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Abstract: Cyanobacterial genomes generally contain two groEL genes, referred to as groEL1 and groEL2. The purpose of this study is to elucidate a role of groEL2 in the adaptation of the thermophilic cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus elongatus to hot environments. Both groEL genes were found to be heat-induced, while only groEL2 was greatly cold-induced. Primer extension and gel mobility shift analyses indicated that transcriptional regulation of groEL2 is different from that of groESL1. The groEL2 gene was dispensable under normal growth conditions at 50°C as a groEL2 disruptant was viable. This groEL2 mutant was highly sensitive to both high and low temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]