Regulation of the scp Genes in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803—What is New?

In the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 there are five genes encoding small CAB-like (SCP) proteins, which have been shown to be up-regulated under stress. Analyses of the promoter sequences of the scp genes revealed the existence of an NtcA binding motif in two scp genes, scpB and scpE. Binding of NtcA, the key transcriptional regulator during nitrogen stress, to the promoter regions was shown by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The metabolite 2-oxoglutarate did not increase the affinity of NtcA for binding to the promoters of scpB and scpE. A second motif, the HIP1 palindrome 5ʹ GGCGATCGCC 3ʹ, was detected in the upstream regions of scpB and scpC. The transcription factor encoded by sll1130 has been suggested to recognize this motif to regulate heat-responsive genes. Our data suggest that HIP1 is not a regulatory element within the scp genes. Further, the presence of the high light regulatory (HLR1) motif was confirmed in scpB-E, in accordance to their induced transcriptions in cells exposed to high light. The HLR1 motif was newly discovered in eight additional genes.