The Assembly of Photosynthetic Light-Harvesting Complexes in Whole Cells

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This interdisciplinary project will bring together sophisticated biological and structural monitoring of photosynthetic membrane assembly, function and regulation with the tools of dynamic spectroscopy required to record and analyze the detailed function of the in vivo system. There are three parts to the project. First, an analysis of individual components of the photosynthetic apparatus in cells (the light harvesting complexes and the reaction center) coupled with an analysis of their action together under well defined conditions will allow the generation of a quantitative structure/function model. Next, by varying light regimes, it is possible to change the relative amounts and presumably the organization of the different components, making it possible to refine the model so that it takes into account the range of different architectures that the apparatus can assume. Finally, the higher order structure and function of the photosynthetic apparatus will be monitored as a function of its development, starting from aerobic conditions where it is largely absent and removing oxygen which initiates the production and assembly of the components. An understanding of membrane system assembly in this model system will aid the much broader field of membrane structure/function relationships. This system is likely unique in the fact that the components are well characterized structurally and functionally, the genetic system is facile, and the tools exist now to follow the function of the unmodified membrane system in living cells.This project is being supported jointly by the Physics of Living Systems Program in the Physics Division and by Biomolecular Dynamics, Structure and Function in MCB.