Open AccessExpression analysis of microbial rhodopsin-like genes in Guillardia theta
Author(s) -
Masae Konno,
Yumeka Yamauchi,
Kazuhide Inoue,
Hideki Kandori
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0243387
Subject(s) - rhodopsin , gene , biology , heterologous expression , gene expression , heterologous , microbiology and biotechnology , genetics , biochemistry , recombinant dna , retinal
The Cryptomonad Guillardia theta has 42 genes encoding microbial rhodopsin-like proteins in their genomes. Light-driven ion-pump activity has been reported for some rhodopsins based on heterologous E . coli or mammalian cell expression systems. However, neither their physiological roles nor the expression of those genes in native cells are known. To reveal their physiological roles, we investigated the expression patterns of these genes under various growth conditions. Nitrogen (N) deficiency induced color change in exponentially growing G . theta cells from brown to green. The 29 rhodopsin-like genes were expressed in native cells. We found that the expression of 6 genes was induced under N depletion, while that of another 6 genes was reduced under N depletion.