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Supramolecular organization of photosynthetic complexes in membranes of Roseiflexus castenholzii

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Abstract

The photosynthetic membranes of the filamentous anoxygenic phototroph Roseiflexus castenholzii have been studied with electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and biochemistry. Electron microscopy of the light-harvesting reaction center complex produced a 3D model that aligns with the solved crystal structure of the RC–LH1 from Thermochromatium tepidum with the H subunit removed. Atomic force microscopy of the whole membranes yielded a picture of the supramolecular organization of the major proteins in the photosynthetic electron transport chain. The results point to a loosely packed membrane without accessory antenna proteins or higher order structure.

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Abbreviations

ACIII:

Alternative complex III

AFM:

Atomic force microscopy

Bchl:

Bacteriochlorophyll

Bphe:

Bacteriopheophytin

EM:

Electron microscopy

FAP:

Filamentous anoxygenic phototrophs

GSB:

Green sulfur bacteria

RC–LH:

Light-harvesting reaction center complex in Roseiflexus castenholzii

RC–LH1:

Light-harvesting reaction center 1 complex in purple bacteria

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Acknowledgments

This material is based upon work supported as part of the Photosynthetic Antenna Research Center (PARC), an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DE-SC 0001035; EL-WM was supported by an Olin Fellowship for Women and a PEO Scholar Award.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Dr., CB 1134, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA

    Erica L.-W. Majumder, Aaron M. Collins & Robert E. Blankenship

  2. Department of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, 1 Brookings Dr., CB 1134, St. Louis, MO, 63130, USA

    Robert E. Blankenship

  3. Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, University of Sheffield, Firth Court, Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK

    John D. Olsen, Pu Qian & C. Neil Hunter

Authors
  1. Erica L.-W. Majumder
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  2. John D. Olsen
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  3. Pu Qian
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  4. Aaron M. Collins
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  5. C. Neil Hunter
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  6. Robert E. Blankenship
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Correspondence to Robert E. Blankenship.

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Majumder, E.LW., Olsen, J.D., Qian, P. et al. Supramolecular organization of photosynthetic complexes in membranes of Roseiflexus castenholzii . Photosynth Res 127, 117–130 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11120-015-0179-9

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