The tricarboxylic acid cycle in cyanobacteria

Shuyi Zhang, Donald Ashley Bryant

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

285 Scopus citations

Abstract

It is generally accepted that cyanobacteria have an incomplete tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle because they lack 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase and thus cannot convert 2-oxoglutarate to succinyl-coenzyme A (CoA). Genes encoding a novel 2-oxoglutarate decarboxylase and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenase were identified in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002. Together, these two enzymes convert 2-oxoglutarate to succinate and thus functionally replace 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase and succinyl-CoA synthetase. These genes are present in all cyanobacterial genomes except those of Prochlorococcus and marine Synechococcus species. Closely related genes occur in the genomes of some methanogens and other anaerobic bacteria, which are also thought to have incomplete TCA cycles.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)1551-1553
Number of pages3
JournalScience
Volume334
Issue number6062
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 16 2011

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • General

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