Bacteriochlorophyll-protein complexes of aerobic bacteria,Erythrobacter longus and Erythrobacter species OCh 114

Bacteriochlorophyll(Bchl)-protein complexes were isolated from obligate aerobic bacteria, Erythrobacter longus and Erythrobacter species OCh 114. The apparent molecular weights, absorption spectra and polypeptide compositions of the light-harvesting complexes were, in general, similar to those of the light-harvesting Bchl-protein complexes of purple photosynthetic bacteria. The reaction center complexes of these bacteria also showed similar properties to those of the purple bacteria except for slightly altered polypeptides. However, the following characteristic features of the light-harvesting systems were found in these aerobic bacteria. Major carotenoids were not bound to the Bchl-protein complex in E. longus. In Erythrobacter sp. OCh 114, a new type of Bchl-protein complex which showed a single absorption band in the near infrared region at 806 nm was obtained. The reaction center of strain OCh 114 was associated with a c-type cytochrome.Abbreviations Bchl bacteriochlorophyll a - RC reaction center - SDS sodium dodecylsulfate - PAGE polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis