The phycobilisome core-membrane linkers from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 and red-algae assemble in the same topology.

The phycobilisomes (PBSs) of cyanobacteria and red-algae are unique megadaltons light-harvesting protein-pigment complexes that utilize bilin derivatives for light absorption and energy transfer. Recently, the high-resolution molecular structures of red-algal PBSs revealed how the multi-domain core-membrane linker (L ) specifically organizes the allophycocyanin subunits in the PBS's core. But, the topology of L in these structures was different than that suggested for cyanobacterial PBSs based on lower-resolution structures.

Dynamic Crystallography Reveals Early Signalling Events in Ultraviolet Photoreceptor UVR8.

UVR8 (UVR8) is a long-sought-after photoreceptor that undergoes dimer dissociation in response to UV-B light. Crystallographic and mutational studies have identified two crucial tryptophan residues for UV-B responses in UVR8. However, the mechanism of UV-B perception and structural events leading up to dimer dissociation remain elusive at the molecular level.

The structure of allophycocyanin B from Synechocystis PCC 6803 reveals the structural basis for the extreme redshift of the terminal emitter in phycobilisomes.

Allophycocyanin B (AP-B) is one of the two terminal emitters in phycobilisomes, the unique light-harvesting complexes of cyanobacteria and red algae. Its low excitation-energy level and the correspondingly redshifted absorption and fluorescence emission play an important role in funnelling excitation energy from the hundreds of chromophores of the extramembraneous phycobilisome to the reaction centres within the photosynthetic membrane. In the absence of crystal structures of these low-abundance terminal emitters, the molecular basis for the extreme redshift and directional energy transfer is largely unknown.

Fabrication of microcavity-array superhydrophobic surfaces using an improved template method.

We fabricated the first superhydrophobic (SH) surface with microcavities, using a simple process. The process included an improved template method (ITM) for constructing the SH surface with cavities, using taro leaves as a pattern mask, and a dip-coating method for modifying the SH surface. The results obtained using the ITM are significantly better than those achieved using traditional template methods.