Ecology: a niche for cyanobacteria containing chlorophyll d.

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

  • Kuhl, Michael
  • Min Chen
  • Peter J Ralph
  • Ulrich Schreiber
  • Anthony W D Larkum
The cyanobacterium known as Acaryochloris marina is a unique phototroph that uses chlorophyll d as its principal light-harvesting pigment instead of chlorophyll a, the form commonly found in plants, algae and other cyanobacteria; this means that it depends on far-red light for photosynthesis. Here we demonstrate photosynthetic activity in Acaryochloris-like phototrophs that live underneath minute coral-reef invertebrates (didemnid ascidians) in a shaded niche enriched in near-infrared light. This discovery clarifies how these cyanobacteria are able to thrive as free-living organisms in their natural habitat.
Udgivelsesdato: 2005-Feb-24
Original languageEnglish
JournalNature
Volume433
Issue number7028
Pages (from-to)820
ISSN0028-0836
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2005

Bibliographical note

Keywords: Animals; Chlorophyll; Cyanobacteria; Ecosystem; Photosynthesis; Photosystem II Protein Complex; Symbiosis; Urochordata

ID: 3185019