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. 1983 Oct;80(19):5923–5926. doi: 10.1073/pnas.80.19.5923

Cyanobacterial photosystem I: Morphology and aggregation behavior

Robley C Williams *, Alexander N Glazer †, Daniel J Lundell †
PMCID: PMC390189  PMID: 16593378

Abstract

A simple procedure is described for the preparation of cyanobacterial photosystem I particles with a full complement of antenna chlorophyll a from Triton X-100-solubilized thylakoid membranes. In the presence of ≥0.1% Triton X-100, photosystem I particles from Synechococcus 6301 were largely monodisperse. These particles, when negatively stained, appeared to approximate prolate ellipsoids 18 × 8 nm. A value of 4-5 × 10-19 cm3 was estimated for the volume of the stain-exclusion envelopes of the particles. At low concentrations of Triton X-100, photosystem I particles formed linear aggregates or sheets one-layer thick. The manner of aggregation was strongly dependent on protein concentration. Shadowed preparations of the sheets indicated a thickness of 8.0-8.5 nm.

Keywords: electron microscopy, detergent solubilization, particle volume, chlorophyll-protein complex

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