Morphogenes bolA and mreB mediate the photoregulation of cellular morphology during complementary chromatic acclimation in Fremyella diplosiphon. Issue 1 (29th May 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Singh, Shailendra P.; Montgomery, Beronda L.
• Is Part Of: Molecular microbiology. Volume 93:Issue 1(2014)
• Page Start: 167
• Page End: 182
• Publication Date: 2014-05-29
• Subjects: Molecular microbiology -- Periodicals; 572.829
• DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12649
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0950-382X

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <p>Photoregulation of pigmentation during complementary chromatic acclimation (CCA) is well studied in <italic>F</italic><italic>remyella diplosiphon</italic>; however, mechanistic insights into the CCA‐associated morphological changes are still emerging. <italic>F</italic><italic>. diplosiphon</italic> cells are rectangular under green light (GL), whereas cells are smaller and spherical under red light (RL). Here, we investigate the role of morphogenes <italic>bolA</italic> and <italic>mreB</italic> during CCA using gene expression and gene function analyses. The <italic>F.</italic> <italic>diplosiphon</italic> <italic>bolA</italic> gene is essential as its complete removal from the genome was unsuccessful. Depletion of <italic>bolA</italic> resulted in slow growth, morphological defects and the accumulation of high levels of reactive oxygen species in a partially segregated Δ<italic>bolA</italic> strain. Higher expression of <italic>bolA</italic> was observed under RL and was correlated with lower expression of <italic>mreB</italic> and <italic>mreC</italic> genes in wild type. In a Δ<italic>rcaE</italic> strain that lacks the red‐/green‐responsive RcaE photoreceptor, the expression of <italic>bolA</italic> and <italic>mre</italic> genes was altered under both RL and GL. Observed gene expression relationships suggest that <italic>mreB</italic> and <italic>mreC</italic> expression is controlled by RcaE‐dependent photoregulation of <italic>bolA</italic> expression. Expression of <italic>F</italic><italic>. diplosiphon</italic> <italic>bolA</italic> and <italic>mreB</italic> homologues in <italic>E</italic><italic>scherichia coli</italic> demonstrated functional conservation of the encoded proteins. Together, these studies establish roles for <italic>bolA</italic> and <italic>mreB</italic> in RcaE‐dependent regulation of cellular morphology.</p> </abstract>