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Content archived on 2024-05-07

Green BACTERIAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS : STRUCTURE FUNCTION AND REGULATION OF LIGHT-HARVESTING SYSTEMS AND CORE-COMPLEXES

Objective



The proposal concerns the antenna and core complexes of green on groups with active research programmes, as is the case with all the photosynthetic bacteria. The antenna systems of these bacteria are exceptional in their variation and complexity, but they share one common, participating groups. In addition, they should have easy access to advanced research equipment and facilities, and be allowed to exploit this major component, the chlorosomes, oblong bodies, attached to the cytoplasmic membrane. The membrane contains the core complex and the potential for their own research project. Both aspects are strongly reaction center.
represented in the proposed network, and the scientific horizon of the The core complex contains bacteriochlorophyll (BCh1) a, whereas the young researchers may be further expanded by the interdisciplinary nature chlorosomes contain a set of homologues of BCh1 c, d and e which have a of this network.
The young researchers will further be encouraged to actively participate strong tendency to form aggregates. There is strong evidence that such aggregates are actually present in chlorosomes.
in group meetings and discussions, seminar programs of participating The chlorosomes are typical examples of systems in which energy transfer groups and research institutions, international conferences, summer is governed by strong dipolar interactions, and one question which will be schools and courses, and to assist in the periodic evaluation of the addressed by various advanced spectroscopic methods concerns the actual project. All these activities are considered to be essential for their mechanism of energy transfer and excited state dynamics in chlorosomes as scientific development, and an adequate part of the budget is reserved for this purpose.
well as in model aggregates in relation to their structure and composition. Finally, young researchers will be temporarily stationed, for periods of Similar questions pertain to the core complex and the process of trapping of energy by the reaction centre. Various types of aggregates will be several weeks, in one of the other participating groups as part of of the planned collaborations. This will bring them into contact with a wide studied in order to obtain information on pigment interactions and structure, in vitro as well as in chlorosomes.
variety of experimental methods and research activities, a form of training An outstanding feature of the project is that it combines the biophysical which is difficult to provide without the network.
expertise of the groups at Leiden, Mulheim and Umea with the biochemical-microbiological expertise of the Odense and Girona groups. This opens up the possibility to combine studies on the biophysical and the biomolecular level, and in particular to study the properties of well-defined antenna components, obtained by manipulation of the pigment compositions under strictly controlled growth conditions. These will be complemented by studies of pigment synthesis and regulation in relation to light harvesting properties.

Call for proposal

Data not available

Coordinator

Rijksuniversiteit Leiden
EU contribution
No data
Address
2,Niels Borhweg
2300 RA Leiden
Netherlands

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Total cost
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Participants (4)