Localisation of fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding polypeptides of the centric diatom Cyclotella cryptica by immuno-electron microscopy

Abstract

Antisera were raised against the C termini of three fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding polypeptides, Fcp2, Fcp4, and Fcp6, of the centric diatom Cyclotella cryptica. Immunogold electron microscopy of ultrathin-sectioned cells indicated that Fcp2 and Fcp4 are present in almost the same amounts, whereas approximately 8- to 10-fold less gold label was registered for Fcp6. Immunogold electron microscopy of freeze-fracture replicas of thylakoid membranes showed that the C termini of at least Fcp2 and Fcp4 were located in the thylakoid lumen, thus demonstrating a 3-dimensional structure similar to that already described for the chlorophyll a/b-binding light-harvesting polypeptides of higher plants.