A group around Takashi OSANAI at RIKEN Environmental Resources Science Center and Akihiko KONDO of Kobe University has clarified the role of a histidine kinase (Hik8) in Synechocystis cyanobacteria. The enzyme is involved in photoresponsive changes of metabolism, by preventing the degradation of SigE under dark conditions, and its overexpression led to less storage and higher production of metabolites.

RIKEN news release, Nov. 25, 2014