Phototrophic growth and chlorosome formation in Chloroflexus aurantiacus under conditions of carotenoid deficiency

Chloroflexus aurantiacus was grown phototrophically in the presence of 60 µg of 2-hydroxybiphenyl (HBP) per ml, which inhibited the formation of colored carotenoids up to about 90%, while bacteriochlorophyll (BChl) c formation and phototrophic growth were not significantly influenced. When the HBP concentration was increased, the latter two processes became inhibited, yet, no further inhibition of carotenoid formation was possible. The typical shape of chlorosomes was not affected after growth in the presence of 60 µg of HBP per ml. However, the chlorosome dimensions were slightly decreased. Chlorosome preparations from carotenoid-deficient cultures lacked significant amounts of colored carotenoids and exhibited lower buoyant densities than chlorosomes from uninhibited control cultures. As compared on a BChl c basis, the relative contents of the two larger chlorosomal polypeptides of 10.8 and 15.5 kDa (apparent M_r= 11000 and 18000) were not affected by HBP, while formation of the 5.7 kDa (M_r= 3700) polypeptide was inhibited by 50%. The data suggest that, in C. aurantiacus, colored carotenoids are largely dispensable for phototrophic growth and chlorosome formation. Moreover, chlorosome formation and BChl c incorporation into chlorosomes in the absence of about half of the regular amount of the 5.7 kDa polypeptide excludes a constant relationship between these parameters.