Resolution of Chlorophyll a/b-Protein Complexes by Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis: Evidence for the Heterogeneity of Light-Harvesting Chlorophyll a/b-Protein Complexes

Laboratory for Plant Ecological Studies, Faculty of Science,Kyoto University, Kyoto 606, Japan P700-Chl a-protein complexes(CP1 and CP1*), Chl-protein complexes of PS II core (CPa-1 andCPa-2), light-harvesting Chi a/A-protein complexes (LHCPo andLHCPm) and CP29 of spinach thylakoids were resolved by SDS-polyacrylamide-gelelectrophoresis (PAGE) under non-denaturing conditions. TheLHCP oligomer purified by electrophoresis, had 29.5- and 27-kDapolypeptides. CP1, CP29 and two LHCPs (LHCP-1 and LHCP-2) ofspinach thylakoids were separated by a lithium dodecylsulfate(LDS) PAGE system with high resolution. The two LHCPs showedthe same absorption spectrum on the gel. When LHCP oligomerwas reelectrophoresed by this system it also gave LHCP-1, andLHCP-2. LHCP-1 had both 29.5- and 27- kDa polypeptides, butLHCP-2 had only 29.5 kDa polypeptide. Both polypeptides seemedto bind Chi. The heterogeneity of LHCP was also observed withbean thylakoids. (Received August 5, 1987; Accepted September 17, 1987)