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Organization of Photosynthesis Gene Transcripts

  • Chapter
Anoxygenic Photosynthetic Bacteria

Part of the book series: Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration ((AIPH,volume 2))

Summary

Clusters of genes that encode pigment biosynthesis and pigment-binding proteins have been found in several species of anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria. Transcripts in excess of ten kilobases in length have been found to encode what were previously thought to be separate operons with independent promoters in Rhodobacter capsulatus. This transcriptional organization of operons is called a superoperon, and is important for efficient transition in metabolism when cells are shifted from aerobic respiratory to anaerobic photosynthetic growth conditions. Since some key features of superoperons are present in other species of photosynthetic bacteria, the clustering of photosynthesis genes may have been evolutionarily conserved because of advantages accrued to cells that have linked transcription units into superoperons. The evidence for the types of transcription units in several species of anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria is summarized and compared, with an emphasis on unifying patterns of transcript organization. Because much of the data are not conclusive, some of the conclusions are somewhat speculative in nature. Since more is known about transcripts of Rb. capsulatus, it is used as a model for the other species. The reader is advised to consult recent reviews of related areas (Wellington et al., 1992; Klug, 1993).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of British Columbia, #300-6174 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada

    J. Thomas Beatty

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  1. J. Thomas Beatty
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona, USA

    Robert E. Blankenship

  2. Department of Microbiology, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, USA

    Michael T. Madigan

  3. Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA

    Carl E. Bauer

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© 1995 Kluwer Academic Publishers

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Beatty, J.T. (1995). Organization of Photosynthesis Gene Transcripts. In: Blankenship, R.E., Madigan, M.T., Bauer, C.E. (eds) Anoxygenic Photosynthetic Bacteria. Advances in Photosynthesis and Respiration, vol 2. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47954-0_57

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-47954-0_57

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-7923-3681-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-47954-0

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