Sycrp2 Is Essential for Twitching Motility in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. Strain PCC 6803

Abstract

cAMP receptor proteins (CRPs) are widely distributed in cyanobacteria and play important roles in regulating gene expression. Although many cyanobacterial species have two cAMP receptor-like proteins, the functional links between them are unknown. Here, we found that Sycrp2 in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 is essential for twitching motility and that it interacts with Sycrp1, a known cAMP receptor protein involved with twitching motility. Our findings indicate that the two cAMP receptor-like proteins in cyanobacteria do not have functional redundancy but rather work together.