Chapter 3 - Genome- and Proteome-Wide Analyses for Targeted Manipulation and Enhancement of Bioproducts in Cyanobacteria

Abstract

Algae and cyanobacteria have been studied for their feasibility to use as a source for production of bioproduct(s) due to their ability to absorb greenhouse gas (carbon dioxide) and to be grown large-scale outdoor cultures. Spirulina is the only cyanobacterium that can be mass cultivated in outdoor ponds, thus it can be a model organism for biofactory. Genome-scale study is relevant for screening of bioproduct synthetic capability, whereas proteome-wide analyses for protein expression level and posttranslational modification lead to information required for understanding of cellular response and regulation under abiotic stress conditions that the cells encounter in outdoor mass cultivation system. Here, we present our current understanding of protein networks in Spirulina, their regulation under temperature stress, and bioinformatics tools that are used for characterizing them. We then discuss the involvement of molecular chaperones, which play a vital role in protein quality control under stress conditions, in cellular protein networks.