Unraveling survival strategies of photosynthetic bacteria in extreme environments: structural and spectroscopic studies

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20H02856
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 37010:Bio-related chemistry
• Research Institution: Ibaraki University
• Principal Investigator: Otomo Seiu 茨城大学, 基礎自然科学野, 教授 (10213612)
• Project Period (FY): 2020-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 光合成 / 光捕集 / エネルギー移動 / 光電変換

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we have expanded on the previously established spectroscopic and structural studies of the light-harvesting-eaction center supramolecular complex (LH1-RC) derived from thermophilic photosynthetic bacteria, and elucidated at the atomic level aspects of the survival strategy by which photosynthetic microorganisms thriving in various extreme environments skillfully utilize solar light energy, in particular the diverse spectroscopic behaviors of the photosynthetic membranes and the light-harvesting complexes as well as the structural basis that regulates them, laying the foundation for a broader understanding of the correlation between structure and function.

Free Research Field

生物物理化学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

光合成細菌から単離された光合成色素タンパク質は通常その菌体の生息環境に最も見合った安定な構造を取り、最適化された分光学的特徴を示すことから、本研究から得られた知見は様々な極限環境下に生きる光生物の光合成初期過程における励起エネルギーの伝達機構、反応中心における光誘起電荷分離機構の解明に役立つだけでなく、将来の工学的応用を見据えた人工光合成における高効率のアンテナと光電変換素子の構築に対しても根拠となる設計指針を与えるものと考えられる。