N-Terminal Protease Gene Phylogeny Reveals the Potential for Novel Cyanobactin Diversity in Cyanobacteria

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2013

Authors

Joana Martins (Author) Other; Pedro N Leao (Author) Other; Vitor Ramos (Author) Other; Vitor Vasconcelos (Author) FCUP

Journal

Title: Marine Drugs

Vol. 11

Pages: 4902-4916

ISSN: 1660-3397

Publisher: MDPI

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 11 Citations

Scopus - 12 Citations

Scientific classification

FOS: Medical and Health sciences > Basic medicine

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-008-Z14

DOI: 10.3390/md11124902

Abstract (EN): Cyanobactins are a recently recognized group of ribosomal cyclic peptides produced by cyanobacteria, which have been studied because of their interesting biological activities. Here, we have used a PCR-based approach to detect the N-terminal protease (A) gene from cyanobactin synthetase gene clusters, in a set of diverse cyanobacteria from our culture collection (Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Genomics and Evolution (LEGE) CC). Homologues of this gene were found in Microcystis and Rivularia strains, and for the first time in Cuspidothrix, Phormidium and Sphaerospermopsis strains. Phylogenetic relationships inferred from available A-gene sequences, including those obtained in this work, revealed two new groups of phylotypes, harboring Phormidium, Sphaerospermopsis and Rivularia LEGE isolates. Thus, this study shows that, using underexplored cyanobacterial strains, it is still possible to expand the known genetic diversity of genes involved in cyanobactin biosynthesis.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 15