DIFFERENTIAL AND INDUCIBLE EXPRESSION OF YELLOW FLUORESCENT PROTEIN IN THE MARINE CYANOBACTERIUM SYNECHOCOCCUS SP. PCC 7002
Open Access
Author:
Byrne, Patrick
Area of Honors:
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Degree:
Bachelor of Science
Document Type:
Thesis
Thesis Supervisors:
Donald Ashley Bryant, Thesis Supervisor Donald Ashley Bryant, Thesis Supervisor Karl Todd Mueller, Honors Advisor Dr. Sarah Ellen Ades, Faculty Reader Scott Brian Selleck, Faculty Reader
Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 serves as a model system for studying the molecular biology of photosynthetic microorganisms. Its fast growth rate and natural transformability also make Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 amenable to bioengineering. Recently, a system for expressing non-native genes based in an endogenous plasmid (pAQ1) was developed in this organism. This study explored the capability of the pAQ1 expression system to serve as a platform for differential and inducible expression of yellow fluorescent protein (YFP). It was found that varying the promoter region of the pAQ1 plasmid lead to differential expression when transformed into cyanobacteria. Furthermore, inducible expression was achieved using the promoter from a sodium-dependent bicarbonate transporter gene (sbtA) derived from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. This initial foray into the development of the pAQ1 expression system demonstrates both its aptitude for studying the molecular biology of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 and its potential for use as a tool for bioengineering.