title: How carotenoids protect bacterial photosynthesis.
abstract: The essential function of carotenoids in photosynthesis is to act as photoprotective agents, preventing chlorophylls and bacteriochlorophylls from sensitizing harmful photodestructive reactions in the presence of oxygen. Based upon recent structural studies on reaction centres and antenna complexes from purple photosynthetic bacteria, the detailed organization of the carotenoids is described. Then with specific reference to bacterial antenna complexes the details of the photoprotective role, triplet triplet energy transfer, are presented.
authors: Division of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, IBLS, University of Glasgow, UK. r.cogdell@bio.gla.ac.uk
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Cogdell
authors: T D
authors: TD
authors: Howard
authors: R
authors: R
authors: Bittl
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Schlodder
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Geisenheimer
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Lubitz
mesh_terms: D002338:Carotenoids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D010788:Photosynthesis / Q000502:physiology*; D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012242:Rhodobacter sphaeroides; D012241:Rhodopseudomonas
chemical_list: D045322:Photosynthetic Reaction Center Complex Proteins; D002338:Carotenoids