Genes encoding light-harvesting and reaction center proteins from Chromatium vinosum

Photosynthesis Research volume 59, pages39–52(1999)Cite this article

Abstract

Sequencing of a 3.4 kb DNA fragment isolated from the photosynthetic purple sulfur bacterium Chromatium vinosum and of PCR products has resulted in identification of the Chr. vinosum pufL, pufM, and pufC genes, reading from the 5′ to the 3′ direction, and coding, respectively, for the L, M and cytochrome c subunits of the reaction center of this bacterium. Other PCR products have been used to obtain complete sequences for the pufB and pufA genes, located immediately upstream from pufL and encoding the apoproteins of two Chr. vinosum light- harvesting proteins. The 3′-portion of the bchZ gene, a gene that codes for a protein involved in the biosynthesis of bacteriochlorophyll, has been located immediately upstream from pufB. A second pufB gene, pufB2, has been located downstream from pufC, as has the 5′-portion of a second pufA gene, pufA2. The location of a second set of pufB and pufA genes, encoding light- harvesting proteins, downstream from pufC has not previously been reported for any photosynthetic bacterium. Translation of the gene sequences encoding these Chr. vinosum light-harvesting proteins reveals both similarities to and differences from the amino acid sequences, obtained from direct sequencing of the apoproteins, previously reported for Chr. vinosum light-harvesting proteins. Translation of these gene sequences, and of those for pufL, pufM and pufC, revealed significant homology, at the amino acid level, to the corresponding peptides of photosynthetic purple non-sulfur bacteria.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409-1061, USA

    Gary E. Corson, Hong Qin & David B. Knaff

  2. Department of Biology, Tokyo Metropolitan University, Tokyo, Japan

    Kenji V. P. Nagashima, Katsumi Matsuura & Yumiko Sakuragi

  3. Institute for Biotechnology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409-1061, USA

    Ruwanthi Wettasinghe, Randy Allen & David B. Knaff

  4. Departments of Biological Sciences and Plant and Soil Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, 79409-3131, USA

    Randy Allen

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  1. Gary E. Corson
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  2. Kenji V. P. Nagashima
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  3. Katsumi Matsuura
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Corson, G.E., Nagashima, K.V.P., Matsuura, K. et al. Genes encoding light-harvesting and reaction center proteins from Chromatium vinosum. Photosynthesis Research 59, 39–52 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1006182818010

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  • antenna proteins
  • puf operon
  • purple sulfur bacteria; reaction center