The genes coding for the L, M and cytochrome subunits of the photosynthetic reaction center from the thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium t Chromatium tepidum

Abstract

The complete nucleotide sequences of the genes coding for L, M protein subunits and part of cytochrome subunit of the photosynthetic reaction center were determined for the thermophilic purple sulfur bacterium t Chromatium tepidum (t Chr. tepidum) which belongs to the γ subclass. The DNA fragments with 860 bp and 1900 bp were amplified by the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) with the primers designed on the basis of amino acid sequences according to chemical sequence analysis of the proteins. The deduced amino acid sequences of these genes showed a significantly high degree of homology with those from purple non-sulfur bacteria. The L subunit consisted of 280 amino acids and had a molecular mass of 31,393. The M subunit consisted of 324 amino acids and had a molecular mass of 36,299. The aligned sequences of the L subunits of other purple bacterial reaction center polypeptides, showed the insertion of 8 amino acids in t Chr. tepidum in the connection of the first and second membrane-spanning helices different from those of purple non-sulfur bacteria. The aligned sequences of the L, M and cytochrome subunits were compared with other species and discussed in terms of phylogenetic trees.