The structural basis for the extraordinary energy-transfer capabilities of the phycobilisome

Dvir Harris, Shira Bar-Zvi, Avital Lahav, Itay Goldshmid, Noam Adir

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingChapterpeer-review

Abstract

Light absorption is the initial step in the photosynthetic process. In all species, most of the light is absorbed by dedicated pigment-protein complexes called light harvesting complexes or antenna complexes. In the case of cyanobacteria and red-algae, photosynthetic organisms found in a wide variety of ecological niches, the major antenna is called the Phycobilisome (PBS). The PBS has many unique characteristics that sets it apart from the antenna complexes of other organisms (bacteria, algae and plants). These differences include the type of light absorbing chromophores, the protein environment of the chromophores, the method of assembly and association and the intercellular location with respect to the photosynthetic reaction centers (RCs). Since the final goal of all antenna complexes is the same – controlled absorption and transfer of the energy of the sun to the RCs, the unique structural and chemical differences of the PBS also require unique energy transfer mechanisms and pathways. In this review we will describe in detail the structural facets that lead to a mature PBS, followed by an attempt to understand the energy transfer properties of the PBS as they have been measured experimentally.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSubcellular Biochemistry
PublisherSpringer New York
Pages57-82
Number of pages26
DOIs
StatePublished - 2018

Publication series

NameSubcellular Biochemistry
Volume87

Keywords

  • Chromophore
  • Cyanobacteria
  • Excitation energy transfer
  • Light absorption
  • Light harvesting complex (LHC)
  • Oxygenic photosynthesis
  • Photosystem (PS)
  • Phycobilisome (PBS)
  • Protein structure
  • Reaction centre (RC)
  • Self-assembly

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry
  • Cancer Research
  • Cell Biology

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