title: Diverse roles of the GlcP glucose permease in free-living and symbiotic cyanobacteria.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis; CSIC and Universidad de Sevilla; Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Picossi
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis; CSIC and Universidad de Sevilla; Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Bioquímica Vegetal y Fotosíntesis; CSIC and Universidad de Sevilla; Seville, Spain.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ekman
mesh_terms: D002633:Chemotaxis / Q000187:drug effects; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology; D046937:Nostoc / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000254:growth & development; D010731:Phosphoenolpyruvate Sugar Phosphotransferase System / Q000378:metabolism*; D010802:Phylogeny; D013559:Symbiosis / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010731:Phosphoenolpyruvate Sugar Phosphotransferase System; C031629:phosphoenolpyruvate-glucose phosphotransferase; D005947:Glucose
keywords: Anthoceros punctatus; Chemotaxis; Cyanobacteria; GlcP; Nostoc punctiforme; Phylogeny; Sugar transporter; Symbiosis