Rhythmic transcription in cyanobacteria

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Life on Earth depends on light and warmth of the Sun. One of the largest group of organisms on Earth is cyanobacteria who use energy of sun to fix cardon dioxide and produce oxygen during photosynthesis. Cyanobacteria have evolved the ability to regulate activity of their genes in cycles of 24 hours. These cycles are based not only on actual day/night cycles, but also supported by internal circadian molecular clock that allows cyanobacteria to predict the onset of day and night.Light-dependent and circadian- information is collated by RNA polymerase (RNAP) and transformed into rhythmic pattern of gene expression. How this information is deciphered by RNAP is not known. We aim to characterise domains of RNAP, transcription factors and DNA regulatory elements involved in circadian activation/repression of genes by using bioinformatics, biochemistry, proteomics and Cryo-EM microscopy. In preliminary work we developed tractable in vitro experimental system of transcription and circadian regulation, and obtained first two structures of cyanobacterial RNAP complexes, supported by biochemical and proteomics data.This project will generate fundamental knowledge of cyanobacteria, who are the main contributors in global carbon cycle. Cyanobacteria currently gaining popularity as carbon neutral producers. Our research will inform genetic and metabolic engineering of industrial strains. In the future cyanobacterial circadian clock transplanted into industrial microorganisms may serve as attractive mechanism to schedule complex biosynthetic tasks.