Diverse roles of the GlcP glucose permease in free-living and symbiotic cyanobacteria

Certain cyanobacteria can form symbiotic associations with plants, where the symbiont supplies the plant partner with nitrogen and in return obtains sugars. We recently showed that in the symbiotic cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme, a glucose specific permease, GlcP, is necessary for the symbiosis t...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Picossi Goñi, Silvia María, Flores García, Enrique, Ekman, Martin
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión enviada para evaluación y publicación
Fecha de publicación:2013
País:España
Institución:Universidad de Sevilla (US)
Repositorio:idUS. Depósito de Investigación de la Universidad de Sevilla
OAI Identifier:oai:idus.us.es:11441/70220
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/11441/70220
https://doi.org/10.4161/psb.27416
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Cyanobacteria
Symbiosis
Nostoc punctiforme
Anthoceros punctatus
Sugar transporter
GlcP
Chemotaxis
Phylogeny
Descripción
Sumario:Certain cyanobacteria can form symbiotic associations with plants, where the symbiont supplies the plant partner with nitrogen and in return obtains sugars. We recently showed that in the symbiotic cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme, a glucose specific permease, GlcP, is necessary for the symbiosis to be formed. Results presented here from growth yield measurements of mutant strains with inactivated or overexpressing sugar transporters suggest that GlcP could be induced by a symbiosis specific substance. We also discuss that the transporter may have a role other than nutritional once the symbiosis is established, i.e., during infection, and more specifically in the chemotaxis of the symbiont. Phylogenetic analysis shows that the distribution of GlcP among cyanobacteria is likely influenced by horizontal gene transfer, but also that it is not correlated with symbiotic competence. Instead, regulatory patterns of the transporter in Nostoc punctiforme likely constitute symbiosis specific adaptations.