Journal of Tropical Oceanography ›› 2022, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (3): 119-134.doi: 10.11978/2021144CSTR: 32234.14.2021144

• Marine Biology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Analysis and identification of seven toxin-antitoxin systems in two cyanobacteria

LIN Shituan1,2(), WANG Xiaoxue1,2, CHEN Ran1()   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Tropical Marine Bio-resources and Ecology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China
    2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2021-10-26 Revised:2021-12-01 Published:2021-12-10
  • Contact: CHEN Ran E-mail:linshituan@126.com;chenran@scsio.ac.cn
  • Supported by:
    National Natural Science Foundation of China(31625001);National Natural Science Foundation of China(91951203)

Abstract:

Cyanobacteria are the only oxygenic photosynthetic prokaryotes on Earth, possessing a relatively fast growth rate and prospering in a range of diverse habitats. Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are prevalent in prokaryotes, and play important roles in cell physiological activities including maintenance of mobile genetic elements and mediation of stress responses. Previous bioinformatic studies revealed that putative TA systems are widely distributed in the cyanobacteria genomes. However, studies of TA systems in cyanobacteria are limited. In this study, we predicted TA systems in the genomes of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 and Synechococcus sp. WH7803, the model strains of freshwater and marine environments cyanobacteria, respectively. The toxicity test of five TA systems in PCC6803 and two TA systems in WH7803 were further implemented. We found that the ectopic expression of toxin New ORF7 and BAD01932 lead to growth inhibition in Escherichia coli host. Our study provides vital information for future study of the ecological and biological roles of TA systems in cyanobacteria.

Key words: toxin-antitoxin system, cyanobacteria, Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, Synechococcus sp. WH7803

CLC Number: 

  • Q938