RNA helicases in cyanobacteria: biochemical and molecular approaches

RNA helicases are associated with every aspect of RNA metabolism and function. A diverse range of RNA helicases are encoded by essentially every organism. While RNA helicases alter gene expression, RNA helicase expression is itself regulated, frequently in response to abiotic stress. Photosynthetic cyanobacteria present a unique model system to investigate RNA helicase expression and function. This chapter describes methodology to study the expression and cellular localization of RNA helicases, providing insights into the metabolic pathway(s) in which these enzymes function in cyanobacteria. The approaches are applicable to other systems as well.