Filling the Green Gap of a Megadalton Photosystem i Complex by Conjugation of Organic Dyes

Pavlo I. Gordiichuk, Dolev Rimmerman, Avishek Paul, Daniel A. Gautier, Agnieszka Gruszka, Manfred Saller, Jan Willem De Vries, Gert Jan A.H. Wetzelaer, Marianna Manca, Widianta Gomulya, Maayan Matmor, Ekaterina Gloukhikh, Mark Loznik, Nurit Ashkenasy, Paul W.M. Blom, Matthias Rögner, Maria Antonietta Loi, Shachar Richter, Andreas Herrmann

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

14 Scopus citations

Abstract

Photosynthesis is Nature's major process for converting solar into chemical energy. One of the key players in this process is the multiprotein complex photosystem I (PSI) that through absorption of incident photons enables electron transfer, which makes this protein attractive for applications in bioinspired photoactive hybrid materials. However, the efficiency of PSI is still limited by its poor absorption in the green part of the solar spectrum. Inspired by the existence of natural phycobilisome light-harvesting antennae, we have widened the absorption spectrum of PSI by covalent attachment of synthetic dyes to the protein backbone. Steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence reveal that energy transfer occurs from these dyes to PSI. It is shown by oxygen-consumption measurements that subsequent charge generation is substantially enhanced under broad and narrow band excitation. Ultimately, surface photovoltage (SPV) experiments prove the enhanced activity of dye-modified PSI even in the solid state.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)36-41
Number of pages6
JournalBioconjugate Chemistry
Volume27
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - 20 Jan 2016

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Biotechnology
  • Bioengineering
  • Biomedical Engineering
  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmaceutical Science
  • Organic Chemistry

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