Study on the Structure of C-Phycocyanin in Spirulina platensis with Scanning Tunneling Microscope.
The C-phycocyanin (C-PC) trimmer was isolated from the blue-green alga Spirulina platensis, and scanning tunneling microscope (STM) was used to investigate its structure. High resolution STM images of C-PC were obtained. From the STM images, it could be observed that the C-PC molecules were disk-like in shape and the subunits of C-PC arranged in ring-like pattern with a channel in the center. After filter treatment, the folding of the polypeptide chains could be seen clearly. This is the first time to observe directly the topography of phycobiliprotein, and the results showed STM to be a powerful tool for the structural study of phycobiliproteins.
Zhang
Yu-Zhong
YZ
Beijing Laboratory of Vacuum Physics, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 2724, Beijing 100080, China.
Shi
Dong-Xia
DX
Zhou
Bai-Cheng
BC
Zeng
Cheng-Kui
CK
Pang
Shi-Jin
SJ