Abstract

Genome mining of Oscillatoria nigro-viridis genome reveals mycosporine like amino acids genes

Author(s): Nathan Hoyt, Ratnakar Deole

Mycosporine–like amino acids (MAA) are small molecules that contain a central cyclohexenone or cyclohexenimine ring and a wide variety of substitutions. MAAs absorb UV light that can be destructive to biological molecules like DNA, RNA, Proteins, etc. MAAs are wide spread in the microbial world and have been reported inmanymicroorganisms including eubacteria, cyanobacteria, micro-and macro-algae, as well as some multicellular organisms. In the present investigation we analyzed the genome of cyanobacteria Oscillatoria nigro-viridis to identify the possible set of genes that might be involved in the biosynthesis of these compounds. Genomemining identified a combination of genes, a predictedDHQsynthase and O-methyltransferase. The present study provides an insight into the genes of O. nigro-viridis involved in MAA biosynthesis and thus widens the field of research for these evolutionary and industrially important compounds.