Differentiation of the intracytoplasmic membrane of Rhodopseudomonas palustris induced by variations of oxygen partial pressure or light intensity.

The photosynthetic apparatus of Rhodopseudomonas palustris contains, in addition to reaction center bacteriochlorophyll (Bchl) two spectral forms of light harvesting (LH) Bchl, i.e. LH Bchl I, characterized by an infrared absorption maximum at 880 nm (890 nm at 77 degrees K) and LH Bchl II absorbing at 805 and 855 nm (805 and 870 nm at 77 degrees K). LH Bchl I seems to be associated with a single protein species of an apparent mol. wt. of 13 000 whereas LH Bchl II is apparently associated with two proteins of mol. wts. of 9000 and 11 000. Cells in anaerobic cultures adapt to changes of light intensity 1. by variation of the size of the photosynthetic unit, i.e. the molar ratio of LH Bchl II to reaction center Bchl, 2. by variation of the number of photosynthetic units per unit of membrane area, 3. by regulation of the size of the intracytoplasmic membrane system. During adaptation of changes of oxygen partial pressure cells are able to synthesize reaction center Bchl, LH Bchl and intracytoplasmic membranes at different rates. The synthesis of reaction center Bchl and LH Bchl I are, however, coordinated with each other, while the synthesis of LH Bchl II and reaction center Bchl proceed independently.