Abstract
We identified a novel high-light-inducible Lhc-like gene Lhl4 encoding a distant relative of light-harvesting chlorophyll-a/b proteins from the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. We constructed antibody against a synthetic peptide specific to Lhl4 protein. Western blot analysis with this antibody showed a major band corresponding to 27 kDa protein in the thylakoid fraction. The protein was not detected from the low-light-grown cells, and markedly accumulated after the transfer to high-light conditions as the mRNA level. Therefore, Lhl4 protein may be involved in protection of photosystem(s) against light stress. In order to obtain the insight into the mechanism of light response of this gene, we examined effects of the quality of light on the accumulation of Lhl4 mRNA. The blue light induced accumulation of Lhl4 mRNA even when photosynthetic electron transport was inhibited completely, suggesting that a specific blue light receptor is involved in the regulation.
