Membrane Systems in Cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are photosynthetic prokaryotes with highly differentiated membrane systems. In addition to a Gram-negative-type cell envelope with plasma membrane and outer membrane separated by a periplasmic space, cyanobacteria have an internal system of thylakoid membranes where the fully functional electron transfer chains of photosynthesis and respiration reside. The presence of different membrane systems lends these cells a unique complexity among bacteria. Cyanobacteria must be able to reorganize the membranes, synthesize new membrane lipids, and properly target proteins to the correct membrane system. The outer membrane, plasma membrane, and thylakoid membranes each have specialized roles in the cyanobacterial cell. Understanding the organization, functionality, protein composition and dynamics of the membrane systems remains a great challenge in cyanobacterial cell biology.