Polypeptide profiles of chlorophyll . protein complexes and thylakoid membranes of spinach chloroplasts

Abstract

In addition to the major chlorophyll . protein complexes I and II, two minor chlorophyll proteins have been observed in sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS))-polyacrylamide gels of spinach chloroplast membranes. These minor pigmented zones appeared to be derived from the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b . protein and from the reaction centre complex of Photosystem II. Data are presented on the polypeptide profiles of purified digitonin-subschloroplast particles, with special regard to the effect of solubilization temperature and extraction of lipids. The results are compared with the SDS-polypeptide pattern of spinach thylakoids obtained under exactly the same conditions with respect to electrophoresis technique, solubilization method and presence of lipid. In addition, the effects of temperature and lipid extraction on the distinct chlorophyll . protein complexes appearing in SDS gel electrophoretograms of chloroplast membranes were studied by slicing the chlorophyll-containing regions and subjecting them to a second run with or without heating or extraction with acetone. By supplementing these data with an examination of the polypeptide composition of cytochrome f and coupling factor, it has been possible to identify most of the major chloroplast membrane polypeptides.