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The pigments of Prochlorococcus marinus: The presence of divinylchlorophyll a and b in a marine procaryote
Author(s) -
Ralf Goericke,
Repeta Daniel J.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
limnology and oceanography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.7
H-Index - 197
eISSN - 1939-5590
pISSN - 0024-3590
DOI - 10.4319/lo.1992.37.2.0425
Subject(s) - phototroph , peridinin , carotenoid , biology , pigment , chlorophyll , chlorophyll a , photosynthesis , anoxygenic photosynthesis , zeaxanthin , prochlorococcus , photosynthetic pigment , chlorophyll b , botany , fucoxanthin , cyanobacteria , chemistry , bacteria , synechococcus , lutein , genetics , organic chemistry
The pigments of the recently isolated marine prochlorophyte Prochlorococcus marinus were characterized by modern chromatographic and spectroscopic analysis. The major photosynthetic pigment is 8‐desethyl, 8‐vinyl chlorophyll a . Accessory pigments are 8‐desethyl, 8‐vinyl chlorophyll b , zeaxanthin, α ‐carotene, an unknown carotenoid, and possibly Mg 3,8 divinyl‐pheoporphyrin a 5 . Chl a is not present in this organism. P. marinus is the first wild‐type oxygenic phototroph that does not have Chl a as its major photosynthetic pigment and it is the only procaryote ∊ ‐cyclic carotenoids ( α ‐carotene). P. marinus demonstrates a range of biosynthetic abilities that will necessitate a re‐evaluation of the evolution of chlorophyll and carotenoid biosynthesis in pro‐ and eucaryotic phototrophs.