Work

Carbon metabolism shapes FtsZ levels and cell division in the cyanobacterium Anabaena PCC 7120

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Cyanobacteria, as photoautotrophs, play key ecological roles and are widely used in synthetic biology research. While metabolism profoundly influences cellular processes like cell division, the regulatory mechanisms linking these activities remain poorly understood in cyanobacteria. Here, we perturb the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) pathway by introducing an extra CO2 fixation module in the model cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120. This modification alters the levels of the cell division protein FtsZ, impairing cell division under varying light conditions. We found that 2-oxoglutarate, an intermediate of the TCA pathway known as a metabolic signal, regulates ftsZ expression via the transcription factor NtcA. Furthermore, metabolic status modulates cell division in a NtcA-dependent manner, directly integrating metabolic control and cell division. Our findings uncover a coordination mechanism between metabolism and cell division in cyanobacteria, providing mechanistic insights for synthetic biology engineering and understanding of metabolic regulation. This study provides evidence on how carbon metabolism regulates cell division among cyanobacteria. Manipulation of the TCA pathway directly impacts the FtsZ-dependent cell division by regulating its expression via the transcriptional factor NtcA.

Source: Communications Biology

DOI: 10.1038/s42003-025-08849-4

Authors: Wen-Shuo Ran, Xiaoli Zeng, Cheng-Cai Zhang

Institutions: Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Hydrobiology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

Language: English

Topic: Bacterial Genetics and Biotechnology

Subfield: Genetics

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $4,190