Table 3

Presence of genes encoding enzymes of the L-arginine-degrading pathways in the genomes of selected marine and freshwater cyanobacteria.
Pathway
 L-Arginine decarboxylase
Enzymes
 A1
 A2.1
 A2.2
 A2.3
 A3
 A4
 A5
 A6
Marine species
Prochlorococcus marinus SS 120
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Prochlorococcus marinus str. MIT 9211
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Prochlorococcus marinus MIT 9312
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Prochlorococcus marinus MIT 9313
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Prochlorococcus marinus MED 4
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Prochlorococcus marinus NATL 2A
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Synechococcus sp. CC 9605
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Synechococcus sp. CC 9902
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Synechococcus sp. WH 8102
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Synechococcus sp. WH 7805
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 n.d.
 +
 +
Synechococcus sp. WH 5701
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Synechococcus sp. RS 9917
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Crocosphaera watsonii WH 8501
 +
 n.d.
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Trichodesmium erythraeum IMS 101
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Freshwater species
Synechococcus elongatus sp. PCC 6301
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Synechococcus elongatus sp. PCC 7942
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Synechococcus Yellowstone sp. A JA-3-3-AB
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Synechococcus Yellowstone sp. B JA-2-3B'a (2–13)
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Thermosynechococcus elongatus BP-1
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Gloeobacter violaceus PCC 7421
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Nostoc sp. PCC 7120
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Nostoc punctiforme PCC 73102
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +
Anabaena variabilis ATCC 29413
 +
 +
 n.d.
 +
 n.d.
 +
 +
 +

L-ornithine is formed from L-arginine by the enzymes arginase or L-arginine amidinotransferase. It is also formed in the 2nd reaction of the L-arginine deiminase pathway. Enzymes A5 and E3 are identical enzymes and both represent a 4-aminobutyrate transaminase. Enzymes A6 and E4 are identical and both represent a succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase (Fig. 2). Enzymes A2.1, B1, and C1 represent ureohydrolases, and the same gene(s) is (are) annotated as an agmatinase (A2.1), an arginase (B1) or a 4-guanidinobutyrase (E2). The genes encoding the enzymes C1 and D1 are annotated as L-arginine amidinotransferase as well as L-arginine deiminase (see text for further details). N.d. = not detected.

Schriek et al. BMC Genomics 2007 8:437   doi:10.1186/1471-2164-8-437