title: The complete amino acid sequence of R-phycocyanin-I alpha and beta subunits from the red alga Porphyridium cruentum. Structural and phylogenetic relationships of the phycocyanins within the phycobiliprotein families.
abstract: We present here the complete primary structure of R-phycocyanin-I alpha and beta subunits from the red alga Porphyridium cruentum. The alpha chain is composed of 162 amino acid residues (18049 Da, calculated from sequence, including chromophore) and carries a phycocyanobilin pigment covalently linked to Cys84. The beta chain contains 172 amino acids (19344Da, calculated from sequence, including chromophores) and carries a phycocyanobilin pigment covalently linked at Cys82 and a phycoerythrobilin pigment at Cys153. A gamma-N-methyl asparagine residue was also characterised at position beta 72 similar to other phycobiliprotein beta subunits. R-phycocyanin-I from Porphyridium cruentum shares high sequence identity with C-phycocyanins (69-83%), R-phycocyanins (66-70%) and in a less extent with phycoerythrocyanins (57-65%) from various sources. The presented phylogenetic trees are based on a comparison of all phycobiliprotein amino acid sequences known so far and confirm the clear affiliation of the R-phycocyanins in the phycocyanin family. In spite of their particular phycobilin pattern, they do not represent intermediate forms between the phycocyanin and the phycoerythrin family. Phycoerythrocyanin, a phycocyanin-related phycobiliprotein adapted to green light harvesting, is also shown to belong to the phycocyanin family. However, the phycoerythrocyanins diverge from phycocyanins in their different function and it is suggested that they should be assigned to a separate group within the phycocyanin family.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Molecular Biology and Biophysics, Federal Institute of Technology, Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ducret
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Sidler
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zuber
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D001216:Asparagine / Q000032:analysis; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D001665:Binding Sites; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D000458:Cyanobacteria / Q000737:chemistry; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; D008745:Methylation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010798:Phycocyanin / Q000737:chemistry*; D010802:Phylogeny; D010860:Pigments, Biological / Q000737:chemistry; D010940:Plant Proteins / Q000737:chemistry*; D000461:Rhodophyta / Q000737:chemistry*; D017421:Sequence Analysis; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013050:Spectrometry, Fluorescence
chemical_list: D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D045342:Light-Harvesting Protein Complexes; D010860:Pigments, Biological; D010940:Plant Proteins; D010798:Phycocyanin; D001216:Asparagine