Fluorescence staining of live cyanobacterial cells suggest non-stringent chromosome segregation and absence of a connection between cytoplasmic and thylakoid membranes

Publication type:
Journal article
Metadata:
Autoren
  • Dirk Schneider
  • Eva Fuhrmann
  • Ingeborg Scholz
  • Wolfgang R Hess
  • Peter L Graumann
DOI
10.1186/1471-2121-8-39
eISSN
1471-2121
Ausgabe der Veröffentlichung
1
Zeitschrift
BMC Cell Biology
Sprache
en
Artikelnummer
39
Online publication date
2007
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2007
Status
Published
Herausgeber
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Herausgeber URL
http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2121-8-39
Datum der Datenerfassung
2020
Titel
Fluorescence staining of live cyanobacterial cells suggest non-stringent chromosome segregation and absence of a connection between cytoplasmic and thylakoid membranes
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
8

Data source: Crossref

Other metadata sources:
Abstract
<h4>Background</h4>In spite of their abundance and importance, little is known about cyanobacterial cell biology and their cell cycle. During each cell cycle, chromosomes must be separated into future daughter cells, i.e. into both cell halves, which in many bacteria is achieved by an active machinery that operates during DNA replication. Many cyanobacteria contain multiple identical copies of the chromosome, but it is unknown how chromosomes are segregated into future daughter cells, and if an active or passive mechanism is operative. In addition to an outer and an inner cell membrane, cyanobacteria contain internal thylakoid membranes that carry the active photosynthetic machinery. It is unclear whether thylakoid membranes are invaginations of the inner cell membrane, or an independent membrane system.<h4>Results</h4>We have used different fluorescent dyes to study the organization of chromosomes and of cell and thylakoid membranes in live cyanobacterial cells. FM1-43 stained the outer and inner cytoplasmic membranes but did not enter the interior of the cell. In contrast, thylakoid membranes in unicellular Synechocystis cells became visible through a membrane-permeable stain only. Furthermore, continuous supply of the fluorescent dye FM1-43 resulted in the formation of one to four intracellular fluorescent structures in Synechocystis cells, within occurred within 30 to 60 minutes, and may represent membrane vesicles. Using fluorescent DNA stains, we found that Synechocystis genomic DNA is compacted in the cell centre that is devoid of thylakoid membranes. Nucleoids segregated very late in the cell cycle, just before complete closing of the division septum. In striking contrast to Bacillus subtilis, which possesses an active chromosome segregation machinery, fluorescence intensity of stained nucleoids differed considerably between the two Synechocystis daughter cells soon after cell division.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Our experiments strongly support the idea that the cytoplasmic and thylakoid membranes are not directly connected, but separate entities, in unicellular cyanobacteria. Our findings suggest that a transport system may exist between the cytoplasmic membrane and thylakoids, which could mediate the extension of thylakoid membranes and possibly also protein transport from the cytoplasmic membrane to thylakoid membranes. The cell cycle studies in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 show that the multiple chromosome copies per cell segregate very late in the cell cycle and in a much less stringent manner than in B. subtilis cells, indicating that chromosomes may become segregated randomly and in a passive fashion, possibly through constriction of the division septum.
Addresses
  • Institut für Biochemie und Molekularbiologie, Zentrum für Biochemie und Molekulare Zellforschung, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Stefan-Meier-Strasse 19, 79104 Freiburg, Germany. dirk.schneider@biochemie.uni-freiburg.de
Autoren
  • Dirk Schneider
  • Eva Fuhrmann
  • Ingeborg Scholz
  • Wolfgang R Hess
  • Peter L Graumann
DOI
10.1186/1471-2121-8-39
eISSN
1471-2121
Externe Identifier
  • PubMed Identifier: 17767716
  • PubMed Central ID: PMC2040150
Open access
true
ISSN
1471-2121
Zeitschrift
BMC cell biology
Schlüsselwörter
  • Cell Membrane
  • Thylakoids
  • Cyanobacteria
  • Synechocystis
  • Bacillus subtilis
  • Aldehydes
  • Pyridinium Compounds
  • Indoles
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Staining and Labeling
  • Cell Cycle
  • Chromosome Segregation
  • Species Specificity
  • Biological Transport
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
Sprache
eng
Medium
Electronic
Online publication date
2007
Open access status
Open Access
Paginierung
39
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2007
Status
Published
Publisher licence
CC BY
Datum der Datenerfassung
2007
Titel
Fluorescence staining of live cyanobacterial cells suggest non-stringent chromosome segregation and absence of a connection between cytoplasmic and thylakoid membranes.
Sub types
  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • research-article
  • Journal Article
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
8

Files

https://bmcmolcellbiol.biomedcentral.com/counter/pdf/10.1186/1471-2121-8-39 https://europepmc.org/articles/PMC2040150?pdf=render

Data source: Europe PubMed Central

Abstract
BACKGROUND: In spite of their abundance and importance, little is known about cyanobacterial cell biology and their cell cycle. During each cell cycle, chromosomes must be separated into future daughter cells, i.e. into both cell halves, which in many bacteria is achieved by an active machinery that operates during DNA replication. Many cyanobacteria contain multiple identical copies of the chromosome, but it is unknown how chromosomes are segregated into future daughter cells, and if an active or passive mechanism is operative. In addition to an outer and an inner cell membrane, cyanobacteria contain internal thylakoid membranes that carry the active photosynthetic machinery. It is unclear whether thylakoid membranes are invaginations of the inner cell membrane, or an independent membrane system. RESULTS: We have used different fluorescent dyes to study the organization of chromosomes and of cell and thylakoid membranes in live cyanobacterial cells. FM1-43 stained the outer and inner cytoplasmic membranes but did not enter the interior of the cell. In contrast, thylakoid membranes in unicellular Synechocystis cells became visible through a membrane-permeable stain only. Furthermore, continuous supply of the fluorescent dye FM1-43 resulted in the formation of one to four intracellular fluorescent structures in Synechocystis cells, within occurred within 30 to 60 minutes, and may represent membrane vesicles. Using fluorescent DNA stains, we found that Synechocystis genomic DNA is compacted in the cell centre that is devoid of thylakoid membranes. Nucleoids segregated very late in the cell cycle, just before complete closing of the division septum. In striking contrast to Bacillus subtilis, which possesses an active chromosome segregation machinery, fluorescence intensity of stained nucleoids differed considerably between the two Synechocystis daughter cells soon after cell division. CONCLUSION: Our experiments strongly support the idea that the cytoplasmic and thylakoid membranes are not directly connected, but separate entities, in unicellular cyanobacteria. Our findings suggest that a transport system may exist between the cytoplasmic membrane and thylakoids, which could mediate the extension of thylakoid membranes and possibly also protein transport from the cytoplasmic membrane to thylakoid membranes. The cell cycle studies in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 show that the multiple chromosome copies per cell segregate very late in the cell cycle and in a much less stringent manner than in B. subtilis cells, indicating that chromosomes may become segregated randomly and in a passive fashion, possibly through constriction of the division septum.
Date of acceptance
2007
Autoren
  • Dirk Schneider
  • Eva Fuhrmann
  • Ingeborg Scholz
  • Wolfgang R Hess
  • Peter L Graumann
Autoren-URL
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17767716
DOI
10.1186/1471-2121-8-39
eISSN
1471-2121
Externe Identifier
  • PubMed Central ID: PMC2040150
Zeitschrift
BMC Cell Biol
Schlüsselwörter
  • Aldehydes
  • Bacillus subtilis
  • Biological Transport
  • Cell Cycle
  • Cell Membrane
  • Chromosome Segregation
  • Cyanobacteria
  • DNA, Bacterial
  • Fluorescent Dyes
  • Indoles
  • Microscopy, Fluorescence
  • Pyridinium Compounds
  • Quaternary Ammonium Compounds
  • Species Specificity
  • Staining and Labeling
  • Synechocystis
  • Thylakoids
Sprache
eng
Country
England
Paginierung
39
PII
1471-2121-8-39
Datum der Veröffentlichung
2007
Status
Published online
Datum, an dem der Datensatz öffentlich gemacht wurde
2007
Titel
Fluorescence staining of live cyanobacterial cells suggest non-stringent chromosome segregation and absence of a connection between cytoplasmic and thylakoid membranes.
Sub types
  • Comparative Study
  • Journal Article
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Ausgabe der Zeitschrift
8

Data source: PubMed

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