Cyanobacterial species, Anabaena/Nostoc and Chroococcidiopsis are highly radio-resistant indicating the presence of a robust DNA repair system. However, unlike the establishment of multiple DNA repair pathways in the radio-resistant Deinococcus, research on DNA repair in cyanobacteria has lagged far behind. Being ancient organisms, it is likely that the DNA repair mechanisms have evolved from cyanobacteria to the modern day bacteria. This review focuses on identifying and collating information on the major DNA repair proteins in cyanobacteria including re-annotation of recR and ndk, using Anabaena/Nostoc sp. strain PCC7120 as a model organism. Unlike most other bacteria, the DNA repair genes of cyanobacteria are not clustered in operons. Though the functional characterisation of most DNA repair proteins is lacking in cyanobacteria, a bioinformatic approach using sequences of DNA repair proteins from Anabaena PCC7120, has helped identify the possible protein-protein interactions, and build probable pathways of double strand break (DSB) repair. The emerging picture can be used as a guide to discern the biochemical and physiological roles of the different DNA repair proteins in Anabaena or Synechocystis, which can be manipulated genetically and establish the different DNA repair pathways in cyanobacteria, and their evolution with time.

蓝细菌种类，鱼腥藻/ Nostoc和嗜蓝菌具有很高的抗辐射性，表明存在强大的DNA修复系统。但是，与在耐辐射性球菌中建立多个DNA修复途径不同，对蓝细菌中DNA修复的研究远远滞后。作为古老的有机体，DNA修复机制可能已从蓝细菌演变为现代细菌。这篇综述着重于鉴定和整理有关蓝细菌中主要DNA修复蛋白的信息，包括使用鱼腥藻/ Nostoc进行recR和ndk的重新注释。sp。菌株PCC7120作为模型生物。与大多数其他细菌不同，蓝细菌的DNA修复基因不在操纵子中聚集。尽管蓝细菌缺乏大多数DNA修复蛋白的功能表征，但使用鱼腥藻PCC7120的DNA修复蛋白序列的生物信息学方法有助于鉴定可能的蛋白-蛋白相互作用，并建立了双链断裂（DSB）修复的可能途径。新出现的图片可以用作指导，以区分鱼腥藻或集胞藻中不同DNA修复蛋白的生化和生理作用，可以对其进行遗传操纵并建立蓝藻中不同的DNA修复途径，以及它们随着时间的演变。