Synechococcus elongatus

From MicrobeWiki, the student-edited microbiology resource

A Microbial Biorealm page on the genus Synechococcus elongatus

Classification

Higher order taxa

Bacteria; Cyanobacteria; Chroococcales; Synechococcus

Species

Synechococcus elongatus

NCBI: Taxonomy Genome

Description and significance

Synechococcus elongatus are freshwater unicellular cyanobacteria. They are obligate photoautotrophs and have a rod-shaped appearance. Their habitats include freshwater hot springs and other freshwater habitats with a mesophilic temperature range. Two complete Synechococcus elongatus genomes have been sequenced, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 6301 and Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 (previously known as Anacystis nidulans R2). Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 was the first cyanobacterium strain to be reliably transformed by exogenously added DNA. Many genetic tools have been developed for Synechococcus and applied to other transformable cyanobacteria. Synechococcus elongatus has been extensively researched, specifically involving the "acquisition of inorganic carbon, transport and regulation of nitrogen compounds, response to iron deprivation, acclimation to a variety of nutrient stresses, adaptation to environmental variations in temperature and light intensity and photosynthesis." Recently, Synechococcus elongatus has been important in researching the mechanism behind the prokaryotic circadian clock.

Genome structure

Synechococcus elongatus has one circular chromosome with two plasmids. Two genomic strains of this cyanobacteria have been sequenced: Synechococcus elongatus PCC 6301 and Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942. The genome of Synechococcus elongatus PC 6301 consists of a circular chromosome 2, 696, 255 bp long.


Describe the size and content of the genome. How many chromosomes? Circular or linear? Other interesting features? What is known about its sequence? Does it have any plasmids? Are they important to the organism's lifestyle?

Cell structure and metabolism

Synechococcus elongatus are gram negative cyanobacteria. They do not have flagella or clilia, but are still able to move in their aquatic habitat. They are oxygenic photoautotrophs. (Further elaboration will be provided soon).

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Ecology

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Pathology

Synechococcus elongatus is currently not known to cause any diseases.

Application to Biotechnology

Does this organism produce any useful compounds or enzymes? What are they and how are they used?

Current Research

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References

Beissinger, Martina et al. 1998. Solution structure of cytochrome c6 from the thermophilic cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus. The EMBO Journal, Vol. 17: 27-36.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=17211581&dopt=Abstract