Chinese Journal of Nature ›› 2021, Vol. 43 ›› Issue (3): 157-164.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-9608.2021.03.001

• Review Article •     Next Articles

Fucoxanthin chlorophyll a/c-binding proteins in diatoms: Deciphering red lineage of light-harvesting complex 

ZHAO Songhao, TAO Qiushuang, SHEN Jianren, WANG Wenda    

  1. Key Laboratory of Photobiology CAS, Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100093, China
  • Received:2020-12-14 Online:2021-06-25 Published:2021-06-13

Abstract: Diatoms are an important group of red phytoplankton in the ocean and contribute about 40% of marine or 20% of the global primary productivity, playing significant roles in global carbon fixation and geochemical cycle. An important factor that contributes to the ecological success of diatoms is their fucoxanthin (Fx) chlorophyll (Chl) a/c-binding proteins (FCPs), which have exceptional capabilities in light harvesting and adaptation. To study efficient blue-green light harvesting, energy transfer and conversion in diatoms under water, our research team collaborated with coworkers and solved a crystal structure of FCP-type light-harvesting complex and a cryo-electron microscopic structure of photosystem II-FCPII supercomplex from diatoms. These two structures reveal unique structural properties and aggregated states of FCP antennae, as well as the details of chlorophylls a, chlorophylls c and fucoxanthin pigments they bound, thus providing the solid basis for deciphering the highly efficient light-energy utilization mechanism of the photosynthetic machinery in diatoms.