The Freshwater Cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 Does Not Require an Active External Carbonic Anhydrase

Under standard laboratory conditions, Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942 lacks EcaA^Syn, a periplasmic carbonic anhydrase (CA). In this study, a S. elongatus transformant was created that expressed the homologous EcaA^Cya from Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142. This additional external CA had no discernible effect on the adaptive responses and physiology of cells exposed to changes similar to those found in S. elongatus natural habitats, such as fluctuating CO₂ and HCO₃^- concentrations and ratios, oxidative or light stress, and high CO₂. The transformant had a disadvantage over wild-type cells under certain conditions (Na⁺ depletion, a reduction in CO₂). S. elongatus cells lacked their own EcaA^Syn in all experimental conditions. The results suggest the presence in S. elongatus of mechanisms that limit the appearance of EcaA^Syn in the periplasm. For the first time, we offer data on the expression pattern of CCM-associated genes during S. elongatus adaptation to CO₂ replacement with HCO₃^-, as well as cell transfer to high CO₂ levels (up to 100%). An increase in CO₂ concentration coincides with the suppression of the NDH-1₄ system, which was previously thought to function constitutively.