ELSI affiliated scientist Shinji Masuda's paper titled "Whole-Genome Sequence of the Purple Photosynthetic Bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum Strain W4″ appeared in the American Society for Microbiology's online journal Genome Announcements.

Overview: Purple bacterium is thought to be the first type of bacteria to have undergone photosynthesis on Earth. Shinji Masuda in cooperation with ELSI colleagues PI Ken Kurokawa and Affiliated Scientist Hiroyuki Ohta has determined the genome sequence of the marine purple bacterium R. sulfidophilum that performs a variety of sulfur metabolism.

This sequenced genome information elucidates 1) the structure of gene clusters necessary for photosynthesis, 2) the various sensor proteins that regulate photosynthesis, and 3) the set of genes involved in sulfur metabolism. Such genome information will be useful for understanding the formation process of early types of photosynthesis, in studying the sulfur cycle on Earth and in clarifying the role that marine photosynthetic bacteria played.

Genome Annoucements, July/August 2013

Title: Whole-Genome Sequence of the Purple Photosynthetic Bacterium Rhodovulum sulfidophilum Strain W4

DOI: 10.1128/genomeA.00577-13

Authors: Shinji Masuda, Koichi Hori, Fumito Maruyama, Shukun Ren, Saori Sugimoto, Nozomi Yamamoto, Hiroshi Mori, Takuji Yamada, Shusei Sato, Satoshi Tabata, Hiroyuki Ohta, and Ken Kurokawa

Click here for Masuda's homepage.