sll1961 is a novel regulator of phycobilisome degradation during nitrogen starvation in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Sato, Hanayo; Fujimori, Tamaki; Sonoike, Kintake

doi:10.1016/j.febslet.2008.02.063

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Volume 582, Issue 7 , Pages 1093-1096, 2 April 2008

sll1961 is a novel regulator of phycobilisome degradation during nitrogen starvation in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

Edited by Miguel De la Rosa

Department of Integrated Biosciences, Graduate School of Frontier Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Box 101, Kashiwanoha 5-1-5, Kashiwashi, Chiba 277-8562, Japan

Received 8 January 2008; received in revised form 21 February 2008; accepted 21 February 2008. published online 04 March 2008.

Abstract

The sll1961 gene was reported to encode a regulatory factor of photosystem stoichiometry in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. We here show that the sll1961 gene is also essential for the phycobilisome degradation during nitrogen starvation. The defect in phycobilisome degradation was observed in the sll1961 mutant despite the increased expression of nblA, a gene involved in phycobilisome degradation during nitrogen starvation. Photosystem stoichiometry is not affected by nitrogen starvation in the sll1961 mutant nor in the wild-type. The results indicate the presence of a novel pathway for phycobilisome degradation control independent of nblA expression.

Abbreviations: PS, photosystem, PBS, phycobilisome, PC, phycocyanin, Chl, chlorophyll

Keywords: Cyanobacteria, Nutrient limitation, Photosystem stoichiometry, Phycobilisome degradation