title: A homolog of Albino3/OxaI is essential for thylakoid biogenesis in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803.
abstract: YidC/OxaI play essential roles in the insertion of a wide range of membrane proteins in Eschericha coli and mitochondria, respectively. In contrast, the chloroplast thylakoid homolog Albino3 (Alb3) facilitates the insertion of only a specialized subset of proteins, and the vast majority insert into thylakoids by a pathway that is so far unique to chloroplasts. In this study, we have analyzed the role of Alb3 in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, which contains internal thylakoids that are similar in some respects to those of chloroplasts. The single alb3 gene (slr1471) was disrupted by the introduction of an antibiotic cassette, and photoautotrophic growth resulted in the generation of a merodiploid species (but not full segregation), indicating an essential role for Alb3 in maintaining the photosynthetic apparatus. Thylakoid organization is lost under these conditions, and the levels of photosynthetic pigments fall to approximately 40% of wild-type levels. Photosynthetic electron transport and oxygen evolution are reduced by a similar extent. Growth on glucose relieves the selective pressure to maintain photosynthetic competence, and under these conditions, the cells become completely bleached, again indicating that Alb3 is essential for thylakoid biogenesis. Full segregation could not be achieved under any growth regime, strongly suggesting that the slr1471 open reading frame is essential for cell viability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Spence
authors.forename: Shaun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.forename: Anja
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nenninger
authors.forename: Simon Geir
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Møller
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015139:Blotting, Southern; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D002734:Chlorophyll / Q000737:chemistry; D002736:Chloroplasts / Q000378:metabolism; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000378:metabolism*; D004579:Electron Transport; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D008027:Light; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D008854:Microscopy, Electron; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008957:Models, Genetic; D009154:Mutation; D016366:Open Reading Frames; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010957:Plasmids / Q000378:metabolism; D011312:Pressure; D046939:Synechocystis / Q000378:metabolism*; D020524:Thylakoids / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: C106404:ALBINO 3 protein, Arabidopsis; D029681:Arabidopsis Proteins; D002734:Chlorophyll; D005947:Glucose; D010100:Oxygen