Influence of photosynthesis and chlorophyll synthesis on polypeptide accumulation in greening euglena.

Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis resolves total cellular protein from Euglena gracilis klebs var bacillaris Cori into 640 polypeptides, 79 of which are induced by light exposure. The inhibition of chloroplast translation by streptomycin, the direct inhibition of photosynthesis as well as the indirect inhibition of chlorophyll synthesis by 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU) and the specific inhibition of photosynthesis but not chlorophyll synthesis by DCMU in the presence of 17 millimolar ethanol failed to inhibit the accumulation of 40 polypeptides. These polypeptides appear to be synthesized on cytoplasmic ribosomes and their accumulation is independent of the developmental status of the chloroplast. Streptomycin but not DCMU completely inhibited the accumulation of six polypeptides which are undetectable in mutants lacking chloroplast DNA suggesting that these polypeptides are translated on chloroplast ribosomes. The accumulation of seven polypeptides which are detectable in mutants lacking chloroplast DNA was also inhibited by streptomycin but not by DCMU suggesting that the accumulation of these polypeptides is dependent upon stabilization by a chloroplast translation product. The accumulation of 12 polypeptides was inhibited by streptomycin and by DCMU under conditions in which chlorophyll synthesis was inhibited, but not under conditions in which chlorophyll synthesis was unaffected by DCMU. The inhibition by DCMU of the accumulation of these polypeptides appears to be due to the inhibition of chlorophyll synthesis suggesting that they are components of pigment protein complexes. The accumulation of six polypeptides was inhibited under all conditions in which photosynthesis was inhibited suggesting that the accumulation of these polypeptides is dependent upon a product of photosynthesis.