SFB 429 II-III: Structure and function of conserved plastid open reading frames in Synechocystis sp. PCC6803

The complete sequence of plastid genomes of many plants and algae revealed a number of conserved hypothetical open reading frames (ycf) with unknown function. Most of these ORFs are found also in the sequenced genomes of cyanobacteria. For some of these putative gene products a function in the photosynthetic processes was shown. They are involved in the assembly and/or stability of the photosystems. <br>
We are working on the open reading frames ycf3, ycf4, ycf37. Phenotypic effects in the knockout mutants and biochemical studies indicate a function of these proteins in the stability or assembly of photosystem I.