Jin Han, Han Xiaoru, Zheng Chen, Xu Jingling, Zhang Wenjing, Gu Yanchao, Peng Ying, Han Jiaxin, Xu Lei, Shen Xihui, Yang Yantao
State Key Laboratory for Crop Stress Resistance and High-Efficiency Production, Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, College of Life Sciences, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China.
Stress Biol. 2025 May 7;5(1):32. doi: 10.1007/s44154-025-00224-x.
Zur (zinc uptake regulator), a member of the Fur (ferric uptake regulator) family of transcriptional regulators, plays multifaceted roles by regulating the gene expressions, such as modulating zinc ion uptake by regulating the znuABC gene cluster and influencing bacterial motility by modulating genes associated with flagella or pili. The photosynthetic autotroph Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is frequently used as an indicator organism for water pollution and a cell factory for high-value biochemical production in synthetic biology. During its growth, this organism often encounters various abiotic stresses, including oxidative, salt, and antibiotic stress. In this study, we conducted transcriptomic analysis on both Δzur mutant and wild-type (WT) strains to identify potential Zur-regulated genes in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. These genes primarily participate in multiple pathways such as inorganic ion transport, carbohydrate transport, energy production and conversion, and cell motility. Zur not only controls zinc ion homeostasis within the cell but also influences the iron balance by directly regulating the expression of the fur gene. In terms of motility, Zur regulates the expression of bacterial pili gene cluster and other motility-related genes, thereby affecting the twitching motility of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Furthermore, Zur plays a crucial role in promoting biofilm formation and enhancing resistance to salt, oxidative, and antibiotic stresses by modulating relative gene expression. In conclusion, as a global transcriptional regulator, Zur plays pivotal roles in metal ion homeostasis, motility, and resistance to multiple stresses in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. This study illustrates the Zur regulons in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, and underscores the importance of Zur in enhancing the environmental adaptability of cyanobacteria.
Zur（锌摄取调节因子）是转录调节因子Fur（铁摄取调节因子）家族的成员，通过调节基因表达发挥多方面作用，例如通过调节znuABC基因簇来调控锌离子摄取，以及通过调节与鞭毛或菌毛相关的基因来影响细菌运动。光合自养生物集胞藻PCC 6803常被用作水污染的指示生物和合成生物学中高价值生化产品的细胞工厂。在其生长过程中，该生物经常遇到各种非生物胁迫，包括氧化胁迫、盐胁迫和抗生素胁迫。在本研究中，我们对Δzur突变体和野生型（WT）菌株进行了转录组分析，以鉴定集胞藻PCC 6803中潜在的Zur调控基因。这些基因主要参与无机离子转运、碳水化合物转运、能量产生和转换以及细胞运动等多种途径。Zur不仅控制细胞内的锌离子稳态，还通过直接调节fur基因的表达来影响铁平衡。在运动方面，Zur调节细菌菌毛基因簇和其他运动相关基因的表达，从而影响集胞藻PCC 6803的颤动运动。此外，Zur通过调节相关基因表达在促进生物膜形成以及增强对盐、氧化和抗生素胁迫的抗性方面发挥关键作用。总之，作为一种全局转录调节因子，Zur在集胞藻PCC 6803的金属离子稳态、运动以及对多种胁迫的抗性中起关键作用。本研究阐明了集胞藻PCC 6803中的Zur调控子，并强调了Zur在增强蓝细菌环境适应性方面的重要性。
