyanobacterium, Synechocystis 6803 transferred from low to high light, we generated a gene co-expression network. The network has twelve sub-networks connected hierarchically, each consisting of an interconnected hub-and-spoke architecture. Within each sub-network, edges formed between genes that recapitulate known pathways. Analysis of the expression profiles shows that the cells undergo a phase transition 6-hours post-shift to high light, characterized by core sub-network. The core sub-network is enriched in proteins that (putatively) bind Fe-S clusters and proteins that mediate iron and sulfate homeostasis. At the center of this core is a sulfate permease, suggesting sulfate is rate limiting for cells grown in high light. To validate this novel finding, we demonstrate the limited ability of cell growth in sulfate-depleted medium in high light. This study highlights how understanding the organization of the networks can provide insights into the coordination of physiologic responses.

Chloroplast sulfate transport in green algae--genes, proteins and effects

This review summarizes evidence at the molecular genetic, protein and regulatory levels concerning the existence and function of a putative ABC-type chloroplast envelope-localized sulfate transporter in the model unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. From the four nuclear genes encoding this sulfate permease holocomplex, two are coding for chloroplast envelope-targeted transmembrane proteins (SulP and SulP2), a chloroplast stroma-targeted ATP-binding protein (Sabc) and a substrate (sulfate)-binding protein (Sbp) that is localized on the cytosolic side of the chloroplast envelope. The sulfate permease holocomplex is postulated to consist of a SulP-SulP2 chloroplast envelope transmembrane heterodimer, flanked by the Sabc and the Sbp proteins on the stroma side and the cytosolic side of the inner envelope, respectively. The mature SulP and SulP2 proteins contain seven transmembrane domains and one or two large hydrophilic loops, which are oriented toward the cytosol. The corresponding prokaryotic-origin genes (SulP and SulP2) probably migrated from the chloroplast to the nuclear genome during the evolution of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. These genes, or any of its homologues, have not been retained in vascular plants, e.g. Arabidopsis thaliana, although they are encountered in the chloroplast genome of a liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha). The function of the SulP protein was probed in antisense transformants of C. reinhardtii having lower expression levels of the SulP gene. Results showed that cellular sulfate uptake capacity was lowered as a consequence of attenuated SulP gene expression in the cell, directly affecting rates of de novo protein biosynthesis in the chloroplast. The antisense transformants exhibited phenotypes of sulfate-deprived cells, displaying slow rates of light-saturated oxygen evolution, low levels of Rubisco in the chloroplast and low steady-state levels of the Photosystem II D1 reaction center protein. The role of the chloroplast sulfate transport in the uptake and assimilation of sulfate in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is discussed along with its impact on the repair of Photosystem II from a frequently occurring photo-oxidative damage and H2-evolution related metabolism in this green alga.

Sulfur and phytoplankton: acquisition, metabolism and impact on the environment

Sulfur emission from marine phytoplankton has been recognized as an important factor for global climate and as an entry into the biogeochemical S cycle. Despite this significance, little is known about the cellular S metabolism in algae that forms the basis of this emission. Some biochemical and genetic evidence for regulation of S uptake and assimilation is available for the freshwater model alga Chlamydomonas. However, the marine environment is substantially different from most fresh waters, containing up to 50 times higher free sulfate concentrations and challenging the adaptive mechanisms of primary and secondary S metabolism in marine algae. This review intends to integrate ecological and physiological data to provide a comprehensive view of the role of S in the oceans.

Molybdate transport and its effect on nitrogen utilization in the cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413

Molybdenum is an essential component of the cofactors of many metalloenzymes including nitrate reductase and Mo-nitrogenase. The cyanobacterium Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413 uses nitrate and atmospheric N2 as sources of nitrogen for growth. Two of the three nitrogenases in this strain are Mo-dependent enzymes, as is nitrate reductase; thus, transport of molybdate is important for growth of this strain. High-affinity transport of molybdate in A. variabilis was mediated by an ABC-type transport system encoded by the products of modA and modBC. The modBC gene comprised a fused orf including components corresponding to modB and modC of Escherichia coli. The deduced ModC part of the fused gene lacked a recognizable molybdate-binding domain. Expression of modA and modBC was induced by starvation for molybdate. Mutants in modA or modBC were unable to grow using nitrate or Mo-nitrogenase. Growth using the alternative V-nitrogenase was not impaired in the mutants. A high concentration of molybdate (10 microM) supported normal growth of the modBC mutant using the Nif1 Mo-nitrogenase, indicating that there was a low-affinity molybdate transport system in this strain. The modBC mutant did not detectably transport low concentrations of 99Mo (molybdate), but did transport high concentrations. However, such transport was observed only after cells were starved for sulphate, suggesting that an inducible sulphate transport system might also serve as a low-affinity molybdate transport system in this strain.

SulP, a nuclear gene encoding a putative chloroplast-targeted sulfate permease in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii

Genomic, proteomic, phylogenetic and evolutionary aspects of a novel gene encoding a putative chloroplast-targeted sulfate permease of prokaryotic origin in the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii are described. This nuclear-encoded sulfate permease gene (SulP) contains four introns, whereas all other known chloroplast sulfate permease genes lack introns and are encoded by the chloroplast genome. The deduced amino acid sequence of the protein showed an extended N-terminus, which includes a putative chloroplast transit peptide. The mature protein contains seven transmembrane domains and two large hydrophilic loops. This novel prokaryotic-origin gene probably migrated from the chloroplast to the nuclear genome during evolution of C. reinhardtii. The SulP gene, or any of its homologues, has not been retained in vascular plants, e.g. Arabidopsis thaliana, although it is encountered in the chloroplast genome of a liverwort (Marchantia polymorpha). A comparative structural analysis and phylogenetic origin of chloroplast sulfate permeases in a variety of species is presented.

Genes expressed in Pseudomonas putida during colonization of a plant-pathogenic fungus

In vivo expression technology (IVET) was employed to study colonization of Phytophthora parasitica by a biological control bacterium, Pseudomonas putida 06909, based on a new selection marker. The pyrB gene, which encodes aspartate transcarbamoylase, an enzyme used for pyrimidine biosynthesis, was cloned from P. putida 06909. A pyrB-disrupted mutant did not grow in pyrimidine-deficient media unless it was complemented with pyrBC' behind an active promoter. Thirty clones obtained from P. putida 06909 that were expressed on fungal hyphae but not on culture media were isolated by IVET based on the promoterless transcriptional fusion between pyrBC' and lacZ. Nineteen of these clones were induced during late-stage bacterial growth in vitro, while 11 of the clones were expressed only when they were inoculated onto fungal hyphae. Restriction analysis of these 11 clones revealed that there were five unique clones. Sequence analyses of three of the five unique clones showed that the 3' ends of the clones fused to pyrB were similar to genes encoding diacylglycerol kinase (DAGK), bacterial ABC transporters, and outer membrane porins. The sequences of the two other clones were not similar to the sequences of any of the genes in the database used. A LuxR family response regulator was found upstream of DAGK, and a LysR family response regulator was found upstream of the ABC transporter. The location of the inducible promoter of two clones suggested that DAGK and the ABC transporter are induced and may play a role in colonization of the fungus P. parasitica by P. putida 06909.

Sac3, an Snf1-like serine/threonine kinase that positively and negatively regulates the responses of Chlamydomonas to sulfur limitation

The Sac3 gene product of Chlamydomonas positively and negatively regulates the responses of the cell to sulfur limitation. In wild-type cells, arylsulfatase activity is detected only during sulfur limitation. The sac3 mutant expresses arylsulfatase activity even when grown in nutrient-replete medium, which suggests that the Sac3 protein has a negative effect on the induction of arylsulfatase activity. In contrast to its effect on arylsulfatase activity, Sac3 positively regulates the high-affinity sulfate transport system-the sac3 mutant is unable to fully induce high-affinity sulfate transport during sulfur limitation. We have complemented the sac3 mutant and cloned a cDNA copy of the Sac3 gene. The deduced amino acid sequence of the Sac3 gene product is similar to the catalytic domain of the yeast Snf1 family of serine/threonine kinases and is therefore classified as a Snf1-related kinase (SnRK). Specifically, Sac3 falls within the SnRK2 subfamily of kinases from vascular plants. In addition to the 11 subdomains common to Snf1-like serine/threonine kinases, Sac3 and the plant kinases have two additional subdomains and a highly acidic C-terminal region. The role of Sac3 in the signal transduction system that regulates the responses of Chlamydomonas to sulfur limitation is discussed.

A polypeptide with similarity to phycocyanin alpha-subunit phycocyanobilin lyase involved in degradation of phycobilisomes

To optimize the utilization of photosynthate and avoid damage that can result from the absorption of excess excitation energy, photosynthetic organisms must rapidly modify the synthesis and activities of components of the photosynthetic apparatus in response to environmental cues. During nutrient-limited growth, cyanobacteria degrade their light-harvesting complex, the phycobilisome, and dramatically reduce the rate of photosynthetic electron transport. In this report, we describe the isolation and characterization of a cyanobacterial mutant that does not degrade its phycobilisomes during either sulfur or nitrogen limitation and exhibits an increased ratio of phycocyanin to chlorophyll during nutrient-replete growth. The mutant phenotype was complemented by a gene encoding a polypeptide with similarities to polypeptides that catalyze covalent bond formation between linear tetrapyrrole chromophores and subunits of apophycobiliproteins. The complementing gene, designated nblB, is expressed at approximately the same level in cells grown in nutrient-replete medium and medium devoid of either sulfur or nitrogen. These results suggest that the NblB polypeptide may be a constitutive part of the machinery that coordinates phycobilisome degradation with environmental conditions.

A response regulator of cyanobacteria integrates diverse environmental signals and is critical for survival under extreme conditions

Microorganisms must sense their environment and rapidly tune their metabolism to ambient conditions to efficiently use available resources. We have identified a gene encoding a response regulator, NblR, that complements a cyanobacterial mutant unable to degrade its light-harvesting complex (phycobilisome), in response to nutrient deprivation. Cells of the nblR mutant (i) have more phycobilisomes than wild-type cells during nutrient-replete growth, (ii) do not degrade phycobilisomes during sulfur, nitrogen, or phosphorus limitation, (iii) cannot properly modulate the phycobilisome level during exposure to high light, and (iv) die rapidly when starved for either sulfur or nitrogen, or when exposed to high light. Apart from regulation of phycobilisome degradation, NblR modulates additional functions critical for cell survival during nutrient-limited and high-light conditions. NblR does not appear to be involved in acclimation responses that occur only during a specific nutrient limitation. In contrast, it controls at least some of the general acclimation responses; those that occur during any of a number of different stress conditions. NblR plays a pivotal role in integrating different environmental signals that link the metabolism of the cell to light harvesting capabilities and the activities of the photosynthetic apparatus; this modulation is critical for cell survival.

Identification of sulfate starvation-regulated genes in Escherichia coli: a gene cluster involved in the utilization of taurine as a sulfur source

Genes whose expression is regulated by sulfate starvation in Escherichia coli were identified by generating random translational lacZ fusions in the chromosome with the lambda placMu9 system. Nine lacZ fusion strains which expressed beta-galactosidase after growth under sulfate starvation conditions but not after growth in the presence of sulfate were found. These included two strains with insertions in the dmsA and rhsD genes, respectively, and seven strains in which the insertions were located within a 1.8-kb region downstream of hemB at 8.5 minutes on the E. coli chromosome. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of this region indicated the presence of four open reading frames designated tauABCD. Disruption of these genes resulted in the loss of the ability to utilize taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonate) as a source of sulfur but did not affect the utilization of a range of other aliphatic sulfonates as sulfur sources. The TauA protein contained a putative signal peptide for transport into the periplasm; the TauB and TauC proteins showed sequence similarity to ATP-binding proteins and membrane proteins, respectively, of ABC-type transport systems; and the TauD protein was related in sequence to a dichlorophenoxyacetic acid dioxygenase. We therefore suggest that the proteins encoded by tauABC constitute an uptake system for taurine and that the product of tauD is involved in the oxygenolytic release of sulfite from taurine. The transcription initiation site was detected 26 to 27 bp upstream of the translational start site of tauA. Expression of the tauD gene was dependent on CysB, the transcriptional activator of the cysteine regulon.

Sac1, a putative regulator that is critical for survival of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii during sulfur deprivation

The sac1 mutant of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is aberrant in most of the normal responses to sulfur limitation; it cannot synthesize arylsulfatase, does not take up sulfate as rapidly as wild-type cells, and does not synthesize periplasmic proteins that normally accumulate during sulfur-limited growth. Here, we show that the sac1 mutant dies much more rapidly than wild-type cells during sulfur deprivation; this emphasizes the vital role of the acclimation process. The loss of viability of the sac1 mutant during sulfur deprivation is only observed in the light and is mostly inhibited by DCMU. During sulfur-stress, wild-type cells, but not the sac1 mutant, downregulate photosynthesis. Thus, death of the sac1 mutant during sulfur deprivation is probably a consequence of its inability to downregulate photosynthesis. Furthermore, since SAC1 is necessary for the downregulation of photosynthesis, the process must be highly controlled and not simply the result of a general decrease in protein synthesis due to sulfur limitation. Genomic and cDNA copies of the SAC1 gene have been cloned. The deduced amino acid sequence of Sac1 is similar to an Escherichia coli gene that may involved in the response of E.coli to nutrient deprivation.

Alterations in cell pigmentation, protein expression, and photosynthetic capacity of the cyanobacterium Oscillatoria tenuis grown under low iron conditions

To better describe the iron-limited nutrient status of aquatic photosynthetic microorganisms, we examined the effects of iron limitation on pigment content, maximum rates of photosynthetic oxygen evolution, and respiratory oxygen consumption in the filamentous cyanobacterium Oscillatoria tenuis Ag. Within the range of iron (4.2 x 10(-5)-5.1 x 10(-9) M FeCl3), growth rates were not limited by photosynthetic capacity but rather by another, as of yet undetermined, iron-requiring cellular function. We have also investigated membrane proteins that are induced when the cells are grown in low iron medium. Using membrane fractionation techniques we were able to recognize specific proteins localized in the outer membrane and periplasmic space of O. tenuis. The recovery of growth rates at low iron levels occurred in parallel with the induction of these proteins and the production of extracellular siderophores. The additional iron acquired by this high affinity transport system did not reestablish photosynthesis in O. tenuis to the iron-satiated level but did reestablish growth to iron-replete levels. Oscillatoria tenuis appears to invoke an alternate physiology to compensate for iron deficiency.

Two enzymes together capable of cysteine biosynthesis are encoded on a cyanobacterial plasmid

The cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 contains two endogenous, genetically cryptic plasmids of 8.0 and 48.5 kb, which have been designated pANS and pANL, respectively. Characterization of the 3.8 kb Ba6 BamHI fragment of pANL identified three open reading frames which were transcriptionally regulated by sulfur availability and the protein CysR. One of these genes, designated srpG, encodes a protein which exhibits 67% amino acid identity to the Escherichia coli enzyme O-acetyl-L-serine (thio)-lyase A. Overlapping the 3' end of srpG is a second gene, designated srpH, which encodes a protein with similarity to the amino-terminal region of serine acetyltransferase enzymes. DNA hybridization results indicate that there is second copy of srpG in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942, which is consistent with previous isoenzyme studies on O-acetyl-L-serine (thiol)-lyase in cyanobacteria. The introduction of srpG and srpH into E. coli cysKcysM and cysE mutant strains, respectively, results in the complementation of the lesion in cysteine biosynthesis. Additionally, the E. coli cysK cysM strain containing srpG is able to utilize sulfate more efficiently than thiosulfate, indicating that SrpG is probably a type A O-acetyl-L-serine (thiol)-lyase. The possible function of these genes in the adaptation of cyanobacteria to sulfur stress is discussed.

Purification and characterization of a Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 polypeptide structurally similar to the stress-induced Dps/PexB protein of Escherichia coli

A stable DNA/protein complex having an apparent molecular mass of approximately 150 kDa was purified from nitrate-limited cultures of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942. Amino-terminal peptide sequencing indicated that the polypeptide was structurally similar to the Dps protein of Escherichia coli; Dps is also known as the product of the starvation- and stationary-phase-inducible gene, pexB. The 150-kDa complex dissociated into a 22-kDa protein monomer after boiling in 2% SDS. The 150-kDa complex preparation had approximately a 10% nucleic acid content and upon dissociation released DNA fragments that were sensitive to S1 nuclease digestion. Immunoblot data indicated that the complex accumulates during stationary phase and during nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus limitation. DNA-binding assays indicated that the protein nonspecifically binds both linear and supercoiled DNA. Circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed that the Synechococcus sp. Dps-like protein contains extensive regions of alpha-helical secondary structure. We propose that the 150-kDa complex represents a hexameric aggregate of the Dps-like protein complexed with single-stranded DNA and serves to bind a portion of the chromosomal DNA under nutrient-limited conditions.

Genes encoded on a cyanobacterial plasmid are transcriptionally regulated by sulfur availability and CysR

A cyanobacterial sulfur-regulated gene (cysR), which encodes a protein with similarity to the Crp family of prokaryotic regulatory proteins, has recently been isolated and characterized. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of periplasmic protein extracts reveals that a cysR mutant fails to synthesize a 36-kDa polypeptide that is normally induced in wild-type cells that have been grown under sulfur-deficient conditions. The amino-terminal sequence of this protein was obtained, and a synthetic oligonucleotide was used to isolated a clone containing a 1.9-kb NruI-KpnI fragment from a Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 genomic library. RNA blot analysis indicates that this fragment encodes a transcript that is detectable in wild-type but not cysR mutant cells that have been starved for sulfur. DNA blot analysis revealed that the 1.9-kb NruI-KpnI fragment is contained within the Ba4 BamHI fragment of the endogenous 50-kb plasmid pANL. RNA blot studies indicate that the accumulation of a large number of pANL transcripts is regulated by sulfur levels and CysR. DNA sequence analysis confirmed that the gene encoding the sulfur-regulated 36-kDa periplasmic protein is encoded on the Ba4 fragment of pANL. The sequence of the 36-kDa protein displays sequence similarity to the enzyme catalase, and two downstream proteins exhibit 25 and 62% identity to a subunit of a P-type ATPase complex involved in Mg2+ transport and a chromate resistance determinant, respectively. Surprisingly, a strain in which the putative chromate resistance gene was interrupted by a drug resistance marker exhibited increased resistance to chromate when grown in media containing low sulfate concentrations. The possible role of this protein in the acclimation of cyanobacteria to conditions of low sulfur availability is discussed.

Sulfate restriction induces hyposecretion of the adhesion proteoglycan and cell hypomotility associated with increased 35SO4(2-) uptake and expression of a band 3 like protein in the marine sponge, Microciona prolifera

Sulfate is an important component relating to normal proteoglycan secretion and normal motility in the marine sponge, Microciona prolifera. The following alterations were observed in sponge cells when sulfate free artificial sea water was used as the suspension medium: 1) impairment of aggregation, 2) loss of cell movements, 3) a marked reduction in the secretion of the adhesion proteoglycan (AP). Reversal of this effect occurred if sulfate depleted cells were again rotated in sulfate containing artificial sea water. Motility and reaggregation of sulfate deprived cells could be completely restored by purified AP, but only if cells were first pre-conditioned in normal sea water. Comparisons of 35SO4(2-) uptake between normal and sulfate deprived cells which had been treated to reduce preformed secretions showed a marked increase in 35SO4(2-) uptake and incorporation which could be greatly augmented in the presence of Ca2+/Mg2+. Excessive retention of AP in sulfate starved cells demonstrated by immunostaining suggested that AP secretion and cellular motility may be controlled by a sulfate dependent secretogogue or that undersulfated AP itself had developed a secretory defect. SDS-PAGE of Triton treated cellular extracts demonstrated a 116 kDa 35SO4(2-) sulfated band which co-migrated with AP, but only in extracts derived from sulfate starved cells. Western blots prepared from such extracts incubated in the presence of a monoclonal anti-band 3 antibody demonstrated labelling of a single 97 kDa band only in material from sulfate deprived cells. The absence of this component in normal cell extracts indicated that this protein may be involved in facilitated sulfate transport. This study lends support to a heretofore unrecognized role for sulfate in cell motility and secretion.

Characterization of Sulfate Transport in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii during Sulfur-Limited and Sulfur-Sufficient Growth

We have characterized sulfate transport in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii during growth under sulfur-sufficient and sulfur-deficient conditions. Both the Vmax and the substrate concentration at which sulfate transport is half of the maximum velocity of the sulfate transport (K1/2) for uptake were altered in starved cells: the Vmax increased approximately 10-fold, and the K1/2 decreased approximately 7-fold. This suggests that sulfur-deprived C. reinhardtii cells synthesize a new, high-affinity sulfate transport system. This system accumulated rapidly; it was detected in cells within 1 h of sulfur deprivation and reached a maximum by 6 h. A second response to sulfur-limited growth, the production of arylsulfatase, was apparent only after 3 h of growth in sulfur-free medium. The enhancement of sulfate transport upon sulfur starvation was prevented by cycloheximide, but not by chloramphenicol, demonstrating that protein synthesis on 80S ribosomes was required for the development of the new, high-affinity system. The transport of sulfate into the cells occurred in both the light and the dark. Inhibition of ATP formation by the antibiotics carbonylcyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone and gramicidin-S and inhibition of either F- or P-type ATPases by N,N-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide and vanadate completely abolished sulfate uptake. Furthermore, nigericin, a carboxylate ionophore that exchanges H+ for K+, inhibited transport in both the light and the dark. Finally, uptake in the dark was strongly inhibited by valinomycin. These results suggest that sulfate transport in C. reinhardtii is an energy-dependent process and that it may be driven by a proton gradient generated by a plasma membrane ATPase.

Mutants of Chlamydomonas with Aberrant Responses to Sulfur Deprivation

In the absence of sulfur, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a unicellular green alga, increases its rate of sulfate import and synthesizes several periplasmic proteins, including an arylsulfatase (Ars). These changes appear to help cells acclimate to a sulfur-deficient environment. The elevated rate of sulfate import results from an increase in the capacity and affinity of the transport system for sulfate. The synthesis of Ars, a periplasmic enzyme that cleaves sulfate from aromatic compounds, enables cells to use these molecules as a source of sulfur when free sulfate is not available. To characterize the ways in which C. reinhardtii perceives changes in the sulfur status of the environment and regulates its responses to these changes, we mutagenized cells and isolated strains exhibiting aberrant accumulation of Ars activity. These mutants were characterized for Ars activity, ars mRNA accumulation, periplasmic protein accumulation, and sulfate transport activity when grown in both sulfur-sufficient and sulfur-deficient conditions. All of the mutants exhibited pleiotropic effects with respect to several of these responses. Strains harboring double mutant combinations were constructed and characterized for Ars activity and ars mRNA accumulation. From the mutant phenotypes, we inferred that both positive and negative regulatory elements were involved in the acclimation process. Both the epistatic relationships among the mutations and the effects of the lesions on the responses of C. reinhardtii to sulfur limitation distinguished these mutants from similar mutants in Neurospora crassa.

Mutants of Chlamydomonas with Aberrant Responses to Sulfur Deprivation

In the absence of sulfur, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, a unicellular green alga, increases its rate of sulfate import and synthesizes several periplasmic proteins, including an arylsulfatase (Ars). These changes appear to help cells acclimate to a sulfur-deficient environment. The elevated rate of sulfate import results from an increase in the capacity and affinity of the transport system for sulfate. The synthesis of Ars, a periplasmic enzyme that cleaves sulfate from aromatic compounds, enables cells to use these molecules as a source of sulfur when free sulfate is not available. To characterize the ways in which C. reinhardtii perceives changes in the sulfur status of the environment and regulates its responses to these changes, we mutagenized cells and isolated strains exhibiting aberrant accumulation of Ars activity. These mutants were characterized for Ars activity, ars mRNA accumulation, periplasmic protein accumulation, and sulfate transport activity when grown in both sulfur-sufficient and sulfur-deficient conditions. All of the mutants exhibited pleiotropic effects with respect to several of these responses. Strains harboring double mutant combinations were constructed and characterized for Ars activity and ars mRNA accumulation. From the mutant phenotypes, we inferred that both positive and negative regulatory elements were involved in the acclimation process. Both the epistatic relationships among the mutations and the effects of the lesions on the responses of C. reinhardtii to sulfur limitation distinguished these mutants from similar mutants in Neurospora crassa.

The phycobilisome, a light-harvesting complex responsive to environmental conditions

Photosynthetic organisms can acclimate to their environment by changing many cellular processes, including the biosynthesis of the photosynthetic apparatus. In this article we discuss the phycobilisome, the light-harvesting apparatus of cyanobacteria and red algae. Unlike most light-harvesting antenna complexes, the phycobilisome is not an integral membrane complex but is attached to the surface of the photosynthetic membranes. It is composed of both the pigmented phycobiliproteins and the nonpigmented linker polypeptides; the former are important for absorbing light energy, while the latter are important for stability and assembly of the complex. The composition of the phycobilisome is very sensitive to a number of different environmental factors. Some of the filamentous cyanobacteria can alter the composition of the phycobilisome in response to the prevalent wavelengths of light in the environment. This process, called complementary chromatic adaptation, allows these organisms to efficiently utilize available light energy to drive photosynthetic electron transport and CO2 fixation. Under conditions of macronutrient limitation, many cyanobacteria degrade their phycobilisomes in a rapid and orderly fashion. Since the phycobilisome is an abundant component of the cell, its degradation may provide a substantial amount of nitrogen to nitrogen-limited cells. Furthermore, degradation of the phycobilisome during nutrient-limited growth may prevent photodamage that would occur if the cells were to absorb light under conditions of metabolic arrest. The interplay of various environmental parameters in determining the number of phycobilisomes and their structural characteristics and the ways in which these parameters control phycobilisome biosynthesis are fertile areas for investigation.

Environmental effects on the light-harvesting complex of cyanobacteria

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Chlorosis induced by nutrient deprivation in Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942: not all bleaching is the same

Cell coloration changes from normal blue-green to yellow or yellow-green when the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 is deprived of an essential nutrient. We found that this bleaching process (chlorosis) in cells deprived of sulfur (S) was similar to that in cells deprived of nitrogen (N), but that cells deprived of phosphorus (P) bleached differently. Cells divided once after N deprivation, twice after S deprivation, and four times after P deprivation. Chlorophyll (Chl) accumulation stopped almost immediately upon N or S deprivation but continued for several hours after P deprivation. There was no net Chl degradation during N, S, or P deprivation, although cellular Chl content decreased because cell division continued after Chl accumulation ceased. Levels of the light-harvesting phycobiliproteins declined dramatically in a rapid response to N or S deprivation, reflecting an ordered breakdown of the phycobilisomes (PBS). In contrast, P-deprived cultures continued to accumulate PBS for several hours. Whole PBS were not extensively degraded in P-deprived cells, although the PBS contents of P-deprived cells declined because of continued cell division after PBS accumulation ceased. Levels of mRNAs encoding PBS polypeptides declined by 90 to 95% in N- or S-deprived cells and by 80 to 85% in P-deprived cells. These changes in both the synthesis and stability of PBS resulted in a 90% decline in the PC/Chl ratio of N- or S-deprived cells and a 40% decline in the PC/Chl ratio of P-deprived cells. Therefore, although bleaching appears to be a general response to nutrient deprivation, it is not the same under all nutrient-limited conditions and is probably composed of independently controlled subprocesses.

Isolation, transcription, and inactivation of the gene for an atypical alkaline phosphatase of Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942

The alkaline phosphatase of Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 is 145 kDa, which is larger than any alkaline phosphatase previously characterized and approximately three times the size of the analogous enzyme in Escherichia coli. The gene for the alkaline phosphatase, phoA, was cloned and sequenced, and the protein that it encodes was found to have little similarity to other phosphatases. Some sequence similarities were observed between the Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 alkaline phosphatase, the alpha subunit of the ATPase from bacteria and chloroplasts, and the UshA sugar hydrolase of E. coli. Also, limited sequence similarity was observed between a region of the phosphatase and a motif implicated in nucleotide binding. Interestingly, although the alkaline phosphatase is transported across the inner cytoplasmic membrane and into the periplasmic space, it does not appear to have a cleavable signal sequence at its amino terminus. The half-life of the mRNA encoding the alkaline phosphatase, measured after inhibition of RNA synthesis, is approximately 5 min. Similar kinetics for the loss of alkaline phosphatase mRNA occur upon the addition of phosphate to phosphate-depleted cultures, suggesting that high levels of this nutrient inhibit transcription from phoA almost immediately. The phoA gene also appears to be the first gene of an operon; the largest detectable transcript that hybridizes to a phoA gene-specific probe is 11 kb, over twice the size needed to encode the mature protein. Other phosphate-regulated mRNAs are also transcribed upstream of the phoA gene. Insertional inactivation of phoA results in the loss of extracellular, phosphate-regulated phosphatase activity but does not alter the capacity of the cell for phosphate uptake.

Characterization and mutagenesis of sulfur-regulated genes in a cyanobacterium: evidence for function in sulfate transport

A sulfur-regulated gene (cysA) that encodes the membrane-associated ATP-binding protein of the sulfate transport system of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 was recently isolated and sequenced. Adjacent to cysA and transcribed in the opposite direction is a gene encoding the sulfate-binding protein (sbpA). Two other genes, cysT and cysW, encode proteins that may form a channel for the transport of sulfate across the cytoplasmic membrane. A fourth gene, cysR, located between cysT, and cysW, encodes a polypeptide that has some homology to a family of prokaryotic regulatory proteins. Mutant strains in which cysA, cysT, or cysW was interrupted by a drug resistance marker were not viable when grown with sulfate as the sole sulfur source and exhibited essentially no sulfate uptake. In contrast, sbpA and cysR mutants grew on sulfate, although they did not exhibit the 20-fold increase in the Vmax (concentration of sulfate at half-maximal transport rate) for sulfate transport characteristic of wild-type cells grown under sulfur-limiting conditions. Three of the sulfur-regulated genes in Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 are similar to genes encoded by the chloroplast genome of the primitive plant Marchantia polymorpha. These data suggest that a sulfate transport system similar to that of Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 may exist in the chloroplast envelope of photosynthetic eukaryotes.

Isolation and characterization of a sulfur-regulated gene encoding a periplasmically localized protein with sequence similarity to rhodanese

During sulfur-limited growth, the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 loses most of its photosynthetic pigments and develops an increased capacity to acquire sulfate. Sulfur deprivation also triggers the synthesis of several soluble polypeptides. We have isolated a prominent polypeptide of 33 kDa that accumulates specifically under sulfur-limiting conditions. This polypeptide was localized to the periplasmic space. The gene for this protein (designated rhdA) was isolated and discovered to lie within a region of the Synechococcus sp. strain PCC 7942 genome that encodes components of the sulfate permease system. The mRNA for the 33-kDa protein accumulates to high levels within an hour after the cells are deprived of sulfur and drops rapidly when sulfur is added back to the cultures. The amino acid sequence of the protein has similarity to bovine liver rhodanese, an enzyme that transfers the thiol group of thiosulfate to a thiophilic acceptor molecule, and a rhodaneselike protein of Saccharopolyspora erythraea. A strain in which rhdA was interrupted by a drug resistance marker exhibited marginally lower levels of rhodanese activity but was still capable of efficiently utilizing a variety of inorganic sulfur sources. The possible role of this protein in the transport of specific sulfur compounds is discussed.

Effect of Nitrogen Starvation on Polypeptide Composition, Ribulose-1,5-Bisphosphate Carboxylase/Oxygenase, and Thylakoid Carotenoprotein Content of Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC6308

Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6308 cells were starved for nitrogen for 5 days. The polypeptide compositions of whole cell extracts and washed membranes of nitrogen-replete and nitrogen-starved cells were compared by one- and two-dimensional electrophoresis. Immunoblotting of one-dimensional gels indicated that pelletable ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) was depleted in cells starved for nitrogen, while levels of soluble Rubisco were comparable in nitrogen-starved and nitrogen-replete cells. This is consistent with the hypothesis that pelletable Rubisco may serve as a nitrogen reserve in Synechocystis 6308. Other polypeptides were differentially enriched in the membrane or soluble fractions of nitrogen-replete cells or nitrogen-starved cells, suggesting nitrogen starvation may alter partitioning of polypeptides into soluble and membrane fractions. Degradation of abundant polypeptides during nitrogen starvation appeared to cause an effective magnification of less abundant polypeptides in the molecular mass range of 20 to 40 kilodaltons, as shown by two-dimensional electrophoresis. A 42-kilodalton thylakoid carotenoid protein identified by immunoblotting was conserved in membranes from nitrogen-starved cells. This may be functional for cells depleted of pigment and thus exposed to higher light levels because of decreased self-shading.

Cytochrome c-553 is not required for photosynthetic activity in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus

In cyanobacteria, the water-soluble cytochrome c-553 functions as a mobile carrier of electrons between the membrane-bound cytochrome b6-f complex and P-700 reaction centers of Photosystem I. The structural gene for cytochrome c-553 (designated cytA) of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942 was cloned, and the deduced amino acid sequence was shown to be similar to known cyanobacterial cytochrome c-553 proteins. A deletion mutant was constructed that had no detectable cytochrome c-553 based on spectral analyses and tetramethylbenzidine-hydrogen peroxide staining of proteins resolved by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The mutant strain was not impaired in overall photosynthetic activity. However, this mutant exhibited a decreased efficiency of cytochrome f oxidation. These results indicate that cytochrome c-553 is not an absolute requirement for reducing Photosystem I reaction centers in Synechococcus sp. PCC 7942.

A region of a cyanobacterial genome required for sulfate transport

Using the cysA locus of Salmonella typhimurium as a heterologous probe, we have cloned a region of the Anacystis nidulans R2 (Synechococcus PCC 7942) genome involved in sulfate assimilation. The 8.3-kilobase-pair region encodes at least five transcripts that cannot be detected unless the cells are deprived of sulfur. One of the genes in this region has been sequenced, and the protein that it encodes is homologous to a polypeptide component of other permease systems of Escherichia coli and Salmonella. Insertional inactivation of the putative sulfate permease gene, designated cysA, as well as of other genes within this region, results in cysteine auxotrophy, reduced sulfate uptake, and altered expression of soluble and cytoplasmic-membrane polypeptides associated with sulfur starvation.

Relationship between a 47-kDa cytoplasmic membrane polypeptide and nitrate transport in Anacystis nidulans

The polypeptide composition of cytoplasmic membranes of the cyanobacterium Anacystis nidulans changes in response to variations in the nitrogen source available to the cells, differing specifically in the amount of a polypeptide of 47-kDa molecular mass. Synthesis of the polypeptide and expression of nitrate transport activity are repressed by ammonium. Transfer of ammonium-grown cells to a medium containing nitrate as the sole nitrogen source results in parallel development of the 47-kDa polypeptide and nitrate transport activity of the cells. These results suggest the involvement of the 47-kDa cytoplasmic membrane polypeptide in nitrate transport by A. nidulans.