Some characteristics of cytochrome f in the cyanobacterium Phormidium laminosum: Its sequence and charge properties in the reaction with plastocyanin

Part of the petCA operon was cloned and the sequence of the cytochrome f gene from the moderately thermophilic cyanobacterium Phormidium laminosum determined. A partial sequence of the petC gene encoding the Rieske iron-sulphur protein was also obtained. The cytochrome f gene encodes a mature protein of 385 residues and a leader sequence of 45 residues. The mature protein contains several acidic or neutral residues corresponding to basic residues in the turnip protein. Some of the latter are thought to be important for the interaction with plastocyanin via its 'eastern' face. Many of the corresponding residues on the eastern face of P. laminosum plastocyanin are either basic or neutral instead of acidic. These comparisons suggested that the local charges on P. laminosum cytochrome f that are important for its interaction with the homologous plastocyanin may be negative rather than positive. The importance of acidic groups was confirmed by measuring the rates of reduction of horse heart cytochrome c and P. laminosum and spinach plastocyanins by the cytochrome bf complex isolated from P. laminosum P. laminosum plastocyanin gave the highest rates, which decreased at high ionic strength, confirming the importance of positive local charges on this protein. When extrapolated to infinite ionic strength the rates observed with the two kinds of plastocyanin were similar, but cytochrome c became unreactive. An optimum was observed in the ionic strength response with P. laminosum plastocyanin.