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Related Concept Videos

Photosystem II01:22

Photosystem II

79.8K
The multi-protein complex photosystem II (PS II) harvests photons and transfers their energy through its bound pigments to its reaction center, and ultimately to photosystem I (PSI) through the electron transport chain. The pigments responsible for caputirng the light energy in photosystems include chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids.
The pigment molecules are arranged across  two photosystem domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment...
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Photosystem I01:27

Photosystem I

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Although structurally similar to photosystem II (PSII), photosystem I (PSI) is has a different electron supplier and electron acceptor.
Both these photosystems work in concert. An excited electron from PSII is relayed to PSI via an electron transport chain in the thylakoid membrane of the chloroplast, which is comprised of the carrier molecule plastoquinone, the dual-protein cytochrome complex, and plastocyanin. As electrons move between PSII and PSI, they lose energy and must be re-energized...
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Photosystems01:32

Photosystems

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Photosystems are multiprotein complexes that form the functional units of photosynthesis in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. They are found embedded in the membrane of tiny sac-like structures called thylakoids placed inside the chloroplast.
Functioning of Photosystems
Photosystems contain many pigment molecules, such as chlorophylls and carotenoids, arranged in a particular organization across two domains — the antenna complex and the reaction center. The main aim of the pigment...
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The Photochemical Reaction Center01:29

The Photochemical Reaction Center

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Reaction centers are pigment-protein complexes that initiate energy conversion from photons to chemical entities. Therefore, photochemical reaction center is a more appropriate term that describes these complexes. The Nobel laureates Robert Emerson and William Arnold provided the first experimental evidence of photochemical reaction centers by demonstrating the participation of nearly 2,500 chlorophyll molecules for the release of just one molecule of oxygen. Despite thousands of photosynthetic...
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The Antenna Complex01:15

The Antenna Complex

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Plants and other photosynthetic organisms comprise pigments capable of absorption of direct sunlight. These pigments are present in the reaction center - the main site of photochemical reactions as well as in the antenna complex. Under average light conditions, the rate at which reaction center pigments absorb light is far below the electron transport chain's capacity. As a result, the reaction center alone cannot provide enough energy to drive photosynthesis. The photosynthetic efficiency can...
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The Supercomplexes in the Crista Membrane01:41

The Supercomplexes in the Crista Membrane

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The mitochondrial cristae membrane is the primary site for the oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) process of energy conversion mediated through respiratory complexes I to V. These complexes have been widely studied for decades, and it has been proven that they form supramolecular structures called respiratory supercomplexes (SC). These higher-order complexes may be crucial in maintaining the biochemical structure and improving the physiological activity of the individual complexes while...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 15, 2026

Separation of Spinach Thylakoid Protein Complexes by Native Green Gel Electrophoresis and Band Characterization using Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting
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Separation of Spinach Thylakoid Protein Complexes by Native Green Gel Electrophoresis and Band Characterization using Time-Correlated Single Photon Counting

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Dynamic quenching in single photosystem II supercomplexes.

J Michael Gruber1, Pengqi Xu, Jevgenij Chmeliov

  • 1Department of Biophysics, Faculty of Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boeleaan 1081, 1081HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. r.van.grondelle@vu.nl.

Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics : PCCP
|September 9, 2016
PubMed
Summary

Photosystem II (PSII) uses antenna fluctuations to regulate light harvesting. This study reveals that reversible changes in fluorescence intensity on a millisecond timescale indicate blinking subunits, impacting plant photosynthesis.

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Area of Science:

  • Photosynthesis research
  • Plant biochemistry
  • Single-molecule biophysics

Background:

  • Photosystem II (PSII) is crucial for photosynthesis, featuring efficient energy transfer and photoprotection mechanisms.
  • Antenna complexes in PSII undergo conformational changes to dissipate excess energy, leading to fluorescence quenching.
  • Fluorescence blinking in single antennas suggests a dynamic regulation mechanism.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate energy transfer and quenching in single PSII supercomplexes.
  • To determine if fluorescence blinking occurs in the native supramolecular organization of PSII.
  • To understand the role of antenna fluctuations in regulating light harvesting.

Main Methods:

  • Single-molecule experiments on PSII supercomplexes at 5 °C.
  • Analysis of fluorescence intensity and mean lifetime.
  • Distinguishing between detached antennas and intact PSII supercomplexes.

Main Results:

  • Average fluorescence lifetime in PSII supercomplexes was measured at 100-150 ps under extreme excitation.
  • This lifetime is attributed to quenched antennas or a reaction center quencher.
  • Reversible light-induced fluorescence intensity changes on a millisecond timescale were observed, resembling blinking.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides direct evidence for fluctuating antennas in PSII.
  • Observed blinking subunits suggest a mechanism for environmental control over light harvesting.
  • These findings illustrate how dynamic antenna behavior regulates plant photosynthesis.