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Nitrogen and Redox Metabolism in Cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 Exposed to Different Sulfate Regimes

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Abstract

Sulfur is an important key nutrient required for the growth and development of cyanobacteria. Several reports showed the effect of sulfate limitation in unicellular and filamentous cyanobacteria, but such studies have not yet been reported in heterocytous cyanobacteria to ascribe the mechanisms of nitrogen and thiol metabolisms. Thus, the present work was carried out to appraise the impacts of sulfate limitation on nitrogen and thiol metabolisms in Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 by analyzing the contents as well as enzymes of nitrogen and thiol metabolisms. Cells of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 were exposed to different regimes of sulfate, i.e., 300, 30, 3, and 0 µM. Application of reduced concentration of sulfate showed negative impact on the cyanobacterium. Sulfate-limiting conditions reduces nitrogen-containing compounds in the cells of Anabaena. Additionally, reduced activities of nitrogen metabolic enzymes represented the role of sulfate in nitrogen metabolism. However, decreased activities of thiol metabolic enzymes indicated that sulfate-limited cyanobacterial cells have lower amount of glutathione and total thiol contents. Reduced accumulation of thiol components in the stressed cells indicated that sulfate-limited cells have lower ability to withstand stressful condition. Hence, Anabaena displays differential response to different concentrations of sulfate, and thus, stipulated that sulfur plays an important role in nitrogen and thiol metabolisms. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report demonstrating the impact of sulfate stress on nitrogen and redox metabolisms in heterocytous cyanobacteria. This preliminary study provides a baseline idea that may help improve the production of paddy.

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Data Availability

The datasets of the present study are available from the authors.

Code Availability

Not applicable.

Abbreviations

APR:

APS-reductase

APS:

Adenosine-5’-phopsphosulfate

ATPS:

ATP sulfurylase

DO:

Degree of oxidation

FAO:

Food and agriculture organization

GPX:

Glutathione peroxidase

GR:

Glutathione reductase

GSH:

Reduced glutathione

GSSG:

Oxidized glutathione

NiR:

Nitrite reductase

NR:

Nitrate reductase

OAS-TL:

O-acetyl serine (thiol) lyase

SAT:

Serine acetyltransferase

γ-GCS:

γ-Glutamyl cysteine synthetase

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Acknowledgements

Authors are thankful to the Head, Department of Botany, Banaras Hindu University for the necessary lab and instrument facilities. Surbhi Kharwar is thankful to University Grant Commission, New Delhi, for financial support in the form of Junior and Senior research fellowships.

Funding

This work was supported by the University Grant Commission, New Delhi, and Institute of Eminence (IoE-6031), Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.

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  1. Surbhi Kharwar

    Present address: Department of Botany, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, 226007, India

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  1. Laboratory of Microbial Genetics, Department of Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    Surbhi Kharwar & Arun Kumar Mishra

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SK: performed the experiments, statistical analysis, and wrote the manuscript. AKM: reviewed the manuscript. The authors read, reviewed, and approved the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Arun Kumar Mishra.

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Kharwar, S., Mishra, A.K. Nitrogen and Redox Metabolism in Cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 Exposed to Different Sulfate Regimes. Curr Microbiol 80, 265 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00284-023-03374-1

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