Unique Origin and Lateral Transfer of Prokaryotic Chlorophyll-b and Chlorophyll-d Light-Harvesting Systems

Abstract
pcb genes, encoding proteins binding light-harvesting chlorophylls, were cloned and sequenced from the Chl d–containing cyanobacterium, Acaryochloris marina, and the Chl b–containing cyanobacterium, Prochloron didemni. Both organisms contained two tandem pcb genes. Peptide fingerprinting confirmed the expression of one of the A. marina pcb genes. Phylogenetic tree reconstruction using distance-matrix and maximum-likelihood methods indicated a single origin of the pcb gene family, whether occurring in Chl b–containing or Chl d–containing organisms. This may indicate widespread lateral transfer of the Pcb protein–based light-harvesting system.

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