(08/15/18) Genes needed growth in light-dark cycles, the circadian clock, and KaiA

Genome-wide fitness assessment during diurnal growth reveals an expanded role of the cyanobacterial circadian clock protein KaiA

Understanding how photosynthetic bacteria respond to and anticipate natural light–dark cycles is necessary for predictive modeling, bioengineering, and elucidating metabolic strategies for diurnal growth. In this paper, we report on some exciting discoveries:

1. We identify the genetic components that are important specifically under light–dark cycling conditions
2. We determine conclude from the data how a properly functioning circadian clock prepares metabolism for darkness, a starvation period for photoautotrophs.
3. We establish that the core circadian clock protein KaiA is necessary to enable rhythmic derepression of a nighttime circadian program.

I also made an interactive Shiny app to explore the main dataset of gene fitness. Shiny allows to make interactive application that allow others to play with and explore your awesome datasets. It really makes for a good impression and provides a way for people to connect and get ‘hands-on’ with the information you are excited about. (See the gif below)

Welkie DG, Rubin BE, Chang Y, Smith S, LiWang A, Golden S. Genome-wide fitness assessment during diurnal growth reveals an expanded role of the cyanobacterial circadian clock protein KaiA. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 2018 July 115;30:E7174-E7183.

Links to article: Pubmed
Click here to see PDF of paper
Click here to see the app Shiny app
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