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Evolutionary Analysis of Phycobiliproteins: Implications for Their Structural and Functional Relationships

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Abstract

Phycobiliproteins, together with linker polypeptides and various chromophores, are basic building blocks of phycobilisomes, a supramolecular complex with a light-harvesting function in cyanobacteria and red algae. Previous studies suggest that the different types of phycobiliproteins and the linker polypeptides originated from the same ancestor. Here we retrieve the phycobilisome-related genes from the well-annotated and even unfinished cyanobacteria genomes and find that many sites with elevated d N /d S ratios in different phycobiliprotein lineages are located in the chromophore-binding domain and the helical hairpin domains (X and Y). Covariation analyses also reveal that these sites are significantly correlated, showing strong evidence of the functional-structural importance of interactions among these residues. The potential selective pressure driving the diversification of phycobiliproteins may be related to the phycobiliprotein-chromophore microenvironment formation and the subunits interaction. Sites and genes identified here would provide targets for further research on the structural-functional role of these residues and energy transfer through the chromophores.

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Acknowledgment

This work was supported by grants from the Key Innovative Project (KZCX3-SW-215) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, China

    Fangqing Zhao & Song Qin

  2. Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Fangqing Zhao

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  1. Fangqing Zhao
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  2. Song Qin
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Correspondence to Song Qin.

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[Reviewing Editor: Dr. Rasmus Nielsen]

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Zhao, F., Qin, S. Evolutionary Analysis of Phycobiliproteins: Implications for Their Structural and Functional Relationships. J Mol Evol 63, 330–340 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-005-0026-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00239-005-0026-2

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