Phylogeny of galactolipid synthase homologs together with their enzymatic analyses revealed a possible origin and divergence time for photosynthetic membrane biogenesis.

ABSTRACT: The photosynthetic membranes of cyanobacteria and chloroplasts of higher plants have remarkably similar lipid compositions. In particular, thylakoid membranes of both cyanobacteria and chloroplasts are composed of galactolipids, of which monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) is the most abundant, although MGDG biosynthetic pathways are different in these organisms. Comprehensive phylogenetic analysis revealed that MGDG synthase (MGD) homologs of filamentous anoxygenic phototrophs Chloroflexi have a close relationship with MGDs of Viridiplantae (green algae and land plants). Furthermore, analyses for the sugar specificity and anomeric configuration of the sugar head groups revealed that one of the MGD homologs exhibited a true MGDG synthetic activity. We therefore presumed that higher plant M

SUBMITTER: Yuzawa Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3276260 | biostudies-literature | 2012

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature