02224nas a2200229 4500008004100000245016400041210006900205260001200274300000800286490000700294520144700301100002401748700002301772700002201795700001501817700002101832700002201853700002201875700003201897700002101929856004401950 2021 eng d00aMetabolic capacity of the Antarctic cyanobacterium Phormidium pseudopriestleyi that sustains oxygenic photosynthesis in the presence of hydrogen sulfide0 aMetabolic capacity of the Antarctic cyanobacterium IPhormidium p c03/2021 a4260 v123 a

Sulfide inhibits oxygenic photosynthesis by blocking electron transfer between H2O and the oxygen-evolving complex in the D1 protein of Photosystem II. The ability of cyanobacteria to counter this effect has implications for understanding the productivity of benthic microbial mats in sulfidic environments throughout Earth history. In Lake Fryxell, Antarctica, the benthic, filamentous cyanobacterium Phormidium pseudopriestleyi creates a 1–2 mm thick layer of 50 µmol L−1 O2 in otherwise sulfidic water, demonstrating that it sustains oxygenic photosynthesis in the presence of sulfide. A metagenome-assembled genome of P. pseudopriestleyi indicates a genetic capacity for oxygenic photosynthesis, including multiple copies of psbA (encoding the D1 protein of Photosystem II), and anoxygenic photosynthesis with a copy of sqr (encoding the sulfide quinone reductase protein that oxidizes sulfide). The genomic content of P. pseudopriestleyi is consistent with sulfide tolerance mechanisms including increasing psbA expression or directly oxidizing sulfide with sulfide quinone reductase. However, the ability of the organism to reduce Photosystem I via sulfide quinone reductase while Photosystem II is sulfide-inhibited, thereby performing anoxygenic photosynthesis in the presence of sulfide, has yet to be demonstrated. 

1 aLumian, Jessica, E.1 aJungblut, Anne, D.1 aDillon, Megan, L.1 aHawes, Ian1 aDoran, Peter, T.1 aMackey, Tyler, J.1 aDick, Gregory, J.1 aGrettenberger, Christen, L.1 aSumner, Dawn, Y. uhttps://www.mdpi.com/2073-4425/12/3/426