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Unexpected capacity for organic carbon assimilation by Thermosynechococcus elongatus , a crucial photosynthetic model organism
Author(s) -
Zilliges Yvonne,
Dau Holger
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1002/1873-3468.12120
Subject(s) - photosynthesis , photosystem , thermophile , organism , assimilation (phonology) , botany , biology , amino acid , chemistry , biochemistry , photosystem ii , genetics , linguistics , philosophy , enzyme
Genetic modification of key residues of photosystems is essential to identify functionally crucial processes by spectroscopic and crystallographic investigation; the required protein stability favours use of thermophilic species. The currently unique thermophilic photosynthetic model organism is the cyanobacterial genus Thermosynechococcus . We report the ability of Thermosynechococcus elongatus to assimilate organic carbon, specifically d‐ fructose. Growth in the presence of a photosynthesis inhibitor opens the door towards crucial amino acid substitutions in photosystems by the rescue of otherwise lethal mutations. Yet depression of batch‐culture growth after 7 days implies that additional developments are needed.