Biogenesis of thylakoid membranes in cyanobacteria

蓝藻光系统II （PSII）的组装以高度有序、循序渐进的方式进行，并在靠近质膜的特殊生物源膜上启动，称为生物发生中心。这些区域的特征是锰传递因子PratA的积累，并由膜弯曲蛋白CurT形成。本项目旨在进一步阐明蓝藻PSII生物发生过程中所涉及的组装因子网络。通过使用PratA和CurT以及他们确定的物理和/或功能的相互作用伙伴作为分子入口点，遗传和生化技术将被应用于解剖组装过程的时空组织。这还包括通过低温电子断层扫描和基于活细胞成像的方法拆除Synechocystis 6803生物源膜区域的精确结构和动力学。

Assembly of cyanobacterial photosystem II (PSII) proceeds in a highly-ordered, step-wise manner and is initiated at specialized biogenic membranes close to the plasma membrane, named biogenesis centers. These regions are characterized by the accumulation of the manganese delivery factor PratA and are shaped by the membrane curving protein CurT. In this project, it is aimed at further elucidating the assembly factor network involved in cyanobacterial PSII biogenesis. By using PratA and CurT as well as their identified physical and/or functional interaction partners as molecular entry points, genetic and biochemical techniques will be applied to dissect the spatiotemporal organization of the assembly process. This additionally includes the dismantling of the precise structure and dynamics of biogenic membrane regions in Synechocystis 6803 by following cryo-electron tomography- and livecell imaging-based approaches.