TY - JOUR
T1 - Development of a biotechnology platform for the fast-growing cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901
AU - Mills, Lauren A.
AU - Moreno-Cabezuelo, José Ángel
AU - Włodarczyk, Artur
AU - Victoria, Angelo J.
AU - Mejias, Rebeca
AU - Nenninger, Anja
AU - Moxon, Simon
AU - Bombelli, Paolo
AU - Selao, Tiago T.
AU - McCormick, Alistair J.
AU - Lea-Smith, David
N1 - Funding Information: L.A.M. acknowledge funding support from the BBSRC Norwich Research Park Doctoral Training Partnership program (grant number BB/S507404/1). A.J.V. was funded by a postgraduate research scholarship from the Darwin Trust of Edinburgh. J.A.M.C. acknowledges funding support from a FEBS short term fellowship and University of Cordoba fellowship. T.T.S. acknowledges funding from the Green Chemicals Beacon of Excellence, University of Nottingham. A.J.M and D.J.L.-S. acknowledge funding from the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) grants [BB/S020128/1] and [BB/S020365/1], respectively.
PY - 2022/7
Y1 - 2022/7
N2 - Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901 reportedly demonstrates the highest, most sustained growth of any known cyanobacterium under optimized conditions. Due to its recent discovery, our knowledge of its biology, including the factors underlying sustained, fast growth, is limited. Furthermore, tools specific for genetic manipulation of PCC 11901 are not established. Here, we demonstrate that PCC 11901 shows faster growth than other model cyanobacteria, including the fast-growing species Synechococcuselongatus UTEX 2973, under optimal growth conditions for UTEX 2973. Comparative genomics between PCC 11901 and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 reveal conservation of most metabolic pathways but PCC 11901 has a simplified electron transport chain and reduced light harvesting complex. This may underlie its superior light use, reduced photoinhibition, and higher photosynthetic and respiratory rates. To aid biotechnology applications, we developed a vitamin B12 auxotrophic mutant but were unable to generate unmarked knockouts using two negative selectable markers, suggesting that recombinase- or CRISPR-based approaches may be required for repeated genetic manipulation. Overall, this study establishes PCC 11901 as one of the most promising species currently available for cyanobacterial biotechnology and provides a useful set of bioinformatics tools and strains for advancing this field, in addition to insights into the factors underlying its fast growth phenotype.
AB - Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901 reportedly demonstrates the highest, most sustained growth of any known cyanobacterium under optimized conditions. Due to its recent discovery, our knowledge of its biology, including the factors underlying sustained, fast growth, is limited. Furthermore, tools specific for genetic manipulation of PCC 11901 are not established. Here, we demonstrate that PCC 11901 shows faster growth than other model cyanobacteria, including the fast-growing species Synechococcuselongatus UTEX 2973, under optimal growth conditions for UTEX 2973. Comparative genomics between PCC 11901 and Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 reveal conservation of most metabolic pathways but PCC 11901 has a simplified electron transport chain and reduced light harvesting complex. This may underlie its superior light use, reduced photoinhibition, and higher photosynthetic and respiratory rates. To aid biotechnology applications, we developed a vitamin B12 auxotrophic mutant but were unable to generate unmarked knockouts using two negative selectable markers, suggesting that recombinase- or CRISPR-based approaches may be required for repeated genetic manipulation. Overall, this study establishes PCC 11901 as one of the most promising species currently available for cyanobacterial biotechnology and provides a useful set of bioinformatics tools and strains for advancing this field, in addition to insights into the factors underlying its fast growth phenotype.
KW - CodA selection
KW - SacB selection
KW - Synechococcus sp. PCC 11901
KW - cellular metabolism
KW - comparative genomics
KW - photoinhibition
KW - photosynthesis
KW - vitamin B12
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132392261&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3390/biom12070872
DO - 10.3390/biom12070872
M3 - Article
SN - 2218-273X
VL - 12
JO - Biomolecules
JF - Biomolecules
IS - 7
M1 - 872
ER -