title: Live-cell imaging of cyanobacteria.
abstract: Cyanobacteria are a diverse bacterial phylum whose members possess a high degree of ultrastructural organization and unique gene regulatory mechanisms. Unraveling this complexity will require the use of live-cell fluorescence microscopy, but is impeded by the inherent fluorescent background associated with light-harvesting pigments and the need to feed photosynthetic cells light. Here, we outline a roadmap for overcoming these challenges. Specifically, we show that although basic cyanobacterial biology creates challenging experimental constraints, these restrictions can be mitigated by the careful choice of fluorophores and microscope instrumentation. Many of these choices are motivated by recent successful live-cell studies. We therefore also highlight how live-cell imaging has advanced our understanding of bacterial microcompartments, circadian rhythm, and the organization and segregation of the bacterial nucleoid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Rayka
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yokoo
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA.
authors.forename: Rachel D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Hood
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular & Cell Biology, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA. dsavage@berkeley.edu.|Department of Chemistry, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA. dsavage@berkeley.edu.|Energy Biosciences Institute, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA. dsavage@berkeley.edu.
authors.forename: David F
authors.initials: DF
authors.lastname: Savage
mesh_terms: D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005456:Fluorescent Dyes / Q000032:analysis; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D008853:Microscopy / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D008856:Microscopy, Fluorescence; D010788:Photosynthesis; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011123:Polyploidy
chemical_list: D005456:Fluorescent Dyes; D010860:Pigments, Biological
keywords: Carboxysome; Circadian rhythm; Cyanobacteria; Live-cell microscopy; Synechococcus