Carotenoid-containing outer membrane of Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6714.

Outer membranes, free of cytoplasmic or thylakoid membranes and peptidoglycan components, were obtained from Synechocystis sp. strain PCC6714. Electron microscope studies revealed double-track outer membrane vesicles with a smooth-appearing exoplasmic surface, an exoplasmic fracture face covered by closely packed particles and a corresponding plasmic fracture face with regularly distributed holes. Lipopolysaccharide, proteins, lipids, and carotenoids were the constituents of the outer membrane of Synechocystis sp. PCC6714. Twelve polypeptides were found in outer membrane fractions, among them two dominant outer membrane proteins (Mrs, 67,000 and 61,000). Lipopolysaccharide-specific components were GlcN and an unidentified heptose. Outer membrane lipid extracts contained phosphatidylglycerol, sulfolipid, phosphatidylcholine, and unknown lipids. The carotenoids, myxoxanthophyll, related carotenoid-glycosides, zeaxanthin, echinenone, and beta-carotene were found to be true constituents of the outer membrane of Synechocystis sp. PCC6714.