The simplicity of robust light harvesting

A universal design principle underlies photosynthetic antenna systems Photosynthetic light harvesting can achieve a quantum efficiency that approaches 100% (that is, the conversion of 100 photons of light into 100 chemically available electrons), and yet it displays notable robustness in the face of...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Science (American Association for the Advancement of Science) 2020-06, Vol.368 (6498), p.1427-1428
Main Author: Duffy, Christopher D. P.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Harvesters
Light
Natural lighting
Photons
Photosynthesis
Quantum efficiency
Robustness
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Summary:A universal design principle underlies photosynthetic antenna systems Photosynthetic light harvesting can achieve a quantum efficiency that approaches 100% (that is, the conversion of 100 photons of light into 100 chemically available electrons), and yet it displays notable robustness in the face of ever-changing external light conditions. Although light harvesting varies in structure and composition across the range of photosynthetic life, there is an ongoing effort to uncover a set of common “design” principles for these systems. On page 1490 of this issue, Arp et al. ( 1 ) have revealed the first hints of a simple, seemingly universal set of rules that define the robustness of natural light harvesters. These rules should inform the design of future solar technology.
ISSN:0036-8075
1095-9203
DOI:10.1126/science.abc8063