Changes in intracellular energetic and metabolite states due to increased galactolipid levels in Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942

The lipid composition of thylakoid membranes is conserved from cyanobacteria to green plants. However, the biosynthetic pathways of galactolipids, the major components of thylakoid membranes, are known to differ substantially between cyanobacteria and green plants. We previously reported on a transformant of the unicellular rod-shaped cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongatus PCC 7942, namely SeGPT, in which the synthesis pathways of the galactolipids monogalactosyldiacylglycerol and digalactosyldiacylglycerol are completely replaced by those of green plants. SeGPT exhibited increased galactolipid content and could grow photoautotrophically, but its growth rate was slower than that of wild-type S. elongatus PCC 7942. In the present study, we investigated pleiotropic effects that occur in SeGPT and determined how its increased lipid content affects cell proliferation. Microscopic observations revealed that cell division and thylakoid membrane development are impaired in SeGPT. Furthermore, physiological analyses indicated that the bioenergetic state of SeGPT is altered toward energy storage, as indicated by increased levels of intracellular ATP and glycogen. We hereby report that we have identified a new promising candidate as a platform for material production by modifying the lipid synthesis system in this way.