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Updated: Dec 25, 2025

Monitoring Spatial Segregation in Surface Colonizing Microbial Populations
Published on: October 29, 2016
Cell wall surface layer (S-layer) promotes colony formation in Microcystis: comparison of S-layer characteristics
Yao Zu1, Sujuan Hong1, Chongxin Xu1,2
1School of Life Sciences, Nanjing Normal University, Nanjing, 210046, China.
Abstract:
Colony is a key to Microcystis becoming a dominant population and forming blooms. To find the mechanism of colony formation, we investigated cell wall structures of colonial and unicellular strains. Results showed that colonial strains had significant surface layer protein (S-layer) on the surface of cells than unicellular strains by transmission electron microscopy. Western blot showed colonial strains had more S-layer than the unicellular strains. When the S-layer gene (GenBank accession number CAO89090.1) of Microcystis aeruginosa PCC7806 was expressed in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803, PCC6803 aggregated into colonial morphology. The results indicated that the S-layer could promote colony formation in Microcystis. Based on the S-layer sequences of PCC6803 and PCC7806, nine S-layer genes in other Microcystis strains were screened from the GenBank. Sequence comparing showed that the S-layers conserved regions were all located in N-terminal. The S-layers contain repeats-in-toxin (RTX) sequences with Ca2+-binding site, and their amino acid composition, hydrophobicity, isoelectric point, etc. were consistent with the characteristics of RTX-type S-layer in bacteria.
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