An
international team of scientists has constructed a model that reproduces a
general feature of photosynthetic light harvesting, observed across many
photosynthetic organisms.
Light
harvesting is the collection of solar energy by protein-bound chlorophyll
molecules. In photosynthesis -- the process by which green plants and some
other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods from carbon dioxide and water
-- light energy harvesting begins with sunlight absorption.
When
sunlight shining
on a leaf changes rapidly, plants must protect themselves from the ensuing
sudden surges of solar energy. To cope with these changes, photosynthetic
organisms have developed numerous tactics. Scientists have been unable,
however, to identify the underlying design principle. A physicist has now
constructed a model that reproduces a general feature of photosynthetic light
harvesting, observed across many photosynthetic organisms.
The
researchers' model borrows ideas from the science of complex networks, a field
of study that explores efficient operation in cellphone networks, brains, and
the power grid. The model describes a simple network that is able to input
light of two different colors, yet output a steady rate of solar power. This
unusual choice of only two inputs has remarkable consequences.
See:
Posted by Dr. Tim Sandle, Pharmaceutical Microbiology Resources (http://www.pharmamicroresources.com/)
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