Iron in Cyanobacteria

Chana Kranzler, Mareike Rudolf, Nir Keren, Enrico Schleiff

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Approximately 40% of global photosynthesis is conducted by phytoplankton in aquatic environments. Cyanobacteria, Gram-negative photoautotrophic prokaryotes, contribute. significantly to this fraction and require large amounts of the essential micronutrient iron in order to maintain their Fe-rich photosynthetic apparatus. Cyanobacterial iron requirements exceed non-photosynthetic prokaryotes by ∼10-fold and are exceptionally high even among other photosynthetic organisms. The genomes of cyanobacterial species code for a multitude of iron transporters, iron storage complexes and iron-responsive elements involved in maintaining homeostasis in a highly variable environment. In this chapter, we will review iron transport strategies, the maintenance of intracellular homeostasis and iron limitation responses of cyanobacteria while taking into account the chemistry and environmental bioavailability of iron species.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationAdvances in Botanical Research
PublisherAcademic Press Inc.
Pages57-105
Number of pages49
DOIs
StatePublished - 2013

Publication series

NameAdvances in Botanical Research
Volume65

Keywords

  • Homeostasis
  • Iron
  • Iron-dependant transcriptional regulation
  • Membrane transport
  • Oxidative stress
  • Photosynthesis
  • Siderophores

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Plant Science

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