Isabelle Michaud-Soret
Anabaena PCC7120 is a filamentous photosynthetic cyanobacteria able to fix nitrogen in differentiated cells called heterocysts. In this way, nitrogenase is protected from photosynthetic oxygen evolution performed in vegetative cells. Both types of cells require specific metal ions localization, tight concentration uptake, and redox stress responses that are controlled by the FUR family transcription factors: FurA, FurB and FurC. The functional and structural properties of these metalloregulators especially that control iron/zinc homeostasis and stress oxidative response are studied in collaboration with M. Fillat group in Zaragoza (Spain).
Optical microscopy image of
Anabaena PCC 7120 filaments after 72 hours of nitrate step-down.
Heterocyst are visualized by Alcian blue staining (C Sarasa-Buisan e
t al. 2022
Environmental Microbiology)
PhD students: Cristina Sarasa-Buisan and Jorge Guyo, PhD students in Professor Fillat group spend both 3 months in the BioCat team, to work on Anabaena metalloregulator.
Financial support: IEA Spain CNRS
More information.