Structure and Function of Carotenoids

描述（由申请人提供）： 本申请旨在阐明类胡萝卜素的结构特征 测定它们在体内的光化学性质。将特别注意 鉴于类胡萝卜素在光捕获和光保护中的作用， 对光合生物的生存至关重要。系统将 研究的是类胡萝卜素在体外和包含在几个不同的 光合反应中心和天线复合物已经被分离， 纯化的、颜料重构的、颜料交换的、结晶的或 基因改变了X射线晶体学，核磁共振， 共振拉曼光谱将被用作直接结构探针。 吸收，荧光，荧光激发，快速瞬态吸收， 双光子光谱，线性二向色性，电子顺磁共振 光谱，和半经验MO计算将允许的相关性 结构与光谱观测值和功能。数据将 为理解更复杂的生物体提供基础;例如 高等植物色素蛋白复合物。这项建议的具体目标是： (1)研究光合色素蛋白中类胡萝卜素的结构 探讨类胡萝卜素结构之间的关系 及其光谱性质;（3）确定它们之间的关系 类胡萝卜素的结构和它们的功能机制之间的关系， vivo.

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The objective of the research contained in this application is to elucidate how the structural features of carotenoids determine their photochemical properties in vivo. Particular attention will be given to the roles of carotenoids in light-harvesting and photoprotection which are essential for the survival of photosynthetic organisms. The systems to be studied are carotenoids in vitro and contained in several different photosynthetic reaction center and antenna complexes that have been isolated, purified, pigment-reconstituted, pigment exchanged, crystallized or genetically-altered. X-ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and resonance Raman spectroscopy will be used as direct structural probes. Absorption, fluorescence, fluorescence excitation, fast-transient absorption, two-photon spectroscopy, linear dichroism, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and semi-empirical MO calculations will allow the correlation of structure with the spectroscopic observables and function. The data will provide a basis from which to understand more complicated organisms; e.g. higher plant pigment-protein complexes. The specific aims of this proposal are: (1) To examine the structures of carotenoids in photosynthetic pigment-protein complexes; (2) To explore the relationships between the carotenoid structures and their spectroscopic properties; and (3) To determine the relationships between the carotenoid structures and the mechanisms by which they function in vivo.