Nucleotide sequence analysis of the phycoerythrin encoding genes in Porphyra yezoensis and Porphyra tenera (Bangiales, Rhodophyta)

SUMMARY The genes encoding the α and β subunits of the phycoerythrin (PE) from the red algae Porphyra yezoensis Ueda and Porphyra tenera K jell man were isolated by PCR amplification. The PE u subunit gene was located downstream (+ 74bp) of the PE β sub‐unit encoding gene. The PE amino acid sequences of P. yezoensis and P. tenera, as deduced from the nucleotide sequence of the cpeA and cpeB genes, were respectively, 83–89% and 84–87% identical to species in other red algal genera. They were also 64–73% (a subunit) and 61–71% (β subunit) identical to the cyanobacterial group. The high homology of the deduced ammo acid sequences of red algal and cyanobacterial PE supports the view that the red algal plastid originated from endosymbiotic cyanobacteria. Reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis confirmed that cpeA and cpeB are cotranscribed.