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Macroscale optimal size of ICM vesicles regulated by quantum design principle in LH2 structure

Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: The photosynthetic bacterial light-harvesting antenna complex 2 (LH2), consisting of ring-like bacteriochlorophylls aggregates, constitutes an optimal excitonic structure for efficient energy transfer. Any distortion from this structure would cause efficiency losses. When adapted to low-light growing conditions, LH2-embedded membranes form vesicles to enhance light capture, albeit at the expense of curvature-induced LH2 deformation. Therefore, evolution should optimize vesicle sizes for overall light utilization efficiency. To unveil this optimization strategy, LH2 was assembled onto silica nanoparticles of a wide size region to simulate LH2 deformation, which was characterized by the B850 lifetime both theoretically and experimentally. We found that LH2 was undeformed only within the size range of 50-80 nm, akin to vesicle sizes observed in bacteria, suggesting that vesicle size optimization follows the LH2 structural design principle.
DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2025.06.004
Authors: Ying Zhang, Qianjin Chu, Luchao Du, Yugui Yao, Hailong Chen, Peng Wang, Jianping Zhang, Mingqing Chen, Lingfeng Peng, Yuxiang Weng
Institutions: Chinese Academy of Sciences, Institute of Physics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing Institute of Technology, Songshan Lake Materials Laboratory, Renmin University of China
Language: English
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,000
OpenAlex ID: W4411111481
FWCI: 1.107
Cites: 56
Cited by: 3
Related to: 10