The presence of two types of gene that encode the chlorophyll a/b-binding protein (LHCPII) and their light-independent expression in pine (Pinus thunbergii).

A cDNA clone (pPDLHC3117) for LHCPII of pine (Pinus thunbergii) was isolated and sequenced. From a comparison of the deduced amino acid sequence with those of proteins from other seed plants, pPDLHC3117 was identified as encoding a type I LHCPII. Specific probes for genes for type I and type II LHCPII were made from pPDLHC3117 and a type II cDNA (pPDLHC2176), respectively. Northern blotting with the specific probes showed that both types of LHCPII were expressed in dark-grown seedlings of pine.