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
Chlorophyll c Chlorophyll c Chlorophyll "c" is a form of chlorophyll found in certain marine algae, including the photosynthetic Chromista (e.g. diatoms, brown algae) and dinoflagellates. It has a blue-greenish color and is an accessory pigment, particularly significant in its absorption of light in the 447-452 nm wavelength region, Like chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, it helps the organism gather light and passes a quanta of excitation energy through the light harvesting antennae to the photosynthetic reaction centre. Chlorophyll "c" is unusual because it has a porphyrin ring structure and does not have an isoprenoid tail or a reduced ring D, features