Red-light phenotype in a marine diatom involves a specialized oligomeric red-shifted antenna and altered cell morphology.

ABSTRACT: Diatoms greatly contribute to carbon fixation and thus strongly influence the global biogeochemical balance. Capable of chromatic acclimation (CA) to unfavourable light conditions, diatoms often dominate benthic ecosystems in addition to their planktonic lifestyle. Although CA has been studied at the molecular level, our understanding of this phenomenon remains incomplete. Here we provide new data to better explain the acclimation-associated changes under red-enhanced ambient light (RL) in diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, known to express a red-shifted antenna complex (F710). The complex was found to be an oligomer of a single polypeptide, Lhcf15. The steady-state spectroscopic properties of the oligomer were also studied. The oligomeric assembly of the Lhcf15 subunits is required for the

SUBMITTER: Herbstova M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5607283 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature