The native architecture of a photosynthetic membrane

In photosynthesis, the harvesting of solar energy and its subsequent conversion into a stable charge separation are dependent upon an interconnected macromolecular network of membrane-associated chlorophyll-protein complexes. Although the detailed structure of each complex has been determined, the size and organization of this network are unknown. Here we show the use of atomic force microscopy to directly reveal a native bacterial photosynthetic membrane. This first view of any multi-component membrane shows the relative positions and associations of the photosynthetic complexes and reveals crucial new features of the organization of the network: we found that the membrane is divided into specialized domains each with a different network organization and in which one type of complex predominates. Two types of organization were found for the peripheral light-harvesting LH2 complex. In the first, groups of 10-20 molecules of LH2 form light-capture domains that interconnect linear arrays of dimers of core reaction centre (RC)-light-harvesting 1 (RC-LH1-PufX) complexes; in the second they were found outside these arrays in larger clusters. The LH1 complex is ideally positioned to function as an energy collection hub, temporarily storing it before transfer to the RC where photochemistry occurs: the elegant economy of the photosynthetic membrane is demonstrated by the close packing of these linear arrays, which are often only separated by narrow 'energy conduits' of LH2 just two or three complexes wide.     

致第三届中国国际毛纺织会议组织者和参加者

祝贺大会召开 !这次不能如邀访问西安 ,我感到遗憾。祝第三届中国国际毛纺织会议圆满成功。着手研究羊毛及产品的性能与结构之间关系 ,正值此时。大约在 1 92 0到 1 970年这段时期 ,有一批扎实的实验研究项目 ,为研究羊毛结构和机械性能提供了大量资料信息。同时 ,开始了理论模拟研究。这些研究结果请参见由 W.S.Simpson和 G.H.Crawshaw主编、Woodhead Publishing出版社的书 :《Wool:Science and Technology》。尽管这些研究为发展羊毛技术提供了有用的基本信息 ,但是对工业界的直接影响甚小。相比之下 ,羊毛化学的知识为羊毛化学处理…