The redox-sensitive R-loop of the carbon control protein SbtB contributes to the regulation of the cyanobacterial CCM.

SbtB is a PII-like protein that regulates the carbon-concentrating mechanism (CCM) in cyanobacteria. SbtB proteins can bind many adenyl nucleotides and possess a characteristic C-terminal redox sensitive loop (R-loop) that forms a disulfide bridge in response to the diurnal state of the cell. SbtBs also possess an ATPase/ADPase activity that is modulated by the redox-state of the R-loop. To investigate the R-loop in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, site-specific mutants, unable to form the hairpin and permanently in the reduced state, and a R-loop truncation mutant, were characterized under different inorganic carbon (C) and light regimes. Growth under diurnal rhythm showed a role of the R-loop as sensor for acclimation to changing light conditions. The redox-state of the R-loop was found to impact the binding of the adenyl-nucleotides to SbtB, its membrane association and thereby the CCM regulation, while these phenotypes disappeared after truncation of the R-loop. Collectively, our data imply that the redox-sensitive R-loop provides an additional regulatory layer to SbtB, linking the CO-related signaling activity of SbtB with the redox state of cells, mainly reporting the actual light conditions. This regulation not only coordinates CCM activity in the diurnal rhythm but also affects the primary carbon metabolism.