Light-harvesting complexes of green plants Light-harvesting complexes of green plants The light-harvesting complex (or antenna complex) is an array of protein and chlorophyll molecules embedded in the thylakoid membrane of plants, which transfer light energy to one chlorophyll "a" molecule at the reaction center of a photosystem. The antenna pigments are predominantly chlorophyll "b", xanthophylls, and carotenes. Chlorophyll "a" is known as the core pigment. Their absorption spectra are non-overlapping and broaden the range of light that can be absorbed in photosynthesis. The carotenoids have another role as an antioxidant to prevent photo-oxidative damage of chlorophyll molecules. Each antenna complex has between 250 and 400
Transduction (biophysics) called "resonant-energy-transferring" molecules of the chlorophyll class, which transfer what is considered electromagnetic energy, from one to its neighbor with no participation of electrons nor enzymes. At this stage, if the first pigment has received an excess of light, the "exciton" perhaps might "dissipate" the energy as heat. Transduction (biophysics) In biophysics, transduction is the conveyance of energy from one electron (a donor) to another (a receptor), at the same time that the class of energy changes. Photonic energy, the kinetic energy of a photon, may follow the following paths: In photosynthesis, when the electrons of the "chlorophyll pair" receive