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Requirement of alkanes for salt tolerance of Cyanobacteria: characterization of alkane synthesis genes from salt‐sensitive Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 and salt‐tolerant Aphanothece halophytica
Author(s) -
Yamamori T.,
Kageyama H.,
Tanaka Y.,
Takabe T.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
letters in applied microbiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.698
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1472-765X
pISSN - 0266-8254
DOI - 10.1111/lam.13038
Subject(s) - halotolerance , cyanobacteria , alkane , mutant , salinity , biology , synechococcus , gene , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , chemistry , bacteria , botany , genetics , ecology , catalysis
Cyanobacteria have been attracting great interest in the research area of biofuel production. All Cyanobacteria contain C 15 –C 19 hydrocarbons, but physiological roles of hydrocarbons remain to be clarified. Recently, two universal but mutually exclusive hydrocarbon production pathways in Cyanobacteria were discovered. In this study, we constructed a deletion mutant of alkane synthesis genes in fresh water cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongates PCC 7942. The mutant was incapable to produce alkanes and exhibited normal growth phenotype at low salinity. But, the mutant became salt sensitive. Overexpression of alkane synthesis genes from halotolerant Aphanothece halophytica in Synechococcus PCC7942 restored the growth defect. The alkane synthesis gene from halotolerant cyanobacterium A. halophytica was salt induced and produced a significant amount of alkanes at high salinity. These results indicate the requirement of alkanes for salt tolerance, and the alkane synthesis genes from A. halophytica could be a promising candidate for future biofuel application. Significance and Impact of the Study Cyanobacteria have been attracting great interest in the research area of biofuel production. All Cyanobacteria contain C 15 –C 19 hydrocarbons, but physiological roles of hydrocarbons remain to be clarified. In this study, it was found that the deletion mutant of alkane synthesis genes in fresh water cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongates PCC 7942 was incapable to produce alkanes and salt sensitive. The alkane synthesis gene from halotolerant cyanobacterium Aphanothece halophytica was salt induced and produced a significant amount of alkanes at high salinity. These results demonstrate the alkane synthesis genes from A. halophytica could be a promising candidate for future biofuel application.