Cellular differentiation and the NtcA transcription factor in filamentous cyanobacteria

FEMS Microbiology Reviews
Antonia HerreroEnrique Flores

Abstract

Some filamentous cyanobacteria can undergo a variety of cellular differentiation processes that permit their better adaptation to certain environmental conditions. These processes include the differentiation of hormogonia, short filaments aimed at the dispersal of the organism in the environment, of akinetes, cells resistant to various stress conditions, and of heterocysts, cells specialized in the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen in oxic environments. NtcA is a transcriptional regulator that operates global nitrogen control in cyanobacteria by activating (and in some cases repressing) many genes involved in nitrogen assimilation. NtcA is required for the triggering of heterocyst differentiation and for subsequent steps of its development and function. This requirement is based on the role of NtcA as an activator of the expression of hetR and other multiple genes at specific steps of the differentiation process. The products of these genes effect development as well as the distinct metabolism of the mature heterocyst. The different features found in the NtcA-dependent promoters, together with the cellular level of active NtcA protein, should have a role in the determination of the hierarchy of gene activation during the process...Continue Reading

References

Nov 17, 1975·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·J ThomasA Galonsky
Jun 15, 1992·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·J LiangR Haselkorn
Jun 19, 1992·Science·M PottsD Bassam
Dec 16, 1991·Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications·A MéridaF J Florencio
Oct 1, 1967·Journal of Bacteriology·A J SmithR Y Stanier
Jul 1, 1983·Annales de microbiologie·R HaselkornS J Robinson
Jan 1, 1983·Archives of Microbiology·H PapenH Bothe
Feb 1, 1984·Journal of Bacteriology·S A Nierzwicki-BauerS E Stevens
Jan 1, 1994·Biochimie·R Nagaraja, R Haselkorn
Jan 31, 1995·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·C D CarrascoJ W Golden
Sep 1, 1994·Journal of Bacteriology·F Fernández-PiñasC P Wolk
Jan 1, 1994·Journal of Bacteriology·G J OlsenR Overbeek
Feb 1, 1996·Journal of Bacteriology·T S RamasubramanianJ W Golden
May 15, 1996·The Biochemical Journal·P RazquinM L Peleato
Mar 1, 1997·Molecular Microbiology·K S RamaswamyJ W Golden
Jun 6, 1998·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·R ZhouJ Zhao

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Oct 19, 2005·Archives of Microbiology·Francisco LeganésC Peter Wolk
Dec 8, 2009·Nature Reviews. Microbiology·Enrique Flores, Antonia Herrero
Dec 3, 2011·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Jan MitschkeAlicia M Muro-Pastor
Oct 4, 2011·The Journal of Biological Chemistry·Elvira Olmedo-VerdIgnacio Luque
May 11, 2010·Cold Spring Harbor Perspectives in Biology·Krithika KumarJames W Golden
Aug 3, 2010·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Maximilian Schlebusch, Karl Forchhammer
Feb 19, 2008·Applied and Environmental Microbiology·Philip D WeymanTeresa Thiel
Mar 23, 2011·Journal of Bacteriology·Sushanta K Saha, James W Golden
Sep 6, 2006·Journal of Bacteriology·Elvira Olmedo-VerdAntonia Herrero
Feb 15, 2011·Journal of Bacteriology·Rodrigo A Mella-HerreraJames W Golden
Dec 17, 2004·Journal of Bacteriology·Judith P ArmitageBrendan Kenny
Feb 3, 2006·Journal of Bacteriology·Samer SakrTania Arcondeguy
Mar 17, 2009·BMC Microbiology·Marie HolmqvistPeter Lindblad
Jul 28, 2007·Biological Chemistry·Suncana MoslavacEnrico Schleiff
Jul 20, 2006·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Yunming ShiJindong Zhao

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts