title: Three-dimensional architecture of phycobilisomes from Nostoc flagelliforme revealed by single particle electron microscopy.
abstract: Phycobilisomes are protein complexes that harvest light and transfer energy to the photo system. Here, the three dimensional structure of intact phycobilisomes from Nostoc flagelliforme is studied by a combination of negative stain electron microscopy and cryo-electron microscopy. Results show that the intact phycobilisomes are composed of a tricylindrical core and six rods. Each allophycocyanin cylinder presents a double-layered structure when viewed from the side and a triangular shape when viewed from the top. These characteristics indicate that allophycocyanin trimers in the intact phycobilisomes are arranged into hexameric oligomers in a parallel manner.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, State Key Laboratory of Biomembrane, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
authors.forename: Zhi-Wei
authors.initials: ZW
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Ting-Yun
authors.initials: TY
authors.lastname: Kuang
authors.forename: Sen-Fang
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Sui
mesh_terms: D020285:Cryoelectron Microscopy; D046937:Nostoc / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D045524:Phycobilisomes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000648:ultrastructure*
chemical_list: D045524:Phycobilisomes