Widespread Distribution of Some Minor Chlorophyll-Protein Complexes in Some Plants and Algae

The use of the non-ionic detergent octyl beta-d-glucoside has allowed the demonstration in spinach of a chlorophyll a+b-protein complex of apparent molecular weight 29 kilodaltons (Camm and Green, 1980, Plant Physiol 66: 428-432). Complexes analogous to this one also can be demonstrated in three grasses, in dicots of the Chenopodiaceae, Fabaceae, and Asteraceae, and in the siphonaceous green alga Acetabularia mediterranea. These complexes are clearly distinguishable from the light harvesting complex on the basis of the chlorophyll a/b ratio, apparent molecular weight, and polypeptide composition. In addition, most plants surveyed contained two, not one, minor chlorophyll a complexes as well as the chlorophyll a complex of Photosystem I.