A single plasmid based CRISPR interference in Synechocystis 6803 - A proof of concept.

We developed a simple method to apply CRISPR interference by modifying an existing plasmid pCRISPathBrick containing the native S. pyogenes CRISPR assembly for Synechocystis PCC6803 and named it pCRPB1010. The technique presented here using deadCas9 is easier to implement for gene silencing in Synechocystis PCC6803 than other existing techniques as it circumvents the genome integration and segregation steps thereby significantly shortens the construction of the mutant strains. We executed CRISPR interference against well characterized photosynthetic genes to get a clear phenotype to validate the potential of pCRPB1010 and presented the work as a "proof of concept". Targeting the non-template strand of psbO gene resulted in decreased amount of PsbO and 50% decrease in oxygen evolution rate. Targeting the template strand of psbA2 and psbA3 genes encoding the D1 subunit of photosystem II (PSII) using a single spacer against the common sequence span of the two genes, resulted in full inhibition of both genes, complete abolition of D1 protein synthesis, complete loss of oxygen evolution as well as photoautotrophic growth arrest. This is the first report of a single plasmid based, completely lesion free and episomal expression and execution of CRISPR interference in Synechocystis PCC6803.

Coregulated genes link sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase and arsenic metabolism in Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803.

Although the biogeochemistry of the two environmentally hazardous compounds arsenic and sulfide has been extensively investigated, the biological interference of these two toxic but potentially energy-rich compounds has only been hypothesized and indirectly proven. Here we provide direct evidence for the first time that in the photosynthetic model organism Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 the two metabolic pathways are linked by coregulated genes that are involved in arsenic transport, sulfide oxidation, and probably in sulfide-based alternative photosynthesis. Although Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6803 is an obligate photoautotrophic cyanobacterium that grows via oxygenic photosynthesis, we discovered that specific genes are activated in the presence of sulfide or arsenite to exploit the energy potentials of these chemicals. These genes form an operon that we termed suoRSCT, located on a transposable element of type IS4 on the plasmid pSYSM of the cyanobacterium. suoS (sll5036) encodes a light-dependent, type I sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase. The suoR (sll5035) gene downstream of suoS encodes a regulatory protein that belongs to the ArsR-type repressors that are normally involved in arsenic resistance. We found that this repressor has dual specificity, resulting in 200-fold induction of the operon upon either arsenite or sulfide exposure. The suoT gene encodes a transmembrane protein similar to chromate transporters but in fact functioning as an arsenite importer at permissive concentrations. We propose that the proteins encoded by the suoRSCT operon might have played an important role under anaerobic, reducing conditions on primordial Earth and that the operon was acquired by the cyanobacterium via horizontal gene transfer.

The cry-DASH cryptochrome encoded by the sll1629 gene in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC 6803 is required for Photosystem II repair.

The role of the Syn-CRY cryptochrome from the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 has been a subject of research for more than a decade. Recently we have shown that photolyase, showing strong homology with Syn-CRY is required for Photosystem II repair by preventing accumulation of DNA lesions under UV-B (Vass et al. 2013). Here we investigated if Syn-CRY is also involved in PSII repair, either via removal of DNA lesions or other mechanism? The Δsll1629 mutant lacking Syn-CRY lost faster the PSII activity and D1 protein during UV-B or PAR than the WT. However, no detectable damages in the genomic DNA were observed. The transcript levels of the UV-B and light stress indicator gene psbA3, encoding D1, are comparable in the two strains showing that Δsll1629 cells are not defective at the transcriptional level. Nevertheless 2D protein analysis in combination with mass spectrometry showed a decreased accumulation of several, mostly cytoplasmic, proteins including PilA1 and bicarbonate transporter SbtA. Δsll1629 cells exposed to high light also showed a limitation in de novo assembly of PSII. It is concluded that Syn-CRY is required for efficient restoration of Photosystem II activity following UV-B and PAR induced photodamage. This effect is not caused by retardation of DNA repair, instead the synthesis of new D1 (and D2) subunit(s) and/or the assembly of the Photosystem II reaction center complex is likely affected due to the lack of intracellular CO2, or via a so far unidentified pathway that possibly includes the PilA1 protein.

The ability of cyanobacterial cells to restore UV-B radiation induced damage to Photosystem II is influenced by photolyase dependent DNA repair.

Damage of DNA and Photosystem-II are among the most significant effects of UV-B irradiation in photosynthetic organisms. Both damaged DNA and Photosystem-II can be repaired, which represent important defense mechanisms against detrimental UV-B effects. Correlation of Photosystem-II damage and repair with the concurrent DNA damage and repair was investigated in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis PCC6803 using its wild type and a photolyase deficient mutant, which is unable to repair UV-B induced DNA damages. A significant amount of damaged DNA accumulated during UV-B exposure in the photolyase mutant concomitant with decreased Photosystem-II activity and D1 protein amount. The transcript level of psbA3, which is a UV-responsive copy of the psbA gene family encoding the D1 subunit of the Photosystem-II reaction center, is also decreased in the photolyase mutant. The wild-type cells, however, did not accumulate damaged DNA during UV-B exposure, suffered smaller losses of Photosystem-II activity and D1 protein, and maintained higher level of psbA3 transcripts than the photolyase mutant. It is concluded that the repair capacity of Photosystem-II depends on the ability of cells to repair UV-B-damaged DNA through maintaining the transcription of genes, which are essential for protein synthesis-dependent repair of the Photosystem-II reaction center.