Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • News & Views
  • Published:

Photosynthesis

Quantum design for a light trap

The photosynthetic apparatus of cryptophyte algae is odd — its pigments are farther apart than is expected for efficient functioning. A study into how this apparatus works so well finds quantum effects at play.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Calculated dynamics of excited electronic states in a photosynthetic light-harvesting complexs6,7.

References

  1. Collini, E. et al. Nature 463, 644–647 (2010).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. van Grondelle, R., Dekker, J. P., Gillbro, T. & Sundstrom, V. Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1187, 1–65 (1994).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ruban, A. V. et al. Nature 450, 575–578 (2007).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Beddard, G. S. & Porter, G. Nature 260, 366–367 (1976).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Sener, M. K., Olsen, J. D., Hunter, C. N. & Schulten, K. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 104, 15723–15728 (2007).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Novoderezhkin, V. I., Rutkauskas, D. & van Grondelle, R. Biophys. J. 90, 2890–2902 (2006).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. van Grondelle, R. & Novoderezhkin, V. I. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 8, 793–807 (2006).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Engel, G. S. et al. Nature 446, 782–786 (2007).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Novoderezhkin, V., Wendling, M. & van Grondelle, R. J. Phys. Chem. B 107, 11534–11548 (2003).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Zigmantas, D. et al. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 103, 12672–12677 (2006).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Ishizaki, A. & Fleming, G. R. Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 106, 17255–17260 (2009).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  12. McDermott, G. et al. Nature 374, 517–521 (1995).

    Article  ADS  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

van Grondelle, R., Novoderezhkin, V. Quantum design for a light trap. Nature 463, 614–615 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1038/463614a

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/463614a

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing