Investigation of the molecular mechanism of the blue-light-specific excitation energy quenching in the plant antenna complex LHCII

Wieslaw I. Gruszecki, Monika Zubik, Rafal Luchowski, Wojciech Grudzinski, Malgorzata Gospodarek, Janusz Szurkowski, Zygmunt Gryczynski, Ignacy Gryczynski

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Excitation of the major photosynthetic antenna complex of plants, LHCII, with blue light (470. nm) provides an advantage to plants, as it gives rise to chlorophyll a fluorescence lifetimes shorter than with excitation with red light (635. nm). This difference is particularly pronounced in fluorescence emission wavelengths longer than 715. nm. Illumination of LHCII preparation with blue light additionally induces fluorescence quenching, which develops on a minute timescale. This effect is much less efficient when induced by red light, despite the equalized energy absorbed in both the spectral regions. Simultaneous analysis of the fluorescence and photoacoustic signals in LHCII demonstrated that the light-driven fluorescence quenching is not associated with an increase in heat emission. Instead, a reversible light-induced conformational transformation of the protein takes place, as demonstrated by the FTIR technique. These findings are discussed in terms of the blue-light-specific excitation energy quenching in LHCII, which may have photoprotective applications.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)409-414
Number of pages6
JournalJournal of Plant Physiology
Volume168
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 15 Mar 2011

Keywords

  • Blue light effect
  • FLIM
  • LHCII
  • Photoprotection
  • Xanthophylls

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