Absence of Plastocyanin in the Alga Bumilleriopsis

Different preparative procedures for isolation and purification of plastocyanin were successful to obtain the pure protein from Chlorella vulgaris, Scenedesm us acutus and Spinacia oleracea but not from B um illeriopsis filiform is. Lade of plastocyanin in this alga was further confirmed by the following in comparison with spinach chloroplast material: a. Use of antibodies to block photosynthetic reactions generally dependent on plastocyanin; b. epr spectral assessment; c. treatment of chloroplasts with KCN and amphotericin B ; d. light-induced changes at 553 nm ( = cytochrome f photooxidation). The latter assays indicated that, in contrast to spinach, neither plastocyanin nor cytochrome f ( = Cyt 553) is present in sonified or pyridine treated B um illeriopsis chloroplasts. Photooxidation of (added) cytochrome 553 takes place not only without plastocyanin but is counteracted by the cop­ per protein.