Carotenoids in Purple Bacteria and Photosynthesis (IMAGE)

University of Toronto

Carotenoids in Purple Bacteria and Photosynthesis

Caption

Advanced optical probes using femtosecond lasers enable light harvesting processes to be examined in exquisite detail. Anticlockwise from top right: Purple bacteria and the structure of the light harvesting complex that gives these cells their distinctive purple color. This special protein incorporates molecules of bacteriochlorophyll and carotenoid to capture the energy from sunlight. The lower part of the figure shows the protein data recorded from two-dimensional laser spectroscopy. (Illustration: Evgeny Ostroumov)

Credit

Evgeny Ostroumov

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