Growth of <i>Synechocystis</i> strains with different amounts of LrtA, in refreshing conditions after stationary phase.

<p><i>A</i>, Cells of the wild-type and mutant strains were cultivated photoautotrophically (50 μmol photons m^-2 s^-1, 1% (v/v) CO₂ in air) during three weeks. These cells were used to inoculate fresh medium at 0.1 OD₇₃₀ (day 1). Growth was followed for 5 days and at that time aliquots of the cultures were photographed. The data represent average values of three independent experiments. <i>B</i>, Growth after darkness treatment. At day “0” exponentially growing cells under standard illumination conditions (light) were transferred to darkness during four days and then re-illuminated. Arrows indicate the day on which the cultures were photographed. ∆<i>lrtA</i>(+) and ∆<i>lrtA</i>(-) refer to the orientation of the antibiotic resistance cassette in the same or opposite direction respect to the <i>lrtA</i> gene, respectively.