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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.
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Although structurally similar to photosystem II (PSII), photosystem I (PSI) is has a different electron supplier and electron acceptor.
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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.
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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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Dissipation Pathways in a Photosynthetic Complex.

Ignacio Gustin1, Chang Woo Kim2,3, Ignacio Franco1,4,5

  • 1Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York 14627, United States.

The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters
|December 12, 2025
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Energy dissipation in photosynthesis is guided by low-frequency vibrational modes within the Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) complex. These modes, near resonance with pigment energy gaps, facilitate efficient energy transfer and can even involve borrowing energy from the environment.

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Area of Science:

  • * Molecular biophysics and quantum dynamics.
  • * Photosynthesis and light-harvesting complexes.
  • * Computational chemistry and condensed matter physics.

Background:

  • * Understanding molecular energy flow is key to chemical reactions, material properties, and photosynthesis.
  • * Elucidating specific molecular pathways for energy transfer in complex systems is challenging.
  • * The Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) complex mediates energy transfer from light-harvesting chlorosomes to the photosynthetic reaction center in green sulfur bacteria.

Purpose of the Study:

  • * To investigate how photon excitation energy is dissipated within the FMO complex.
  • * To isolate the contributions of protein and pigment vibrational modes to energy dynamics.
  • * To identify specific vibrational modes responsible for energy dissipation pathways.

Main Methods:

  • * Developed an efficient computational implementation of a theory for dissipation pathways in open quantum systems.
  • * Utilized second-order perturbation theory in electronic couplings.
  • * Employed a state-of-the-art FMO model with structured, chromophore-specific spectral densities.

Main Results:

  • * Energy dissipation is dominated by low-frequency vibrational modes (<800 cm-1) near resonance with pigment electronic state energy gaps.
  • * In-plane breathing modes (∼200 cm-1) of bacteriochlorophylls are identified as crucial for dissipation.
  • * Higher-frequency intramolecular vibrations (>800 cm-1) do not contribute to dissipation.
  • * The FMO complex transiently borrows energy from the environment to dissipate excess photonic energy.

Conclusions:

  • * Low-frequency vibrational modes play a critical role in directing energy dissipation in the FMO complex.
  • * Energy transfer dynamics involve a complex exchange with the thermal environment, not strictly unidirectional.
  • * Findings can inform the design of artificial light-harvesting devices and chemical/quantum control systems.