Proteomic analysis of the eyespot of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii provides novel insights into its components and tactic movements.

Flagellate green algae have developed a visual system, the eyespot apparatus, which allows the cell to phototax. To further understand the molecular organization of the eyespot apparatus and the phototactic movement that is controlled by light and the circadian clock, a detailed understanding of all components of the eyespot apparatus is needed. We developed a procedure to purify the eyespot apparatus from the green model alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii.