Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 Transcriptome or Gene expression

The cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 harbors about 3200 genes. In this global transcriptomic analysis via SOLiDTM Next-Generation sequencing transcripts could be detected for almost all annotated open reading frames. High light exposure causes adaption of transcript levels for genes coding for the photosynthetic apparatus, NADH dehydrogenase complex and ATP synthase, whereas dark incubation results in general down regulation of photosynthesis-related genes and up regulation of genes involved in carbohydrate degradation. The transcription data further indicate up regulation of genes coding for putative, alternative phosphoenolpyruvate degradation pathway via the phosphoenolpyruvate synthase (ppsA) and the pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase (nifJ) in the dark, especially under fermentative conditions. The genes coding for the pyruvate kinase and the pyruvate dehydrogenase complex, on the other hand, are down-regulated on the mRNA level in the dark. Fermentative incubation results in an overall down regulation of genes coding for enzyme complexes involved in respiration. For one gene cluster comprising genes involved in tetrapyrrole biosynthesis (hemN2, acsF2, ho2) and a gene coding for a fatty acid desaturase (desF) the transcription data indicate O2-dependent regulation.