A novel type of light-harvesting antenna protein of red algal origin in algae with secondary plastids.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Light, the driving force of photosynthesis, can be harmful when present in excess; therefore, any light harvesting system requires photoprotection. Members of the extended light-harvesting complex (LHC) protein superfamily are involved in light harvesting as well as in photoprotection and are found in the red and green plant lineages, with a complex distribution pattern of subfamilies in the different algal lineages.

Results

Here, we demonstrate that the recently discovered "red lineage chlorophyll a/b-binding-like proteins" (RedCAPs) form a monophyletic family within this protein superfamily. The occurrence of RedCAPs was found to be restricted to the red algal lineage, including red algae (with primary plastids) as well as cryptophytes, haptophytes and heterokon

SUBMITTER: Sturm S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3750529 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature