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The response of synechococcus sp. CC9311 to iron stress
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Eriksson, Inger Viktoria (2013) The response of synechococcus sp. CC9311 to iron stress. PhD thesis, University of Warwick.
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Official URL: http://webcat.warwick.ac.uk/record=b2691438~S1
Abstract
Ecologically important marine cyanobacteria fuel global geochemical cycles:
Synechococcus spp. numerically dominate vast areas of the ocean and specific
lineages occupy distinct niches. The ability to respond to the key nutrient iron has
been hypothesised to determine how Synechococcus can compete for and occupy
various ecological niches. However, the molecular mechanism of uptake, storage and
regulation of iron acquisition has not been defined in Synechococcus and even less is
known in Synechococcus sp. CC9311, a strain from a highly abundant coastal
lineage.
The response of Synechococcus sp. CC9311 was investigated using a range of
physiological measurements, qPCR and global transcriptional analysis that revealed
a marked response to iron deplete conditions. 25% of genes were differentially
regulated and were enriched in regions of atypical nucleotide usage, so-called
genomic islands, predicted to be hot-spots for horizontal gene transfer. These data
add weight to the hypothesis that acquisition of specific genomic islands facilitates
niche occupancy for marine Synechococcus.
The work identified significant up-regulation of a putative iron regulator protein: a
CRP-FNR homologue location in a region with key iron uptake genes. Other unique
findings include the up-regulation of putative ferrous iron uptake genes, an
interesting finding in light of the presumed reliance of ferric iron uptake in sea water.
A system for over-expression and purification of CRP1390 in E. coli was optimised
to enable its characterisation, with the aim to identify possible DNA and or iron
binding capabilities. A large number of genetic constructs were also implemented to
inactive crp1390 and other putative regulators (fur orthologues).
This study further elucidated the iron stress response of Synechococcus sp. CC9311,
highlighted the role of genomic islands in the adaptation process and reiterated the
role of iron on this important group of organisms in light of anthropogenic change of
the modern ocean.
Item Type: | Thesis (PhD) | ||||
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Subjects: | Q Science > QR Microbiology | ||||
Library of Congress Subject Headings (LCSH): | Cyanobacteria -- Effect of stress on, Iron -- Physiological effect, Iron -- Absorption and adsorption, Cyanobacteria -- Physiology | ||||
Official Date: | March 2013 | ||||
Dates: |
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Institution: | University of Warwick | ||||
Theses Department: | School of Life Sciences | ||||
Thesis Type: | PhD | ||||
Publication Status: | Unpublished | ||||
Supervisor(s)/Advisor: | Scanlan, David J. | ||||
Extent: | xix, 310 leaves : illustrations, charts. | ||||
Language: | eng |
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