Photosynthetic Membrane - Molecular Mechanisms and Biophysics of Light Harvesting

Informationen zum Autor Professor Alexander V. Ruban, School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, UK. Professor Ruban is a Professor in Biophysics at Queen Mary University of London and holds a 'Professeur des Universites (Biochimie et biologie moleculaire)' title awarded by the French Ministry of Education. He obtained his PhD at the Institute of Plant Physiology at the Academy of Sciences of the Ukraine. His research has been instrumental in the discovery of the molecular basis of photoprotection in LHCII and the in vivo configuration and dynamics of higher plant xanthophylls in the thylakoid membrane. The Ruban Lab at Queen Mary is engaged in mechanistic photosynthesis research with a multidisciplinary approach applies molecular spectroscopy, biophysics and biochemistry to important problems in plant physiology, specifically, the role of the various components (proteins, lipids, pigments) and macrostructure in the functions and adaptive mechanisms of the photosynthetic membrane related to light harvesting and photoprotection in plants and algae. In addition, professor Ruban is interested in the universal properties of carotenoids in biological membranes, the molecular dynamics of these molecules in the modulation of membrane protein conformation and their functions. Klappentext The proteins that gather light for plant photosynthesis are embedded within cell membranes in a site called the thylakoid membrane (or the "photosynthetic membrane"). These proteins form the light harvesting antenna that feeds with energy a number of vital photosynthetic processes such as water oxidation and oxygen evolution, the pumping of protons across the thylakoid membranes coupled with the electron transport chain of the photosystems and cytochrome b6f complex, and ATP synthesis by ATP synthase utilizing the generated proton gradient.The Photosynthetic Membrane: Molecular Mechanisms and Biophysics of Light Harvesting is an introduction to the fundamental design and function of the light harvesting photosynthetic membrane, one of the most common and most important structures of life. It describes the underlying structure of the membrane, the variety and roles of the membrane proteins, the atomic structures of light harvesting complexes and their macromolecular assemblies, the molecular mechanisms and dynamics of light harvesting and primary energy transformations, and the broad range of adaptations to different light environments. The book shows, using the example of the photosynthetic membrane, how complex biological structures utilize principles of chemistry and physics in order to carry out biological functions. The Photosynthetic Membrane: Molecular Mechanisms of Light Harvesting will appeal to a wide audience of undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as researchers working in the fields of biochemistry, molecular biology, biophysics, plant science and bioengineering. Zusammenfassung This volume offers an introduction to the fundamental design and function of the photosynthetic membrane, one of the most common and most important structures of life. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface xi Acknowledgements xiii 1 Life, Energy and Light 1 1.1 The Definition of Life 1 1.2 The Energy of Matter 2 1.2.1 The Source of Life's Energy 3 1.3 Energy for the Future 3 1.4 Photosynthesis by Life 4 1.4.1 Photon Energy Transformations 5 Reference 6 Bibliography 6 2 The Space of the Cell 7 2.1 The Cell Concept: Fundamental Nature of Life 7 2.2 Compartmentalization: The Cult of the Membrane 9 2.3 Membrane Components: Fundamentals of Proteins 12 2.4 Functional Classification of Membrane Proteins 15 Reference 16 Bibliography 16 3 The Photosynthetic Membrane: Outlook 17 3.1 Knowledge of the Pre-Atomic Structure Era: Organization of the Photo...

List of contents

Preface xi
 
Acknowledgements xiii
 
1 Life, Energy and Light 1
 
1.1 The Definition of Life 1
 
1.2 The Energy of Matter 2
 
1.2.1 The Source of Life's Energy 3
 
1.3 Energy for the Future 3
 
1.4 Photosynthesis by Life 4
 
1.4.1 Photon Energy Transformations 5
 
Reference 6
 
Bibliography 6
 
2 The Space of the Cell 7
 
2.1 The Cell Concept: Fundamental Nature of Life 7
 
2.2 Compartmentalization: The Cult of the Membrane 9
 
2.3 Membrane Components: Fundamentals of Proteins 12
 
2.4 Functional Classification of Membrane Proteins 15
 
Reference 16
 
Bibliography 16
 
3 The Photosynthetic Membrane: Outlook 17
 
3.1 Knowledge of the Pre-Atomic Structure Era: Organization of the Photosynthetic Membrane System 17
 
3.2 Composition of the Photosynthetic Membrane 21
 
3.2.1 Lipids 21
 
3.2.2 Lipid-Related Compounds of the Photosynthetic Membrane 22
 
3.2.3 Proteins and Protein Complexes 25
 
3.3 Oligomerization, Interactions and Mobility of the Photosynthetic Proteins: Enabling Functions and Adaptations 28
 
3.3.1 Oligomerization and Clustering of Photosynthetic Membrane Proteins 28
 
3.3.2 Protein Mobility 30
 
Reference 32
 
Bibliography 32
 
4 Popular Methods and Approaches to Study Composition, Structure and Functions of the Photosynthetic Membrane 33
 
4.1 Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Approaches 33
 
4.1.1 Isolation of Chloroplasts and Subchloroplast Particles 33
 
4.1.2 Isolation of Membrane Protein Complexes 35
 
4.1.3 Analysis of Lipids and Pigments 37
 
4.1.4 Protein Expression and Reconstitution In Vitro 38
 
4.1.5 Reconstitution of Membrane Proteins in Liposomes 39
 
4.1.6 Mutagenesis and Transgenic Manipulations 40
 
4.2 Visualization Techniques 41
 
4.2.1 Optical Microscopy 41
 
4.2.2 Electron Microscopy (EM) 42
 
4.2.3 Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) 45
 
4.2.4 Crystallography Methods 45
 
4.3 Function Probing Methods 48
 
4.3.1 Absorption-Based Approaches 49
 
4.3.2 Raman Spectroscopy 54
 
4.3.3 Fluorescence-Based Approaches 55
 
References 65
 
Bibliography 65
 
5 Primary Processes of the Light Phase of Photosynthesis: Principles of Light Harvesting in Antennae 67
 
5.1 The Nature of Light 67
 
5.2 Absorption of Light by Molecules 71
 
5.3 Fate of Absorbed Light Energy 73
 
5.4 The Need for the Photosynthetic Antenna and the Fifth Fate of Excitation Energy 75
 
5.5 Photosynthetic Antenna Pigments 81
 
5.5.1 Chlorophylls 82
 
5.5.2 Xanthophylls 87
 
5.6 Variety and Classification of Photosynthetic Antennae 91
 
5.7 Principles of Light Harvesting: Summary 93
 
5.8 Connecting Light Harvesting Antenna to the Photosystems: Red Energy Traps 96
 
References 99
 
Bibliography 99
 
6 Towards the Atomic Resolution Structure of Light Harvesting Antennae: On the Path of Discoveries 101
 
6.1 Discovery and Primary Characterization of the Higher Plant Antenna Complex 102
 
6.2 Development of Isolation Methods: Intactness, Purity and Quantity 104
 
6.3 LHCII Crystallography: The Beginnings 107
 
6.4 Revealing the Atomic Resolution Structure of LHCII Antenna Complexes 111
 
6.4.1 Key Biochemical and Spectroscopic Advances that Aided the Emergence of the Current Atomic LHCIIb Structure 111
 
6.4.2 The New Structure of LHCIIb 115
 
6.5 Structure of a Minor LHCII Complex CP29 126
 
6.6

Report

"I strongly recommend ''The Photosynthetic Membrane'', by Alexander Ruban, to all the advanced undergraduate and graduate students and even researchers of Plant Biology, Plant Sciences, Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology and Bioengineering. Further, all libraries around the World must acquire a copy of this book for their students and teaching faculty. It is indeed a beautiful and refreshing book at a time when we are just too busy with only technical aspects of a problem." (Photosynth Res, 27 May 2014)
 
"The Photosynthetic Membrane: Molecular Mechanisms of Light Harvesting will appeal to a wide audience of undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as researchers working in the fields of biochemistry, molecular biology, biophysics, plant science and bioengineering." (Biotechnology, Agronomy, Society, Environment, 1 December 2012)

Product details

• Authors: Alexander V Ruban, Alexander V. Ruban, Alexander V. (School of Biological and Chem Ruban, Alexander V. (School of Biological and Chemical Sciences Ruban, Ruban Alexander V.
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 26.10.2012
• EAN: 9781119960539
• ISBN: 978-1-119-96053-9
• No. of pages: 288
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Chemistry; Chemie, Physik, Biophysik, Biochemie, Life Sciences, Biowissenschaften, Chemische Biologie, biochemistry, chemistry, Physics, Biophysics, Plant Biochemistry, Biochemie u. Chemische Biologie, Biochemistry (Chemical Biology), Botanik / Biochemie