Marine cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) are major contributors to the global carbon cycle and underlie many of the world’s marine food webs.They only need sunlight, carbon dioxide, and a set of basic elements, including metals, to sustain life.However, little is known about whether and how cyanobacteria utilize or regulate zinc, an element generally considered essential to life.
An interdisciplinary research team of four members from the University of Warwick has identified a highly efficient regulatory network that controls zinc accumulation in the high seas cyanobacteria Synechococcus.
This network allows Synechococcus to alter its internal zinc levels by more than two orders of magnitude and relies on a zinc uptake regulator protein (Zur), which senses zinc and responds accordingly.
Uniquely, this sensor protein activates a bacterial metallothionein (zinc-binding protein) that, together with an efficient uptake system, is responsible for the organism’s extraordinary ability to accumulate zinc.
Professor Claudia Blindauer, from the University of Warwick’s Department of Chemistry, said: “Our results show that zinc is an essential element for marine cyanobacteria. Their ability to store zinc may help enhance the removal of phosphorus, which is extremely scarce in many parts of the world’s oceans. A macronutrient. Zinc may also be required for efficient carbon fixation.”
Dr Alevtina Mikhaylina from the Warwick School of Life Sciences commented: “These features, not yet reported for any other bacteria, may contribute to Synechococcus’ widespread ecological distribution in the global ocean. We hope our findings will be of broad interest to the researchers. , from biochemists (especially trace metal and bioinorganic chemists), structural and molecular biologists to biogeochemists, microbial ecologists and oceanographers.”
Dr Rachael Wilkinson from Swansea University Medical School and Professor Vilmos Fülöp from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Warwick added: “As part of an interdisciplinary project, the structure of the Zur protein provides mechanistic insights into how it plays its key role in regulating the oceans Zinc homeostasis in cyanobacteria.”
Dr James Coverdale, from the University of Birmingham’s Institute of Clinical Sciences, observed: “Working at the interface of microbiology, analysis, structure and biochemistry, our interdisciplinary team has greatly improved our understanding of how inorganic chemistry affects marine life.” ”
Professor Dave Scanlan from the Warwick School of Life Sciences added: “The ocean is the somewhat neglected ‘lung’ of our planet – every breath we take is oxygen that has evolved from the ocean system, while about half The fixation of carbon dioxide in biomass occurs on Earth in seawater. Marine cyanobacteria are key players in Earth’s “lungs”, and this manuscript reveals a new aspect of their biology, the ability to finely regulate zinc homeostasis, which Features certainly help them achieve these critical capabilities of planetary functions.”
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Post time: Jun-11-2022