An SMC-like protein is required for hormogonium motility in the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme

Poster Number

10

Lead Author Major

Pre-Dentistry

Format

Poster Presentation

Faculty Mentor Name

Doug Risser

Faculty Mentor Department

Biological Sciences

Abstract/Artist Statement

The goal of this project is to identify the genes controlling hormogonium development and motility in the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme. N. punctiforme forms nitrogen-fixing endosymbioses with several different plants and fungi. Hormogonia are motile filaments which N. punctiforme uses to facilitate dispersal, the establishment of nitrogenfixing symbioses, and phototaxis. Using a transposon screen, the gene Npun_R5959 was identified as the transposon insertion site in two independent mutant strains of N. punctiforme. Npun_R5959, encodes a protein that is homologous to SMC (structural maintenance of chromosomes) proteins, which are involved in the organization and segregation of chromosomes during cell division, the regulation of gene expression, and DNA repair. In the N. punctiforme genome, Npun_R5959 is adjacently situated to the hmp locus, which is known to be essential for hormogonium development and motility. The genomic proximity suggests that the protein encoded by Npun_R5959 may interact with the Hmp proteins to control hormogonium development and motility. A strain with an in-frame deletion of Npun_R5959 (ΔNpun_R5959) was created to confirm the nonmotile phenotype. Currently, the phenotype of the ΔNpun_R5959 strain is being characterized to determine its role in hormogonium development and motility.

Location

DeRosa University Center, Ballroom

Start Date

30-4-2016 10:00 AM

End Date

30-4-2016 12:00 PM

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Apr 30th, 10:00 AM Apr 30th, 12:00 PM

An SMC-like protein is required for hormogonium motility in the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme

DeRosa University Center, Ballroom

The goal of this project is to identify the genes controlling hormogonium development and motility in the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc punctiforme. N. punctiforme forms nitrogen-fixing endosymbioses with several different plants and fungi. Hormogonia are motile filaments which N. punctiforme uses to facilitate dispersal, the establishment of nitrogenfixing symbioses, and phototaxis. Using a transposon screen, the gene Npun_R5959 was identified as the transposon insertion site in two independent mutant strains of N. punctiforme. Npun_R5959, encodes a protein that is homologous to SMC (structural maintenance of chromosomes) proteins, which are involved in the organization and segregation of chromosomes during cell division, the regulation of gene expression, and DNA repair. In the N. punctiforme genome, Npun_R5959 is adjacently situated to the hmp locus, which is known to be essential for hormogonium development and motility. The genomic proximity suggests that the protein encoded by Npun_R5959 may interact with the Hmp proteins to control hormogonium development and motility. A strain with an in-frame deletion of Npun_R5959 (ΔNpun_R5959) was created to confirm the nonmotile phenotype. Currently, the phenotype of the ΔNpun_R5959 strain is being characterized to determine its role in hormogonium development and motility.