Molecular dissection of the soluble photosynthetic antenna from the cryptophyte alga Hemiselmis andersenii.

ABSTRACT: Cryptophyte algae have a unique phycobiliprotein light-harvesting antenna that fills a spectral gap in chlorophyll absorption from photosystems. However, it is unclear how the antenna transfers energy efficiently to these photosystems. We show that the cryptophyte Hemiselmis andersenii expresses an energetically complex antenna comprising three distinct spectrotypes of phycobiliprotein, each composed of two αβ protomers but with different quaternary structures arising from a diverse α subunit family. We report crystal structures of the major phycobiliprotein from each spectrotype. Two-thirds of the antenna consists of open quaternary form phycobiliproteins acting as primary photon acceptors. These are supplemented by a newly discovered open-braced form (~15%), where an insertion in the α s

SUBMITTER: Rathbone HW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10643455 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature