Proteomic characterization of acid stress response in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803

A comparative proteomic analysis using 2-DE coupled with MALDI-MS and LC-MS/MS was performed in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to identify protein candidates involved in acid stress response in cyanobacteria. Comparison of soluble proteins from the cytoplasmic fraction of cells grown on media set at pH 7.5 and 5.5 using 2-DE identified four proteins, which showed significant changes in the abundance. Surprisingly, several general stress proteins, either the heat shock family proteins or chaperonins, did not show perceptible fold changes in response to acidity. Compared to the cytoplasmic proteome, the periplasmic proteome showed remarkable changes as a function of external pH. Protein expression profiling at different external pH, i.e., 9.0, 7.5, 6.0 and 5.5, allowed classifying the periplasmic proteins depending on their preferential expression patterns towards acidity or alkalinity. Among the acid- and base-induced proteins, oxalate decarboxylase and carbonic anhydrase were already known for their role in pH homeostasis. Several unknown proteins from the periplasm, that showed significant changes in response to pH, provide ideal targets for further studies in understanding pH stress response in cyanobacteria. This study also identified 14 novel proteins, hitherto unknown from the periplasmic space of Synechocystis.