The crystal structure of R-phycocyanin from Polysiphonia urceolata (R-PC-PU) at 2.4 A is reported. The R-PC-PU crystal belongs to space group P4(3)2(1)2 with cell parameters a = 135.1 A, c = 210.0 A, and alpha = beta = gamma = 90 degrees. The structure was determined by molecular replacement. The crystallographic R-factor of the refined model is 0.189 (R(free) = 0.239). Comparison of the microe...

The dark synthesis of biliproteins in the blue-green alga Tolypothrix tenuis is controlled by brief light treatments. Green light potentiates synthesis of phycoerythrin and red light potentiates synthesis of phycocyanin. Red reverses the effect of green and vice versa. Action spectra for the red and green effects were obtained for the wavelength region 320 nanometers to 710 nanometers, at 10-na...

A polarographic oxygen determination, with tissue in direct contact with a stationary platinum electrode, has been used to measure the photosynthetic response of marine algae. These were exposed to monochromatic light, of equal energy, at some 35 points through the visible spectrum (derived from a monochromator). Ulva and Monostroma (green algae) show action spectra which correspond very closel...

The phycobiliproteins of the blue-green algae Synechococcus sp. and Aphanocapsu sp. were characterized with respect to homogeneity, isoelectric point, and subunit composition. Each of the biliproteins consisted of two different noncovalently associated subunits, with molecular weights of about 20,000 and 16,000 for phycocyanin, 17,500 and 15,500 for allophycocyanin, and 22,000 and 20,000 for ph...