Characterization of chromatic adaptation of Gloeotrichia sp. UTEX 583

Cyanobacteria have the ability to absorb a wide range of different wavelengths of light for photosynthesis. To do this many species alter the composition of proteins in their phycobilisomes, light gathering “antenna,” in a process called complementary chromatic adaptation (CCA). Historically Gloeotrichia sp. UTEX 583 ( Gloe 583) was classed as a type III chromatically adapting cyanobacteria. However, recent research has found homology between the CCA responses of Gloe 583 and Nostoc punctiforme ( N. punctiforme ), the type II chromatically adapting model system. A gene homologous to the sensor‐histidine‐kinase protein used in the up regulation of phycoerythrin in N. punctiforme , cca S, was found in Gloe 583. The Gloe 583 cca S was found by making a genetic library. The sequence was then used to find the genes encoding for proteins associated with cca S. The CCA exhibited by Gloe 583 is quite homologous to the CCA seen by N. punctiforme . This provides more evidence that the PE regulation pathway in N. punciforme , can be generalized for many type II adapting cyanobacteria.