Reduction of photoautotrophic productivity in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803 by phycobilisome antenna truncation

Abstract

Truncation of the algal light-harvesting antenna is expected to enhance photosynthetic productivity. The wild type and three mutant strains of Synechocystis sp. strain 6803 with a progressively smaller phycobilisome antenna were examined under different light and CO2 conditions. Surprisingly, such antenna truncation resulted in decreased whole-culture productivity for this cyanobacterium. © 2012, American Society for Microbiology.