, Wilmington,

DE) to sections with thicknesses of approximately 70 nm. The sections, transferred onto copper-coated 300 mesh square carbon grids, were first stained with an alcoholic solution of 2 % (w/v) uranyl acetate and then with Reynolds lead citrate stain (Reynolds 1963). The thinly sectioned cells were visualized using a Zeiss EM-10 transmission electron microscope at 60 kV accelerating potential, and images were captured onto Kodak 4489 film (Rochester, NY). Spectral analysis of membrane fractions and quantitation of pigments Protein selleck chemicals llc synthesis was halted by the addition of chloramphenicol solution (20 mg/ml in 95 % ethanol) to a final concentration

of 1.5 % (v/v) to the cultures which were then chilled on ice. The cells were pelleted at 2,688×g for 10 min at 4 °C, and then the cell pellet was resuspended in 5 ml of 0.1 M sodium phosphate buffer, pH 7.7. Immediately prior to lysis, a protease inhibitor cocktail (Sigma Chemical Co., St. Louis, MO) was added (100 μl/50 ml of culture). The cells were lysed by passaging them through a French pressure cell at 700 psi. Insoluble debris was pelleted by centrifugation for 20 min at 21,952×g at 4 °C. Spectra were recorded between wavelengths of 950–350 nm using a Hitachi U-2010 UV/Vis Spectrophotometer (Hitachi High Technologies DNA Damage inhibitor America, Inc., Schaumburg, Illinois). The Bchl a levels in the photosynthetic pigment–protein complexes were calculated from the spectral data using the method of Meinhardt et al. (1985). Protein concentration determinations Protein concentrations were determined using the Pierce BCA Protein Assay Reagent (Pierce, Rockford, IL). Bovine serum albumin was used as a standard. Results Ultrastructure of R. sphaeroides wild type 2.4.1 and prr mutant

bacteria The Prr redox-responsive two-component system is composed of the PrrB membrane-localized sensor protein and the PrrA cytoplasmic DNA binding regulatory protein. ever A third membrane-localized protein, PrrC, is thought to communicate the redox signal, the nature of which is as yet unknown, to PrrB. These features, and other details about the regulatory system and its impact on gene transcription in response to changes in oxygen availability have been reviewed recently (Gomelsky and Zeilstra-Ryalls 2013). Although PrrA− mutants cannot grow phototrophically, their respiratory capacity is apparently unaffected, and they can grow in the dark both aerobically and anaerobically using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as alternate electron acceptor.