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A bacterial proteorhodopsin proton pump in marine eukaryotes

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  • Claudio H. Slamovits

    (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, University of British Columbia
    Present addresses: Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 1X5 (C.H.S); Institute of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, University of Bergen, Bergen N-5021, Norway (L.B.).)

  • Noriko Okamoto

    (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, University of British Columbia)

  • Lena Burri

    (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, University of British Columbia
    Present addresses: Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 1X5 (C.H.S); Institute of Medicine, Haukeland University Hospital, University of Bergen, Bergen N-5021, Norway (L.B.).)

  • Erick R. James

    (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, University of British Columbia)

  • Patrick J. Keeling

    (Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, University of British Columbia)

Abstract

Proteorhodopsins are light-driven proton pumps involved in widespread phototrophy. Discovered in marine proteobacteria just 10 years ago, proteorhodopsins are now known to have been spread by lateral gene transfer across diverse prokaryotes, but are curiously absent from eukaryotes. In this study, we show that proteorhodopsins have been acquired by horizontal gene transfer from bacteria at least twice independently in dinoflagellate protists. We find that in the marine predator Oxyrrhis marina, proteorhodopsin is indeed the most abundantly expressed nuclear gene and its product localizes to discrete cytoplasmic structures suggestive of the endomembrane system. To date, photosystems I and II have been the only known mechanism for transducing solar energy in eukaryotes; however, it now appears that some abundant zooplankton use this alternative pathway to harness light to power biological functions.

Suggested Citation

  • Claudio H. Slamovits & Noriko Okamoto & Lena Burri & Erick R. James & Patrick J. Keeling, 2011. "A bacterial proteorhodopsin proton pump in marine eukaryotes," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 2(1), pages 1-7, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:2:y:2011:i:1:d:10.1038_ncomms1188
    DOI: 10.1038/ncomms1188
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