Nitrogen depletion in Arthrospira sp. PCC 8005, an ultrastructural point of view.
In cyanobacteria, the nitrogen and carbon metabolisms are functionally bridged and consequently respond to the carbon-to-nitrogen ratio. Consequently, a nitrogen deficiency results in carbon excess. For the first time, the biological adaptation of Arthrospira sp. PCC 8005 to nitrogen starvation has been deeply characterized at the cellular structure scale. The results indicated that the carbon excess is rerouted into carbon storage granules, such as the polyhydroxyalkanoate and glycogen granules corroborating existing data. Additionally, this photosynthetic organism hugely secreted exopolysaccharides, which could constitute another biological carbon reservoir. It has been reported that few cells in trichomes of Arthrospira sp. PCC 8005 still display a high level of fluorescence after a long-term nitrogen starvation. The transmission electron microscopy showed that some cells still contained thylakoids and phycobilisomes after this long-term nitrogen starvation, which could explain the remaining fluorescence.
Department of Proteomic and Microbiology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, B-7000 Mons, Belgium. Electronic address: frederic.deschoenmaeker@umons.ac.be.
Frédéric
F
Deschoenmaeker
Department of Proteomic and Microbiology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, B-7000 Mons, Belgium. Electronic address: raphael-facchini@outlook.com.
Raphaël
R
Facchini
Biotechnology Unit, Materia Nova, Rue des Foudriers 1, B-7822 Ghislenghien, Belgium. Electronic address: juan-carlos.cabrera@materianova.be.
Juan Carlos
JC
Cabrera Pino
Department of Proteomic and Microbiology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, B-7000 Mons, Belgium. Electronic address: guillaume.bayon-vicente@student.umons.ac.be.
Guillaume
G
Bayon-Vicente
Department of Proteomic and Microbiology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, B-7000 Mons, Belgium. Electronic address: Neha.sachdeva@umons.ac.be.
Neha
N
Sachdeva
Biology of Marine Organisms and Biomimetics, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, B-7000 Mons, Belgium. Electronic address: patrick.flammang@umons.ac.be.
Patrick
P
Flammang
Department of Proteomic and Microbiology, Research Institute for Biosciences, University of Mons, Place du Parc 20, B-7000 Mons, Belgium. Electronic address: ruddy.wattiez@umons.ac.be.
Ruddy
R
Wattiez
D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000235:genetics; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D015964:Gene Expression Regulation, Bacterial; D009584:Nitrogen / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D010788:Photosynthesis; D053545:Spirulina / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D013217:Starvation
D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D002244:Carbon; D009584:Nitrogen
Cyanobacteria; Exopolysaccharides; Glycogen; Nitrogen; Polyhydroxyalkanoates; Starvation