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Role of Ca2+ as protectant under heat stress by regulation of photosynthesis and membrane saturation in Anabaena PCC 7120

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Abstract

The present study was aimed at understanding the effects of heat stress on selected physiological and biochemical parameters of a model cyanobacterium, Anabaena PCC 7120 in addition to amelioration strategy using exogenous Ca2+. A comparison of the cells exposed to heat stress (0–24 h) in the presence or absence of Ca2+ clearly showed reduction in colony-forming ability and increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to loss in the viability of cells of Ca2+-deficient cultures. There was higher level of saturation in membrane lipids of the cells supplemented with Ca2+ along with higher accumulation of proline. Similarly, higher quantum yield (7.8-fold) in Ca2+-supplemented cultures indicated role of Ca2+ in regulation of photosynthesis. Relative electron transport rate (rETR) decreased in both the sets with the difference in the rate of decrease (slow) in Ca2+-supplemented cultures. The Ca2+-supplemented sets also maintained high levels of open reaction centers of PS II in comparison to Ca2+-deprived cells. Increase in transcripts of both subunits ((rbcL and rbcS) of RubisCO from Ca2+-supplemented Anabaena cultures pointed out the role of Ca2+ in sustenance of photosynthesis of cells via CO2 fixation, thus, playing an important role in maintaining metabolic status of the heat-stressed cyanobacterium.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful for the facilities of Centre of Advanced Study and DST FIST in Botany (Head and Programme Coordinator, CAS) as well as ISLS, Institute of Science (Coordinator) Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi and AIRF, JNU New Delhi.

Funding

This study was financially supported by the University Grant Commission, New Delhi (F. No. 17/46/98(SA-I) in the form of JRF and SRF to AT, Department of Science and Technology-Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence, New Delhi (R/DEV./D./DST-PURSE/5050/20244) to PS and partial funding from UGC UPE II.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Jalandhar, India

    Anupam Tiwari

  2. R.N. Singh Memorial Lab, Centre of Advanced study in Botany, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    Prabhakar Singh, Sk Riyazat Khadim, Ankit Kumar Singh, Urmilesh Singh, Priyanka Singh & Ravi Kumar Asthana

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  1. Anupam Tiwari
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  2. Prabhakar Singh
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Correspondence to Ravi Kumar Asthana.

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Tiwari, A., Singh, P., Riyazat Khadim, S. et al. Role of Ca2+ as protectant under heat stress by regulation of photosynthesis and membrane saturation in Anabaena PCC 7120. Protoplasma 256, 681–691 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00709-018-1328-8

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