Carotenoid-Bacteriochlorophyll Interactions

摘要: Carotenoids perform two major functions in bacterial photosynthesis [1, 2]. They act as photoprotective agents, preventing the harmful photodynamic reaction, and accessory light-harvesting pigments, extending spectral range over which light drives photosynthesis. Most carotenoids are rather hydrophobic molecules, they typically found associated with photosynthetic membranes. However, not freely mobile within lipid interior of these membranes, but non-covalently bound to photochemical reaction centres complexes[3]. It is important emphasise that it specific, close, wellordered interactions between bacteriochlorophyll molecules pigment-protein complexes allows carotenoids, efficiently, fulfil their roles.