ORGANIZATION AND TRANSCRIPTION OF THE CLASS-I PHYCOERYTHRIN GENES OF THE MARINE CYANOBACTERIUM SYNECHOCOCCUS SP WH7803

The nucleotide sequences of the class I phycoerythrin (PE) alpha-and b eta-subunit genes (cpeA and cpeB) from the marine cyanobacterium Synec hococcus sp. WH7803 are reported. The cpeB gene is located upstream of cpeA with a separation of 56 nucleotides and the two genes are co-tra nscribed as a transcript of 1.3 kb, with the transcription startpoint being localized to 110-111 bp upstream of cpeB. The sequence of the pr omoter region bears no similarity to promoters reported for other cyan obacterial PE genes. Pentanucleotide repeats found upstream of some PE operons, particularly in the case of cyanobacterial strains capable o f chromatic adaption, are not found in Synechococcus sp. WH7803; inste ad the sequence 5'-CGGTT-3' is repeated three times in the promoter re gion.